trazac's recent activity
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Comment on Video games to be included in Netflix subscription in ~games
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~comp
trazac Link ParentLiterally all of the arguments for PDFs also apply to markup, other than maybe 'page oriented' but I'm sure there is some trick out there that can make that happen in HTML.Literally all of the arguments for PDFs also apply to markup, other than maybe 'page oriented' but I'm sure there is some trick out there that can make that happen in HTML.
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Comment on Amazon asked Apple to remove an app that spots fake reviews, and Apple agreed in ~tech
trazac Link ParentMy pet peeve is when a review specifically calls out ship time and shipment quality. If every shipment is very late, maybe that's worth knowing (but only maybe), and if every product is damaged in...My pet peeve is when a review specifically calls out ship time and shipment quality. If every shipment is very late, maybe that's worth knowing (but only maybe), and if every product is damaged in shipping that is worth knowing, but if you got your Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer and its box was a little bit dented and took two extra days to ship I don't give a shit. It's immaterial.
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Comment on What do you think about voting? in ~talk
trazac LinkVoting systems also play a part in voter apathy. The First Past The Post system that's most commonly used means that two party systems become dominant and third party interests are rarely...Voting systems also play a part in voter apathy. The First Past The Post system that's most commonly used means that two party systems become dominant and third party interests are rarely realized. There are better systems out there, all with their own advantages and problems, but the most popular system is awful.
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Comment on Kaspersky Password Manager had multiple problems in its password-generator, resulting in its passwords being predictable and easily brute-forced in ~comp
trazac Link ParentI don't remember the NIST specification in particular, but their current password recommendation (even without MFA) is 8 characters, no complexity, no expiration. Turns out even relatively long...I don't remember the NIST specification in particular, but their current password recommendation (even without MFA) is 8 characters, no complexity, no expiration.
Turns out even relatively long expiration with complexity cause most people to write down passwords and reuse the same ones over and over again with slight changes that are easily scooped up in an online dictionary attack.
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Comment on Kaspersky Password Manager had multiple problems in its password-generator, resulting in its passwords being predictable and easily brute-forced in ~comp
trazac Link ParentThat is safe. Most dictionary attacks won't attempt a sentence because even properly formatted sentences (especially with names) are impossible to predict without knowing most of the sentence...That is safe. Most dictionary attacks won't attempt a sentence because even properly formatted sentences (especially with names) are impossible to predict without knowing most of the sentence already.
However, revealing this information about yourself does make it less secure. Especially if you discuss books you read and like on ~tildes or other parts of the internet with usernames that are known to be you.
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Comment on Kaspersky Password Manager had multiple problems in its password-generator, resulting in its passwords being predictable and easily brute-forced in ~comp
trazac Link ParentHe's just wrong. It's not better to just create your own formula and then somehow brute force remember dozens of passwords. I'm sure I'm just like everyone else: there is one account somewhere you...He's just wrong. It's not better to just create your own formula and then somehow brute force remember dozens of passwords. I'm sure I'm just like everyone else: there is one account somewhere you have to use a few times a year, or maybe once a year. There is no way if I had a formula that I just remembered (writing it down would immediately disqualify it from being of good quality) from years back. I would eventually forget the formula and with that the password. Then in the case of a breach, at least some of my accounts with that formula are also immediately compromised, but what if I can't remember which ones? Do I have to just change every god damn password?
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Comment on Tips for dealing with bedbugs? in ~life.home_improvement
trazac (edited )LinkFollow the advice of everyone telling you to talk to your landlord. Bring in a professional to talk your landlord into it if you can. Treating the whole building is the best bet. I commented about...Follow the advice of everyone telling you to talk to your landlord. Bring in a professional to talk your landlord into it if you can. Treating the whole building is the best bet.
I commented about it already, but my landlord told me to suck it when we came to them for help.
If you cannot get help from your landlord treating the whole building, this is my advice. (Note: Don't pay for a professional yourself. It'll cost a lot and bed bugs will come back if it's the whole building. A professional will likely use all of the same stuff I'm going to mention.)
This YouTube Channel will be, by far, your greatest resource. All advice from here on is a paraphrase of Jason's advice. Spend like a week on that YouTube channel if you have to.
Don't use oils or diatomaceous earth, or traps or bed covers or interceptors. All of that is a waste of time, and money. Bedbugs can live a year without eating. Only pesticides and heat kill bedbugs (or commercial grade vacuum sealing equipment.)
