thecakeisalime's recent activity
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Comment on Kids at-home science experiments (of the less tame variety) in ~science
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Comment on Buying a game from a director that you really have problems with (Kingdom Come) in ~games
thecakeisalime Link ParentTo be clear, I'm not saying don't draw an ethical line. For instance, I personally try to avoid buying Nestle products. But draw that line knowing that sometimes you may cross it (intentionally or...To be clear, I'm not saying don't draw an ethical line. For instance, I personally try to avoid buying Nestle products. But draw that line knowing that sometimes you may cross it (intentionally or not), and that crossing it doesn't make you a bad person.
At the same time, it's still good to acknowledge that every company with 10+ employees on the "good" side of the ethical line is also unethical in some way, even if it's just that some of your money going towards them pays the salary of a low-level employee who harasses celebrities on twitter.
To use OP's question as an example, of the $60 you pay for it, how much actually goes to Daniel Vavra? Steam takes 25% off the top (side note: Gabe Newell owns the largest yacht fleet in the world), and then the remaining $45 gets split between the developer and the publisher. Notably, Vavra owns neither of those - he's simply an employee and gets paid a salary whether the game is successful or not. He likely has some sort of bonus tied to the success of the game, and success here probably means future employment opportunities, so in that sense, by buying the game, you're contributing to Vavra's future career. But you're also supporting the careers of ~250+ other employees at Warhorse Studios and Deep Silver, many of whom are probably ethical people.
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Comment on Buying a game from a director that you really have problems with (Kingdom Come) in ~games
thecakeisalime LinkTo offer another view, I don't believe ethical consumption is possible for anyone in the working class - there's just not enough time to research (if that information is even available) where all...To offer another view, I don't believe ethical consumption is possible for anyone in the working class - there's just not enough time to research (if that information is even available) where all your money is going. If you don't buy this game, what are you going to spend your money on? Chances are, some portion of that money is going to go to someone with awful views - potentially worse than Vavra.
He's quite vocal about his views, and depending on your moral stance, that may make him worse than someone with objectively worse views who keeps out of the public eye, but he's certainly not the only shitty person out there. One way or another, someone shitty will end up with your money. There's simply no way to avoid it.
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Comment on Books I read during 2024 that were published during 2024 in ~books
thecakeisalime Link ParentIt really depends on the reader. Some readers read incredibly slowly. My default is 2x for audiobooks and podcasts, but some audiobooks I've pushed all the way to 3x. After a few minutes, I don't...It really depends on the reader. Some readers read incredibly slowly.
My default is 2x for audiobooks and podcasts, but some audiobooks I've pushed all the way to 3x. After a few minutes, I don't even notice it's sped up.
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Comment on What were your favorite books that you read this year, and why? in ~books
thecakeisalime LinkLooking back over my Goodreads list this year, I have read a lot more non-fiction this year than I usually do. Partly in an attempt to just read more in general, but also because I discovered I...Looking back over my Goodreads list this year, I have read a lot more non-fiction this year than I usually do. Partly in an attempt to just read more in general, but also because I discovered I can listen to audiobooks of non-fiction, but when trying to listen to fiction, I just don't absorb any of it.
Out of a total of 48 books read, I gave five stars to 14 of them.
Fiction:
- Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
- A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett
- Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett
- The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
- Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
- Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey
- Tiamat's Wrath by James S.A. Corey
- Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey
- Strange Dogs by James S.A. Corey
Non-fiction:
- A CIty on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith
- Superheavy: Making and Breaking the Periodic Table by Kit Chapman
- Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ
- What If? 2 by Randall Munroe
- Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish
I'm also in the middle of Wind and Truth (book 5 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson. It will also probably get 5 stars, but there's no way I'm finishing it before the end of the year.
I didn't actually read the Expanse and Discworld series straight through, but it seems I just didn't enjoy the books between them nearly as much. And Terry Pratchett seems to be on a good run through 2024. The two preceding Discworld books (read in 2023) did not earn 5 stars from me.
Next year I'm going to try to finish off Wheel of Time. I finished book 10 this year. I really like the story and the world that Robert Jordan created, but the writing is just such a slog; no book in this series has earned 5 stars from me. One common complaint I've heard about Brandon Sanderson taking over in book 12 is that he didn't match the writing style at all. I'm hoping for me that will be a positive, because I like Brandon Sanderson's style of writing.
