Sheep's recent activity
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Comment on America’s tech-filled classrooms are facing a backlash against school-assigned devices in ~life
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Comment on Bricks & Minifigs corporate stole a man's $200,000 Lego collection and told him to get bent in ~hobbies
Sheep Link ParentIt's not that simple because it's not yet clear who are the cosignees of the contract at this stage. The man signed a contract with a local store. The contract stipulates he owns his collection...It's not that simple because it's not yet clear who are the cosignees of the contract at this stage.
The man signed a contract with a local store. The contract stipulates he owns his collection and all that.
Then the store's management is replaced by new management from this big company.
During the takeover, the old management specifically asked if the new management will cosign the agreement they had on this collection. There was a verbal exchange saying yes, so the old management went on their merry way.
The problem is that after the new management took over and the family came to ask for the collection back, they were barred from the store and told that new management never cosigned anything nor is it their corporate policy to do so with franchisees (a claim that is disputed).
Despite this, they held onto the collection and even advertised/sold it via their outlets, so they can't even recoup all of it.
The family then went to small claims court with the contract and all the evidence and won by default judgment since the parent company never showed up, but when they show up to collect, the store had been closed down.
The whole thing is now a mess because they now need to prove the parent company cosigned if they even want to enforce the contract in court. It's a big old mess.
I hope they find a lawyer that'll do them justice for sure, but the case is not as cut and dry as that.
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Comment on Bricks & Minifigs corporate stole a man's $200,000 Lego collection and told him to get bent in ~hobbies
Sheep (edited )Link ParentYes, and this is all talked about in the videos. The problem is they're fighting a millionaire corporation as individuals. They will have to spend far more than the collection was ever worth in a...Yes, and this is all talked about in the videos. The problem is they're fighting a millionaire corporation as individuals.
They will have to spend far more than the collection was ever worth in a lengthy court battle (the company has already said they will drag the thing out until their pockets are empty), money which they don't have, win the case (likely, though not guaranteed), and then fight in court to recoup all the money spent.
And another reminder that the victim is an 83 year old man who just wanted to sell his collection to pay for his medical bills and his children's expenses. He might not even be alive by the time such a lengthy court battle would end, and I don't even want to image the toll such a case would put on him.
That's why they are instead making a public outrage campaign to hopefully force the company into action, because unfortunately, that's all they can afford.
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Comment on Bricks & Minifigs corporate stole a man's $200,000 Lego collection and told him to get bent in ~hobbies
Sheep Link ParentI wouldn't say that when the thing that started it all, an elderly man having his collection seized without permission, has not been solved. All they ever asked for was the collection back (or due...Seems like alls well that ends well?
I wouldn't say that when the thing that started it all, an elderly man having his collection seized without permission, has not been solved.
All they ever asked for was the collection back (or due compensation for it) and the company still refuses to address this, saying it's not their responsibility, when there are written contracts proving otherwise.
They only closed the local store to avoid litigation in small claims court, the actual parent company (which is a whole franchise) is still operating everywhere else.
This is far from resolved.
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Comment on Valve raises Steam Deck OLED prices by up to $300 in ~games
Sheep LinkI just want to vent about how last year was finally the year I started earning enough to save money for pc upgrades and other extras like a steam deck. I was so excited to get to the end of the...I just want to vent about how last year was finally the year I started earning enough to save money for pc upgrades and other extras like a steam deck. I was so excited to get to the end of the year and treat myself to a nice Christmas treat, as my friends had gotten steam decks earlier in the year, and I was also ready to finally upgrade to a serious gaming pc. And now it's all ruined and I can't afford anything I want again.
I already accepted I won't own a house and likely won't have a car for the foreseeable future due to rising gas prices, but having even what little joy I had left in my hobbies being stolen as I'm totally price gated, just as I was getting to that goal feels so... Bleak and hopeless.
I know I can keep saving and eventually get there but it just feels unfair. It feels like the reward for my hard work, and the work of others, is just even higher prices on everything. It's insane to live in a world where anything computer is now accruing value because AI companies said so, instead of depreciating like any other consumer electronic up until now. I feel so done with everything right now.
I just hope I'll be able to last until the AI bubble pops, if some other disaster hasn't hit by then.
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Comment on MP3 player recommendations in ~tech
Sheep LinkIf I was to recommend a very budget digital audio player (DAP, look it up), I'd probably go with the Hiby R1 or the Fiio Echo. They are very cheap, low entry points for people who never ventured...If I was to recommend a very budget digital audio player (DAP, look it up), I'd probably go with the Hiby R1 or the Fiio Echo. They are very cheap, low entry points for people who never ventured into the space. I have a preference for the Hiby because it supports sd cards up to 2 TB whereas the Echo has a 256 GB limit, but that might not affect you.