Buy a 1 gallon sprayer, it doesn't have to be a really nice one. A plastic garden sprayer will be fine. (I have this one.) Then get a bottle of crossfire. It's a bit pricey, but this shit is totally worth it. 1 bottle mixes with a single gallon of water, should cover around 1000 sqft. (Although I get away with a bit more with only one queen size mattress.) If you have more than one bed, or 1000 sqft, budget for two bottles. You'll likely want to spray again, so probably get a few bottles even if you only need one. Crossfire will kill live bugs and eggs.
While you're waiting for the crossfire to come through, clean everything. Make every crack and crevice in your home, especially your bedrooms, available. Clear everything from the floors, move all of your furniture so you can spray behind and around it. Clear your doorways so that you can spray the frames and hinges.
With your house cleaned up, it's time to vacuum and do laundry. If you have a bagged vacuum, that's best because it'll more easily trap bugs when you vacuum them. Here I'll give some leeway and say you can spread DE over the ground AND THEN vacuum it up with the bugs. This'll trap the bugs with the DE potentially kill them. DE doesn't work because bed bugs can just navigate around it. Empty your vacuum cleaner container/bag immediately. If you have a bag and want to save it, store it in a vacuum sealed container. That won't kill any bugs, but it'll stop them from getting out. Launder everything, and make sure you get it all hot in the dryer. Even clothes you haven't worn in a while; especially clothes you haven't worn in a while (although you can probably just put them in the dryer, at the hottest temp they can be dried at, for 15-30 minutes.) Any bed related items are, of course, the most important to be laundered.
Once you have the crossfire, spend some time checking all around your home and make sure you can reach the molding on the floor in every room. Take your beds off their frames so they can be sprayed separately (Crossfire can be sprayed on mattresses, but you must let it dry completely before using it again.) Wear shoes, pants, a jacket, gloves, a mask (N95 if you can get one) and maybe some goggles (if they don't interfere with the mask) and also keep a change of clothes around for when you're done. Fill your gallon container up half way, pour in the crossfire, fill the rest of the way up to the 1 gallon mark (which isn't the top) and shake. Build up some pressure and test your spray nozzle somewhere you don't mind getting a little extra wet. You want a spray that's not very wide, but not too fine either. You also don't want it to be a stream. To give you some numbers, from six inches away the width should be 3-4 inches (keep in mind, I'm also not an expert, but this is the setting I use.)
Note: If you leave the mixed solution alone for a few minutes, give it another good shake. Crossfire will separate from water quickly. Shake it up while you're walking around too for good measure.
FUCKIN SPRAY EVERY CREVICE AND CORNER YOU CAN FIND. Spray your baseboards, spray every nook and cranny of your bed frame. Spray the top, bottom, and sides of your mattress (although be careful not to overspray, it'll take a long time to dry.) Spray behind your dresser and around its feet (if you have one). Spray the door frame of your rooms, spray the door frame of your closet, spray the baseboards of your closets. Spray where molding of your baseboards meet. Spray the baseboards of your whole house. Spray under your upholstered chairs and couches. spray under cushions and inside of chairs and couches. Spray around stuff that touches the floor. Spray around your windows.
DON'T SPRAY IN YOUR KITCHEN. Crossfire states this on its label, but I'll say it here too.
Lastly, spray around the door that goes into your unit. If you can swing it, spray the crevices outside of your apartment too, but note that Crossfire isn't supposed to be used outside.
Spray at least once every 60 days, maybe every 30 if you can afford it. After 6 months buy another sprayer and switch to Alpine WSG for six months. Don't mix different chemicals in the same sprayer. Alpine WSG is much cheaper than Crossfire (and treats for other bugs as well, but it's not nearly as good when it comes to bedbugs. Alpine WSG can't be sprayed on your mattress, for instance), this amount can do between 7-20 treatments depending on how you mix it. Principles are the same with WSG, but you can spray it in your kitchen and outdoors (but not on your mattresses, although still on bed frames.)
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Comment on Tips for dealing with bedbugs? in ~life.home_improvement
trazac Link ParentYeah, this sounds like great advice, and maybe some of the time it is, but my landlord told me (more or less) to suck a dick when I came to them about bedbugs. My wife brought up something about...Yeah, this sounds like great advice, and maybe some of the time it is, but my landlord told me (more or less) to suck a dick when I came to them about bedbugs. My wife brought up something about Florida law requiring landlords to treat for bedbugs, unless stated in our lease. Nothing in the lease about pests at all so we ask. Tells us that a very vague line about 'personal damages' exempts them.