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Comment on Are ‘ghost engineers’ real? Seeking Silicon Valley’s least productive coders. in ~tech
thecakeisalime Link ParentI ended up as a technical team leader. In theory I was supposed to be coding, but largely I just attended meetings that didn't need to happen so that the more junior members of the team didn't...I ended up as a technical team leader. In theory I was supposed to be coding, but largely I just attended meetings that didn't need to happen so that the more junior members of the team didn't have to attend. Even of the important meetings, me or my team were only "needed" about half the time.
This was fine when they let us work from home and I could do other things (many of which were not work related), but as soon as we went back to the office, it was just mind numbingly awful.
I have since found a remote job where they have a much flatter structure, so there's no worry of accidentally becoming a manager, and I'm actually engaged with my work instead of just tuning out. While I suspect they refilled my position at my previous company, the truth is that my role was largely just knowing things, and about 1 hour per week (split into 5 minute increments) of telling other people what I knew.
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Comment on How to judge relative dangers of chemicals for someone too busy (or lazy) to keep up with the science? in ~health
thecakeisalime Link ParentI can't claim to be an expert, but I'm pretty sure this is true for some specific cases. Our bodies need some heavy metals like chromium, iron, magnesium, and zinc (and many others). At high doses...that the problem with these curves is that there's a threshold dose below which no effect occurs
I can't claim to be an expert, but I'm pretty sure this is true for some specific cases. Our bodies need some heavy metals like chromium, iron, magnesium, and zinc (and many others). At high doses these can easily be fatal, but it's also deadly to not consume any. They accumulate in your body like any other toxin, although with the caveat that your body will use them up over time (provided it doesn't die from too much exposure in that time period).
Is there a reason this couldn't generalize to "non fatal" thresholds for all substances?
That said, if there's no good need for it in our bodies, I I would much rather err on the side of caution and avoid/prevent accumulation until it's shown to be safe, rather than the current approach of waiting until it's shown to be harmful.
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Comment on Follow up on the username thread: What Tildes users do you recognize when browsing and, without being rude or inflammatory, what is your impression of them? in ~tildes
thecakeisalime Link ParentI actually think this one of the great things about Tildes. It doesn't matter who you are or who I am, except in the context of a back-and-forth discussion in a specific thread. Judge a comment...Yes! This is exactly my problem. Everyone here is pretty much nameless to me because I forget to read screen names and even when I do, I can't commit them to memory.
I actually think this one of the great things about Tildes. It doesn't matter who you are or who I am, except in the context of a back-and-forth discussion in a specific thread. Judge a comment not by the user who posted it, but by its content. Is it a good argument? Is it well-sourced? Does it provide value? Is it written in good faith? Tildes has managed to self-select for mostly good comments all around. On other sites, username recognition is sometimes important because comments are so often just incorrect and/or made in bad-faith. Here, it doesn't even matter who posted a comment. It's almost always worth reading if you're interested in the larger topic at hand.
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Comment on eBooks cost too much in ~books
thecakeisalime Link ParentI disagree. A similar scenario happened in music publishing when The Beatles founded Apple Records. Did all the big bands (at least those who had the option) make their own record label? No. It's...He's the nightmare for Trads. They know, sooner or later, Sanderson will be joined by other Big Names
I disagree.
A similar scenario happened in music publishing when The Beatles founded Apple Records. Did all the big bands (at least those who had the option) make their own record label? No. It's expensive, it's a lot of work, and the big names have a lot of negotiating power that smaller names don't (something Brandon Sanderson has explicitly said he doesn't want, except to get better deals for everyone). Taylor Swift didn't even create her own record label to separate herself from her old masters (double entendre intended). She just re-recorded the songs and negotiated a good deal with an existing company. Even today, when recording and releasing an album can be done from your basement, it's really difficult to "make it big" without going through a record label. There's the occasional YouTube sensation who can probably negotiate a good deal with a label, but most people need the marketing push from "Big Music".
Brandon Sanderson created Dragonsteel Books because he enjoys it and that's just who he is. And that's great for him. He might (this is my own speculation, not based on anything he's said) eventually start publishing for other authors at some point (as Apple Records published other, non-Beatles, artists). But other big names aren't going to have the same drive and passion as Sanderson to split away from the traditional publishers. The big names will just take their highly-favourable deals, and move on with their lives while not caring about the up-and-comers. The up-and-comers will take the exploitative deals, because they already tried self-publishing an ebook, and no one bought it.
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Comment on AI is killing remote work in ~tech
thecakeisalime Link ParentI started using Copilot about a month ago. It's definitely helpful, but mostly for replacing routine and repetitive tasks. It's also nice for creating lambda functions. It might just be a me...I started using Copilot about a month ago. It's definitely helpful, but mostly for replacing routine and repetitive tasks. It's also nice for creating lambda functions. It might just be a me thing, but I'm significantly better at understanding lambda functions than I am at writing them in the first place, which is ideal for reviewing AI generated code.
