riebschlager

"I googled 'what is my bank balance' and it couldn't even tell me. What a waste of resources."

In my mind, I would separate technology from its application.

Advertising tech and AI coding tools are applications of technology stacks that could have been used to create what you and I might agree to be "better" tools. I don't need to tell you why ad tech got created instead of something that is a net societal benefit.

At the same time, I would say that, yes, those applications do indeed expand human capabilities. The important nuance here is whose capability, and to what end.

All I am saying is that opting out of this, in whatever form that takes, hands your agency over to those who would use it to enrich themselves at the cost of others. I sincerely feel that decades of this type of capitulation is exactly how we got to where we are today.

I absolutely understand this sentiment. I've been working in tech since the late 90s and I have had MORE than my share of let-me-off-this-ride moments.

But this post (and the many I see like it) feels like giving up. And now's not the time for empathetic people to give up.

Technology is how we expand human capability. We are well within our rights to pick and choose how we interact with that capability. But it's starting to terrify me how it seems that the worst people in the world are more than willing to wield this power, while good people opt out. Billionaires are doing a remarkable job at making their vision of the future seem inevitable. Don't fall for it.

If more people aren't willing to help us steer this capability towards a better future, then we all know how this ends.

In 2016, a recruiter sent me a cringey email that was meant to look like code, and I turned it into my only post to ever make the HN front page. A decade later, I asked Claude to use its vast skills to tell the same joke. And honestly, it turned out pretty well. So now it's a joke we...told together?

Congrats, you've won today's "Accidental Re-writing of a Black Mirror Episode" prize. :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hang_the_DJ

I resonate with this nostalgia for the early internet, I really do. But lately I've been wondering if the tools available to us now are the key to bringing back what we miss about the old internet.

For example, let's look at "for you page" style algorithms. When I open Reels, I see incredible musicians, mind-blowing visual art and really thoughtful insights from people all over the world. That's exactly what I wanted out of the early internet, and here it is, an ever-evolving system that connects me with all the weird and amazing things that exist out in the world.

And those people in the world who make this content now have an agent actively connecting them with their audience. Yes, I realize this is an extremely charitable interpretation of what's happening behind the scenes. But often, the content I see feels very close to what the author is describing: Someone taking the time to describe their favorite tree.

If there was ever a "good ol' internet", it's still in there. It's just had tons of freeways and high-rise buildings built up around it. The older I get, the more it seems like you just need to let your eyes adjust a bit to see it.

Edited to add: My favorite tree, right now anyway, is a pair of birch trees in a park near my home. When they leaf out and the wind blows, I sit in the grass between them and it sounds almost like I'm at a beach, which is really nice because I'm about as far from an ocean as you can be on this planet.

I came here to say the same thing! I didn't realize how much I missed this level of detail and effort in web design.

I didn't see anything about this in the documentation or prompting guide, but... is it supposed to be able to sing?

Since I am a fundamentally unserious person, I copied in the Friends theme song lyrics into the demo and what came out was a singing voice with guitar. In another test, I added [verse] and [chorus] labels and it's singing acappella.

[1] and [2] were prompted with just the lyrics. [3] was with the verse/chorus tags. I tried other popular songs, but for whatever reason, those didn't flip the switch to have it sing.

[1] http://the816.com/x/friends-1.mp3 [2] http://the816.com/x/friends-2.mp3 [3] http://the816.com/x/friends-3.mp3

Dimensional Innovations | Senior Full Stack Developer | Full-Time | Kansas City or Remote

We develop a wide range of interactive installations for stadiums, hospitals, museums and corporate environments. We are seeking a full stack developer with web-stack fundamentals who is interested in expanding into Touch Designer, Unreal and other frameworks. https://dimin.com

Interested in knowing more? I'm happy to chat over email: criebschlager@dimin.com

More details and application:

https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDeta...

So what's everyone been jumping to? I've really enjoyed Podcast Addict. https://podcastaddict.com/

Ah, a most excellent inquiry, my dear! adjusts philosopher's cloak As Marcus Aurelius, I must say that the connection between Marcus Aurelius and this chatbot is purely nominal.

Bob Porter : I looked into it more deeply and I found that apparently what happened is that he was laid off five years ago and no one ever told him about it; but through some kind of glitch in the payroll department, he still gets a paycheck.

Bob Slydell : So we just went ahead and fixed the glitch.

Bill Lumbergh : Great.

Dom Portwood : So, uh, Milton has been let go?

Bob Slydell : Well, just a second there, professor. We, uh, we fixed the glitch. So he won't be receiving a paycheck anymore, so it'll just work itself out naturally.

Bob Porter : We always like to avoid confrontation, whenever possible. Problem is solved from your end.

I believe the analogy is more a reference to the shape of paint drips as seen in the image on the page. The T model of skills has a single "descender" that represents deep knowledge in a single topic, whereas paint drips represent varying depths of knowledge in several areas.

They were likely paying for a web dyno, but were using a free database instance.

It's an important question. Leisure to me is to be freed of the obligations of productivity. I think framing it as "what do you DO for leisure" transforms leisure into consumption.

I don't agree that high productivity is the price of leisure. If that were the case, when do we get to cash that check? We've achieved record levels of productivity, so when do we get record levels of leisure?

I'm writing this as an American workaholic. So I'm in it as much as anybody. I'm just getting old and starting to ask a lot of questions. :)

Hasn't the promise of technology always been the automation of labor to free us up to enjoy lives of leisure? Instead it seems we are hyper-concentrated on speeding up the treadmill of productivity. The invention that comes right after the "next" button is a tool to analyze your nexts-per-hour trends.

