sparkle's recent activity
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E1: "The Gathering" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
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Comment on IT helpdesk request? in ~tech
sparkle LinkDoes the non-working machine's BIOS have USB peripherals enabled? Some don't enable this by default. Do other USB drives/sticks show up? Does the USB dock work with ANY drive on the second machine...Does the non-working machine's BIOS have USB peripherals enabled? Some don't enable this by default. Do other USB drives/sticks show up?
Does the USB dock work with ANY drive on the second machine that won't recognize the 8TB? Or is the issue limited to just this particular drive?
If other drives work, that rules out the USB dock being the primary issue and shifts focus to some incompatibility between the drive itself and Windows. If it's not recognized at all though, I would guess an issue with that machine's USB controller - hardware failure or driver issue or misconfiguration, difficult to know.
Out of curiosity, is it a USB-C dock? Is it possible that it's actually Thunderbolt and one computer supports it while the other doesn't, despite both connectors and receptacles being identical? Or any of the other stupid USB-C intricacies/incompatibilities?
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Comment on Here are your choices for a self-hosted ebook server in ~books
sparkle LinkI have Ubooquity installed - it's been pretty solid for me. I primarily use it for graphic novels as I really like the full screen interface on a portrait screen Unfortunately I still don't own a...I have Ubooquity installed - it's been pretty solid for me. I primarily use it for graphic novels as I really like the full screen interface on a portrait screen
Unfortunately I still don't own a tablet to actually use it with, but it's there and I know how it works so maybe one day I'll have a good one stop shop
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Comment on Why America is slipping in the Olympics in ~sports
sparkle Link ParentOr any of a number of sites that are just a search phrase away... When the choices are barely functional ad-supported sports OTA or overpriced ad-supported barely functional cable sports packages...Or any of a number of sites that are just a search phrase away...
When the choices are barely functional ad-supported sports OTA or overpriced ad-supported barely functional cable sports packages (looking at you Sportsnet), well the only answer is to go over to your "friend's place"
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Comment on What's good in modern flashlights/headlamps? in ~hobbies
sparkle (edited )Link ParentEdit: I really should have just led with "I meant safer, not necessarily better" Not having used either in an actual emergency and only having practiced with AA before - it's a lot easier to get a...Edit: I really should have just led with "I meant safer, not necessarily better"
Not having used either in an actual emergency and only having practiced with AA before - it's a lot easier to get a thin piece of foil or a wire to go between two terminals that are on opposite ends of the battery. Most non-cylindrical lithium batteries have terminals side by side which makes this harder.
Also lithium batteries do not take kindly to shorting and their energy density is much higher typically. You run a risk of burns, uncontrolled fire, and potentially explosions if trying to use a lithium battery to start a fire. Not to mention that shorts ruin the battery's internal chemistry.
In a survival situation, you absolutely could use a lithium battery and in fact I believe there are cases of people using phone batteries (back when they were removable) in survival situations. It's just really not recommended if there are other relatively safer alternatives.
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Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
sparkle Link ParentIn the event you haven't seen/heard it, I think you might agree with Cathie that Bleu Cheese Has Mold In ItIn the event you haven't seen/heard it, I think you might agree with Cathie that Bleu Cheese Has Mold In It
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Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
sparkle Link ParentWhile I love all beans, I do empathize with this as I am not a fan of lima beans because the skins are just weird and the texture is all wrong. Even when I learned later in life that the cooked...While I love all beans, I do empathize with this as I am not a fan of lima beans because the skins are just weird and the texture is all wrong. Even when I learned later in life that the cooked version is actually butter beans, I still don't like either of them.
They made for great biology experiments at the table though. I loved to dissect them instead of eating them.
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Comment on How many Hosers are there on Tildes? in ~talk
sparkle Link ParentThat's fair - I'm personally a mountain goat but I enjoy new intriguing things, at least until I get tired of them.That's fair - I'm personally a mountain goat but I enjoy new intriguing things, at least until I get tired of them.
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Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
sparkle LinkCorn syrup is my biggest one. I can taste it no matter what the product - American pop is especially awful. At a work event in Canada I was given a can of non-diet coke and out of desperation, I...Corn syrup is my biggest one. I can taste it no matter what the product - American pop is especially awful. At a work event in Canada I was given a can of non-diet coke and out of desperation, I drank it - only to actually somewhat enjoy it? Turns out Canada doesn't put corn syrup in everything like the States.
I also absolutely detest truffles. Turns out I'm one of the 40% who perceive androstenone as rotten and it's absolutely vile - nearly baby diaper levels of unpalatable for me.
I also don't really like meat that much - it's not so much a texture or taste thing as I just don't like eating it a lot of the time.
Fruit is a weird one somewhat - I like apricots a lot but none of the other stonefruits. I love all the berries and the pride of my garden is a nice raspberry thicket. I also like durian and breadfruit quite a bit too. But I don't like the basics - apples, oranges, pears, grapefruit, etc.
