Sheep's recent activity
-
Comment on JLPT N5, here i come! Ehm... any suggestions for me? in ~humanities.languages
-
Comment on Spirit Circle | Teaser trailer (Dec 2026) in ~anime
Sheep LinkI really didn't think I'd live to see the day Spirit Circle got animated. It's been so long since the manga ended (10 years!) that it felt like we needed a miracle for an adaptation to happen. But...I really didn't think I'd live to see the day Spirit Circle got animated. It's been so long since the manga ended (10 years!) that it felt like we needed a miracle for an adaptation to happen. But if there's an older manga that deserves an anime, this is certainly very high up there.
-
Comment on Enough phone (compact phone) kickstarter is up in ~tech
Sheep (edited )Link ParentIt's nice that it's removable for when the battery degrades and needs replacement, but it's not going to mean much in day-to-day use which is my point. Most people are not going to walk around...It's nice that it's removable for when the battery degrades and needs replacement, but it's not going to mean much in day-to-day use which is my point. Most people are not going to walk around with a spare battery and a screwdriver. They're just going to recharge the phone with their power bank or some power outlet at work, which takes much less time and effort. But with a 3500 mah battery they're gonna be doing that a lot more frequently compared to phones with a 5000 mah battery. I really don't see why they couldn't have used the extra thickness the phone has to put in a bigger battery.
As for the price, of course I give them a discount because of the RAM apocalypse and the fact it's a small order, but this only makes the fact the phone is all major compromises stick out even more. They need to justify that difference in price with something more than "it's slightly smaller" imo, as people with smaller hands still want a decent phone.
-
Comment on Enough phone (compact phone) kickstarter is up in ~tech
Sheep LinkI guess it's nice that someone is trying something but I just don't get why when everything indicates these are doomed to fail because people expect more than what these smaller devices can...I guess it's nice that someone is trying something but I just don't get why when everything indicates these are doomed to fail because people expect more than what these smaller devices can realistically deliver.
400 bucks (if you back the kickstarter, otherwise it's 500) for a phone that's basically all major compromises with the only upside being a slightly smaller form factor is a really tough sell no matter how small your hands are.
They could have at least used the extra thickness to fit in a bigger battery but they didn't even bother to do that.
-
Comment on YouTube mobile app has deeply hidden the subscription feed in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentI mean, these are numbers. Youtube specifically tells you what percentage of viewers in any given video came from where on the site. So when a youtuber says that it's because they've looked at...I don't have the numbers, it's purely based off watching YouTubers talk about their user base and how their videos are consumed now.
I mean, these are numbers. Youtube specifically tells you what percentage of viewers in any given video came from where on the site. So when a youtuber says that it's because they've looked at their analytics.
By and large youtubers say that the vast majority of viewers come to their videos from the home feed or the recommendations, and the ones who show specific numbers show values in the 90%+ range for those feeds.
Basically the vast, vast majority of people on YouTube simply consume content shown to them on the home/shorts feed, they don't care about subscribing to channels (which is why most viewers on any given video are also not subscribers) or searching up content, they just want the algorithm to feed them.
-
Comment on JLPT N5, here i come! Ehm... any suggestions for me? in ~humanities.languages
Sheep (edited )Link ParentThis is one of the "downsides" of the N5 exam. That level only includes 100 kanji (and 13 of those are just numbers) , way too little for any meaningful length of text. So you end up with lots of...The only off putting part is the they are 99% in hiragana :) They rarely use kanji... and I find it odd and maybe a bit distracting because now i'm used to read kanji and they are way more efficient
This is one of the "downsides" of the N5 exam. That level only includes 100 kanji (and 13 of those are just numbers) , way too little for any meaningful length of text. So you end up with lots of hiragana-only vocabulary that can get hard to parse. This is why I generally don't find it "worth it" to do N5, because you can get to N4 and even N3 with just a bit more time and effort and not have to deal with all that hiragana hindering you.
