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    1. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      15 votes
    2. Should C be mandatory learning for career developers?

      The year is 2025. The C programming language is something like 50 years old now - a dinosaur within the fast-moving environment of software development. Dozens of new languages have cropped up...

      The year is 2025. The C programming language is something like 50 years old now - a dinosaur within the fast-moving environment of software development. Dozens of new languages have cropped up through the years, with languages like Rust and Go as prime contenders for systems-level programming. Bootstrapping a project in C these days will often raise eyebrows or encourage people to dismiss you out of hand. Personally, I've barely touched the language since I graduated.

      Now, with all that said: I still consider learning and understanding C to be key for having an integrated, in-depth understanding of how computers and programming really works. When I am getting a project up and running, I frequently end up running commands like "sudo apt install libopenssl-dev" without really giving it much thought about what's going on there. I know that it pulls some libraries onto my computer so that another program can use them, but without the requisite experience of building and compiliing a library then it's kind of difficult to understand what it's all about. I know that other languages will introduce this concept, but realistically everything is built to bind to C libraries.

      System libraries are only one instance of my argument though. To take a more general view, I would say that learning C helps you better understand computers and programming. It might be a pain to consider stuff like memory allocation and pointers on a regular basis, but I also think that not understanding these subjects can open up avenues for a poorly formed understanding about how computers work. Adding new layers of abstraction does not make the foundation less relevant, and I think that learning C is the best avenue toward an in-depth understanding of how computers actually work. This sort of baseline understanding, even if the language isn't used on a regular basis, goes a long way to improving one's skills as a developer. It also gives people the skills to apply their skills in a wide variety of contexts.

      I'm no expert, though: most of the programming I do is very high-level and abstracted from the machine (Python, Haskell, BASH). I'm sure there are plenty of folks here who are better qualified to chime in, so what do you think?

      39 votes
    3. Looking for advice on setting up computer case fans

      I've never actually put in more fans than what a case comes with, but I have an unraid server that is running hot so I got a pack of 5 fans to put in it. From what I understand, you want them set...

      I've never actually put in more fans than what a case comes with, but I have an unraid server that is running hot so I got a pack of 5 fans to put in it.

      From what I understand, you want them set up so that there is a solid airflow throughout the case; ie I'm planning to set it up so that the front and bottom fans are intake and the top and back fans are exhaust, so that cool air enters from the front/bottom and exits out the back/top.

      However, one of the fans will be going on the side door. I'm assuming this wants to be intake as well (so that the airflow goes through the entire case, as I assume it would disrupt the airflow as exhaust). Or would it be better to not have one on the side and just have an extra fan laying about?

      This is how I plan to set it up (shout out to MS Paint): https://ibb.co/KcXx5cgW

      Note: The X's are because the installed chassis block being able to put fans there; the bottom one is especially disappointing as it's the HDDs that are mostly getting hot

      Just wanted to confirm that that set up looks good and that intake for the side one (where the ? is) is the proper choice

      9 votes
    4. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      18 votes
    5. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      13 votes
    6. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      9 votes
    7. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      10 votes
    8. I am very privacy-oriented, but my recent Pixel phone somehow obtained all my pictures from my Linux computer

      So I am attempting to swap phones, but because I am trying to use a pixel 9 xl and it was not previously on my network, I have to wait 40 days to unlock it so I can install GrapheneOS. I saw on...

      So I am attempting to swap phones, but because I am trying to use a pixel 9 xl and it was not previously on my network, I have to wait 40 days to unlock it so I can install GrapheneOS.
      I saw on Monday that suddenly there were a lot of photos dated from last Sunday on the phone's default "Photo" app. I have been keeping things to a minimum: I haven't logged into anything Google, and I've only installed F-Droid apps. Also, I had some issues with my desktop and did a clean reinstall 2 weeks ago.

      But still disturbingly, my ENTIRE ~/Picture directory (and subdirectories) from my PC were loaded onto my phone.

