text_garden's recent activity
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Comment on We economists have done the maths: ‘growth’ is a doomed strategy – there is a better way in ~finance
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Comment on We economists have done the maths: ‘growth’ is a doomed strategy – there is a better way in ~finance
text_garden Link ParentIs there something you want to say about financial markets that actually pertains to the comment you're replying to, or am I just a soapbox for neoliberal talking points here?Is there something you want to say about financial markets that actually pertains to the comment you're replying to, or am I just a soapbox for neoliberal talking points here?
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Comment on We economists have done the maths: ‘growth’ is a doomed strategy – there is a better way in ~finance
text_garden Link ParentYes. I'm not sure how that relates to the message you replied to, which doesn't suppose that this is or isn't the case. It's not a "luxury belief" that we can achieve better circumstances for poor...When you write “growth of the economy as a whole,” do you mean for the entire world?
Yes.
`Generally speaking, less economic growth in one country doesn’t imply more economic growth in a different country.
I'm not sure how that relates to the message you replied to, which doesn't suppose that this is or isn't the case. It's not a "luxury belief" that we can achieve better circumstances for poor countries without a growth of the economy regardless of whether that's true.
It’s more like economic setbacks are sometimes contagious. Example:
I would rather call the Asian financial crisis a financial setback that only had economic effects because we've made finance instrumental to how we allocate and govern economic resources. That's not an inherent property of an economic system, but a political choice. When access to economic resources is governed by financial investment driven by less than perfect information and financial gain as the goal rather than real need, bubbles and financial contagions are inevitable. It was the financial problem that spread, causing similar economic effects in other countries.
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Comment on We economists have done the maths: ‘growth’ is a doomed strategy – there is a better way in ~finance
text_garden Link ParentEvery time I hear a politician talk about "creating jobs" as though that is inherently good no matter what, I'm thinking that if I start vandalizing people's property, I will be able to help...Every time I hear a politician talk about "creating jobs" as though that is inherently good no matter what, I'm thinking that if I start vandalizing people's property, I will be able to help create more jobs. Repairs, manufacturing replacements, cleanup...even the opportunity cost of taking the time to deal with the vandalism would effectively create more jobs and stimulate the economy. Disregarding the externalities of creating new things to replace broken ones, vandalism targeted at people with a lot of money in particular is a utilitarian dream. For someone with more money than they can spend, the cost of the vandalism will be a minor inconvenience. They will employ workers to deal with it, who will get paid and then pay it forward to other workers via their consumption and taxes.
However, I don't see how anyone could deny that poor countries are severely lacking in economic growth of nearly all kinds. To say that we don't need any more economic growth seems like the sort of "luxury belief" that would only make sense to rich people in rich countries.
That doesn't inherently require a growth of the economy as a whole. There is already a huge amount of capital concentrated where it's not needed. Also, even where valuable resources are available in poorer countries, in many cases they are carefully funnelled into rich countries where their capital value is realized. Equitable redistribution might have been a solution to this problem under a system which doesn't reward greed and concentration.
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Comment on What game are you terrible at? in ~games
text_garden LinkCounter-Strike. I just don't have the precision and reflexes, and any game that gives such a massive advantage to the first player who is able to click on the other player's head is going to be a...Counter-Strike. I just don't have the precision and reflexes, and any game that gives such a massive advantage to the first player who is able to click on the other player's head is going to be a game largely about clicking on heads to the detriment of other mechanics. Meanwhile, being worse at clicking heads means you'll have to wait longer between playing and actually having a chance to improve that skill.
At mid-level play a game like Quake 3 is more tactically interesting and doesn't punish players for being bad with too much downtime. Someone who is the better shot can be matched by someone who knows better what fights to pick and when to retreat to recover health and armor or find a better weapon. Someone who is more careful not to die can be matched by someone who takes more risks and dies more often but also gets more kills. Wiggling back and forth in place so as to avoid getting your head clicked is not a viable strategy when there are rockets.
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Comment on The Holotypic Occlupanid Research Group in ~science
text_garden LinkMost of us have probably seen them without spending even a minute to consider their origin, their lifecycle or their reproduction. I used to see them feeding on practically every breadbag, but...Most of us have probably seen them without spending even a minute to consider their origin, their lifecycle or their reproduction. I used to see them feeding on practically every breadbag, but their population is steadily shrinking in favor of more wormlike parasites which now take their place on breadbags.
Which species is more common where you live? Where do you find them? I have collected a few specimen of what I think are Admordorsum floridensis but the differences between other species are subtle.
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The Holotypic Occlupanid Research Group
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Comment on Elon Musk on tomatoes in ~food
text_garden Link Parent"What could it cost, $10?" energy"What could it cost, $10?" energy
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Comment on How often are you eating plant based meals? in ~food
text_garden LinkI have some friends who prefer vegan food, and it would be when I eat with them, which is not very often. I do eat a bunch of food without meat, though, but there's usually dairy or eggs in it in...I have some friends who prefer vegan food, and it would be when I eat with them, which is not very often. I do eat a bunch of food without meat, though, but there's usually dairy or eggs in it in some form or another.