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Comment on What About Bob? — The most tense film production of the '90s in ~movies
sparkle LinkThis is my neurodivergent family's favourite film. I don't know why we loved it so much for so many years - maybe we all just saw a little bit of ourselves in Bob. And that is possibly the problem...This is my neurodivergent family's favourite film. I don't know why we loved it so much for so many years - maybe we all just saw a little bit of ourselves in Bob.
And that is possibly the problem - all the neurotypical people I have watched this with have either strongly disliked it or outright hated it. I always thought to myself "well maybe it's just a fake hangup". Until my neurotypical wife walked out of the room the first time we watched it with my family.
After that I did take a critical look at it and I realize now why it was such a polarizing film and difficult for Dreyfuss and Murray to act in. Bob is identifiably neurodivergent - while the film never states this outright (the 90s certainly would not have called him autistic as that was synonymous with Rain Man at the time) his primary conditions of anxiety, OCD, and dependency have a lot of overlap with ASD.
To me and my family it's a story of overcoming those things by letting them work for you. And taking baby steps. To everybody else they just get focused on the neurodivergence/annoyances and it's kind of telling how neurotypicals often treat/feel around neurodivergent, especially when they don't know the other person is ND.
Anyway thanks for posting this - I'll have to watch it when my wife isn't around, lest I dredge up that memory for her. In her defence, it did hit closer to home for a variety of reasons for her, so it wasn't just NT vs ND.
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Comment on I tried making homemade Whoppers | Claire Recreates in ~food
sparkle LinkI forgot that Whoppers were a candy and was wondering why a pastry chef was making burgers... Claire Safitz is such a delight - shame about all the drama with Bon Appetit. And shame on Bon Appetit...I forgot that Whoppers were a candy and was wondering why a pastry chef was making burgers...
Claire Safitz is such a delight - shame about all the drama with Bon Appetit. And shame on Bon Appetit for being such giblets. On that note, is Bon Appetit even still around? I haven't been watching cooking videos much the past few years (cooking burnout) so I imagine they're not in my algorithm but I would have thought at least one would show up based on sheer popularity if they weren't still tanked.
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Comment on Non-Logitech replacement for G502 mouse? in ~tech
sparkle Link Parent10 years ago, the G502 used the exact same Japanese omron switches advertised on that hellion mouse. They were high quality and guaranteed to something like >100 million clicks. Then...10 years ago, the G502 used the exact same Japanese omron switches advertised on that hellion mouse. They were high quality and guaranteed to something like >100 million clicks.
Then enshittification happened and in the name of a quick buck, Logitech switched to Chinese Omron switches that had an advertised tenth the lifetime and in reality, lasted even less than that. I'm no materials scientist but I imagine some cheaper coating was used on these switches internal components that just wears down faster.
I looked for the Japanese Omron switches but they were either ridiculously overpriced/unnecessary quantities (like 16 switches at 50$) or no sources within Canada or the US. At least for people like me who like fixing things, there are Kailh micro switches that have compatible footprints and are almost as long lasting as the original Japanese Omron switches (75 million clicks I believe) and more readily available. That's what I currently have in my G502 and I need to make the same replacement in my M570 as well as it's exhibiting the same symptoms. Along with the rotary encoder in my G610 keyboard...
You know maybe it's time I start moving away from Logitech...... I'm just a hard ass for right to repair and actually doing it I guess hahaha
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Comment on How many Hosers are there on Tildes? in ~talk
sparkle Link ParentHey fellow Flatlander! Been here for six years and the absolute flatness in places never ceases to amaze and fascinate me, especially when covered in snow. The glaciers and Lake Agassiz must have...Hey fellow Flatlander! Been here for six years and the absolute flatness in places never ceases to amaze and fascinate me, especially when covered in snow. The glaciers and Lake Agassiz must have been a sight to behold millennia ago.
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Comment on What's good in modern flashlights/headlamps? in ~hobbies
sparkle Link ParentI have some cheap Duracell headlamps I got at Costco precisely because they support either a rechargeable USB battery or 3xAAAs. I have a spare lithium battery for the headlamp and a battery bank...I have some cheap Duracell headlamps I got at Costco precisely because they support either a rechargeable USB battery or 3xAAAs. I have a spare lithium battery for the headlamp and a battery bank I take camping, but I also like having a sack of AAAs in case something goes wrong. The AAAs also presumably make better emergency firestarters than lithium.
The discharge curve on the lithium is pretty bad though - you get maybe 2 hours of peak brightness followed by 2 hours of quickly fading light and no charge indicator.
Anyway my point is that dual power source headlamps do exist if you want best of both worlds. Just maybe look for better quality than Duracell if you're doing remote back country camping or anything where you'll rely on them.
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Comment on A case for increasing computer literacy (but also a rant) in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentAs a general overview, Gentoo is compiled and optimized for the user's system by the user. If you know what you're doing or like to know everything going into your OS, it's a great distro with the...As a general overview, Gentoo is compiled and optimized for the user's system by the user. If you know what you're doing or like to know everything going into your OS, it's a great distro with the potential for a lot of power. It's like buying individual bricks for the LEGO set you want to build to your exact specification. It's also quite similar to LFS (Linux From Scratch) though LFS is not intended to be a stable distribution.