      Now, I'd like to clarify, I do have a few Google accounts, but I have them logged into my desktop with containers on Firefox (particularly, I use one for a current hobby type situation that I have to use, and the other is a 20+ account that I've moved away from, but I still want to monitor).

      I want to find out why anything from my PC ended up on this somewhat secluded phone. I have not attached it via USB, and while I have been attempting to limit my connections, I do need to access some of my rl/PC stuff on the phone. But I haven't logged into a google account on it, yet, all my photos showed up on it. I have not plugged it into the computer since I tried putting GrapheneOS on it, which failed due to it not being unlocked (PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, BECAUSE I STILL HAVE TO WAIT 2 WEEKS!), yet all these pictures that I would have never expected ended up on this phone.

      And I just was looking around my ~/ directory, and I saw a directory titled .nuget... I checked pacman (I'm on Arch, so that's my package manager), and it's not installed, but I deleted it because it had a lot of sketch files that ... okay, so I deleted the directory and honestly I don't have it anymore to state what exactly was in it. But I'm really tired and it triggered issues, and I looked and I see that nuget is not installed... so okay, I'm just gonna end this here because I do need to go to bed.

      But, would anyone be able to provide any assistance/advice/suggestions on how the heck my phone magically obtained my Linux desktop Picture files?

      23 votes
    9. Surface Pro 3 owners: Tell me your Linux experiences! (Please...)

      So I bought my SP3 in '17 as an old-ass student attempting to graduate. It was amazing as I was able to disable most cloudy things (nothing like today with 365 and the general cloud storage), but...

      So I bought my SP3 in '17 as an old-ass student attempting to graduate. It was amazing as I was able to disable most cloudy things (nothing like today with 365 and the general cloud storage), but still use it as a laptop, and finish up my degree. Since then, I've swapped to Linux and wanted to do it too (did it briefly with Ubuntu, but it was still pretty rudimentary back around '19... no touch screen, not even bloaty, was a bit too small of a UI -- can't remember which DM I used, though I know it wasn't xfce which I prefer when I use a DM, though I use i3 on my desktop).
      That being said, it seems like there are great options for the Surfaces now, but for newer options. So I wanted to ping y'all and see... have you used Linux on any Surface, and preferably, would like to know for the older version.

      I hear Manjaro has gotten a decent option, as I know they have the PinePhone (which I own one but... I haven't had time to mess around with, sadly). I'm not really looking for the touch screen but as it seems the blutooth is dying on the Surface (possibly unrelated or due to the latest Windows update that has borked so much - I have a firewall that prevents/shuts down a lot of Windows "protections" so I may be the culprit but I prefer to think that if I can't do what I want with what I own, the software is the problem), whatever will make it rejuvenate would be appreciated.

      Honestly, it's had an awesome battery life (it can be in standby for a week and lose about 1/3 of the battery), and overall, I feel it's the last best thing Windows ever did. That being said... does anyone have a Surface and would you have recommendations (for any Surface)? If so, why, what distro, and what might you want to share?

      Thanks in advance!

      17 votes
    10. Rubber pads for stacking laptops?

      I'm thinking stacking running laptops on top of each other ( two ). Would a rubber pad between them protect the laptops from each other's heat? How thick would the pad have to be? Would other...

      I'm thinking stacking running laptops on top of each other ( two ).

      Would a rubber pad between them protect the laptops from each other's heat?

      How thick would the pad have to be?

      Would other materials work too?

      I'm guessing this is something I can have cut to size in a hardware store.

      11 votes
    11. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      13 votes
    12. Advice on a study schedule for an exam

      I have a 14 chapter text book to go through. So far my plan is to read 1 chapter per weekend ( okay maybe two weekends ) and take solid notes on it. Weeknights I am usually used up from work and...

      I have a 14 chapter text book to go through.

      So far my plan is to read 1 chapter per weekend ( okay maybe two weekends ) and take solid notes on it.

