TurtleCracker's recent activity
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Comment on Vivaldi takes a stand: keep browsing human in ~tech
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Comment on Vivaldi takes a stand: keep browsing human in ~tech
TurtleCracker LinkI like Vivaldi, but it's UI is easily the buggiest out of the "Chrome clones" I've used.I like Vivaldi, but it's UI is easily the buggiest out of the "Chrome clones" I've used.
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Comment on Europa Universalis V release date announced (Nov 4th) and prepurchase now available in ~games
TurtleCracker Link ParentLike I said. I'll buy it. I've bought pretty much every Paradox grand strategy game and haven't regretted them. Paradox games easily dominate my top 5 most played games on steam. By a significant...Like I said. I'll buy it. I've bought pretty much every Paradox grand strategy game and haven't regretted them. Paradox games easily dominate my top 5 most played games on steam. By a significant amount even. Until they break that "trust" I'll keep buying.
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Comment on Europa Universalis V release date announced (Nov 4th) and prepurchase now available in ~games
TurtleCracker LinkI'm a massive Paradox fanboy and will probably buy this. That being said I really don't like the UI / design of it visually. It looks like a mobile game. The text is difficult to read in many of...I'm a massive Paradox fanboy and will probably buy this. That being said I really don't like the UI / design of it visually. It looks like a mobile game. The text is difficult to read in many of the screenshots. As a die-hard EU4 player I'd take enhanced performance over a new visual style every single time.
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Comment on McDonald’s is cutting prices of its combo meals to convince customers it’s affordable again in ~food
TurtleCracker Link ParentThis is only true if you have time, knowledge, and access to good grocery stores. A single mom working two jobs probably isn't making food at home that is cheaper or healthier than McDonalds. We...This is only true if you have time, knowledge, and access to good grocery stores. A single mom working two jobs probably isn't making food at home that is cheaper or healthier than McDonalds. We used the microwave far more often than than the stove (when it worked).
My family was in a similar situation and the stuff we ate at home was also garbage. As a child the only meal I'd have for an entire day might simply have been doritos.
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Comment on AI is a mass-delusion event (gifted link) in ~tech
TurtleCracker LinkLLMs / AI / Whatever we are going to call it are massively overhyped. They are here to stay though. I don't think it's as revolutionary as everyone wants to claim it is. To me this is like the...LLMs / AI / Whatever we are going to call it are massively overhyped. They are here to stay though.
I don't think it's as revolutionary as everyone wants to claim it is. To me this is like the productivity boost we gained from integrated development environments (IDE) for software engineer, or photoshop for graphic design, or search engines for general productivity, or wikipedia for looking up information about a specific topic. All of these things are very useful and increase productivity. "AI" is just another thing in that category.
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Comment on What happened to your first car? in ~transport
TurtleCracker LinkBackstory: I wanted a specific car. I researched the car. Found a dealership that said they had it. I had a job and the money to finance the car, but no credit history - so I needed a co-signer....Backstory:
I wanted a specific car. I researched the car. Found a dealership that said they had it. I had a job and the money to finance the car, but no credit history - so I needed a co-signer. We went there, dealership lied about having the car. Sales talked my mom into a more expensive car. She said she would refuse to co-sign for another car at another dealership if I didn’t take this “deal”. Bought a car I didn’t want.Anyways I hated this car and committed myself to driving it until it absolutely broke. I had a vendetta against this car. I drove it for about ten years until a tree shredder being towed by a truck swerved into my lane in a thunderstorm and ripped half the car off and totaled it. Airbags went off. Ambulance came. I was smiling the whole time.
It’s the most severe accident I’ve ever been in, but still a happy memory.
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Comment on Is AI actually useful for anyone here? in ~tech
TurtleCracker LinkI use it as a better search engine, but I have to validate the results. It is faster than using Google though. That's less a benefit of more LLMs and more of a condemnation of how difficult modern...I use it as a better search engine, but I have to validate the results. It is faster than using Google though. That's less a benefit of more LLMs and more of a condemnation of how difficult modern websites are to use and get information out of.
I've also had pretty good success using it to generate some relatively boilerplate code, or to provide suggested refactors to code. Generating tests can work too. This is really hit or miss though. Sometimes the code it suggest is very wrong.
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Comment on The hater's guide to the AI bubble in ~finance
TurtleCracker Link ParentAre you sure they aren’t using chat in reference to streamer culture? IE: Chat am I cooked, Chat what do I do? Some of my friends kids say this stuff and it’s not a reference to ChatGPT at all.I spend time in classrooms and students can’t get enough of “Chat”.
Are you sure they aren’t using chat in reference to streamer culture? IE: Chat am I cooked, Chat what do I do?
Some of my friends kids say this stuff and it’s not a reference to ChatGPT at all.
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Comment on Malaysia no longer takes US plastic waste, creating a dilemma for California in ~enviro
TurtleCracker Link ParentI believe they are still filtered quite extensively when burned for power. I’m not sure if plastic sitting in a landfill is better than it being burned to generate electricity though.I believe they are still filtered quite extensively when burned for power. I’m not sure if plastic sitting in a landfill is better than it being burned to generate electricity though.