It's also why I don't think you will struggle in the exam, especially if you're already familiar with more kanji than N5 has. Maybe you're already closer to N4 than N5. It really does not take that much to go beyond N5.
N5 to N3 are basically all beginner levels that you can get to with any decent amount of studying. N2 is the first big bump that actually takes significantly more time and dedication, and N1 is half for bragging rights because it eclipses all other levels combined in terms of content you need to learn and half of it is stuff you'll hardly see in real life anyway (still waiting for the day I hear the emperor use 朕)
But I'll try to implement my daily routine with more reading so that maybe i can become a slightly faster reader. There are a lot of free tadoku books i have never touched...
In general the best thing you can do is just that: read more, listen more. If I learned one thing from all my years studying Japanese (yes the learning journey never ends even now when I read unnasisted) it's that it's less about the specific method you pick and more about how much time you sink into it. If you're reading/listening to Japanese you're improving.
-
Comment on JLPT N5, here i come! Ehm... any suggestions for me? in ~humanities.languages
Sheep (edited )LinkJLPT N1 here. Vast majority of examinees I've talked to spent the most time on reading comprehension, so if I had one tip to give it would be to make sure you don't read too slowly because it eats...JLPT N1 here.
Vast majority of examinees I've talked to spent the most time on reading comprehension, so if I had one tip to give it would be to make sure you don't read too slowly because it eats up time and there's a surprising amount of text to read. But I might have my perspective skewed because I've only focused on N2-N1 and never bothered to study for/take the lower levels, and those exams have page-long complex texts to parse for very specific info.
For the oral comprehension part there's not much I can recommend besides "listen more." The only way to get better at understanding Japanese is to get ridiculous amounts of input. But for N5 the audio will not be too difficult to parse and they speak relatively slowly, so I wouldn't be too worried.
If it serves as reassurance, I don't believe you will struggle much with N5 if you've actually spent a year actively studying Japanese, so don't beat yourself up and get stressed out (I know, easier said than done) The requirements for that level are very low and any adult learner should easily be able to fulfill them if they're actively studying for any decent amount of time.
Also, please don't worry if you don't get a perfect score. It's normal to get questions wrong because at the end of the day it's a timed exam and sometimes you end up rushing and messing up (or simply not having time to do everything). I don't know any N2/N1 learners with even close to a perfect score and none of them struggle to read a novel or speak in real life, so don't take the exam's score number to heart and focus more on the fact you passed.
Best of luck!
-
Comment on Heroic Games Launcher: an open source, cross-platform launcher for GOG and Epic Games Store in ~games
Sheep Link ParentIt's a numbers problem. The modding scene on windows is already a small percentage of the userbase. The one on Linux is even more infinitesimal. Thankfully there are more and more cross-platform...It's a numbers problem. The modding scene on windows is already a small percentage of the userbase. The one on Linux is even more infinitesimal.
Thankfully there are more and more cross-platform tools coming out these days because of the steam deck and steam machine, so don't lose hope. I've been amazed at how many games I could mod on Linux and how plug and play the experience was, just needed to learn about the existence of the modding tool.
-
Comment on Heroic Games Launcher: an open source, cross-platform launcher for GOG and Epic Games Store in ~games
Sheep Link ParentIt should be theoretically possible with Jackify in place of Wabbajack. With Linux modding the biggest hurdle isn't usually the mods themselves but having a decent tool to install them, as most...It should be theoretically possible with Jackify in place of Wabbajack.
With Linux modding the biggest hurdle isn't usually the mods themselves but having a decent tool to install them, as most mainstream tools are windows only. I usually find something about the matter by googling the name of the tool + Linux to find alternatives, or even just the game name and seeing if it's possible to mod on Linux and how. Might require a bit of learning at points but once you get going you're good.