      Weeknights I am usually used up from work and got life to live. My thinking is review what I have already covered then.

      My question is how to schedule the reviewing of old stuff so I don't lose it.

      Example: If I just finished chapter 10, when would I review chapters 2,3,4...etc?

      Anyone have experience with preparing for such a big exam?

      10 votes
    13. North Korean Career Coaches

      I keep getting messages in my email inbox or LinkedIn like: Alexander > Hi, > I’m seeking a genuine partnership where only a USA software engineer can truly collaborate with me. > I value...

      I keep getting messages in my email inbox or LinkedIn like:

      Alexander
      > Hi, 
      > I’m seeking a genuine partnership where only a USA software engineer can truly collaborate with me. 
      > I value transparency and real results. 
      > Things to do are very simple and I guarantee 3K~10K/month income for you.
      > I’m ready to prove my credibility and discuss a win-win business. 
      > Thank you!
      
      Hello $their_name,
      
      Why do you need a USA engineer and what do I need to do?
      
      - $my_name
      
      > Thanks for reaching me out.
      > 
      > I run a software development team with five talented developers who specialize in frontend, backend, full stack, AI/ML and blockchain technologies. Although we have a strong team, we are struggling to find enough jobs right now. As you may know, the economy in Europe is tough and low salary as well, so we are trying to find more opportunities in the US and Canada. However, this is challenging for us because of time zone differences, language barriers, and many US clients preferring to hire local people like you.
      > 
      > To solve these issues, I'm actively looking for someone who can help us in getting more jobs in the US. Since you are a US citizen, you can create accounts on job platforms like Indeed, Dice, Upwork and Wellfound. I think you may have already heard about Upwork. It's a world famous freelancing platform. After setting up your accounts, if you allow me to use them, I will apply for jobs by myself. When I receive interview requests from clients, I will notify you so you can attend the meetings. During the interviews, I will support you by quickly sending you the right answers to any technical questions that come up.
      > 
      > Once we secure a job, our team will handle all the development work, including any test projects. We will share the profits from the work we do, with a split of 30% for you and 70% for our team.
      > In short, your role would be to connect with clients and help us secure jobs, while our team takes care of the technical work. This is a great opportunity for collaboration and growth.
      > 
      > And there is one thing I need to tell you about using your account. Several platforms have very strict policies with ip addresses. If i use your account on my own machine, your account will be risky because ip addresses are different. And also they detect VPN, VPS, and some cloud services as well. To address this, we need to use your spare laptop. I will use your account on your spare one using a remote desktop application like Anydesk. Anydesk is a secure and safe remote desktop application.
      
      Cuong
      > Greeting,
      > 
      > I hope this message finds you well. My name is Cuong, and I came across your information on your website ( WE need it ). I am excited to share that I have a potential long-term collaboration opportunity that I believe could be mutually beneficial.
      > 
      > We’re a fast-growing IT consulting company based in Malaysia, with a talented team experienced in web2, web3, mobile development, and AI. As we expand into the U.S. market, we’re actively seeking a reliable business partner—someone like you—to grow together.
      > 
      > Here’s how we can support you:
      > - Proactively apply and schedule interviews on job platforms on your behalf
      > - Optimize and refine your resume and LinkedIn profile to stand out
      > - Provide technical guidance to help you succeed in interviews
      > - Take care of the actual development work once new projects are secured
      > 
      > If this sounds interesting to you, feel free to reach out. We’d love to hear your thoughts and explore how we can collaborate!
      > 
      > Looking forward to connecting with you.
      > 
      > Best Regards
      > Cuong
      

      Some of these messages are even from people who are well-connected to former bosses and managers and other talented people that I personally know. They aren't coming out of my spam folder.

      I know I'm not special in this. I'm not the only one. They are throwing spaghetti on the wall until the meatballs stick, etc.

      But I thought... what if I could use this to my advantage? I would still need to do the interviews but they could do the legwork applying for jobs and reaching out to companies, connections that they already have, and then when they deliver the job contract I cut off contact with these nebulous associates? And I join the company like normal.