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Comment on ‘Superman’ powers to $217m global opening; ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ roars past $500m; ‘Lilo & Stitch’ soon to sew up $1b WW in ~movies
TurtleCracker Link ParentMaybe this had more to do with release timing. A lot of Americans had 3-5 day weekends around the release of Jurassic World and summer was just getting into full swing. I suspect much of the...Maybe this had more to do with release timing. A lot of Americans had 3-5 day weekends around the release of Jurassic World and summer was just getting into full swing. I suspect much of the Jurassic World crowd was just looking for something to do with air conditioning. A lot of the domestic market had a heat wave impacting it then.
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Comment on The EU wants to decrypt your private data by 2030 in ~tech
TurtleCracker LinkWe need encryption protections enshrined more deeply into our founding government documents - constitutions, whatever. Police can access this data other ways it just requires more effort.We need encryption protections enshrined more deeply into our founding government documents - constitutions, whatever. Police can access this data other ways it just requires more effort.
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Comment on What is your opinion whenever you see news/opinion that tech companies are relying more on chatbots rather than junior developers/interns? in ~tech
TurtleCracker Link ParentI believe this just changed in the Trump budget bill.I believe this just changed in the Trump budget bill.
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Comment on Apple overhauls EU App Store rules following penalty in ~tech
TurtleCracker LinkI think all closed app ecosystems need to be opened up to third party stores. Game consoles included. I'm totally fine with the manufacturers / OS creators to have reasonable restrictions for...I think all closed app ecosystems need to be opened up to third party stores. Game consoles included. I'm totally fine with the manufacturers / OS creators to have reasonable restrictions for security and privacy purposes that the stores have to meet.
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Comment on Meta poaches three OpenAI researchers: Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov and Xiaohua Zhai in ~tech
TurtleCracker Link ParentI don't think it's fair to say Microsoft "owns" OpenAI unless the information that is publicly accessible is wrong. They certainly have a very strong influence though. I'm also not sure if it's...Microsoft owns OpenAI, Copilot and ChatGPT run on the same core technologies.
I don't think it's fair to say Microsoft "owns" OpenAI unless the information that is publicly accessible is wrong. They certainly have a very strong influence though.
I'm also not sure if it's fair to say Copilot and ChatGPT run on the same "core technologies". For example I use Claude Sonnet 4 with Copilot most of the time.
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Comment on Post graduation job search in ~life
TurtleCracker Link ParentThis is actually part of the criteria I use to separate Junior vs Senior Software Engineers. The technical side for a lot of categories of software is surprisingly easy and usually a solved or...A job in software engineering feels more like 80% social and organizational and 20% actual technical problems to me.
This is actually part of the criteria I use to separate Junior vs Senior Software Engineers. The technical side for a lot of categories of software is surprisingly easy and usually a solved or semi-solved problem. Understanding what to build, what questions to ask, and how to communicate it is often way harder than the code. This probably isn’t true for all software though.
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Comment on Post graduation job search in ~life
TurtleCracker (edited )LinkI can only really comment on software engineering, so I will limit myself to that. The field is very competitive right now - especially with remote positions. If you can land a Junior / Intern /...I can only really comment on software engineering, so I will limit myself to that.
The field is very competitive right now - especially with remote positions. If you can land a Junior / Intern / Trainee position of some sort with a focus on getting at least 6 months experience it will make you far more attractive. A lot of colleges have programs to get you job experience while in the degree program for this reason. If you land one of those positions be prepared to learn a lot and not be paid very well for that first position. If it’s a good company they will raise your salary, if not plan to leave in less than two years. Plan to apply to a lot of jobs and get very few interviews. Don’t be discouraged. If you can get an in person job it’ll probably be better for your initial career growth.
Experience with LLMs / AI / prompt engineering is almost a necessity if you want to land in a medium or large business these days in software engineering. Having zero experience in these tools would be like not knowing how to use an IDE for some of these larger businesses.
What languages or frameworks did your degree focus on?
Some areas I’ve seen people with a CS degree that aren’t traditional software engineering: QA Automation, Technical Project Manager, Product Owner, IT, infrastructure, DevOps, Security.
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Comment on I need advice, which laptop would you buy now? in ~tech
TurtleCracker Link ParentI meant having the messages show up on your desktop via an app or browser or something. If you are using iOS and macOS they will synchronize directly through a native app with near identical...I meant having the messages show up on your desktop via an app or browser or something. If you are using iOS and macOS they will synchronize directly through a native app with near identical functionality between the two.
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Comment on Netflix is letting go of some of its best indie games in ~games
TurtleCracker Link ParentI’m not saying all mobile games are bad. I do feel confident in saying the average quality of mobile games is likely below PC / console.I’m not saying all mobile games are bad. I do feel confident in saying the average quality of mobile games is likely below PC / console.
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Comment on Netflix is letting go of some of its best indie games in ~games
TurtleCracker Link ParentI don't think revenue necessarily equates to quality or enjoyment. I doubt companies look at it that way though. Most mobile games seem to be very exploitive of users.I don't think revenue necessarily equates to quality or enjoyment. I doubt companies look at it that way though. Most mobile games seem to be very exploitive of users.
One of the most irritating bugs is that if you cut the URL out of the address bar to paste elsewhere it just won’t ever refill the address bar. Very frustrating.