We talked to a professional and he told us the same thing that everyone else is saying: treating one unit is basically a waste of time. He wouldn't even do it, and it would be very expensive if he did. He tried to talk to our landlord and that went no where.
So good luck OP. I eventually treated myself and continue to do so.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
trazac Link ParentI work in IT and I can tell you with great assurance that Microsoft might not be hammering OS sales to the consumer, they're making mega bank on Server OS sales and Volume License Agreements. I...I work in IT and I can tell you with great assurance that Microsoft might not be hammering OS sales to the consumer, they're making mega bank on Server OS sales and Volume License Agreements. I work for a small enterprise and we spend in excess of $100k a year with Microsoft.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
trazac Link ParentI'll agree with this. 7 was an iteration on Vista more than I think a lot of people realize. Most skipped it, but honestly Vista was a solid OS. Windows 8 as well. I used Win8 and Win8.1 from...I'll agree with this. 7 was an iteration on Vista more than I think a lot of people realize. Most skipped it, but honestly Vista was a solid OS. Windows 8 as well. I used Win8 and Win8.1 from their release and honestly Windows 10 (at least in 2015) was just a slightly different version of Windows 8. Since then Windows 10 has taken a life of its own, and honestly I prefer Windows 8 to modern Windows 10 (so long as there is a Start Menu replacement.)
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
trazac Link ParentStandard Windows release cycle is like 3 years. Windows XP - 2001 Windows Vista - 2006 Windows 7 - 2009 Windows 8 - 2012 Windows 10 - 2015 Windows 11 - 2021 The gap between 10 and 11 is the...Standard Windows release cycle is like 3 years.
- Windows XP - 2001
- Windows Vista - 2006
- Windows 7 - 2009
- Windows 8 - 2012
- Windows 10 - 2015
- Windows 11 - 2021
The gap between 10 and 11 is the largest since the turn of the century.
Even still, Windows 10 will be supported for another four years, giving it a life-span of 10 years. It's not going anywhere soon.
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Comment on As someone with ADHD, I hate the "RTFM" motto in ~comp
trazac Link ParentI have never experienced the Arch community, but I have used Arch in the past (and I use Manjaro on my laptop) and I have to say that the Arch wiki is rather complete and useful, so I never had to...I have never experienced the Arch community, but I have used Arch in the past (and I use Manjaro on my laptop) and I have to say that the Arch wiki is rather complete and useful, so I never had to go far to find answers. At the same time, due to the wiki being so good it's easy to understand when someone asks a question the community just assumes you haven't read the documentation. On top of that, since Arch is ever changing the documentation is sometimes in flux.
Personally, I would say that anyone who thinks Arch is 'advanced' is fooling themselves. It's a step or two above something like Ubuntu, but plenty of people just build their own OS (that's generally where Distros come from.)
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Comment on What are some of your favorite mobile games? in ~games
trazac LinkThrees. Available both on Android and iOS. I think there might be a browser based variant as well, I'm not sure. I think it's a few dollars and there is an ad-supported variant as well. It's the...Threes. Available both on Android and iOS. I think there might be a browser based variant as well, I'm not sure. I think it's a few dollars and there is an ad-supported variant as well.
It's the game that inspired the ever-popular 2048. It is a significantly better product that requires forethought and strategy. It's very challenging, beautiful, and exciting. Getting the next number up from your previous best is very rewarding. I don't play it often because when I do I become entrenched in planing out all of my moves and figuring out what series of moves I'll need to get the next biggest number.
I've been playing for years and the highest number I have gotten is 384, there are four others that come after that and I'm not sure if I'll ever get a higher number.
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Comment on Should we have a small description for why a removed comment was removed? in ~tildes
trazac Link ParentTo play devil's advocate: mods on social media websites normally aren't formally trained personnel. While I really like what you said and agree with it, I do think @alyaza is right. It would...To play devil's advocate: mods on social media websites normally aren't formally trained personnel. While I really like what you said and agree with it, I do think @alyaza is right. It would become a bad land scenario very easily with comments being removed for hundreds of different reasons.
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Comment on This staircase from the Eiffel Tower is for sale in ~humanities.history
trazac LinkIt looks and sounds really silly, and it's going to sell for stupid money, but I have to admit I wish I could tell people part of my house was part of the Eiffel Tower.It looks and sounds really silly, and it's going to sell for stupid money, but I have to admit I wish I could tell people part of my house was part of the Eiffel Tower.