      Thoughts?

      15 votes
    14. Recommendation Request: New Mouse

      I am looking for a new mouse, and I am overwhelmed by the choices. I would be grateful for recommendations. First, will a USB 2 mouse work in a USB 3 port? What I would like in a mouse: wired...

      I am looking for a new mouse, and I am overwhelmed by the choices.

      I would be grateful for recommendations.

      First, will a USB 2 mouse work in a USB 3 port?

      What I would like in a mouse:

      1. wired
      2. reasonably immune to dirt buildup causing false clicks

      Thanks for any input.

      Edit: Thanks for all of the replies. I read everyone. I decided to go with something cheap and basic since people told me my current mouse that does unwanted clicks is likely just worn out.

      26 votes
    15. USB Wi-Fi adapter suggestions

      My (older, now) computer has started having issues with the WiFi cutting out. I looked at the connection strength and saw it was sometimes dropping to 0, so I picked up a WiFi extender, and now...

      My (older, now) computer has started having issues with the WiFi cutting out.

      I looked at the connection strength and saw it was sometimes dropping to 0, so I picked up a WiFi extender, and now it’s signal strength is usually around 70% (Windows only shows a percentage). However, even while monitoring the strength via a PowerShell script to watch the connection strength, it still drops out while the connection strength is > 70%. When it “drops out” I’ll run a speed test and see that it is basically uploading/downloading with kbps speeds instead of Mbps.

      My other devices in the same room don’t seem to have any issues, so I’m wondering if my antenna or WiFi card (built in to the motherboard) are just failing.

      I know PCIe WiFi cards are better, but unfortunately, as it’s an older computer (can’t even support Windows 11), the motherboard only has one PCIe slot that is in-use by the GPU.

      So, any suggestions for a USB WiFi card that actually works? (Or additional ways of troubleshooting a failing wifi connection…)

      10 votes
    16. Home-lab set-up ... Docker vs native servers? Pros and cons of each?

      And as long as I'm asking ... nginx or Apache (or Caddy or whatever else you think is best). I'm hosting a few web sites and services, but currently, everything is "out there" on VPSes. I want to...

      And as long as I'm asking ... nginx or Apache (or Caddy or whatever else you think is best).

      I'm hosting a few web sites and services, but currently, everything is "out there" on VPSes. I want to bring it all in-house, go back to the old days of actually hosting websites out of my living room.

      Towards that end, I am gradually upgrading and overhauling all the sites and services, fixing long-standing issues and inefficiencies in the config files, merging servers, etc.

      I have never learned Docker. I've started to several times, worked with it a bit on a job once, used it a bit here and there; so I'm not clueless, but it would be a learning curve.

      Also, I'm running one main service (Nextcloud) that officially, only supports Apache -- there absolutely are nginx setup guidelines and tutorials and such, but that's all unofficial, experimental setups.

      And I'm running another major service (Synapse), on nginx.

      And I want to merge the servers, and choose one web server to host both of them, and I don't know which way to go there.

      Thanks for any feedback.

      25 votes
    17. How is Linux these days?

      How is Linux these days for everyday desktop use? I'm looking to reformat soon and I'm kind of sick of all the junk the comes alone with Windows. I've used Linux briefly, back in the early 2000's...

      How is Linux these days for everyday desktop use? I'm looking to reformat soon and I'm kind of sick of all the junk the comes alone with Windows.

      I've used Linux briefly, back in the early 2000's but..not at all since really. I'm also learning web dev so I thought it could be fun to use to get used to it.

      Do you use it for everyday use?

      If your unfamiliar with Linux, how difficult is it to get things "done" on it?

      Do most modern apps work these days?

      As someone that's been using Windows for most of their life, do you think it's difficult to pick up and get running?

      Do games work?

      Edit I'm going to test out mint tonight on a thumb drive, thanks everyone!