-
Comment on A man rescued a bear cub, now they’re inseparable in ~life.pets
Sheep LinkWas more enthralled to hear this Bosnian man speak about bears than I thought. I could feel both the love yet huge respect he has for them, and I especially appreciated the emphasis he put on them...Was more enthralled to hear this Bosnian man speak about bears than I thought. I could feel both the love yet huge respect he has for them, and I especially appreciated the emphasis he put on them being wild animals and not his pets, and how he learns from them everyday.
Maybe it's just me but I always prefer seeing people who treat wild animals like individuals. Not as entertainment or toys or pets but as fellow animals with their own personalities and lives who may sometimes let us be part of their routine but otherwise need to be respected and left to live as naturally as possible. Feels like we (as in, us and the animals) all end up better that way.
-
Comment on Cars with offensive names in ~transport
Sheep LinkThis was such a fascinating watch and I loved to learn how other countries also go through this phenomenon with cars specifically. International PR really is a multi-headed hydra. Here in Portugal...This was such a fascinating watch and I loved to learn how other countries also go through this phenomenon with cars specifically. International PR really is a multi-headed hydra.
Here in Portugal we had the Hyundai Kona renamed to Kauai because the former is literally a slur for vagina. I remember thinking back then it would be hilarious to go buy it overseas and import it, but it probably would have been more expensive than funny.
-
Comment on Anyone else have Inattentive ADHD? in ~health.mental
Sheep Link ParentLonger than me, then! The best way I like to describe it is I spent 30 years living with one brain. Now I'm learning how to use a different brain. Feels like magic for us who never knew any other...Longer than me, then!
The best way I like to describe it is I spent 30 years living with one brain. Now I'm learning how to use a different brain. Feels like magic for us who never knew any other way. And yeah, my life completely changed too.
The only thing I regret, but try not to dwell on too hard, is not getting help sooner, especially because I was diagnosed with hyperactivity as a child and the pediatrician just never followed up with any treatment because I "calmed down" later on, which I only learned as an adult was just me masking my symptoms.
-
Comment on Anyone else have Inattentive ADHD? in ~health.mental
Sheep LinkFormally, I exhibited hyperactivity as a child, so I'mnot sure if I'm primarily inattentive. But throughout my early teens and beyond I've definitely just been inattentive, with any hyperactivity...Formally, I exhibited hyperactivity as a child, so I'mnot sure if I'm primarily inattentive. But throughout my early teens and beyond I've definitely just been inattentive, with any hyperactivity being relegated to a bunch of ticks/habits.
But regardless, I know exactly how you feel because I went through the exact same motions last year, at the ripe young age of 30, when my friend (also diagnosed) convinced me to look into ADHD and the more I read about it the more I felt like I was reading an autobiography. Finally, just before turning 31, I was officially diagnosed and medicated and am now still learning how to "function" after 3 decades of complete dysfunction.
All this to say you are absolutely not alone and ADHD is extremely underdiagnosed in general, especially in adults. It's normal to feel like you're just now discovering who you are and understand why the world around you feels the way it does.
How to deal with it will vary from person to person but in my case my executive dysfunction was exacerbating so many other mental problems (as it turns out, when you can't focus you also can't do a good job and end up falling behind which only stresses you out more) that stimulant medication was definitely the way forward for me, especially after trying anti depressants and none of them helping. After some months on my medication (Lisdexamfetamine, brand name Elvanse or VyVanse) I was able to do tasks I wanted which slowly improved my outlook on life in general, especially the constant mental spiraling and ruminating. Hell, now I'm even starting to exercise regularly and have lost 15 kg just because I can think of something and do it instead of constally hopping from thought to thought.
When you're officially diagnosed it takes a lot of effort to "unlearn" the bad habits you've built over the years, but there is always a way forward and you're never alone.
-
Comment on F-Droid 2.0: A new chapter for Android freedom in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentDiscoverium is a fork of Obtainium with search functionality, if you're looking for an alternative.Discoverium is a fork of Obtainium with search functionality, if you're looking for an alternative.