Arch is a bit of a hybrid - like Gentoo it's a minimal installation by default. However, unlike Gentoo, you don't initially compile everything yourself. You use a pre-compiled kernel and binary packages. However, there exists the AUR (Arch User Repository) that essentially contains build scripts that help compile the package on your system. This would be like buying a LEGO set, building it once, and then ripping out or adding new individually purchased bricks that you want. You also get free brick upgrades periodically in the mail, though on occasion they can break your set.
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Comment on The Boring Company faces Nashville tunnel criticism in ~transport
sparkle Link ParentYou're also probably much less likely to die in a bus or taxi fire above ground than in a narrow tube that surely will have exit hatches and SCBA storage for six people every 100m along with...You're also probably much less likely to die in a bus or taxi fire above ground than in a narrow tube that surely will have exit hatches and SCBA storage for six people every 100m along with non-toxic fire retardants and a robust ventilation system. Right? ...right?
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Comment on Two small word games in ~games
sparkle LinkI figured out unzip! It's kind of like a big word scramble. Bit hard to use on mobile but in the end I understood that the letters on the "home bar" must be placed in that same position on each...I figured out unzip! It's kind of like a big word scramble. Bit hard to use on mobile but in the end I understood that the letters on the "home bar" must be placed in that same position on each word line. The answers are in the order they're spelled, it's just that the bar at the top contains all the letters "zipped" together.
Really clever OP!
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Comment on ‘House burping’ is a cold reality in Germany. Americans are warming to it. in ~life.home_improvement
sparkle Link ParentMy cat's vet is an actual horse doctor - I'll be sure to ask her about horse burping as a means of recycling household air for you :) /noiseMy cat's vet is an actual horse doctor - I'll be sure to ask her about horse burping as a means of recycling household air for you :)
/noise
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Comment on Any software engineers considering a career switch due to AI? in ~comp
sparkle Link ParentMaybe you've accidentally hit on the reason behind my recent math/physics hyperfixation. I don't have an academic background in math - I was very good at it and have great intuition when it comes...Maybe you've accidentally hit on the reason behind my recent math/physics hyperfixation. I don't have an academic background in math - I was very good at it and have great intuition when it comes to numbers, but that made it really difficult for me to write proofs or just show my work in general. Which I understand now is a very important part of math (and science in general) but when I was younger, it was hard to see that.
As I, like many others, began to be pressured to do more for less at work, I did start outsourcing some of my brainpower to LLMs. And I felt dumber for it - previously I could instantly recall why I wrote things the way I did and give detailed breakdowns. Now I have to struggle for a few minutes to remember and sometimes I have almost no recollection of writing things, even though I do still maintain my personal ethos of typing everything in by hand, no copy pasting em-dashes or Unicode crap for me, though I mostly do it just to feel like I'm doing something and it also helps me take pause and identify issues.
I even let myself fall further out of my neurons' graces by spending far too much time watching YouTube shorts.
At some point, the annoying YouTube games showed up and I wrote a quick ublock rule to block it. Apparently that also inadvertently blocked YouTube shorts from appearing on my home page. I started watching more math videos instead of garbage. Picked up a hard sci-fi book dealing with topology and differential geometry and found it absolutely fascinating. I'm now watching the MIT OCW lectures on linear algebra to refresh my memory of it. I think I'll probably even do some fun math stuff in the near future, whatever that may entail. One is porting a simple "4D maze" game from Swift to Rust, so I'll get to learn some math implementations I've not touched before.
While I still do use LLMs a bit, I feel like taking back that portion of my brain from the machines has been quite freeing. I've been finding math and physics to be liberating in a sense, perhaps because there's so much there and they're also subjects that current LLMs are not too good at (yet).
Viva la revolución humana
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Comment on What healthy habit has made a difference for you? in ~health
sparkle Link ParentSciPost is primarily what I use for "hard science". I like that they have individual feeds for fields you're interested in. I apologize if this is what you meant by "a flood of new publications"...SciPost is primarily what I use for "hard science". I like that they have individual feeds for fields you're interested in. I apologize if this is what you meant by "a flood of new publications" though. I certainly don't understand half of what is said in fields I'm not particularly fluent in (I started out with a lot of biology feeds as my degrees are in it) but lately I've gravitated towards math and physics so I like reading them and just absorbing some knowledge.
I also have phys.org as a softer news source - I don't find that it's overly editorialized but ymmv. My comparison for instance is things like IFLScience, ScienceEveryday, Popular Science, etc. I find phys.org to be pretty neutral and accurate in their reporting and not over sensationalized.
Quanta magazine is another one that I've picked up lately after coming across their YouTube channel. They have great reporting and summaries of the latest topics in math and physics.
Science magazine was in my feed back when it was free but it's a paid subscription now. Still worth an honorable mention.
I know Plex has had it for free for a few years now, so maybe a similar deal exists for Roku channel (standard def, some ads, closed captions maybe)? I know the Plex one at least works in both the US and Canada