If you want more functionality, definitely look into android-based DAPs though. They basically function like an android phone, letting you install any app you want, while also giving you dedicated hardware for audio listening. Some even have a button/toggle that switches off the android interface and turn it into a regular music player (Fiio's DAPs I believe all have this). I loved my Fiio M11S back in the day, was my first enthusiast player (cost me 600 euros back when it came out).
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Comment on Smartphone recommendations? in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentI have no experience with Linux phones but with android specifically, if you go too budget the SoC will absolutely start showing its age early. That doesn't mean the phone is unusable after 2/3...I have no experience with Linux phones but with android specifically, if you go too budget the SoC will absolutely start showing its age early. That doesn't mean the phone is unusable after 2/3 years, it's more like it just starts lagging here and there, becoming slow to load certain things, that type of stuff. This will be even more noticeable for OP, whose phone has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which was the top of the line at the time, hence my word of caution.
And unfortunately Android just keeps getting more bloated with each new iteration (the severity varies between manufactures) so if you don't future proof enough, you will have a sluggish phone sooner rather than later. Of course there's the option to use a custom ROM to de bloat the phone but I don't think that's realistic for most people.
Yes it's gotten better over the years and I don't think you need to spend top dollar on a flagship to have a phone that runs smoothly for a long time, but SoC model and even RAM is definitely still a big consideration if you want the snappy feeling to last.
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Comment on Smartphone recommendations? in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentWorth pointing out that wanting a phone to not be slow directly correlates with how expensive it will cost you. Even if you don't game or record in 4k, the SoC on those higher end phones is much...Worth pointing out that wanting a phone to not be slow directly correlates with how expensive it will cost you.
Even if you don't game or record in 4k, the SoC on those higher end phones is much more efficient than one on a budget phone, meaning it will run smoothly for a lot longer.
So I would think of it less as "I don't want to do all these fancy things on my phone" and more "I want my phone to still be running great in 3+ years," and that latter might warrant spending a little bit of extra money.
I used to also only buy budget/mid-range phones which were definitely serviceable for a few years but always showed their age eventually. I thought it was ridiculous to spend a ton of money on a phone when I mostly watch videos on it and take a couple pics here and there. But then I got my first flagship (pixel 7 Pro) 3 years ago and it's still running so great that I have no idea when I'll switch because it's still blazing fast and does everything I need it to without a hitch.
All this to say, if longevity is your goal (ie you don't want it to be a slow brick in 2 or 3 years) definitely prioritize the phone's SoC. And in that regard, your Sony Xperia I IV is actually really good, so anything with a less powerful SoC will be taking a performance hit, so definitely keep that in mind.
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Comment on Buying a high-end PC for the first time - help me to doublecheck what I'm buying? Is 4k a bad idea with the specs? in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentI upgraded from a Gen 1 ryzen 3 and gtx 1050 ti to this 9800x3d and rx 9070 xt so you can imagine how relieved I feel that I don't ever have to worry about graphical settings too haha. You can...I upgraded from a Gen 1 ryzen 3 and gtx 1050 ti to this 9800x3d and rx 9070 xt so you can imagine how relieved I feel that I don't ever have to worry about graphical settings too haha.
You can check out this video which runs cyberpunk on the GPU at multiple different settings and resultions to get a better idea of its limit. It's basically what I commented, that at 1440p you will be fine even on ultra settings with raytracing, which is short for "you won't have to worry 99% of the time." At 4k you will be okay if you don't push the graphical settings too far (high instead of ultra in most cases, or ultra with FSR and other tweaks).
I am super satisfied with this build overall. It's blazing fast in whatever I throw at it and while I'm sure it won't last forever, if you're not looking to maximize every AAA game out there it should be rock solid for many years. It's the perfect mid to high range build in my opinion.
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Comment on Buying a high-end PC for the first time - help me to doublecheck what I'm buying? Is 4k a bad idea with the specs? in ~tech
Sheep (edited )LinkHi OP, I have literally those exact specs on my pc. Same GPU, same CPU, same RAM sticks, even same PSU (only the motherboard and ssd is different but that's not significant). If you have specific...Hi OP, I have literally those exact specs on my pc. Same GPU, same CPU, same RAM sticks, even same PSU (only the motherboard and ssd is different but that's not significant). If you have specific questions or games you want me to test, feel free to comment and I can try to take a look. Caveat is that I'm on CachyOS but this should still be applicable for Windows. My main monitor is also 1440p 165hz, not 4k.