-
Comment on Blocking of unverified apps on Android starts in Brazil and other three countries in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentI also think it's a good idea the way it's implemented. Some folks vastly underestimate how much scammers prey on our sense of urgency. It's like their number one trick and what gets even tech...I also think it's a good idea the way it's implemented. Some folks vastly underestimate how much scammers prey on our sense of urgency. It's like their number one trick and what gets even tech literate people. A 24 hour waiting period that gives you proper time to think before you can install unsigned apps could easily be what lets, say, an elderly person call their child to ask if this is normal. It's a direct counter to scammers.
Yes, in a perfect world we wouldn't need this, but we live in a world where there is not enough technical literacy and large segments of people are very vulnerable to being scammed. If we are forcing everyone to have a digital life, then we should also have a responsibility to protect them from organized crime.
Of course, I do also think that stuff like this should be accompanied by more education efforts but, on the other hand, I am already bombarded by every institution I interact with with warnings about scams and phishing, so I don't know if there's much more that can be done. People keep getting scammed en masse despite ample warning and losing money/personal info. Sitting around doing nothing doesn't seem good. So I think this is a decent compromise.
My only concern, which I think is very valid, is that Google could use this as a stepping stone to later fully block unsigned apps unless you use adb, and that's the point where I think we're crossing the line. Remains to be seen if that's the direction they're headed toward.
-
Comment on 'Chainsmoker Cat' anime discussion, what do you think? in ~anime
Sheep Link ParentObjectively? Not really. But I don't think it's due to a mean spirited author and more so because it's an episodic gag manga where nobody grows up and everything is always reset to the status quo,...Do the characters' situations improve much at all later on in the manga?
Objectively? Not really. But I don't think it's due to a mean spirited author and more so because it's an episodic gag manga where nobody grows up and everything is always reset to the status quo, sort of like the Simpsons.
But you do get a wider cast of participating characters as it goes on and there are some interesting overarching plot threads that get developed. There's also more of that down-to-earth vibe every once in a while.
And despite the characters' living situations everyone is always happy at the end of the day. That's kinda the main message of it I feel: life sucks but we're all gonna make it.
-
Comment on 'Chainsmoker Cat' anime discussion, what do you think? in ~anime
Sheep (edited )LinkI think dark comedy is a better way to describe it. Yeah it's silly and goofy and everyone is terrible and disgusting. But also, every so often, you get some humanity shining through (Imoko never...I think dark comedy is a better way to describe it. Yeah it's silly and goofy and everyone is terrible and disgusting. But also, every so often, you get some humanity shining through (Imoko never abandoning Yaniko despite constantly stating she hates smoking, Yaku having some sort of PTSD from what we all assume was time in prison, etc.) and it ties it all up together. I think it's really nice overall and makes it stand out among the crowd.
I've been a long time Chainsmoker Cat manga reader, still remember the Young Magazine issue where it debuted, and I can only say I really appreciate the care and love that went into the adaptation. It's honestly stellar given how absurd and short (each chapter is 4 pages) the source material is.
I've watched a few interviews with the cast and everyone really seems to have genuinely gone all out and loved their time on the project. Like how the voice actress, Yuuko Natsuyoshi, personally made all of Yaniko's fart sounds herself instead of relying on digital sound effects. Or how the landlord's voice actor, Tetsu Inada, literally shaved his head for the role.
Obviously I'm not deluding myself into thinking it's trying to be thought provoking. I'm aware a lot of it is just pure shock value and toilet humor. But I still think both the anime and the manga were made with care and are overall enjoyable for what they are.
-
Comment on What is your pet peeve with language acquisition? in ~humanities.languages
Sheep Link ParentYes. In general yes (obviously not blanket rule, exceptions exist, yadda yadda). Whichever topic comes last is the topic of the sentence. So if you list multiple topics you typically end up adding...So in my example I would be saying something like, today I (and not another person) etc?
Yes.
