slade's recent activity
-
Comment on Microsoft testing new AI features in Windows 11 File Explorer in ~tech
-
Comment on Reddit announces new limits on moderating large subreddits and for moderators to remove content sitewide in ~tech
slade Link ParentI'm highly critical of reddit and no longer use it, but the first two seem like positive changes to me. Visitors over subscribers seems like a reasonable perspective change; I'm surprised they...I'm highly critical of reddit and no longer use it, but the first two seem like positive changes to me. Visitors over subscribers seems like a reasonable perspective change; I'm surprised they ever focused on subscribers first. I guess they assumed that subscribers and visitors scaled similarly, but I have a feeling that depends a lot on the subreddit.
Limiting mods to 5 large communities seems like something that should've been done back when they were trying to be a quality product, as powermods with way too wide of a footprint were a repeated problem. Too much consolidated power is bad. And even with the best of intentions, even if it were a paid full time position, there is an upper limit on how much you can expect a single person to effectively handle the throughput.
The change in removing content gave me more pause, and seems like laziness. If it's used to remove illegal or objectionable content, streamlining the removal is a good thing (notwithstanding the challenges and risks of deciding what is "objectionable"). If it's something a mod personally objects to, it's rife for abuse. A mod could effectively silence a user across communities, but only if the user only posts the content in communities that moderator controls.
I wonder how this related to using AI for moderation.
-
Comment on How do you get a feel for new characters? in ~creative
slade Link ParentAll three characters sound compelling to read about.All three characters sound compelling to read about.
-
Comment on What is a business/org that's so terrible no one should use if possible? in ~life
slade Link ParentI hate to glow about a bank (because, you know...) but that matches my experience. I use ATMs without giving it a thought, and any time I've had a time sensitive emergency they've been there to...I hate to glow about a bank (because, you know...) but that matches my experience. I use ATMs without giving it a thought, and any time I've had a time sensitive emergency they've been there to deal with it quickly and call me back when it's done. "Enabled to solve problems" is apt. I can tell when I'm talking to them that they're used to solving problems and not being yelled at.
-
Comment on What is a business/org that's so terrible no one should use if possible? in ~life
slade Link ParentAny strong opinions on Schwab? I've been using them for a while and have actually been pretty happy with them. The biggest reasons are that the customer service number is always straight to a live...Any strong opinions on Schwab? I've been using them for a while and have actually been pretty happy with them. The biggest reasons are that the customer service number is always straight to a live person, and the website is pretty good. But I don't know much about them behind the scenes.
-
Comment on What is a business/org that's so terrible no one should use if possible? in ~life
slade Link Parent... And that was how you deviously deposited £50 into a stranger's account, completing your diabolically evil and illegal plan. Right?... And that was how you deviously deposited £50 into a stranger's account, completing your diabolically evil and illegal plan. Right?
-
Comment on Where's the Shovelware? in ~comp
slade Link ParentI'm not sure how to respond to your last sentence, but I'll take the challenge. I'm not an AI priponent, but I use it at work and it definitely makes me faster. I have twenty five years as a...I'm not sure how to respond to your last sentence, but I'll take the challenge. I'm not an AI priponent, but I use it at work and it definitely makes me faster. I have twenty five years as a software engineer.
My codebase is a well organized monorepo of related services and tools. They're joined together with an open API spec, strict typescript types, and a DB schema. I mention those because it think AI does best with strong metadata about the code, which these things are. I also have a lot of unit tests.
If I ask for an update, I usually describe it in terms of a DB schema update and a corresponding API change. AI usually does a good job of solving for me. It updates the spec and schema first, then the rest flows nicely. It makes my changes, fixes typing errors, runs unit tests, fixes any errors there, runs the server, uses curl to test the change live.
It isn't perfect, but it takes about ten minutes to do the above. I trust my experience to review the work, and when AI produces bad work, I just move on, maybe keeping some of it.
I also see a lot of AI slop, including from equally seasoned engineers working in the same stack, so my unproven hunch is that there's a lot of learning curve to using it effectively. But I can't argue that it makes me a lot faster, even after accounting for the time I spend reviewing and fixing mistakes.
-
Comment on Piglets stolen after being left to starve to death in controversial Danish art exhibition in ~arts
slade Link ParentI get it. I remain skeptical that this will change many people's values. I suspect that a lot of people who thought hurting pigs was bad will still thank that. And a lot of them who think that but...I get it. I remain skeptical that this will change many people's values. I suspect that a lot of people who thought hurting pigs was bad will still thank that. And a lot of them who think that but eat pigs anyway will continue to hold those contradictory views. And vegetarians will continue being vegetarian.
I just don't think he introduced anything new. Society is extremely hypocritical on animal rights, but that's been an open truth for a long time. I'm skeptical that it did what he wanted to do (unless he wanted to gain attention).