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Comment on What the hell is a Typescript or: Creation ideas above my skill level in ~tech
thecakeisalime Link ParentI agree with this completely. I was a backend developer for over a decade, and then I got a job as a full stack developer about 18 months ago. The first year of this job was strictly backend work,...I agree with this completely. I was a backend developer for over a decade, and then I got a job as a full stack developer about 18 months ago. The first year of this job was strictly backend work, so no problem there, but recently, I've been going nuts learning Typescript and React.
It's tough. Everything feels so messy, and there's no organizational conventions or necessities. I'm not doing anything too outrageous right now, so it's manageable, and I can make everything functional, but I still don't like it.
I don't like this shift towards full stack development. It's probably just that companies are trying to save money, but the technologies are so different, and if everything is designed properly it shouldn't matter who sticks the front end and UI on the backend changes. I don't think this saves money. I'm definitely slower than someone with more experience, and I'm not doing other backend work when I'm working on the frontend.
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Comment on Star Trek: Section 31 | Teaser trailer in ~movies
thecakeisalime Link ParentIt's the only Star Trek show that actually has a main character, and I think that's the problem. You could argue that each of the captains are the main characters, but they have a supporting cast...It's the only Star Trek show that actually has a main character, and I think that's the problem. You could argue that each of the captains are the main characters, but they have a supporting cast each with nearly as much screen time and often more importance.
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Comment on US Department of Justice indicates it’s considering Google breakup following monopoly ruling in ~tech
thecakeisalime Link ParentNot Gmail directly, but with the integration of everything into Google Workspace, there have been a few instances recently where Google started causing trouble for GSuite legacy users. After a lot...Not Gmail directly, but with the integration of everything into Google Workspace, there have been a few instances recently where Google started causing trouble for GSuite legacy users. After a lot of pushback, Google changed course, and GSuite legacy users could continue using it for free, but I'm sure in another decade they'll try again.
Since then, I've basically stopped using my custom domain for Google services, other than email, so that if I need to, I can migrate away. But that was much easier for me than for other people, because I've been using a regular gmail address for services like Google Play. Since I'm the only user for my domain, it probably wouldn't be a big deal to pay for it, but it felt like a shakedown.
I'm also affiliated with a non-profit that uses Google Workspace for free. This was going to cost them a lot of money, since we have about 15 users. They have since created a separate (free) category for nonprofits, but that wasn't the case when they announced the migration from GSuite.
I get that we're all just using this product for free, but when everything is bundled together through Workspace, it makes it very hard to leave - and that's why their monopoly is a problem. It's not any one individual product (though some are definitely worse than others), it's that it's a tightly bound ecosystem that makes it really hard to leave without losing something.
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Comment on USA: Kyle Rittenhouse's texts pledging to ‘murder’ shoplifters disillusion his ex-spokesperson in ~society
thecakeisalime Link ParentIt's hard to say whether it's just internet tough guy or an actual hopeful attitude, but the sentiment of "I wish someone would invade my house/tresspass/look at me funny so I have an excuse to...Normal people aren't wishing to have their home invaded
It's hard to say whether it's just internet tough guy or an actual hopeful attitude, but the sentiment of "I wish someone would invade my house/tresspass/look at me funny so I have an excuse to shoot them" shows up frighteningly often whenever people talk about guns and why they own them. Ostensibly, it's for self defence, but they're very nonchalant about wanting to take someone's life.
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Comment on Satisfactory is the best automation game ever made and I seriously can't recommend it enough in ~games
thecakeisalime Link ParentThey wouldn't build it from the sky, but they'd certainly design it that way. We don't draw blueprints for buildings by standing on the open site and drawing the next floor as each floor is...would a pioneer on an alien planet really build a factory from a static eye-in-the-sky viewpoint
They wouldn't build it from the sky, but they'd certainly design it that way.
We don't draw blueprints for buildings by standing on the open site and drawing the next floor as each floor is constructed. We take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Same when designing cities (when the option is available), or laying out public transit routes. Obviously the construction has to take place in first-person, but the design is almost always eye-in-the-sky.
I haven't tried 1.0 yet, but Satisfactory was just not my cup of tea, largely due to the first-person view. I can play Factorio for hours without stopping, but I just kept getting frustrated at building placements and lining up components properly in Satisfactory (others have mentioned some QOL improvements have been implemented to deal with some of this). I think it comes down to whether you want to be a designer, a builder, or both. Factorio has a huge emphasis on the design of the factory, which is the whole reason I play the game, and the first-person view of Satisfactory just makes it harder without providing any benefit (to me).