      52 votes
    18. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      17 votes
    19. Working on a ~2008 dream gaming computer running Vista (in an old server)

      Any clever ways to connect to the Internet safely to update drivers, security, etc? I'd only want to connect to Intel, AMD, Microsoft, etc, and then would physically disconnect the lan card. I...

      Any clever ways to connect to the Internet safely to update drivers, security, etc? I'd only want to connect to Intel, AMD, Microsoft, etc, and then would physically disconnect the lan card. I know, dangerous, but I'm trying a piecemeal approach with a flash drive and getting mixed results. I tried to update to Service Pack 2, and it bricked the computer on restart, back to flashing Vista.

      15 votes
    20. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      13 votes
    21. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      14 votes
    22. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      16 votes
    23. User-friendly and privacy-friendly LLM experience?

      I've been thinking perhaps I'll need to get one of the desktop LLM UI. I've been out of touch with the state of the art of end user LLM as I've been exclusively using it via API, but tech-y people...

      I've been thinking perhaps I'll need to get one of the desktop LLM UI. I've been out of touch with the state of the art of end user LLM as I've been exclusively using it via API, but tech-y people (who are not developers) mostly talk about the end-user products that I lack the knowledge of.

      Ethical problems aside, the problem with non-API usage is, even if you pay, I can't find one that have better privacy policy than API. And the problem with API version is that it is not as good as the completed apps unless you want to reinvent the wheel. The apps also may include ads in the future, while API technically cannot as it would affect some downstream usecases.

      Provider Data Retention (API) Data Retention (Consumer) UI-only features
      ChatGPT Plus 30 days, no training Training opt-out, 30 days for temp. chat, unknown retention otherwise Voice, Canvas, Image generation in chat, screensharing, Mobile app
      Google AI Pro 0 72 hours if you disable history, or up to 3 years and trained upon otherwise Android assistant, Canvas, AI in Google Drive/Docs, RAG (NotebookLM), Podcast generation, Browser use (Mariner), Coding (Gemini CLI), Screensharing
      Gemini in Google Workspace See above 0-18 months, but no human review/training See above
      Claude Pro 30 days Up to 2 years (no training without opt-in) Coding, Artifact, Desktop app, RAG, MCP

      As a dual use technology, the table doesn't include the extra retention period if they detect an abuse. Additionally, if you click on thumbs up/down it may also be recorded for the provider's employee to review.

      I don't think OpenWebUI, self hosted models, etc. would suffice if they are not built to the same quality as the first party products. I know I'm probably asking for something that doesn't exists here, but at least I hope it will bring to people's attention that even if you're paying for the product you might not get the same privacy protection as API users.

      15 votes
    24. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      13 votes
    25. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      19 votes
    26. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      13 votes
    27. Value of a Computer Information Systems degree

      I've been considering going back to school and taking some courses that are available to me. With the associates that I already have, I was weighing the options that I have available to me....

      I've been considering going back to school and taking some courses that are available to me. With the associates that I already have, I was weighing the options that I have available to me. Computer Science is a classic and could probably get me very far with the "need a piece of paper" folks, but it's more software development than I have a passion for, compared to my troubleshooting, find a problem, solve a problem desires. Cybersecurity is probably going to be more dependent on certs than anything I can learn in a class, especially if it's ever evolving and a degree can be outmoded very quickly. Computer Information Systems sort of has my attention because it seems like an IT based degree with elements of a business setup and not as laser focused on coding. With the courses that I currently have under my belt, it would be more for CIS than it would be for CS, but more CLEP and ACE options so it about evens out.

      Does Computer Information Systems hold any water in any of your opinions to what Computer Science has to offer? Or is it somewhat arbitrary anyway?

      10 votes
    28. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      16 votes
    29. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      13 votes
    30. Non-engineers AI coding & corporate compliance?

      Part of my role at work is in security policy & implementation. I can't figure this out so maybe someone will have some advice. With the advent of AI coding, people who don't know how to code now...

