BugWatch

"...provided he's acting ethnically."

Well, one YouTuber I follow, don't remember which, was quite irate and disappointed regarding his coverage of a recent self-driving cars video (IIRC), that amounted to ~"barely a bit more than an ad". (Haven't watched the Veritasium's video in question yet, so cannot really comment on the veracity of the claims.)

Anyone knows any scripts or whatnot which would enable the download of current timeline history (with places, establishments and their addresses and all other (meta)data), and import into the alternative open source self-hosted one?

Haven't tested Google takeout for that functionality yet, but I kind of doubt it includes that data, probably just GPS coordinates. (I could be wrong, though.)

> This is a marketing statement, not a statement of fact.

Precisely.

It's also the reason that all those cookie banners titled "We care about your privacy" - followed by 20 different dark patterns, defaulting to ON, and (il)"Legitimate purposes" - make me irate, and make me groan quite audibly.

This. So much this. I won't rant here again, but I have ranted about it here in the recent past.

Having a dead man's switch in an app is particularly annoying, especially when the new version intentionally cripples the previous functionality.

I own an ancient glass one that was just digital. The display stopped working at one point for no bloody reason.

So, eventually I gutted its controller/display and replaced it with arduino, HD44780-based display, and HX711 mass sensor module (that reads the existing four sensors), with any form of wireless module for communication being easily addable, if needed.

Now, it's 1-gram precise, which is enough to be used as a large kitchen scale if need be (I plan on adding a switch), I've added supports customized calibration, and customized averaging (it takes N measurements, and displays that).

Further, I plan a smart home integration, and will replace the display and functionality with smartphone app with current user selection (presets + guest), logging, etc. (and subtraction of the phone's weight from the total).

It never supported those "fancy" additional measurements as water and/or fat percentage, but I guess those are relatively easily addable as well (aluminium/copper tape as sensors?). With this, formulas used for calculations would be the greater challenge.

Really, this is the only option of 100% future proofing ones hardware - do it yourself... plus, it is saved from a landfill.

From what I can see, he's a great team player.

I know nothing about music genres... but such organized "mini-magazines" in PDFs that cover the outlines and basics seems quite appealing and interesting.

Could you provide more information, please? Thanks.

Life's complexity constantly increases, but our available time is fixed... we need a community-run automated-- and user-reported addon analysis and checking service, provided though another addon, which notifies you when one of your installed (or currently page open) addons "goes to the darkside"... sigh

Assuming it's not Big Clive, please do share it if/when you remember the channel.

Good Lorde how I hate capacitive touch buttons on appliances and such. I regularly brush by my icemaker (it's a tight corridor/passage), and cause the water dispenser to splash everywhere. I have a 3D-modelled overlay (basically a custom mesh) queued for 3D printing, to stop it from happening. The moment the warranty ends, I'm ripping into it, and putting physical switches.

Well, I already opened it to solder a beeper bypass switch [aka "mute button], 'cause the thing was (multi-)beeping constantly, on every action and every result! But that mod is reversible without any visible changes... which reminds me, have to do the same to the bread machine. To my detriment, appliance makers these day are extremely beeper-happy.

I am not. Please re-read. While privacy is always an issue, notice I even directly said I'd willingly enable telemetry for some software (as a means of disambiguation and explanation of my stance), amongst other caveats.

However, what I do not stand for is auto-updates without my explicit knowledge and explicit consent, because it regularly messes up my... well, my "anything and everything". (Insert specific xkcd instance about breaking-workflow here.)

Therefore, due to personally-experienced and ever-widening common abuse of the mechanic (and ever-encroaching march on my privacy and rights on & from all fronts), I am less and less willing to even consider giving the pieces of software I actually enjoy the benefit of the doubt (aka useful telemetry).

Please notice - my original reply was (exclusively) addressing the specific portion of one of the preceeding user's comments "pushing" for the auto-update mechanism as mandatory (and not to the Audacity's issues/attempt/approach specifically). From my perspective, it seems that you and the previous commenter are addressing my replies as a full and all-encompassing description of the whole of my approach and practices (and I have specifically said that isn't the case in the comment above this one).

Additionally, there is an assuming of the non-use of any (or a combination, or all) of the myriad of the additional layers of protection available to any semi-advanced user [e.g. Tor, purpose-configured browser, proxy, VPN, etc.] while obtaining the software in the first place (and/or subsequent instances), and that the software in question could be "gotten" from alternative and directly unrelated locations if need be. If true, that assumption would be in error.

