shalafi
@shalafi@lemmy.world
- Comment on The Enshittification of Plex Is Kicking Off, Starting with Free Roku Users 12 hours ago:
Been off Plex for years since my last Raspberry Pi drive died. By the time I got back to building a new media server, Jellyfin seemed to be the thing. Had no idea people actually paid for Plex. All of this is news to me.
And Jellyfin is so stupid easy! I’d say I spent 1/10th the time configuring it as I did Plex, but I don’t really remember configuring it. Installed the server directly on Windows, not even a Hyper-V machine, pointed it at my 2 movie and TV folders, done. No idea what version it is or if I’ve ever bothered to update.
- Comment on Criminal court ditches American software giant– Can Dutch universities do without Microsoft? 4 days ago:
I’d like to know how they plan to manage their fleets without Active Directory. Yes, I know what LDAP is and if you consider that a robust alternative you don’t have a handle on what all AD does outside of authentication.
- Comment on US | FCC rolls back cybersecurity rules for telcos, despite state-hacking risks 1 week ago:
Cyber security is in big demand and pays suitcases full of cash. What in the world makes you think the field is neglected? If I had serious security creds to match my 25-years of IT experience, I could write my own ticket.
- Comment on Google is collecting troves of data from downgraded Nest thermostats 2 weeks ago:
I have a Sensi thermostat. Highly recommended.
- Comment on Waymo says its self-driving taxis will take customers on freeways for the first time 2 weeks ago:
Person I was replying to was talking survivability.
- Comment on Waymo says its self-driving taxis will take customers on freeways for the first time 2 weeks ago:
Explain how that is any different from a crash involving all humans.
- Comment on New data shows companies are rehiring former employees as AI falls short of expectations 3 weeks ago:
I’ve found that people, I’m assuming young folks, don’t understand that you have to ask for money.
- Comment on China bans foreign AI chips from state-funded data centres 3 weeks ago:
Sounds like a no-brainer to me. If the government is paying, why would they pay foreigners? Why would they allow foreign tech into state funded DCs?
- Comment on E Ink goes mobile with budget eye-friendly smartphone 4 weeks ago:
Wow! Not in the market ATM, but I’m sold. IR blaster?! Impressive view in the sunshine. I struggle on the trail, worse on the water, trying to see where the hell I’m at and where I’m pointed.
That review was enough to catch my interest. I may well go for this when I need a new phone.
- Comment on Microsoft CEO says the company doesn't have enough electricity to install all the AI GPUs in its inventory - 'you may actually have a bunch of chips sitting in inventory that I can’t plug in' 4 weeks ago:
So many actors in the AI space are admitting to issues that I wonder if they’re not trying to blunt the crash.
- Comment on 'Godfather of AI' says tech giants can't profit from their astronomical investments unless human labor is replaced 4 weeks ago:
And what economic system fails to allow the money to flow to the top? The Soviets tried socialism as a ladder to communism, were about instantly corrupted. Any system we wish to discuss has to take human behavior into account, and not idealized human behavior.
The government has to be the brake, and the people have to have the education in history, math, politics, current affairs and critical thinking to power that engine.
Now the trick becomes keeping the wealthy from taking that education. I have no answer.
Socialism works in small groups, no better system. But we didn’t evolve to work in groups of more than 150-200 individuals, let alone 8 billion.
Anyway, I posted more on c/unpopularopinion. I’m sure I’m taking a beating over there. :)
- Comment on E Ink goes mobile with budget eye-friendly smartphone 4 weeks ago:
Not using mine for video or even social media. Main uses cases are calling, text, GPS, map, compass, web surfing when I have to. E-ink sound good for me?
- Comment on 'Godfather of AI' says tech giants can't profit from their astronomical investments unless human labor is replaced 4 weeks ago:
Capitalism ain’t the problem. Capitalism for the economy and democracy for the government is the best we humans have figured out. Problem being, money, as in any system, has been funneled to the top. The top took our vote via lack of education and media control, and it has been snowballing for the last 20-30 years. Now we’re too ignorant and misled to vote in our own best interests. We’re seeing the end game, the end game of any unregulated system.
Said many times, almost every evil of capitalism gets nullified when the government disallows and breaks monopolies and megacorps. Adam Smith, the father of capitalism, argued vehemently against monopolies.
Having grown up in the 70s and 80s, I am stunned by what is allowed. A handful of corporations own and control our health, food, entertainment, news, banking, everything. Education is the one thing that’s not wholly corporate, and the oligarchs have had that sector in their sights for decades.
And they’re not after education merely to skim more money. Education in history, math, critical thinking, is how they can be beaten. FFS, we’re repeating the mistakes of exactly a century ago, people can’t figure when back-of-the-napkin math doesn’t make sense and can’t tell when they’re being conned. I see the latter two on lemmy, daily.
Blaming capitalism is as naive as saying, “Trump did this!”. We can acheive nothing but backlash. Instead say, “The GOP did this!” (politically) and “The billionaires did this!” (economically). Words matter if you want to win hearts and minds.
- Comment on E Ink goes mobile with budget eye-friendly smartphone 4 weeks ago:
So, at that price point, what’s the catch? I’m fine with Android, don’t watch video on my phone, would love the battery savings.