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Comment on Is eating vegan really the best diet for the planet? I tried it for a month. in ~enviro
trazac Link ParentI've taken a harsh look at the environmental impact of some of the most ancillary foods I eat. Nuts and nut butters take so much water and land to produce. Coffee is pretty bad too, although shade...I've taken a harsh look at the environmental impact of some of the most ancillary foods I eat. Nuts and nut butters take so much water and land to produce. Coffee is pretty bad too, although shade grown coffee is starting to become the norm. I know some teas are pretty bad, and beer and wine take a lot of land and energy to grow and produce.
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Comment on Is eating vegan really the best diet for the planet? I tried it for a month. in ~enviro
trazac LinkVery interesting, takes a very neutral view on the topic. The main issue aren't the options or choice, it's the price and flavor. Animal based products just taste so good. This is a problem that...Very interesting, takes a very neutral view on the topic.
The main issue aren't the options or choice, it's the price and flavor. Animal based products just taste so good. This is a problem that won't be solved by informing people. It's somewhat undeniable that vegetable crops are generally better than animal crops in terms of their ecological impact, and even the fiercest deniers have to admit that the way we treat animals is very cruel. Even though most people know that vegetarian and vegan diets are generally better for the planet and more moral, they choose to eat meat.
There are many exciting products in the pipeline currently that could change all of this. I've had the Beyond Burger and it's not terrible, even though it doesn't quite reach the flavor of beef. It's about twice the price of ground beef. If they can lower that price, and it seems like they are have the momentum to make it happen, then it could sit on the shelf next to normal beef and most people wouldn't notice the difference.
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Comment on Anyone with a CAT phone? in ~tech
trazac LinkIf you don't need the crazy construction related features, I would honestly suggest the greener option of just paying for a battery replacement. You're looking at like $100-$150 to get it...If you don't need the crazy construction related features, I would honestly suggest the greener option of just paying for a battery replacement. You're looking at like $100-$150 to get it replaced, or $25 if you feel up to repairing it yourself (which might be worth it if you're thinking about dropping a grand at a moment's notice anyway). The Nexus 6P is going to outclass any of CAT's phones in terms of performance. The only thing that CAT's phone has on the 6P is that it has 4GB of RAM vs 3GB on the Nexus. Otherwise the camera is better, the SoC is better, the screen is better, and the 6P is going to have more wide spread third party support (which seems like something you want.)
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Comment on Hey, Tildes, what's a strong opinion you hold, but which you also feel like is the minority opinion? in ~talk
trazac (edited )LinkAssassin's Creed 2 is a worse game than Assassin's Creed. A lot of people really hate the original Assassin's Creed because of its many shortcomings. It saw many sales and so a sequel was...Assassin's Creed 2 is a worse game than Assassin's Creed. A lot of people really hate the original Assassin's Creed because of its many shortcomings. It saw many sales and so a sequel was developed, which removed anything that was criticized in the first game. What resulted was a game full of things people liked but had lost the thread of its raison d'etre.
Assassin's Creed was very ambitious. They stared development long before 'next-gen' consoles (the Xbox 360 and PS3) were in development. Just look at other open world games that came before Assassin's Creed, they don't even compare. The vertical and parkour elements were all new and remain to be some of the best parts of the series. It did all this while managing to be beautiful and well produced. The voice acting and graphics are beautiful, and still hold up.
The problem is that the game had these missions where the player character would collect information for their mark. The content they produce was actually quite good, gave the player a feeling like they were collecting meaningful information. The missions were extremely repetitive and not fun. Several involved standing in a single spot and pushing a single button. Others involved walking behind an NPC and pick pocketing them (which weren't bad, but they were either stupidly easy or frustratingly hard.)
There was a sense of accomplishment when completing these tasks. The problem is that I'm sure most players didn't notice that they were collecting stuff like maps and other tools. The missions were also a huge time sink, so players felt more like they were running around and sitting on benches more often than being a sneaky assassin, but the missions made the player a better assassin. With the missions complete, the player could more easily plan how they would complete their assassination and their escape.
Assassin's Creed 2 removed these missions and made assassinations either into minor fights or silly obstacle courses. The preparation step is totally removed and now the assassinations felt more like spur of the moment killings rather than an assassination. Everything else about the game was better, but it lost the thread of what it was.
I'll believe it when I see it. Every few years Netflix announces its foray into games and says something dumb and the people revolt. With Stadia seemingly struggling already, I'm surprised they're even considering this unless it somehow manages to be profitable by charging no extra money.