Fork name suggestion:

Gaudacity.

As in Ye Olde "G(ood) Audacity". Intentional misspelling of "gouda" (but sounds the same), has original name as a substring, and should come with appropriately cheesy wedge located between the headphones. Bonus points: reference to plugging one's ears with cheese.

...what? My dad humor is showing?

But in all frankness, I'm serious.

Having written my rant(s) elsewhere in this thread, I'm just gonna telepathically project the "(slams the palm on the desk) THANK YOU!" gif.

Almost all of software in my library/catalog is offline-only, as in - online component is not required, nor wanted: I'd specifically choose local/offline variant vs a fancy online-required one; open-source over freeware over commercial, etc. (I have only addressed the auto-updates, not all other points of my "system", not its exceptions, and certainly not its finer points.)

I thought it self-evident in my post that I expect the software in question to notify me of a new version, provide the cumulative change log, and offer me an update (plus even an auto-update, but only as an option).

Software that did that (let's call it "polite" software), got its net access (for limited aforementioned uses). And if it was a piece of software I particularly found useful and non-clashing with my stances, I sometimes even enabled the telemetry (because it might help improve it).

What I cannot stand is being forcefed those. They break everything when I least expect it, and when I most need the things to function and function fast (e.g. auto-update on program start VS offered update on close). Most (90? 95%?) of my catalog is specific (and offline) use only, so eventual issues usually do not affect me.

Often used software I update on a more regular schedule, but still - almost exclusively manually (by downloading the new portable version). OS is updated once I'm done with a project or whatever I was doing in that duration - meaning when I can temporally afford to be frelled in the posterior by Microsoft's updates, and spend an hour fixing stuff... such as figuring why the bloody gamepads are now suddenly preventing my monitors from going to stand-by, thus messing up my presence & tracking software, thus messing up my home automation recipes. (If you are impacted, it's the 2019-timestamped XBox driver; revert to something ancient [find it somewhere], and "lock it" down by listing device identifiers via group policy.)

To sum up, in simplified terms - any frell-up resulting from an auto-update impacts me 100% (and costs me time, nerves, will to live) VS extremely low percentage of being affected by the critical security vulnerability du jour (and especially taking into account security and precautions I practice).

Constantly-used and online-required software has its own, different set of "rules" (security, precautions, guidelines, etc.). Don't mistake my ire at a certain type of an unfortunately too common (mis)use of a feature (in my specific circumstances and use cases and scenarios) as an irrational blanket refusal of absolutely everything under that category.

(Note: typing on a phone, so due to editing troubles my chain of thought might be all over the place.)

@I have a theory:

I would agree, in principle and mostly in practice. However, if one knows better, then they must also know that the same "better" can be done. It is hard, yes, and it takes practice, but is achievable. Exposure therapy of sorts helps immensely. And, if/when feeling overwhelmed, simply ask for a recess and postponement of the discussion. I call it "processing time", and it usually takes a few days, or even longer. I call upon it, when I sense it is required (on my and other side, too).

I also try to familiarize the other side with my own (aforementioned) communication style and idiosyncrasies. I'd say we all seek to at least not be misunderstood, if understanding (in sense of the agreement) is not possible... and being frank and upfront about it - helps.

WHENEVER I had (or left) the auto-updates on, I came to regret it, from Windows updates to Android apps. Form it usually takes is (and all of them personally encountered):

- system instability - just plain data deletion and/or loss - features not working at all, or quarter-baked - previous free feature moved to premium or behind the paywall - incompatibility with previous files - just plain resetting my previous settings and customizations to defaults - arriving with the wrong language (based on keyboard layout or location vs my OS-chosen one) - somebody was frelling bored, so decided to move the position or change a keystroke of the function in the menus - just "because" or "it boosts engagement" or some similar crappy excuse - plain spyware/malware delivered as an "update" (with app betwixt updates being sold to spammers/scammers) - app/program sold in the mean time, with the new one preferring to siphon all the telemetry possible (all options conveniently on by default) - messing up my file or action associations

...and probably 12 other things that don't cross my mind at the moment.