Like, is the main function of multiple wa's emphasis?
In general yes (obviously not blanket rule, exceptions exist, yadda yadda). Whichever topic comes last is the topic of the sentence. So if you list multiple topics you typically end up adding emphasis to whichever topic appears last, often by virtue of it contrasting with the topic(s) that came before.
-
Comment on What is your pet peeve with language acquisition? in ~humanities.languages
Sheep Link ParentReal talk, yes you can have two wa's! You can even have three wa's and beyond! There's no actual rule saying you can't do this! It's tricky to explain because most people don't delve too deep into...and I was like you can have two was? That's not a thing in anything else I've read anywhere.
Real talk, yes you can have two wa's! You can even have three wa's and beyond! There's no actual rule saying you can't do this!
It's tricky to explain because most people don't delve too deep into the nitty gritty of grammar in general, let alone Japanese grammar. One key thing that tends to get overlooked is that "topic" and "subject" are two distinct grammatical functions in Japanese and have distinct rules. "wa" is just a topic marker. "ga" is what's the actual subject marker (and if the two overlap, which happens extremely often, then "wa" typically takes precedence except in stuff like subordinate clauses).
The concept of "topic" is quite unusual for a lot of learners so that's where confusion often stems from. But there is no rule in Japanese grammar saying you can't introduce more than one topic in the same sentence. What happens in practice when you do this is that you tend to create a contrasting effect with the second topic you've introduced.
In your example 今日は私は you introduce the topic "today" and signal to the listener you're going to talk about today, but then you move to yourself afterward as a main focus which puts extra emphasis on yourself by virtue of topic contrast. And if you introduced a third topic it would be even more contrasting, and so on.
For a more practical example, take the sentence: 太郎はテニスは出来ます.
You might think it's not correct, that there should be a が in that second spot. And yes, you could put a が there and then the topic, the thing you're talking about, is just "Taro." But if you use は instead you put extra emphasis on "tennis," as that now becomes the main topic, and thus the focus of the sentence. Sort of becomes like "Taro, when it comes to TENNIS, oh he can really play." (obviously exaggerated for emphasis)
-
Comment on What is your pet peeve with language acquisition? in ~humanities.languages
Sheep (edited )Link ParentI never regretted learning how to read Japanese but I always describe it as an uphill battle that never really ends. You have to accept that you will suck for quite a while and even when you know...I never regretted learning how to read Japanese but I always describe it as an uphill battle that never really ends. You have to accept that you will suck for quite a while and even when you know how to read 99% of stuff in your day-to-day life you will still run into things you can't read (which, to reiterate, also applies to natives. The only difference is they've been grinding kanji since they were kids while you're playing catch up). But if you're consistent in your studying you can get to a point where you're reading a considerable amount of Japanese unassisted after a year or two. Then at that point you're also accustomed to adding flashcards for new words and won't even flinch at it (which is how most people study Japanese, and for good reason). If you like reading then you'll be fine, as the best way to learn is to just read and read and read some more.
Knowing Japanese unlocks a vast world of excellent literature, an internet community and culture that is gigantic but still very much insular, and the country itself is also so much more fun to visit when you know how to read the things around you and can fully appreciate them.
Indeed immersion is key. There's no secret formula, you just have to commit if you really want to develop your "Japanese brain." The more chances you can give yourself to immerse in the language (ideally as unassisted as possible so you force your brain to recall), the more it will become ingrained. I literally set all my devices to Japanese and only watched Japanese content as much as possible when I was trying to improve my listening/reading. You don't need to be super hardcore if you don't want to but the more you can push it the better.
One other thing I sometimes see learners get wrong is that they're afraid to step out of their comfort zone and thus stick to material they can understand nearly 100%, when actually you learn the most when you're listening/reading material you're actively trying to understand. So, ideally, you alway try to push yourself to listen/read something where you don't understand 20% or so, and that gives you a good margin to improve and motivate yourself to actually get better.