If you're using a 1440p monitor, don't even sweat it. You can run basically anything at any settings. At that resolution, I've recently played Pragmata without a hitch and have played other AAA games like cyberpunk without a hitch at 100+ fps on high/ultra settings.
This GPU is also capable of 4k, so if you really want 4k you can go that route and won't feel stutters or anything. Just know you won't be able to push as high fps on very high visual fidelity AAA games. But I want to stress those are edge cases and if you're not looking to push ultra settings on everything, this GPU will handle 4k above 60 fps and you can always downscale to 1440p in the settings if need be. But to be honest I've always felt 4k is completely unnecessary unless you have a really big monitor (30 inches or more) because 1440p already has enough pixel density below that to feel very comfortable.
For movies specifically, I have 65 inch 4k oled tv and a 27 inch 1440p monitor and regularly watch 1080p content on both. I don't really notice much of a difference to be honest, and I'm someone who pixel peeps. Yes if you glue your face to the monitor you can see some upscaling artifacts but from any reasonable distance you won't. I would not bother with 4k just for this reason unless, again, you get a big monitor.
Regardless, since you don't mention playing any heavy games, and with WoW not being that GPU heavy of a game, you should be totally be okay if you do get a 4k monitor, but I'd personally recommend investing that money on a higher refresh rate 1440p monitor unless you're up for a bigger monitor at 4k.
TL;DR 4k is fine for that setup if you really want it, but pair it with a big monitor (30+ inches). With 4k you can always downscale if performance tanks. If big monitor isn't in the cards, save your money and invest in a higher refresh rate 1440p monitor.
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Comment on Steam Controller 2 sold out in ~games
Sheep (edited )LinkI had one in my cart and then had to leave for a bit and when I came back it was sold out. Friend managed to snag one though. I'm not too worried all in all. They'll most likely restock them soon...I had one in my cart and then had to leave for a bit and when I came back it was sold out.
Friend managed to snag one though.
I'm not too worried all in all. They'll most likely restock them soon enough. It'll also give me more time to see more user reviews.
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Comment on Truck-kun is Supporting Me from Another World?! | Reveal trailer in ~games
Sheep LinkI just finished Haste and was thinking to myself how I could really use another game like it. What perfectly timed announcement! This looks extremely charming and goofy, exactly my type of game.I just finished Haste and was thinking to myself how I could really use another game like it. What perfectly timed announcement!
This looks extremely charming and goofy, exactly my type of game.
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Comment on Is there a FLAC equivalent for digital comics? in ~comics
Sheep (edited )Link ParentWith manga specifically, you can save a lot of space by reducing the color space alone. A lot of manga pages are saved with full RGB color. Converting them to 64 level grayscale (sometimes you can...With manga specifically, you can save a lot of space by reducing the color space alone.
A lot of manga pages are saved with full RGB color. Converting them to 64 level grayscale (sometimes you can even go lower depending on the images, I've gotten away with 16 with no color loss) usually shaves off a significant amount of file size and you lose absolutely no quality because the pages don't use other colors.
You can use software like XnView to do this very easily with one click. I saved a batch action with the preset I want and just run it on the pages I selected.
Worth giving it a try in tandem with compression algorithms. I've found this significantly reduces the file size of any manga I have. Then I just chuck them into a cbz archive.
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Comment on We must keep age verification from killing anonymity online in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentIt is, and the EU app mentioned in this article is already zero knowledge and open source (though it has flaws that need to be addressed as pointed by the article linked within). I'm not saying I...I hope some form of zero knowledge proof is viable for this application
It is, and the EU app mentioned in this article is already zero knowledge and open source (though it has flaws that need to be addressed as pointed by the article linked within).
I'm not saying I think we should all be verifying to go online, but if laws are going to be made about it, then they absolutely should all be to implement open source zero knowledge solutions. Not a single third party private company should be tied to a system like this.
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Comment on New Steam Controller reportedly $99 in ~games
Sheep (edited )LinkI thought this was a really decent price for the specs and then read lots discussions where people say they can get the same for cheaper and I just have to ask... Where? The most common comparison...I thought this was a really decent price for the specs and then read lots discussions where people say they can get the same for cheaper and I just have to ask... Where?
