symmetry's recent activity

  1. Comment on READFLIX – Free books from open libraries in ~books

    symmetry
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    Uhhh...why do we need to promote slop websites like this, when we have Open Library or Project Gutenberg?

    Uhhh...why do we need to promote slop websites like this, when we have Open Library or Project Gutenberg?

    8 votes

  2. Comment on Googlebook revealed and ready for pre-order in ~tech

    symmetry
    (edited )
    Link
    Nice lapslop. I couldn't help but compare the product pages for this and Macbook Neo. The Googlebook one is practically devoid of any humans using it, while Macbook Neo shows it being held and...

    Nice lapslop.

    I couldn't help but compare the product pages for this and Macbook Neo. The Googlebook one is practically devoid of any humans using it, while Macbook Neo shows it being held and used by humans. The whole lineup looks like they just pull some generic laptop model from each of the manufacturers and kneecap it with ChromeOS (oh I meant, Googlebook OS because they like to do meaningless rebrands).

    I know tech companies are pretty soulless organizations, but Google really puts in the additional effort to make their products feels extra soulless by the way they market their devices and services.

    I'll give it less than 5 years. Probably dead in 2-3 years, because some execs would want to rebrand this to GeminiBook.

    5 votes

  3. Comment on How have you helped someone without them knowing? in ~talk

    symmetry
    Link
    A couple of months ago, I was boarding a short domestic flight. As I near my assigned seat, I noticed that sitting next to it was a dad taking care of two small child with the mom on the opposite...

    A couple of months ago, I was boarding a short domestic flight. As I near my assigned seat, I noticed that sitting next to it was a dad taking care of two small child with the mom on the opposite row. It quickly dawned on me that my seat on the aisle would split them right in the middle. With that in mind, I walked past them to the stewardess at the back of the plane and explained the situation. It was a half empty flight so it was a non issue to move me a couple of rows back.

    I like to think that this small act resulted in positive karma as I had to take a couple of long distance flights recently and luckily found empty seats next to me for all of them.

    11 votes

  4. Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official

    symmetry
    Link
    My hope is that nothing changes and this lovely place far outlasts all the other "social media" sites. My only suggestion is that there should be some plan in place in case of an incident...

    My hope is that nothing changes and this lovely place far outlasts all the other "social media" sites.

    My only suggestion is that there should be some plan in place in case of an incident (database gets deleted, sharp increase in bot spam, DDOS, etc.). Let's make sure there are no existential risk to this community.

    23 votes

  5. Comment on Worse on Purpose: a site that tracks which brands are still worth their old reputation and which have been enshittified in ~enviro

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    It's definitely snarky on my part, but at the same time, I'm tired of giving some folks the benefit of the doubt. Guess I've been around these types more often than I would prefer.

    It's definitely snarky on my part, but at the same time, I'm tired of giving some folks the benefit of the doubt. Guess I've been around these types more often than I would prefer.

    2 votes

  6. Comment on Worse on Purpose: a site that tracks which brands are still worth their old reputation and which have been enshittified in ~enviro

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    I agree I shouldn't have used header text at alI. I would edit it but that feels wrong as well. For what it's worth, I was somewhat miffed finding out that the author is a Palantir bro and wanted...

    I agree I shouldn't have used header text at alI. I would edit it but that feels wrong as well. For what it's worth, I was somewhat miffed finding out that the author is a Palantir bro and wanted to disseminate that info.

    9 votes

  7. Comment on Worse on Purpose: a site that tracks which brands are still worth their old reputation and which have been enshittified in ~enviro

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    as I noted above, writer works(ed) at Palantir. This whole website stinks of AI slop aimed a building a new brand because he's part of a shitty one.

    as I noted above, writer works(ed) at Palantir. This whole website stinks of AI slop aimed a building a new brand because he's part of a shitty one.

    8 votes

  8. Comment on Worse on Purpose: a site that tracks which brands are still worth their old reputation and which have been enshittified in ~enviro

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    The author works at Palantir Looks like he is just starting a new brand to wash away the shitty one he is in. Ironic.
    • Exemplary

    The author works at Palantir

    Looks like he is just starting a new brand to wash away the shitty one he is in.

    Ironic.

    32 votes

  9. Comment on What steps can the average user do to secure their data privacy? in ~tech

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    Thank you for bringing up data brokers, which to me is the final boss of making your data private. I've been on a yearlong project to remove my PII from the internet and navigating the web of data...

    Thank you for bringing up data brokers, which to me is the final boss of making your data private. I've been on a yearlong project to remove my PII from the internet and navigating the web of data brokers with their dark patterns and paywalls is downright bleak.

    Nothing gets my company’s ass in gear quite like receiving an email from a resident of California (with proof of residence) requesting that we remove their data from our platform.

    I'm curious to learn more about this. I've done my fair share of going through opt-out forms (a list available at: https://github.com/yaelwrites/Big-Ass-Data-Broker-Opt-Out-List), but that's just opt out. How in depth and serious do data brokers take these deletion requests from California residents? Is there a good way to do this in bulk? Lastly, how effective are these requests in stopping future data collections? I want data brokers to treat me like radioactive waste so they wouldn't even touch my data in the future.