I will bloody update my hardware and my installed (or portable-d) software whenever the frell I please. I cannot stand the mommy-gloves and mommy-stance I am subjected to

I do not have will nor time to battle with that. My largest "attack surface" in any/all meanings of the word comes from auto-updatijg. So, off with your hea-- auto-updates.

I've been blocking/filtering all auto-updates and all Internet access to all apps/programs/OSes where ever possible. Whenever possible, I use portable versions that don't require installation, and I have a huge software library; letting things run amok is not an option.

I've been doing it for a decade now (in different, but ever enlarging scope), and I've never been happier. Nothing breaks. Things work. AS THEY SHOULD. And nobody forcefeeds me the crap 95% of the "common folk" are subjected to.

Yes, this is a rant. And the topic is a sore one. I'm just so, so, so bloody sick of it.

Non turbare pixelos meos.

This reminds me of that tale/urban legend/reality when, once upon a time, some cows were eating the old Trabant cars (that had an outer body made od some type of plastic).

To my knowledge (and and all encountered uses), "apache attack helicopter" is not transfobic, but a reactionary meme against the "I identify as wolf-dragon asexual demi-boy with insert_list_of_self-diagnosed_psychological_conditions_here and pronouns t'ghe/t'gheyu'r," and similar "snowflakeisms") that's arose in the "tumblrsphere" of the 2010s... i.e. gender(change) is not the issue; the obvious bovine (drac[on]ian?) excrement is.

Sounds like every Discovery and National Geographic "documentary" ever.

I'd suggest looking up the "principle of charity".

Additionally, claiming the self-perceived "undertones" as "the real truth" vs clearly (and reasonably) stated (subsequent) stance/explanation indeed is confrontative, at best. In my opinion and experience.

When X claims they know better what was the intent or tone of Y's message when Y is already there precisely elaborating... X has to be realistic, admit no prior knowledge of Y (nor their idiosyncrasies, nor their style of communication), be aware of the limitations of the medium (no voice tone, no body language), and take things at face value as written (and/or ask for explanation/further details in neutral and a non-confrontational way). Y has to do the same. It really is the only way that maintains functionality of the conversation.

(Also, forseeing a potential conflict: X and Y has nothing to do with bio-sex, it just signifies two unknowns.)

At least, that's the self-defined framework I use, as a probably somewhat autistic/ADHD person (people confuse and frustrate me to no end).

You can always use multiple ("specialized") instances of portable Firefox (with MultipleInstance=true in ini file). That's how I do it, and I've been using portable Firefox versions exclusively for 10+ years, I think.

“Users will not update take your security fix if they are afraid you will break their current system.”

Please, somebody notify Microsoft's Windows dev team. They desperately need, but did not get the memo.

I might be missing some obvious point, but I think that your premise assumes (all/majority) of people are lazy. From the greatest utility viewpoint, if being unemployed (vs "lazy") gives liveable monetary benefits vs the employment's barely-scraping-the-barrel-and-dieing-at-it unliveable one, it is only logical for one not to work, and "laziness" shouldn't really even be considered a factor.

Unemployment benefits should (at least?) provide for/cover the living essentials.

Therefore, the question should be "what if the (minimum) wage/pay provided (at least the same) liveable value"? [Or, rather, that is the problem.]

Coupled with the potential ability to advance above the minimum wage and earn more, majority of people would choose to work.

I believe that well-known USA minimum wage stagnation graph says enough.

(Disclaimer: I am not a citizen of USA, but I believe I am, frankly, more familiar with its policies vs my own (EU) country's... and that has only taught me that I shouldn't even contemplate living in the USA. [Personal opinion based on an informal cost/benefit/risks analysis.])

Could someone please make a just-change-GUI win2000-styled fork of a Firefox, to stay?

These constant changes are preposterous. And not just Firefox, everything.

While we're at it, could one get a classic-ish Windows control panel and dialogs back, in the manner of the Classic Shell/Start menu?

Please? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?

Yeah, except the "new"-style Firefox addons can't do half the things ye Olde ones could.

Hm, IIRC if you still have an (ideally forward-facing) headphone jack, I believe there were cheap plug-ins (essentially IR LED on a 3.5 mm connector) that would provide the functionality given a proper software.

I have to agree. I was thinking I'd find projects focusing on (private) pantry and food organization. Website certainly didn't help at all.

Also, considering the dismissive tone of your post and your choice of handle/username, it seems you are here (just?) to grind your axe, and not for genuine and honest discussion.