The most common comparison I see is to the 8bitdo ultimate, which I have 2 of, and yeah it is a nice controller for the price, but it absolutely is not that great of a controller overall. The dpad is horrendous, the grip is not the most comfortable after long sessions, you can't adjust the shoulder triggers, no gyro on PC, subpar polling rate, and the list could go on. I literally stopped using mine when I got a ps5 and just use the dual sense on my PC (which also doesn't have that great of a dpad but I still prefer it to the 8bitdo).
The steam controller is a step up in every conceivable way over something like an 8bitdo ultimate (especially the TMR sticks, that should be the new gold standard), and it includes the 2 track pads which are phenomenal for pc gaming. It is also not that more expensive than a regular dual sense and has way more functionality. Now, you can argue that the dual sense by itself is overpriced and I won't deny that, but I never expected the Steam controller to be less than 80 based on competition like that, so it's wild to see so many are disappointed it's not a 50-70 usd controller, when I feel it was never in that realm as soon as they revealed its spec sheet. Because as far as I can see, the feature set and its pricing seems to fall pretty in line with what I see out there, give or take 10 bucks or so.
There is also the very good chance the controller is very easily moddable and configurable knowing Valve's track record, especially on Linux, which is something I can't say for most controllers, 8bitdo included.
Not saying you don't have the right to complain about it being an expensive controller overall, in absolute terms it is indeed a more expensive controller than the average, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you absolutely need the feature set, but I do also think it brings cool things to the table for those interested in its features without being absurdly priced for them. Though I will hold off final Judgement until it's actually out and more people try it, but I will most likely get one based on how much I love holding the steam deck.
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Comment on MKBHD - Glass is glass || Or how the wording "scratch resistant" and "shatter resistant" misleads customers in ~tech
Sheep LinkI actually really liked this video because I have for years wondered how can they make these claims (x times more shatter proof/scratch resistant) when you can't fundamentally change the fact that...I actually really liked this video because I have for years wondered how can they make these claims (x times more shatter proof/scratch resistant) when you can't fundamentally change the fact that glass "scratches at a level 6 with deeper grooves at a level 7" and it's cool to know that it really is a marketing ploy.
I had no idea that the inherent difficulty with screens is that when you make them scratch resistent it directly corresponds to less shatter resistence. Guessing it has something to do with how the molecular structure is arranged/aligned?
I really wish stuff like sapphire screens could be more common place but obviously the cost for the average consumer would be too unreasonable compared to slapping a screen protector on every phone you get.
This is also why I don't believe foldables will ever get over the crease problem, only attenuate it.
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Comment on Which Linux distro do you use, and why? in ~tech
Sheep (edited )LinkI'm a 15+ year old Windows user that switched to CachyOS full time (no dual boot either, I'm going all in) about a month ago after I had to build a new Pc. I wanted to get off of Windows since...I'm a 15+ year old Windows user that switched to CachyOS full time (no dual boot either, I'm going all in) about a month ago after I had to build a new Pc. I wanted to get off of Windows since support for 10 was ending and I did not want to use Windows 11 and it's abhorrent use experience. The main driver was sheer hatred toward Microsoft that started when they told me my PC was now garbage because it doesn't have a TPM chip, despite everything working flawlessly. The second driver was just not wanting a bloated OS hogging system resources. And the last driver was pure support for open source.
I considered many options, especially Mint since I'm a beginner, but I just came to the realization that I don't mind tinkering with my system at all and ultimately learning how to unbreak something is more valuable in the long run than praying every day that nothing ever breaks. Not to criticize anyone who doesn't do that, it's totally understandable to not want to think about your OS. That's the beauty of Linux, you have choice!
Funny thing is, CachyOS has never broken except by my own doing (and I wouldn't even call them breaks, just things that I didn't know how to fix and was scared I'd make the problem worse in my blind attempts to fix it). But the 2 times it happened I easily rolled back to a previous snapshot via snapper, which Cachy sets up for you automatically on install. It just feels so nice to know that no matter what happens I'll probably be fine with a rollback.
Another thing that helped my mindset, and something I encourage everyone to do, is to just have all of my files in a drive that's not the system drive. That way, even if I somehow nuke my entire system, my files are safely secured on my other drive. To be honest I think a solid backup structure is what brings anyone more peace of mind regardless of the distro they choose. This applies to Windows as well, you never know when something will break.
Aside from that, performance has been stellar, games work wonderfully, and the system is very bug free. Bugs I do find are typically software-specific, not OS-level. I even got some ancient Japanese visual novels working through WINE which was shocking since they're even annoying to get running on Windows (have to install locale emulators, tinker with character encoding, patch the exe multiple times, etc.).
Will I stick with Cachy forever? I don't know, but it's been such a rock solid experience that I don't feel the need to switch at all right now.