- Comment on Microsoft's OpenAI losses hidden as part of $4.7 billion 'other' expense — stake in AI company still doesn't turn a profit as companies grapple with ongoing contract negotiation 5 weeks ago:
This crash will be Great Depression 2.0. Not being funny, not exaggerating.
- Comment on AWS crash causes $2,000 Smart Beds to overheat and get stuck upright 1 month ago:
Smart devices are just dandy when they don’t require an internet connection. Got a cheapo smart thermostat that works no matter what. Google could cancel my Minis and my internet could go offline, I can still control it with buttons.
Bought that 5-years ago. At this point I assume all IoT devices require internet.
- Comment on 'This is definitely my last TwitchCon': High-profile streamer Emiru was assaulted at the event, even as streamers have been sounding the alarm about stalkers and harassment 1 month ago:
“Tangentially” doing some heavy lifting here.
- Comment on Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors 1 month ago:
My view of the danger is that people are sourcing facts from AI instead of Wikipedia. Not worried about volunteers, they’re not going anywhere.
- Comment on ‘Death to Spotify’: the DIY movement to get artists and fans to quit the music app 1 month ago:
I used a free online service to rip my Spotify playlists to MP3s. Now what? (for Android)
- Comment on FCC could roll back rule requiring ISPs to list every fee, apparently, there are too many 1 month ago:
Hurts consumers by taking away transparency in their billing. Why would they do this? How does this benefit the consumer?
I’ve worked for a few ISPs, on the phone and in the field, can’t come up with an argument for this roll back being a good thing for anyone but the ISPs.
- Comment on FCC could roll back rule requiring ISPs to list every fee, apparently, there are too many 1 month ago:
I was playing this game long before Trump came around, didn’t lose once, got boring.
When you see a headline that doesn’t include any mention of Democrats or GOP, ask yourself, “Do this law/proposal/regulation hurt people?” By hurt, I mean that it hurts more people than it helps. Don’t think I need to explain the rest.
- Comment on Phones may come without bundled USB cables in the future, if OEMs have their way 1 month ago:
Had a guy on eBay wanting me to overnight a long outdated Fast Ethernet (10/100) switch because theirs had died. I was too late to get the message and lost the sale. Wrote him back saying any switch would work. NOPE. Had to be replaced with the exact model.
- Comment on As Microsoft lays off thousands and jacks up Game Pass prices, former FTC chair says I told you so: The Activision-Blizzard buyout is 'harming both gamers and developers' 1 month ago:
Lina Kahn was the most effective bureaucrat I’ve even heard of. We had a chance to stop these mergers, unwind monopolies, etc. Capitalism worked a whole lot better when there was competition, which in kinda at the root of the idea.
This isn’t capitalism, this is oligarchy.
- Comment on "I’m Canceling My Subscription": Xbox Players Call to "Boycott" Game Pass "Hard" Over 50% Price Increase As Microsoft’s Website Crashes from Mass Cancellations 1 month ago:
They most likely, and purposefully, relegate few assets to a cancellation page.
- Comment on Google is blocking AI searches for Trump and dementia 2 months ago:
Trump dementia symptoms: An AI Overview is not available for this search
Biden dementia symptoms: nothing returned
- Comment on U.S. gov't mulls tariffing devices based on the number of chips used and their estimated value — policy would impact nearly every type of electronic device 2 months ago:
I understand the goal here, but why the hell would an overseas investor or nation, or even a domestic investor, build a chip plant in America?
Say you’re mulling the idea, but you have a few problems. Trump’s tariffs are going to tank the economy, and already are in some places. SEE: Nebraska. Any objective observer can see that Trump has a degenerative neurological condition, and almost certainly other serious health issues. So whether he dies, loses hard in the midterms or trashes the economy first, the tariffs will be repealed.
Want to be the one left holding the bag on you’re shiny new chip plant? Constructing one in the United States is an objectively bad idea. I know jack about economics, and I ain’t too bright to begin with, but even I can see this as a no go.
- Comment on Costco Confirms It's Removed Xbox Consoles, Calling It A "Business Decision" 2 months ago:
Depends not only on today’s date, but subject to hourly change. At least the fascism is logical if you want to take total power, but the business decisions coming out of the White House are ludicrous.
- Comment on New Arizona law to restrict online porn access; Pornhub will block state 2 months ago:
Me visiting me in 1998:
“So, yeah, the United States has fallen to fascism, it’s all over but the shouting. Donald Trump is the President for the second time. Yes, that Donald Trump. Censorship is the rule of the day and the only major corporation to stand against it, taking a hit to their own profits, is the internet’s largest focal point for porn, a sort of hub for porn.”
“You are clearly demented. Get the fuck out of my house old man.”
- Comment on China Is Putting Data Centers in the Ocean to Keep Them Cool 2 months ago:
Sounds like a great idea. OTOH, impossible to calculate the damage to local ecosystems vs. traditional methods.
Totally uneducated guess: Probably better? Cooling is a major power suck, as well as consuming water.
Roughly 40 percent of the electricity consumed by an ordinary data center is for this purpose.
We’re draining aquifers that take thousands of years to build up. Don’t read up on that, it’s horrifying. So if we have to have data centers, I’m gambling that underwater is the lesser of two evils.
- Comment on OpenAI reportedly on the hook for $300B Oracle Cloud bill 2 months ago:
I had thought OpenAI might survive this bubble, but it sounds like a monster crash coming up. How the hell can they ever make enough to see a profit?!