      Part of my role at work is in security policy & implementation. I can't figure this out so maybe someone will have some advice.

      With the advent of AI coding, people who don't know how to code now start to use the AI to automate their work. This isn't new - previously they might use already other low code tools like Excel, UIPath, n8n, etc. but it still require learning the tools to use it. Now, anyone can "vibe coding" and get an output, which is fine for engineers who understand how the output should work and can design how it should be tested (edge cases, etc.)

      I had a team come up with me that they managed to automate their work, which is good, but they did it with ChatGPT and the code works as they expected, but they doesn't fully understand how the code works and of course they're deploying this "to production" which means they're setting up an environment that supposed to be for internal tools, but use real customer data fed in from the production systems.

      If you're an engineer, usually this violates a lot of policies - you should get the code peer reviewed by people who know what it does (incl. business context), the QA should test the code and think about edge cases and the best ways to test it and sign it off, the code should be developed & tested in non-production environment with fake data.

      I can't think of a way non-engineers can do this - they cannot read code (and it get worse if you need two people in the same team to review each other) and if you're outsourcing it to AI, the AI company doesn't accept liability, nor you can retrain the AI from postmortems. The only way is to include lessons learned into the prompt, and I guess at some point it will become one long holy bible everyone has to paste into the limited context window. They are not trained to work on non-production data (if you ever try, usually they'll claim that the data doesn't match production - which I think because they aren't trained to design and test for edge cases). The only way to solve this directly is asking engineers to review them, but engineers aren't cheap and they're best doing something more important.

      So far I think the best way to approach this problem is to think of it like Excel - the formulas are always safe to use - they don't send data to the internet, they don't create malware, etc. The worst think they can do is probably destroy that file or hangs your PC. And people don't know how to write VBA so they never do it. Now you have people copy pasting VBA code that they don't understand. The new AI workspace has to be done by building technical guardrails that the AI are limited to. I think it has to be done in some low-code tools that people using AI has to use (like say n8n). For example, blocks that do computation can be used, blocks that send data to the intranet/internet or run arbitrary code requires approval before use. And engineers can build safe blocks that can be used, such as sending messages to Slack that can only be used to send to corporate workspace only.

      Does your work has adjusted policies for this AI epidemic? or other ideas that you wanted to share?

      23 votes
    31. How do you deal with large projects?

      It just so happens that I was asked to write a paper about goals I hadn't achieved and I just thought about how I haven't touched my video game engine project in any meaningful way for around two...

      It just so happens that I was asked to write a paper about goals I hadn't achieved and I just thought about how I haven't touched my video game engine project in any meaningful way for around two months or so. On reflection, the main thing that is preventing me from working on it is that when I try to get back into it, I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm unorganized and can't figure out what exactly to do next because it's so open-ended. I'm absolutely terrible about writing down plans for what I should do.

      I know that I'm not the only person who is trying to work on big solo projects, so I thought I'd ask: what are you doing to keep your project organized? Are you using any tools to help you? What do you find is most helpful to help you anticipate steps you'll need to address when things aren't very clear?

      20 votes
    32. GUI dev using Godot

      Most of my professional work involves the plumbing side of things (e.g. APIs, integration etc.) So I've come to front end quite late, and dabbled in HTML/CSS/JS frameworks, and tried to create a...

      Most of my professional work involves the plumbing side of things (e.g. APIs, integration etc.) So I've come to front end quite late, and dabbled in HTML/CSS/JS frameworks, and tried to create a thing or two using Python GUI frameworks too.

      After spending a bit of time learning about game development in Godot, I decided it might be fun to try and build a simple desktop app in the engine, and it surprised me how easy it was, it took me a day or two to build a basic git front end.

      Of course, if you ever need to build something outside of GDscript, it'll require building an extension, probably in C++, but it makes me wonder if those sorts of tools exist outside of games engines? It feels like game devs get a wonderful tool that they use as a garnish on top of the real work (the game).