-
Comment on Piglets stolen after being left to starve to death in controversial Danish art exhibition in ~arts
slade Link ParentI wonder if it changed anyone's minds, or if it mostly outraged people who were already outraged by these things? And of those who did care because of this exhibit, how many of them changed their...I wonder if it changed anyone's minds, or if it mostly outraged people who were already outraged by these things? And of those who did care because of this exhibit, how many of them changed their behavior it values as a result?
I'm skeptical that this had any positive impact on animal rights. Further, I'm skeptical that he was actually motivated by animal rights.
-
Comment on The family computer in ~tech
slade (edited )LinkOur family computer was always in the middle of the living room, starting with a Commodore around 1986. It was mostly me and my brother using it. Then he moved on and it was mostly me. Then AOL...Our family computer was always in the middle of the living room, starting with a Commodore around 1986. It was mostly me and my brother using it. Then he moved on and it was mostly me. Then AOL happened and my mom flirted with infidelity while my dad installed spyware to find out what she was up to. I didn't get to use it as much and it was weird, because I was savvy enough to see the software and I stumbled upon his treasure trove of evidence he was compiling against my mom. I was never sure if I should tell her or not. I eventually told her, and to this day she doesn't even remember the conversation. Even then her reaction was minimal, so I guess I agonized over nothing.
That was when I went off to college, the computer stayed home, and sometime later it was unceremoniously replaced with a bench.
But that computer is why I'm a software engineer, and until AI steals my job, it's about the best job I could've asked for. PC games were buggier and easier to hack. I remember playing Ultima 7 and endlessly save scumming and trying things in different orders to see how game handled it (what happens in this scene if I kill this person first?). The same game has a secret mode that lets you edit just about anything in the game, and it taught me a lot about game design. For example, there were little markers around the game that you could only make visible with the editor, and I eventually realized they were triggers for game logic. Suddenly a lot of games I'd played made a little more sense. When you walked near one, something happened.
I found QuickBASIC and it's index full of nonsense and I was INTO it. I made programs and they were terrible but it was all I wanted to do, and TBH it didn't ever stop. Without a family computer I really wouldn't have had the time (endless hours) to build the interest the way that I did.
Thank you, family computer.
-
Comment on US conservative news network Newsmax files antitrust lawsuit against Fox News in ~tv
slade Link ParentThat's almost never the case. It seems like they just infight and cannibalize themselves to success.That's almost never the case. It seems like they just infight and cannibalize themselves to success.
-
Comment on What follows GitHub? in ~tech
slade Link ParentYeah, I actually had to search "Pierre git" to find it, and it took me to the docs.Yeah, I actually had to search "Pierre git" to find it, and it took me to the docs.
-
Comment on What follows GitHub? in ~tech
slade Link ParentI made it as far as Okie doke, turning back. I mean I didn't think GitHub is flawless, but I use the parts of it I care about and spend very little time thinking about it. I definitely don't want...I made it as far as
The following experience may result in permanent eyesight and/or eye color abnormalities. If you think modern code review is fine as is, turn back.
Okie doke, turning back. I mean I didn't think GitHub is flawless, but I use the parts of it I care about and spend very little time thinking about it. I definitely don't want to get involved in a project that is trying to get my attention. I want my tools to be quiet and reliable.
Having said all of that, it's just their landing page. I'm sure it'll be replaced within a year, because they just be hearing this feedback everywhere they go.
The docs site is much better and more informative.
https://docs.pierre.co/getting-started
They should burn their homepage and redirect to the docs. It would be the best five minutes they spent all year.
-
Comment on Taco Bell rethinks AI drive-through after man orders 18,000 waters in ~food
slade Link ParentFast food has felt like punishment for years. That was before the price changes took away their only real appeal for me. They're rarely fast, and most of them have a barrier to entry if you're...Fast food has felt like punishment for years. That was before the price changes took away their only real appeal for me. They're rarely fast, and most of them have a barrier to entry if you're used to the good old days where you walk in, ask for something, pay for it, and then leave. I am simply not interested in installing another app or learning another low quality kiosk, while a skeleton crew rushes around ignoring me because they fired all of the staff.
-
Comment on Taco Bell rethinks AI drive-through after man orders 18,000 waters in ~food
slade Link ParentThey could also staff up, rethink their business around humans etc. But I'm glad that AI makes his paycheck a little more bearable.We ended up chatting with him at the window and he said that the AI for him has been great as he isn’t rushing people out of the window to take the next order.
They could also staff up, rethink their business around humans etc. But I'm glad that AI makes his paycheck a little more bearable.