    2 votes

  10. Comment on What's your current PC wallpaper? in ~tech

  11. Did a fictional character from a show/movie influence your life?

    ~talk Ask
    I've been recently thinking about the impact of fictional characters from tv shows/movies can have on our lives. Have you ever felt influenced by a particular character or show? For me, the show...

    I've been recently thinking about the impact of fictional characters from tv shows/movies can have on our lives. Have you ever felt influenced by a particular character or show?

    For me, the show Mr. Robot coincided with my decision to pivot to cybersecurity. There were a lot of other factors that made me switch, but it was undeniable that the show (and the main character, Elliot) played a sizable role. It's been a decade since it first aired, and I’m still grateful for that change I made.

    Curious to know if anyone else have a similar experience?

    23 votes

  12. Comment on That white guy who can't get a job at Tim Hortons? He's AI. in ~tech

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    That's funny, I guess the people that are South Asian descent get a pass on the training even though they are the ones doing the discrimination? Not a surprise that Cisco needs to have caste...

    That's funny, I guess the people that are South Asian descent get a pass on the training even though they are the ones doing the discrimination? Not a surprise that Cisco needs to have caste discrimination training in place because they were sued by the California Civil Rights Department for that very thing.

    And to your point about how it's valuable to recognize that discrimination, a bill making caste a protected category made it past the California state legislature only to be vetoed by Newsome because it's "unnecessary," no doubt after the wonderful lobbying from these fine people.

    8 votes

  13. Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June/July 2025 in ~games

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    I would like to claim 🐈, aka Mr. Ceiling Cat, in remembrance of that meme from yore.

    I would like to claim 🐈, aka Mr. Ceiling Cat, in remembrance of that meme from yore.

    3 votes

  14. Comment on Do you like being thrifty? in ~talk

    symmetry
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    Yes, but it annoys me sometimes. Not for big purchases where I often pay extra for something nicer, but for like regular grocery or dining out. I love to shop at grocery outlet or buy something...

    Yes, but it annoys me sometimes. Not for big purchases where I often pay extra for something nicer, but for like regular grocery or dining out. I love to shop at grocery outlet or buy something that is on sale, when I can afford to shop at high end places daily. When I go to a restaurant and I see the menu, I instinctively scan for the cheapest entree.

    I don’t actually have to do all this, and it annoys me how being thrifty ends up making me feel guilty about spending more money when I absolutely can.

    2 votes

  15. Comment on Twenty years to give away virtually all my wealth in ~finance

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    Same people that don't want to make more money because that would mean they would pay more taxes.

    Same people that don't want to make more money because that would mean they would pay more taxes.

    4 votes

  16. What's your quirk?

    ~talk Ask (survey)
    I'll go first. I don't like to sleep in the dark, even though it's considered normal. I usually fall asleep with the lights on and either the computer/tv still on as well. This mostly came about...

    I'll go first. I don't like to sleep in the dark, even though it's considered normal. I usually fall asleep with the lights on and either the computer/tv still on as well. This mostly came about because as a night owl, I would often just pass out and incidentally not turn the lights off. Now I've grown so accustomed to it that attempting to sleep in darkness feels strange and uncomfortable. I used to feel a bit guilty about 'wasting electricity,' but since the advent of LED lightbulbs and low-powered computers, I no longer do.

    That's my quirk, what's yours?

    41 votes

  17. Comment on Notorious image board 4chan hacked and internal data leaked in ~tech

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    Somehow I would have thought that their servers would have been the most battle tested out there considering their notoriety. Guess not.

    Somehow I would have thought that their servers would have been the most battle tested out there considering their notoriety. Guess not.

    28 votes

  18. Comment on USA asks Sweden for help in the egg crisis in ~food

    symmetry
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    Let's get Japanese eggs instead. Safe enough to eat raw. At these egg prices, we should get the best quality eggs possible.

    Let's get Japanese eggs instead. Safe enough to eat raw. At these egg prices, we should get the best quality eggs possible.

    2 votes

  19. Comment on Phishing tests, the bane of work life, are getting meaner in ~tech

    symmetry
    Link
    Has anyone figured out the best (not necessarily, perfect) way to do phishing awareness and prevention? I loathe having to send out phishing test emails. I don't want to make folks sit and watch...

    Has anyone figured out the best (not necessarily, perfect) way to do phishing awareness and prevention? I loathe having to send out phishing test emails. I don't want to make folks sit and watch training videos. Phishing is a very real problem for many companies, but not a problem you can fix by just turning on the spam filter.

    2 votes

  20. Comment on US Food and Drug Administration to revoke authorization for the use of red no. 3 in food and ingested drugs in ~health

    symmetry
    Link
    Dang, not more red 3 maxxing. On a more serious note, does anyone have a list of restricted/banned food additives?

    Dang, not more red 3 maxxing. On a more serious note, does anyone have a list of restricted/banned food additives?

    2 votes