sparkle's recent activity
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Comment on Twenty-eight years later, Escaflowne is suddenly trending in Japan in ~anime
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Comment on What are your favorite “chore” games? in ~games
sparkle Link ParentI wish so bad Shipbreaker had a native VR, it's one of the few games I've played that I felt could thoroughly benefit from it and I would actually buy a VR headset for it. I haven't played it in...I wish so bad Shipbreaker had a native VR, it's one of the few games I've played that I felt could thoroughly benefit from it and I would actually buy a VR headset for it. I haven't played it in two years so not sure if VR has been added yet, if it has guess I'm buying myself a VR headset for Christmas lol
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Comment on Satisfactory tips and tricks? in ~games
sparkle (edited )LinkI have about 250 hours from early access and 1.0, here's some tips I learned on the way- If your preferred method of traversing areas is power lines with the zip line thingy, you can right click...I have about 250 hours from early access and 1.0, here's some tips I learned on the way-
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If your preferred method of traversing areas is power lines with the zip line thingy, you can right click when equipped and it will automatically attach to any power line and stay attached, no need to hold down the fire button. Learned this after my first 100 hours lol
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Once you setup elevator part factories, don't tear them down/repurpose them as almost all of them will be reused for future parts.
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I changed the default hologram color when placing to white as the arrows were difficult for me to see in the default
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Even if it seems simple, automate it! Edit: and even if it's not efficient, still automate it!
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When your trains go to a station, they can use freight platforms that aren't directly attached to it. What I mean by this is you can have like freightA-freightB-freightC-station1-freightD-station2 and a three car train pulling into station2 can use both freightC and freightD. Obvious in hindsight but it just didn't occur to me to try when I started trains
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If you have to do something with resources to keep things running (looking at you oil) - just sink the excess into an Awesome Sink. Smart/Programmable splitters are fantastic for this as you can send the bulk into your industrial storage containers and factories with the overflow output going to the sink.
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Abuse dimensional depots. Seriously, after you unlock them, reserve at least ten spheres to build depots for the most common parts like concrete, belt materials, rods, cable, wire, etc. Nothing sucks more than building a new factory and having to run/drive/fly all the way back to main base to get more parts.
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Comment on AI is killing remote work in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentI was introduced to nohello a few years ago by a coworker and I've desperately wanted to use it but I'm worried it might be seen as passive aggressive, culturally insensitive (I'm at a large...I was introduced to nohello a few years ago by a coworker and I've desperately wanted to use it but I'm worried it might be seen as passive aggressive, culturally insensitive (I'm at a large multinational corp and some nationalities just saying hello and nothing else is their culture apparently) or just plain ignored.
How has your experience been with it? Has anybody pushed back against it?
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Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
sparkle LinkI've never been an outside exercise person before this year, but I've been consistently doing 2-3 runs per week outside since April. I'd like to keep it up, but obviously the temps are starting to...I've never been an outside exercise person before this year, but I've been consistently doing 2-3 runs per week outside since April. I'd like to keep it up, but obviously the temps are starting to drop here (Central Canada).
Do any fellow cold weather runners have advice for gear and any other tips to share? The coldest I've run so far is -5C with just leggings, light zip jacket, t-shirt, light gloves (ditched after 20 minutes as my hands got too hot), wrightsock double layer socks, and a ball cap with headlamp for safety. Overall I felt pretty comfortable for the hour or so I was out there.
The weather here in the late fall/winter mornings can range from -15 down to -30 typically and the wind can at times be brutal with wind chill reaching -40 or lower. I think on those days I will just stick inside on the treadmill :)
I do have a balaclava/gaiter and thicker gloves, but little else for outdoor exercise gear.
Some questions I have running through my head are below -
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What other clothes should I invest in? I assume I'll at least need a thicker jacket, possibly warmer leggings, and some warmer socks.
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Is there a hard limit to temperatures? Should I not even bother below say, -20?
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How should I approach breathing? Cold air is harsh, should I breathe through a balaclava to warm the air up a little?
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Should I do a warmup on the treadmill first before going out?