      I'd be keen to know what people who regularly build front end tools tend to prefer to use.

      ETA: I just realized the title is a poor summary of what I'm actually asking about, sorry!

      22 votes
    33. Ethernet working but not working? At an absolute loss.

      My MSI motherboard recently had an audio issue and crashed/corrupted my PC. I RMA'd it and did a fresh install of windows. I fire up my PC - no internet. After some fiddle-fucking around, I try an...

      My MSI motherboard recently had an audio issue and crashed/corrupted my PC.

      I RMA'd it and did a fresh install of windows.

      I fire up my PC - no internet. After some fiddle-fucking around, I try an Ethernet to USB-C adapter. Works fine.

      I try a wifi dongle, no issues.

      Okay, motherboard issue related to the Ethernet port then, right?

      Except, I plug my Ethernet cable directly into my modem, and now it's working totally fine.

      Hmm, router issue? But why is it working with the usb-C adapter? Why does it work when I plug it into my steam deck? Factory reset. No dice.

      Drivers updated, windows updated, everything has been disabled, re-enabled, reset, turned off and back on, etc. I'm losing my mind.

      I would really like to be able to plug my expensive PC directly into my router via Ethernet, but I can't seem to make it happen. Tried two different cables (which work with other devices).

      When I connect, it says it's identifying network and then gives me a 169 IP address - DHPS error then? But why wouldn't that be resolved by the clean install and the factory reset?

      Everything is set to auto in terms of IP and DHPS. Everything is enabled as it should be. No firewall. No security. No blacklisted devices. Why won't my router assign an IP address to my PC when connected directly via Ethernet? And why is it working fine when connected to my modem?

      msi motherboard and TP-link router by the way.

      Edit: Alright folks, I'm just going to squeeze in a network card. I don't want to do another three weeks with no PC and this mobo is just old enough that I don't feel like RMA'ing repeatedly unless I have to. I really tried everything and have ruled out the router and Ethernet cable. Thank you all so much for your help.

      Edit: Threw a new network card in. Used my second PCIEx16 slot. Nothing will fit there anyway since it's microatx and my gpu takes up so much space. Working great. So probably the mobo having an ethernet defect - not terribly surprising considering this was just RMA'd and they sent me back the same mobo after repair. If it shits the bed again, I'll just get a new mobo entirely. it's not an expensive one luckily. Thanks again everyone!

      16 votes
    34. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      8 votes
    35. Personal inventory management software

      I'm looking to better organize all the computer and electronics parts I have laying around and am looking for recommendations for software from people who are already doing this. I saw InvenTree...

      I'm looking to better organize all the computer and electronics parts I have laying around and am looking for recommendations for software from people who are already doing this. I saw InvenTree but wasn't sure if there are other alternatives I should look at. Most of what I found so far is focused on companies and is therefore a bit more than I need. My only major requirement is that I can self-host it, or at least easily export all my data out of it. Ideally, the same software would work well for organizing home workshop parts as well (e.g. bolts, sockets, glues), though that's not a hard requirement.

      Also, I'm not sure if this makes more sense here or in ~hobbies, but I figured the computer/electronics focus means it makes more sense here.

      26 votes
    36. State of the art in local game streaming

      I’m wondering what software I should use to stream games from my desktop to my laptop. I’ve migrated from mostly using my desktop to mostly using my laptop in the last year. But my desktop has a...

      I’m wondering what software I should use to stream games from my desktop to my laptop. I’ve migrated from mostly using my desktop to mostly using my laptop in the last year. But my desktop has a substantially better GPU and I would love a convenient solution for streaming both Minecraft and Steam games to my Macbook. I’m personally not a fan of Steam’s client on MacOS as it is severely buggy for me. So any alternatives would be nice. I’d probably be happy with a low latency low compression full screen desktop mirroring app. But anything more targeted at games could be nice.

      Edit: I'm using the free version of Parsec and it seems pretty good.