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Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official
text_garden (edited )Link ParentThe constant struggle of software vendors to gain ground in the attention economy has somewhat conditioned us into thinking that software that isn't constantly evolving is as good as dead. A piece...The constant struggle of software vendors to gain ground in the attention economy has somewhat conditioned us into thinking that software that isn't constantly evolving is as good as dead. A piece of software which initially releases with tons of shortcomings that are then addressed in subsequent updates is more exciting and garners more attention than a piece of software that just works well out of the box.
There is however software that functionally stands to gain little from more attention, especially without the commercial incentive and explicit goal to sell access, more copies or ad spots. Consider Tildes as both a piece of working software and a community. It's the community that drives me to engage with the software, not the other way around. The software just has to let me do that in a convenient way, which I think it has successfully achieved. This simple relationship really only looks odd through the lens of commercial social media, where dilute content exists as much if not more to drive users to engage with software.
Resist the urge to worry and embrace finished software!
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Comment on Suggestions for a LAN party in ~games
text_garden LinkLiero via WebLiero works on anything with a modern browser. It's based on an old game which is best described as real-time Worms. We used to huddle in front of a single keyboard to play the...Liero via WebLiero works on anything with a modern browser. It's based on an old game which is best described as real-time Worms. We used to huddle in front of a single keyboard to play the original, but this version has online multiplayer as well as controls that can be mapped to gamepad buttons.
Also can't go wrong with Worms itself, which I will now describe as turn-based Liero. Worms Armageddon or Worms: W.M.D. are great. They both support a maximum of six players, but could be great for a 1v1 tournament. More clients can join in and spectate without playing. It also works hot seat, so you could play from just one computer. Worms Armageddon won't run natively on Mac, but I think there are tools to run Windows games in Mac.
For Doom and Doom 2, you can check out Odamex for playing Doom and Doom 2! That said, there is an officia port of both games which is probably a bit easier to set up. I recommend Greenwar and Greenwar 2 if you want to play deathmatch.
I don't have a Steam deck, but assuming that you can run whatever Linux/Windows software you want on them, Quake 3 via ioquake3 and Unreal Tournament '99 are great PVP games that support MacOS as well as Linux and Windows. I think anyone playing either of these games with a Steam Deck without also using a mouse and keyboard will be doing so with a significant disadvantage, though.
I like Overload but haven't tried multiplayer myself. It's a relatively modern clone of the old game Descent, which is a sort of space ship FPS where you can move along and turn around any axis. I don't know how that works out for their new architecture but presumably there's some compatibility layer for older software?
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Comment on Suggestions for a LAN party in ~games
text_garden Link ParentI'm assuming you mean the old FPS (there is a new one also called Marathon), in which case there is! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2398450/Classic_Marathon/I'm assuming you mean the old FPS (there is a new one also called Marathon), in which case there is! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2398450/Classic_Marathon/
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Comment on Browser fingerprinting demonstration in ~comp
text_garden LinkI will note here that the directive which mandates "cookie banners" in the EU is technology neutral in this respect, despite people commonly referring to cookies specifically in the context of...So we decline the cookie banners. We hunt for the reject all button. We feel a little safer.
I have some bad news.
Modern browsers don't really need the cookie anymore.
I will note here that the directive which mandates "cookie banners" in the EU is technology neutral in this respect, despite people commonly referring to cookies specifically in the context of GDPR. Insofar they comply with EU law, these banners concern the use of any information stored on the user's terminal.
From the ePrivacy directive:
(24) Terminal equipment of users of electronic communications networks and any information stored on such equipment are part of the private sphere of the users requiring protection under the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. So-called spyware, web bugs, hidden identifiers and other similar devices can enter the user's terminal without their knowledge in order to gain access to information, to store hidden information or to trace the activities of the user and may seriously intrude upon the privacy of these users. The use of such devices should be allowed only for legitimate purposes, with the knowledge of the users concerned.
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Comment on Why does Opera GX rarely come up in browser discussions? in ~tech
text_garden LinkI can't really take closed source options seriously. The browser handles a lot of very private information that's too important to me to leave to random proprietary freeware. It seems like a...I can't really take closed source options seriously. The browser handles a lot of very private information that's too important to me to leave to random proprietary freeware.
It seems like a better model to me that the browser vendor publicly distributes the source code, making both it and the work on it open to public scrutiny and analysis, while the OS vendor builds it and distributes the binary package.
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Comment on Albums based on a recurring musical phrase in ~music
text_garden LinkI've been listening to Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds lately, and that uses a few recurring motifs throughout the whole album, to great effect. Sits in a weird space between disco and progressive...I've been listening to Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds lately, and that uses a few recurring motifs throughout the whole album, to great effect. Sits in a weird space between disco and progressive rock.
The Snow Goose by camel opens and closes with the same haunting melody.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
text_garden Link ParentYeah, the people who really get into these things really get into them and can't get enough, so they're a good and forgiving market. Battletech and D&D are another couple of fandom magnet names...Star Wars, like Comics and some other large properties to come after (40k, Halo, god knows what else i'm forgetting) kinda wound up being a dumping ground for content.