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If sidewalks aren't cleared or poorly cleared, should I primarily stick with the roads? Or would that just be far too risky? My area is largely residential so it wouldn't be like going on the highway or something crazy.
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Is there any way to prepare myself for poor traction other than just to be aware? I've been walking on snow/ice for years and never had problems but I imagine it's much different while running.
Thanks and happy running everybody!
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Comment on Several Russian developers lose kernel maintainership status in ~comp
sparkle Link ParentThe last sentence in Bottomley's email sounds like this may have been a direct ask from a three letter agency (DHS or NSA via Treasury Dept perhaps) I used to work in FinTech and we had to...The last sentence in Bottomley's email sounds like this may have been a direct ask from a three letter agency (DHS or NSA via Treasury Dept perhaps)
I used to work in FinTech and we had to frequently check to make sure none of our customers or associations were on the OFAC list. We did these checks monthly because the fines were quite high if you were caught. But these were for profit businesses and the wording of the law was pretty clear. Perhaps in the case of the Linux Foundation, they assumed they were exempt because they are non-profit or there was no exchange of money with the Russian maintainers. Or the companies that the maintainers were a part of were recently added to the OFAC list.
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Comment on Starship Launch 5 successfully caught by launch tower in ~space
sparkle Link ParentIt would help if most media outlets wouldn't title every SpaceX article with "Elon Musk's SpaceX does XYZ". Not this one in particular but a large portion do. I've even seen some (typically more...It would help if most media outlets wouldn't title every SpaceX article with "Elon Musk's SpaceX does XYZ". Not this one in particular but a large portion do. I've even seen some (typically more clickbaity outlets) completely omit "SpaceX" and just state "Elon Musk does XYZ" as though he is personally inventing the craft or spacesuits.
I know it's exactly because of the audience interaction with a vitriolic topic which leads to more ad revenue, but for crying out loud, separate the man from the product.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
sparkle Link ParentI didn't like Hyperion Cantos when I first read it but I think I went into it with the wrong mindset and made the mistake of forcing myself to finish it. I've been getting back into more space...I didn't like Hyperion Cantos when I first read it but I think I went into it with the wrong mindset and made the mistake of forcing myself to finish it. I've been getting back into more space opera lately so I think maybe I'll try to get back to it since it'll basically be the first time for me (again).
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Comment on Use plain text email in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentMost everybody who has a decent amount of sense and thinks with their brains and not wallets, you mean. I wish we could go back to Slack (in fact some of us still use it to communicate with...At the end of the day, it's hard to explain, but most everyone I work with who has given Slack a fair try soon resents having to go back into Teams.
Most everybody who has a decent amount of sense and thinks with their brains and not wallets, you mean. I wish we could go back to Slack (in fact some of us still use it to communicate with external organizations, another fantastic feature of Slack that is clunky in Teams) but the powers that be dictated that we go all in on Teams simply because it was cheaper for our organization. And probably not by much either...
The only thing I like about Teams is that it does have better noise cancellation - far too much background noise and conversations would get picked up in voice chat on Slack that aren't in Teams on the same hardware.
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Comment on Georgia voter cancellation site in ~society
sparkle Link ParentInteresting, I used to live in Georgia but now live in Canada and had jury duty summons. I mailed them a form with an explanation of why I was unable to attend and have never heard anything since....Interesting, I used to live in Georgia but now live in Canada and had jury duty summons. I mailed them a form with an explanation of why I was unable to attend and have never heard anything since. I suppose if I get a second summons though, that will further prove how inept the state can sometimes be... I'm still registered to vote so hopefully it's not tied to that.
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Comment on I'm a game developer with a special interest in horses and riding. I wrote a lengthy guide on what could be done better when adding horses to games. in ~games
sparkle LinkI just wanted to echo what others have said about this being a fun niche deep dive into something I otherwise wouldn't be interested in and also add that I love the choice of Baskerville(?) as the...I just wanted to echo what others have said about this being a fun niche deep dive into something I otherwise wouldn't be interested in and also add that I love the choice of Baskerville(?) as the sites font. It's the same that I use on my Kindle so reading this felt like reading a book and I love it!