That said, even in EA, it was a decently polished game, and I think it's still a good game; it's just not a good game for me.
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Comment on NHTSA proposes new vehicle safety standard to better protect pedestrians in ~transport
thecakeisalime Link ParentIn theory, such a system could just check to see if you're holding a phone (or anything) in your hand, whether or not you're looking at it. That would cover about 95% of distracted drivers today...I'd not trust the car to be able to actually see where I'm looking, in sunglasses, in my regular glasses, or for folks with different skin tones or eye shapes, historically we're not great at this.
In theory, such a system could just check to see if you're holding a phone (or anything) in your hand, whether or not you're looking at it. That would cover about 95% of distracted drivers today and it's simpler and less error-prone than eye-tracking.
If we go this route, out a breathalyzer lock on every car too. No driving if you have any alcohol in your system.
That's actually already in the works - mandatory in every new car starting in 2026.
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Comment on NHTSA proposes new vehicle safety standard to better protect pedestrians in ~transport
thecakeisalime Link ParentIf actual infrastructure is being developed and installed to solve these problems, then they can just skip directly to self-driving cars. Better yet, use that money for improved public transit and...Or perhaps a mandatory-stop function when crosswalks are active. I very much like that one....all crosswalks emit a powerful signal when active, and if the car detects that signal at a ~10ft range engages emergency braking.
If actual infrastructure is being developed and installed to solve these problems, then they can just skip directly to self-driving cars. Better yet, use that money for improved public transit and intercity HSR.
One of the best rules we could get to trend vehicle size downward rapidly is increasing licensing difficulty depending on fully-laden GVW. Split off consumer vehicles into more classes, with more stringent road testing to be permitted to drive larger vehicles
I do like this suggestion. It's kind of insane that I took my driving test in a subcompact car and now I can legally drive a motorhome towing that same car, or drive a gigantic pickup truck with a 5th wheel hookup and tow a 30 foot RV trailer.
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Comment on NHTSA proposes new vehicle safety standard to better protect pedestrians in ~transport
thecakeisalime Link ParentThat's a reasonable position, but there's a good chance that in the near future our cars are going to spy on us anyway. Might as well put that to good use.That's a reasonable position, but there's a good chance that in the near future our cars are going to spy on us anyway. Might as well put that to good use.
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Comment on NHTSA proposes new vehicle safety standard to better protect pedestrians in ~transport
thecakeisalime LinkWhile I'm all for reducing pedestrian deaths, this seems underwhelming. Based on their own numbers, this could save 67 lives a year. In 2022, there were 7522 deaths, up from a low in 2009 of 4109...While I'm all for reducing pedestrian deaths, this seems underwhelming.
Based on their own numbers, this could save 67 lives a year. In 2022, there were 7522 deaths, up from a low in 2009 of 4109 deaths (source). Is there no other change that they could propose that would reduce fatalities by more than 1%? Given the ever increasing number of pedestrian deaths each year, will a 1% change even show up in the data?
Pedestrian deaths are largely due to a combination of infrastructure, distracted driving, and increased vehicle sizes. The NHTSA has the power to force the industry to change significantly. Make vehicles smaller. Make vehicles spy on us to make sure we're not looking at your phone. Do something.
If this were anything other than the auto industry, people would be angry about it. 7522 deaths per year is a lot of bodies. And that pile is only getting larger.
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Comment on When electric vehicle startups shut down, will their cars still work? in ~transport
thecakeisalime Link ParentThere are fixed costs (R&D, tooling), which won't be covered by the combination of low volume and low margin. I don't know where you're going to find these investors who care more about the next...Simple and low-volume sounds like the perfect way to get started so long as you’ve got the funds to support yourself or have investors that value long term stability over short term profit.
There are fixed costs (R&D, tooling), which won't be covered by the combination of low volume and low margin.
I don't know where you're going to find these investors who care more about the next decade than the next quarter, but I do hope they exist. Rivian and Lucid might be the closest to this model, given their respective investments from Amazon and Saudi Arabia, but the shares trading on the open market are still definitely focused on the short term without a care for what might come later. Even then, it seems like Amazon's support has waned recently, and no one's sure when the Saudis might pull out or what their end goal is.
Magnets and electricity in general are pretty neat. Most of it requires math beyond what a 5 year old will understand, but there's a bunch of easy things that can be done.