Yeah, the people who really get into these things really get into them and can't get enough, so they're a good and forgiving market. Battletech and D&D are another couple of fandom magnet names attached to a whole bunch of novels of varying quality.
I like to pick stuff like that up outside franchises I have a strong relationship to occasionally just to get an idea of what's up, but usually never finish. I think there's probably some great stuff in there, but it's difficult taking advice from fans who may like it for other reasons than the quality of storytelling.
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Comment on Others that also have an aversion to onions, when is it OK? in ~food
text_garden LinkI didn't like onions as a child. I would eat it but I preferably cooked in fine cuts and mixed with e.g. minced meat in a meatloaf or meatballs. The texture and distinct, tingy taste just didn't...I didn't like onions as a child. I would eat it but I preferably cooked in fine cuts and mixed with e.g. minced meat in a meatloaf or meatballs. The texture and distinct, tingy taste just didn't palatable to me.
I don't know when it happened (and it was probably a gradual process) but now I love onions both for the texture and taste. Especially when it's raw and concentrated in larger cuts or slices. It can easily overpower other tastes so I think it's best when the food is arranged so that I just occasionally bite into a piece of onion and get a bit of variation. My taste just did a full 180° in this case.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
text_garden LinkI am reading Heir to the Empire. I've read it before but I got caught up deep in other hobbies before finishing the trilogy. I don't recall whether I finished the second novel. It's Star Wars, set...I am reading Heir to the Empire. I've read it before but I got caught up deep in other hobbies before finishing the trilogy. I don't recall whether I finished the second novel. It's Star Wars, set after the original movie trilogy, for anyone not familiar.
I don't have much substantial to say about it other than that I enjoy reading it, but I guess Thrawn is a bit of a Mary Sue. I find it kind of hard to judge this kind of book where I'm already very familiar with and love the setting, so it's difficult to tell to which extent my enjoyment is just me having a great time with basically anything in that setting as opposed to qualities that would stand on their own. It doesn't have to though, and can lean on the familiarity of the setting and characters to achieve a pretty high pace.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
text_garden LinkI added a small feature to my music sequencer. Currently, it's organized as two panes. To the left you have what is essentially a list of pattern indices, representing a song structure, called the...I added a small feature to my music sequencer. Currently, it's organized as two panes. To the left you have what is essentially a list of pattern indices, representing a song structure, called the arranger. To the right, you have the pattern sequencer where you edit individual patterns. To edit a pattern at a given index, you move the cursor in the arranger to an entry with that index.
The feature I added was to automatically advance to the next entry in the arranger when the cursor in the pattern sequencer moves past the end of the pattern, and move it back if the cursor moves past the beginning of the pattern. That way you can edit sequences of contiguous patterns without ever switching back to the arranger to manually change pattern.
I want to keep the arranger and the pattern sequencer as independent from each other as possible, though, because it makes it so much easier to reason about side effects. The way I generally do this is that upon input, I invoke a master handler which then passes input to either handler dependent on the GUI state. If the arranger is enabled, it calls the arranger handler, and if the pattern sequencer is enabled, it calls the pattern sequencer handler. So the master handler has access to both, but they don't have access to each other.
My solution was for the pattern sequencer input handler to optionally return a command or event indicating that its cursor has moved past the end/beginning. The master handler sees the command and makes the necessary changes to the arranger. The arranger and pattern sequencer remain blissfully unaware of each other.
Maybe a bit mundane, but one technique of many to keep in mind to avoid hard coupling.
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Comment on Offpunk manifesto in ~humanities
text_garden Link ParentI touched on the topic of turning hobbies into consumption habits in a reply to another thread the other week, which seems tangentially related. My guess is that having the right things and...I touched on the topic of turning hobbies into consumption habits in a reply to another thread the other week, which seems tangentially related.
My guess is that having the right things and investing money in them indirectly serves as a social signal of your commitment to and stake in an idea or movement. Like a kind of gatekeeping mechanism that draws a clear line between in and out where there is little else that creates a clear boundary.
Regarding sticking to what you already have, there's nothing inherent about a PC or even a smartphone that forces you to use them as a doom scrolling notification generators. There's a lot of free (as in beer) and open source software in particular that largely lacks the incentive of keeping you connected and hooked in the existential sense that Meta, Google, Microsoft or Apple does.
Well, that's not how I wrote it. It's not a proposal in any way, and it's not a criticism of the general concept of markets.
For the record I thnk a market where the means to profit from anything but the production of goods and services were much more limited would also be much less susceptible to bubbles and crashes. I don't propose to know what measures would effectively produce such markets.
Markets where you can easily capitalize on things that aren't productive enable profit from things like debt and speculation, which from an empirical point of view seemingly inevitably produce situations where markets go crazy for other reasons than changes in the forces of production. This is a criticism of a specific aspect of some kinds of markets, not of markets in general.