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Comment on [SOLVED] Need help troubleshooting computer in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentI second trying to swap out to a new PSU especially because OP states "fans turn on" which are typically on the 12V rail, while "USB devices do not turn on" which are on the 5V rail, so sounds...I second trying to swap out to a new PSU especially because OP states "fans turn on" which are typically on the 12V rail, while "USB devices do not turn on" which are on the 5V rail, so sounds like it could be an issue with the 5V. Almost any non-nominal voltage will result in a motherboard refusing to boot
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Comment on Satisfactory | 1.0 launch trailer in ~games
sparkle Link ParentI played update 8 pretty heavily in the weeks leading up to 1.0 and had no issues with the tractors. I started fresh in 1.0 so haven't gotten to them yet, but I imagine they're entirely stable now.I played update 8 pretty heavily in the weeks leading up to 1.0 and had no issues with the tractors. I started fresh in 1.0 so haven't gotten to them yet, but I imagine they're entirely stable now.
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Comment on Suggestions for used and modular laptop for language learning in ~tech
sparkle LinkWhile not nearly as modifiable, an older Dell Latitude might fit your use case. I have a Dell Latitude 5400 with an i7 and 32GB RAM running Arch Linux and have had no problems using the built in...While not nearly as modifiable, an older Dell Latitude might fit your use case. I have a Dell Latitude 5400 with an i7 and 32GB RAM running Arch Linux and have had no problems using the built in webcam. It does have an easily replaceable battery (in fact almost all components are easily replaced/upgraded), but it is not removable in the battery pack sense, if that's what you're after.
Some quick price checking shows them ranging from 200-300€, as a business laptop they are quite internationally ubiquitous so I can't imagine they would be particularly hard to find for similar prices.
Something more modern may also fit in your budget and be a bit more future proof, though I fully expect to be able to use mine for another 5 or 6 years at least.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
sparkle LinkPicked up Satisfactory during the Steam Summer Sale and finally got around to starting it two weeks ago. Somehow I've already put 85 hours in and despite 1.0 launching in 3 days, I have no plans...Picked up Satisfactory during the Steam Summer Sale and finally got around to starting it two weeks ago. Somehow I've already put 85 hours in and despite 1.0 launching in 3 days, I have no plans to stop despite planning to start fresh in 1.0.... there's just always a new factory to build, an old inefficient one to tear down, hard drives to track down, logistics to settle, there's so much to do but I never feel overwhelmed.
I was warned this would ruin my life but I just didn't quite believe it, as I had heard that about Factorio and that only ruined me for about 100 hours then I moved on. To be fair, the alien encounters in that added an unnecessary element of stress and anxiety to an otherwise relaxing game. But turning them entirely off just felt too cheaty. I guess I like a little stress and danger, but just the right amount which is somewhere between none and all the time lol
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Comment on Happy birthday, Dreamcast! Sega's iconic and final console turns 25 this month. in ~games
sparkle (edited )Link ParentI've seen this before in my research and while it's a beautiful piece of hardware, it's all closed source unfortunately and I'm a big proponent of open source hardware :/ I also would like to...I've seen this before in my research and while it's a beautiful piece of hardware, it's all closed source unfortunately and I'm a big proponent of open source hardware :/ I also would like to implement wireless for head to head gaming/transfers as the original method of connecting two VMUs was just cumbersome.
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Comment on Happy birthday, Dreamcast! Sega's iconic and final console turns 25 this month. in ~games
sparkle LinkOh man the Dreamcast - I got it late in its lifecycle, little after Christmas 2000. I wanted one before but it was never deemed "Christmas worthy" (my parents were big on quantity over quality and...Oh man the Dreamcast - I got it late in its lifecycle, little after Christmas 2000. I wanted one before but it was never deemed "Christmas worthy" (my parents were big on quantity over quality and cheap). So I had some money saved up from mowing lawns, walking dogs, allowances, various small tasks and I walked down to the mall to EB Games where they were having a sale to try and get rid of the old stock. I think the discontinuation rumours were already flying around or maybe this was when Sega desperately wanted to try and make a little bit of money. Anyway, it was 99$ for the console, Jet Set Radio, controller, memory card, and rumble pak. And what a blast I had!