      11 votes
    37. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      17 votes
    38. [SOLVED] How to use Amazon Prime Video with Librewolf ( Firefox Clone ) ?

      I watch Amazon Prime Video with Librewolf, but today I got the error message below. I already have DRM enabled. Any ideas how to fix this? Prime Video is incompatible with your current operating...

      I watch Amazon Prime Video with Librewolf, but today I got the error message below. I already have DRM enabled. Any ideas how to fix this?

      Prime Video is incompatible with your current operating system or web browser. You must update to watch Prime Video titles. Review the Prime Video system requirements. If the problem continues, please contact Amazon Customer Service and refer to error 7132.

      Edit:

      I fixed the problem by removing Librewolf and reinstalling it.

      9 votes
    39. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      15 votes
    40. ssh git@sr.ht is asking password and denies me

      Hey guys. I'm trying to make the connection between my system and Sourcehut. I created my Ssh key and added pub key to the Sourcehut. Added the private key with the ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 code...

      Hey guys.

      I'm trying to make the connection between my system and Sourcehut. I created my Ssh key and added pub key to the Sourcehut. Added the private key with the ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 code after the "eval" thing.

      Whenever I try ssh git@sr.ht, it asks for password. I do not know what password it is and I'm entering my passphrase but it says permission denied.

      On Github side, I managed everything without problem tho. Any hints?

      EDIT: I removed Git and SSH keys completely. Reinstalled Git again. Followed the instructions step by step for the SSH keys and it worked this time. I have no idea what I did different this time but it works now after 3 hours of hell.. I suspect that I made a typo in config file in SSH directory. Thanks for comments guys! I love you all!

      13 votes
    41. Anyone on Tildes tried Bazzite or similar Fedora Atomic distros?

      I have been planning to make the switch to Linux as a daily driver for a while and have researched many different distros. I have seen a lot of discussion online about Bazzite and other similar...

      I have been planning to make the switch to Linux as a daily driver for a while and have researched many different distros. I have seen a lot of discussion online about Bazzite and other similar distros based on Fedora Atomic. It sounds like it would be more stable, and less likely for you to accidentally break something, but installing software other than Flatpaks requires running it in some kind of container such as Distrobox. Some people say it's annoying, others say it's good since you mess up the container rather than your system.

      I have used SteamOS on Steam Deck, and notice that things have "just worked" more than what I have personally seen with "normal" distros on laptops or desktops. For example, I've never really had any issues installing things and running software on SteamOS, but someone I know using Mint has seen seemingly minor things cause massive glitches on their system, or they've run into strange difficulty just installing certain programs like Steam. Would one of these types of distros, especially Bazzite which specifically is trying to be like SteamOS, be closer to that Steam Deck experience?

      Has anyone here tried one of these distros and had any thoughts? Anything you loved, or was anything a deal breaker?

      13 votes
    42. How does one get started programming an Android app?

      It's been a long time since I've done any "serious" programming, but I have long held a desire to recreate an app that's been out of development for a decade, and I reckon I'd do fine if given the...

      It's been a long time since I've done any "serious" programming, but I have long held a desire to recreate an app that's been out of development for a decade, and I reckon I'd do fine if given the right direction.

      My "qualifications". I've done "school project" level stuff in *many* different languages (VB6, Python, Java, C++, C#, PHP, Lisp, Prolog, R, to name a few) so I know my language-agnostic basics, and I've made a career out of quickly learning new tools and platforms and maintaining other people's work. The problem is all that experience is either "give a plain text file the right file extension" or building the project via a proprietary IDE, so getting started from scratch I'm totally lost. What IDE? What language? How does the .apk happen?

      Googling for this gives me either "no code" platforms, which is zero of the fun and basically what I do at work, or documentation that has skipped the first ten steps because it assumes you know the prerequisites already. Help?

      20 votes
    43. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      19 votes
    44. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      28 votes
    45. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      12 votes
    46. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      7 votes
    47. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      15 votes