Overall, I feel much more free since switching to Linux. I'm so glad I didn't get to experience the Windows 11 downfall.
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Comment on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home targeted with molotov cocktail in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentWhat frustrates me is that replacing people with robots at said jobs should be a good thing. We want to strive for a world where we don't have to work on things we don't need, so we can work on...What frustrates me is that replacing people with robots at said jobs should be a good thing. We want to strive for a world where we don't have to work on things we don't need, so we can work on things that matter to us. That's the life-long dream.
In a functioning society, robots doing all the work would mean people being more free, not less.
But in a capitalist society, robots replacing you just pushes you into worse and worse jobs to further help the capitalist class hoard resources, leaving you with even less in the end.
So as it stands, people will just attack the robots and their owners because they know there are no social safety nets otherwise. And I don't blame them, their government has failed them.
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Comment on Mamma mia! ‘Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ karts $372M+ in global debut, best for Hollywood pic YTD; ‘Project Hail Mary’ on path to half billion in ~movies
Sheep Link ParentI've seen people describe it as "dangling keys" the movie, like how you dangle keys to distract a baby, and I'd say that's an apt description. It's constantly moving from one thing to another and...I've seen people describe it as "dangling keys" the movie, like how you dangle keys to distract a baby, and I'd say that's an apt description.
It's constantly moving from one thing to another and treating the viewer as having an attention deficit. Basically everything is inconsequential and not a lot of time is wasted on overarching subplots. It's very clearly aimed at a much younger audience when compared to the previous movie that was more all-ages.
I don't think that necessarily makes it terrible, but it is a shame that it stopped trying to be a general family movie everyone can enjoy and opted to solely entertain kids that will be happy just seeing all the gaming references and flashing lights.
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Comment on Here’s what the world had to say about the AI economy in ~tech
Sheep (edited )Link ParentI totally expect that result. GPT and other LLMs are basically yes men that will speak in a reaffirming tone. Most people like that and build trust based upon it. I remember feeling some kind of...I totally expect that result. GPT and other LLMs are basically yes men that will speak in a reaffirming tone. Most people like that and build trust based upon it.
I remember feeling some kind of connection when I first used an LLM as well. Because at the time I didn't really understand how they worked, I was not mentally prepared for how much self-affirming language it would use. Nobody ever spoke to me like that, so it genuinely felt good (even if the output was telling me I was wrong, it told me in just about the nicest, most reassuring way I could imagine). I think that applies to a lot of people, we're so used to not having others reaffirm us that even a chat bot "love bombing" us ends up filling that void, for some more than others.
And that's the dangerous part, since chat bots don't know what they're saying, they're just regurgitating statistically probable answers, which puts many people in vulnerable positions now that all they listen to is their output.
I eventually I learned how they operate and now try to avoid them like the plague, but most people don't leave that first enamored phase, they simply keep using LLMs to reaffirm whatever they're already thinking and end up trusting the output a lot more as a result.
This is actually really interesting to me because, while I didn't grow up in the US, where I'm from and while I was still in school (around 12 years old I wanna say), the government here decided to give everyone in school a fully-functional laptop, if they couldn't afford one. This was part of a big push at the time to get everyone used to the internet and how computers work.
So 12 year old me had free rein on a windows laptop (this was the vista days, for context), which I want to say is far more permissive than the chromebooks of today. (and as far as I know the program still exists as my younger sister got a laptop for free as well).
However, and this is the crucial difference: these laptops were never used in class. They were meant as tools for students to have at home to learn how to use the office suite, create and hand in assignments, and just generally get used to how a computer and the internet works. (And I will defend that program with my teeth because without it I would for sure not be where I am today, as we couldn't afford computers back then.) We also had complementary computer classes in school where we learned how to use the office suite and stuff, but those were done on school computers, not our laptops.
That's really what I feel the US is missing with going as far as to digitize a lot of classroom work (and also partially using Chromebooks instead of proper x86 laptops. Because Chromebooks practically behave the same as smartphones and are equally as limiting. Now the same device students are using at home for entertainment is being used for everything school related.)
Kids don't seem to be mentally separating the device they use when necessary for school and the device they're using for entertainment.
So I, who had a laptop at a young age with no restrictions, learned how to navigate the internet and operate a full x86 computer. But when in class, I just had to go back to pen and paper. Kids in the US are only learning how to operate a glorified Android tablet to do virtually everything in class and it's clearly not working properly. It feels like this was just a ploy by Google to get every school to buy tons of Chromebooks with little regard to how it actually impacts kids.