I wound up getting a second hand VMU a bit later and also discovered you could just... burn the games. No mods like my PSX, just a simple CD burner and an ISO (which I had to go to school and use the T1 connection there to surreptitiously download to an old laptop because we only had dial up at home). There I discovered games that I still replay like PSO (offline), Crazy Taxi, Shenmue, Skies of Arcadia, etc. It remains one of my favourite consoles to this day and I even have a trash find 32" CRT when I want to relive those moments with it.
Also now that I'm older and somewhat more knowledgeable, I've started a reverse engineering/porting project on the VMU. I always thought it would be cool to have a replacement that could be Arduino/ESP32 based or something and function as a VMU with an OLED but also do other things like wifi/Bluetooth sync, larger capacity, custom games, etc. It's been on the back burner for a bit and really more of a learning experience, but I've been enjoying getting to play with the Dreamcast some more. Happy 25th birthday!
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Comment on CrowdStrike estimates the tech meltdown caused by its bungling left a $60 million dent in its sales in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentAh ok that makes much more sense. I haven't read their RCA yet (if it's been released to the public), just the few pieces that I picked up here and there from various people more involved than I...Ah ok that makes much more sense. I haven't read their RCA yet (if it's been released to the public), just the few pieces that I picked up here and there from various people more involved than I in the week after the meltdown.
Thank you for the correction/information, fellow spark :)
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Comment on CrowdStrike estimates the tech meltdown caused by its bungling left a $60 million dent in its sales in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentI can't speak with 100% certainty, but I thought I had read/heard that it did pass initial QA testing but something in their release pipeline caused the channel file to be nulled out which was...I can't speak with 100% certainty, but I thought I had read/heard that it did pass initial QA testing but something in their release pipeline caused the channel file to be nulled out which was what led to the meltdown.
Still doesn't excuse not testing the release package before pressing the "upload to all customers" button. We have sanity checks for a reason lol. Complacency is the enemy of sanity and sounds like there is some rot in the company that needs to be worked out
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Comment on Everything announced at the Disney D23 entertainment showcase in ~movies
sparkle Link ParentStar Wars becomes a lot darker if you frame it as "radicalized farmer joins ancient cult, flies illegally obtained fighter and single handedly destroys military installation instantly killing...Star Wars becomes a lot darker if you frame it as "radicalized farmer joins ancient cult, flies illegally obtained fighter and single handedly destroys military installation instantly killing millions".
Escaflowne has such a special place in my heart. Growing up without cable, I basically only got to see Pokemon or Digimon on one of the basic OTA channels. Occasionally I'd catch Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon at a friend's house and enjoyed them but never knew what was going on.
I had friends that were big into anime and their mom convinced my highly conservative mom that they were just cartoons and they were perfectly fine for me to watch. They were rich and could afford to import VHS tapes from Japan with subtitles burnt in - this was where my love of subs began. In retrospect, they probably bought them from a licensed distributor in the States, but I was too young to understand any of that.
I suddenly had access to all the greats of 90s anime - Tenchi Muyo, Cowboy Bebop, Nadia of Blue Water, the Gundam Wing episodes that were banned in the US, Big O, Record of Lodoss War, etc but most importantly, Vision of Escaflowne.
I loved every second of Escaflowne. From the stellar soundtrack that I still know from memory to the gorgeous mechanical mechs (that led to many arguments over which mecha was the best) to the captivating characters and the fantasy setting, everything was just so bright and well balanced to me. It was my escape from a troubled childhood and borrowing those tapes (and later DVDs) would always bring such a delight to my life for many years.
I'm really really glad to see it seeing a surge in popularity. I'm always a bit disappointed when I visit Japan and the only 90s anime that still get much recognition are Evangelion, Gundam Wing, DBZ, Sailor Moon, all ones I love but any media relating to Escaflowne is pretty rare. Maybe there will be a resurgence in merch next time I'm there :)