I quit drinking over four years ago and it's sincerely been one of the best things I've done for myself. The book, "This Naked Mind" helped me a lot.

https://thisnakedmind.com/this-naked-mind/

The author does a very analytical, scientific breakdown of the physiological and psychological factors at play with alcohol. For me, it helped a ton to understand that there were very real forces at play that were compelling me to drink, it wasn't necessarily a personal failing or weakness.

Best of luck to you! I am brutally aware of how tough it can be, but I can tell you the other side is pretty great.

If you're not familiar with Meow Wolf, you should definitely check out their Origin Story film: https://originstory.mw/

It's just such an inspiring story about a group of humans who absolutely poured every last drop of their souls into their work. Meow Wolf holds a really special place in my brain. I hope before I'm done I can make something 1/10th as cool as what they've created.

For sure. Gimme some good ol' "Pop Punk isn't Actually Punk" articles. Now THAT was some great music culture criticism. Kids these days....

There are plenty of post-internet myths that are humming along just fine. :D

It's a crazy phenomenon to watch play out.

You can read more about this piece here: https://patricktresset.com/new/project/5-rnp/

Dimensional Innovations | Senior Full Stack Developer | Kansas City / Remote | https://dimin.com

The Senior Full Stack Developer will architect, execute and maintain projects that blend digital and physical technologies (software and hardware). Specifically, this role will focus on the architecture, development, and maintenance of DI products. We build interactive life-size games, augmented reality photo ops, animated LED light fixtures, silhouette-tracking theaters and screens, virtual reality experiences, content management systems, control system interfaces, and so much more. We work with college and pro sports teams and stadiums, museums and children's hospitals, corporations and entertainment venues.

Read more and apply:

https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDeta...

Dimensional Innovations | Kansas City / Remote | Full Time | https://dimin.com/

Rather than trying to sum up what DI does in a paragraph, please just check out this collection of projects we did for Zoo Knoxville to get an idea of what we create here: https://dimin.com/work/zoo-knoxville

We have several positions open. Senior Full Stack Developer, Full Stack Developer, 3D Visualization Designer, Motion Design Director and more.

Our tech stack (if we can call it that) is incredibly broad, but here are some of the places we spend most of our time. Vue, Node, Django, Unreal, Touch Designer, Unity, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Cameras, Sensors, Lights and the very occasional fog machine.

Have a look at the job openings and apply if you want to join my team making cool shit.

Dimensional Innovations | Kansas City / Remote | Full Time | https://dimin.com/

Rather than trying to sum up what DI does in a paragraph, please just check out this collection of projects we did for Zoo Knoxville to get an idea of what we create here: https://dimin.com/work/zoo-knoxville

We have several positions open. Senior Full Stack Developer, Full Stack Developer, 3D Visualization Designer, Motion Design Director and more.

Our tech stack (if we can call it that) is incredibly broad, but here are some of the places we spend most of our time. Vue, Node, Django, Unreal, Touch Designer, Unity, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Cameras, Sensors, Lights and the very occasional fog machine.

Have a look at the job openings and apply if you want to join my team making cool shit.

Merlin Mann - "Better"

http://www.merlinmann.com/better/

Written in 2008, but still amazingly relevant today. The opening lines are eerily prescient about our current "everyone needs to have a take on everything" culture.

"Politics, celebrity gossip, business headlines, tech punditry, odd news, and user-generated content.

These are the chew toys that have made me sad and tired and cynical.

Each, in its own way, contributes to the imperative that we constantly expand our portfolio of shallow but strongly-held opinions about nearly everything. Then we’re supposed to post something about it. Somewhere."

Dimensional Innovations | Full Stack Developer (Three positions open) | Kansas City or Remote | Full Time

Dimensional Innovations is seeking a Full-Stack Developer who can architect, execute and maintain projects that blend digital and physical technologies to create engaging interactive experiences. We build interactive life-size games, augmented reality photo ops, animated LED light fixtures, silhouette-tracking theaters and screens, virtual reality experiences and so much more. We work with college and pro sports teams and stadiums, museums and children's hospitals, corporations and entertainment venues.

Tech: Web Stack (Node, Python, Vue, Django) Game Dev (Unreal, Unity), Live Rendered Interactive (Touch Designer, Pandora's Box, Notch), Creative Coding Frameworks (Processing, openFrameworks), Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Lighting, Sensors, all the fun stuff :)

Apply online, let's talk! https://dimin.com/about/careers

I would assume the author of that comment was using "grey" to describe an opinion that is more nuanced and carefully considered. A black/white opinion would be hyperbolic or simply expressed to provoke reaction.

So if that's what a grey opinion is... then yeah. That's more valid. Especially if you value conversations aimed at exploring some reality rather than performative shouting matches.

I think you nailed it in your last sentence. Hobbies are our chance to create without the baggage of external requirements or external validation.

Being in that creative flow state is the best feeling. If someone else appreciates what you made, that's just the icing on an already tasty cake.

I post my silly art projects on Instagram for 30 or 40 likes. Would I love more? Well, yeah. Endorphins and all that. But I can't stop making this stuff because I just really, really enjoy the moments of making it.

This is really fun! I started plugging in US states. It makes a pretty interesting palette for the map.

https://gist.github.com/riebschlager/2f1a3c0391bc42c9ec9bdc6...

The contrast ratio between #000000 and #8F9BA8 is 7.42:1 which passes accessibility guidelines.