-
Comment on Presenting... PrizeForge: a novel crowdfunding model for sustainable open-source and fighting enshittification in ~tech
slade Link ParentJust a quick clarification: I don't see it as a red flag. Any company in this space will have to be really strategic about what to pursue and how, so this conversation/criticism is par for the...Just a quick clarification: I don't see it as a red flag. Any company in this space will have to be really strategic about what to pursue and how, so this conversation/criticism is par for the course. I think auth is an important piece to disrupt, but I am regardless interested in what PrizeForge wants to do.
-
Comment on Presenting... PrizeForge: a novel crowdfunding model for sustainable open-source and fighting enshittification in ~tech
slade Link ParentI don't feel that they make a compelling argument, though. They present reasons but they're very high level. I need them to be more specific. They kind of are with this list of benefits: * These...Tailscale disagrees. I think I do too.
I don't feel that they make a compelling argument, though. They present reasons but they're very high level.
If you're building a SaaS product and still making users create accounts, verify emails, and answer security questions, you're adding friction and reducing security. Use SSO instead.
I need them to be more specific. They kind of are with this list of benefits:
Instant, friction free account creation*
Better security**
A seamless user experience*
Simpler account recovery*
MFA is handled for you**** These amount to "it's nicer to use the corporate giants", but that's true for any product the project hopes to dislodge. I expect a project like this to exist because it's always easier to go with the mature and highly funded vendors, and it's trying to fix that.
** I consider this a valid consideration, but I don't agree with it.
*** This is just about cost.Their article is also from the perspective of a for-profit business that is optimizing for making money. I didn't think it is good advice to apply to a business that, while for profit, is also trying to mix ethics into their goals.
I happened to have posted something about exactly this recently: companies in the ethical consumption niche need to work harder and pay more to survive. I'm also skeptical that they can ever endure, but I don't want to apply that here because I very much believe in the spirit of what you're sharing here. As a software engineer and spiritual socialist who grew up on Gene Roddenberry's future, I want this to happen.
I generally agree with @post_below. Building an auth platform is not hard. It's also not easy. It's just one of those things that's largely solved patterns (as Tailscale also notes), so as long as you're hiring people with experience, it can be very reasonably done and managed. And an ethical and honest and open with platform would maybe be the most valuable piece to do first: because Tailscale's advice is good advice for every startup, but it wouldn't be if there were a champion auth provider.
-
Comment on Looking for surreal horror/mindbending in ~books
slade Link ParentI remember reading a synopsis about it and being really intrigued. I'll add this to my list, thank you.I remember reading a synopsis about it and being really intrigued. I'll add this to my list, thank you.
-
Comment on Looking for surreal horror/mindbending in ~books
slade (edited )LinkMy new collection, for anyone interested (which might be no one, but I'm giddy): https://postimg.cc/ZBCPt4Gx Thanks again for the recommendations. Piranesi was first and a quick hit with me (my...My new collection, for anyone interested (which might be no one, but I'm giddy):
Thanks again for the recommendations. Piranesi was first and a quick hit with me (my parents both read/listened to it, but I think were a little disappointed).
I just finished House of Leaves, but I'm going to wait some time before I decide how I feel about it. I'm definitely glad I read it, and definitely won't read it again. I was delighted to find out after the fact that the author is Poe's brother. I was a fan back in my college days and specifically remember a version of Hey Pretty that included a voiceover reading from a man who, after looking it up, I learned was her brother reading an excerpt from House of Leaves (his drive up Mulholland with Kyrie). The whole thing was a distant memory, and I definitely didn't remember the name of the author or the book until after I'd read it.
If anyone's curious, here's the song:
https://youtu.be/h_lhspmjCJ4?si=I8xbrV-PciMIEN0yOne thing I'm sure of, House of Leaves exhausted me. It's the first novel I've read that made me cry (multiple times). To that end, if anyone's invested in my journey and wants to propose a next novel, I'm hoping it's one with some light at that end of the tunnel.
-
Comment on Glow-in-the-dark succulents could be the future of ambient lighting in ~science
slade Link ParentOooh, maybe you're right. I was surprised when they said that it was less costly then genetic modification, just because injecting each one seems like a lot of work. That's when I thought maybe...Oooh, maybe you're right. I was surprised when they said that it was less costly then genetic modification, just because injecting each one seems like a lot of work. That's when I thought maybe they were putting it in the soil itself. But I guess that wouldn't get the concentrations needed, so injections make a lot more sense.
That's one of the major flaws of unchecked capitalism. It should be a good thing when we each the point where a certain problem is solved, or solved enough to not need constant innovation. But acknowledging that something is solved also means making a lot less money as you have less incentive to sell updates to your product.
That's not too say that OSs are solved today and forever, but I don't think they need frequent innovation or testing features there isn't a clear need for.
So it's in Microsoft's best interest to always be adding features, and always be dumping stupid amounts of money into marketing to make them sound like something the user wanted all along.