ddingus

Well crap, I had written a thank you, which I will gladly write again:

I love when product announcements and ADS in general are high value works. This one was good education for me. Thank you for it!

I had also written about my plasma and CRT displays and how misunderstandings about HDR made things generally worse and how I probably have not seen the best these 10 bit capable displays can do.

And finally, I had written about 3D TV and how fast, at least 60Hz per eye, 3D in my home made for amazing modeling and assembly experiences! I was very sad to see that tech dead end.

3D for technical content create has a lot of legs... if only more people could see it running great...

Thanks again. I appreciate the education.

Tagged by comment to play a little later.

Thanks!

Whether that happens is really up to Google. I often prefer search to querying an LLM. If search quality results improve then LLM is a lot less compelling in a lot of cases.

I agree, and would add:

Cosmo has been in prison for a long time. His perception of dating service implications are unlikely to be contemporary.

Yeah that seems familiar. One night on business travel, I decided to just play with the setup and really thought highly of it all.

Then some years passed, I got a Blackberry Curve, then a Note 4 and by the time I looked back at Bluetooth. I HATED IT. Still do, though I am grudgingly working through basics, phone call, play audio, etc and the whole time looking at my still wire capable hardware thinking "not yet"

Ugh! Not sure how big ours was, but it was big enough to feel your comment.

If I were you, I would just start reconsidering my tech choices. And though it is not really a boycott, enough people doing it matters. Think of it like a biaore like a bias away from poor or dubious value propositions and toward better and higher value ones.

This all works a lot like TV and other home entertainment devices work. What can the device do without its remote?

I just repaired a really nice little CRT for retro computer and game system use. Fantastic set too. It is just about pixel perfect over the composite connection when running with a system with appropriate gaming / computing hardware.

One problem and you guessed it! This little set is damn near useless without it's remote! Listing are easily half as much or more!

You are right too. Digital locks are dumb.

The set can turn on, off, change channels, raise and lower volume and that is it!

So much is left! Picture, tint, color saturation level, aux input, sharpness.

And the initial setup, V-chip, language, region, and, and, and... you get the point!

Now, I always find a remote and or program a universal remote and also print out the user guide and service manuals for the TV and the programming guides for the remote.

Huge value, and it shows in my listing prices and just how close final sale ends up being.

Well, your comment is timely. I am part of a project about to embark on some highly specialized thermal simulation.

I will be doing exactly what you suggested to me here.

Thank you. I learned something fundamental from your comment that I did not know prior. Well, maybe I did, but how I think about it makes it harder to reason about.

Whatever, it is easier to see for me now. Lol

Seeing the benefit of the fan in terms of increased heat transfer to everything the air touches is easy. Full stop.

It does and I managed it recently. It was painful.

I had to pair, or at least I think I did. Was fetching a file. off a flip phone. Doing these things without "file" gets weird quick.

I also seem to recall an awesome Bluetooth control panel applet I used a few times in Windows XP.

At the time I had a pretty spiffy Moto flip phone. It could be the computer keyboard, handle audio play and record and more.

Pretty sure that all came from the phone driver. I do recall also using the computer in reverse the same way when the display was badly damaged. I could make phone calls, dialing with the computer and in general use the phone taped to the back of my laptop screen.

Today, it is simpler, and far less robust.

If we don't have files, then what?

Seems to me we very rapidly arrive at records or entities.

We see both these days in databases.

Entities show up in CAD and simulation. Records show up in business tools of various kinds.

All require a schema and serious dependencies flow from there.

In CAD, for example, the database schema can change quite dramatically from version to version of the same software tool. And all this makes writing plug in tools or anything really painful.

And forget exchanging native data between systems. STEP exists for that, and O God help you on a bigger project involving any old data

The thing about files is they are basically EASY.

And easy, when looking at where we are going, matters. A lot.

Files can exist on pretty much anything. Paper tape, mag tape, all sorts of media, up to advanced storage tech.

Databases are a different story.

I am not convinced we are anywhere rear being ready for that huge leap.

And I would normally say "forward" but on this?

Nope!

It would be a huge mess requiring we toss just about everything we have in use today

Folder / Directory

I most frequently use the latter, directory when I am talking files and filesystems.

Most people return that with "folder", and I am sure that has to with my learning about these things happening where "directory" was the norm.

I have been educating people about files when I bump into ones that do not know much. The abuses are real and growing. Nice comment.

These seem like poor tech choices more than "an app is required to buy basic things."

When the whole "there is an app for that" mess started, I could be found saying, there is a browser for that too!

You are right about one thing, and that is everyone is asking whether people have their app. This is constant.

My answer has and will continue to be, "nope."

And yes, I have a browser for that.

The apps I find worth using are all enabling in some way, sensor data, advanced calculator, viewers and the like have real value.

Wrapping transactions into apps where the sole purpose is data harvesting and blasting me ads and offers, adds ZERO net value.

Products that require an app should be considered broken.

Seriously.

All of that pushes people, who for whatever reason choose app dependency, into scenarios like you shared with us here.

That stuff us broken man. You really would benefit from a general reconsideration of your product and service selection means and methods.

What is the product value when "needs your phone is off the table.

Does it have value without a phone? Should it? (In almost every case, yes!)

Please don't take my comment as an attack. Nothing personal here, no judgment either. You are by no means alone. M

It is also nice to keep packages we like for whatever reason.

Ah the specter of EDI!

I first encountered Electronic Data Interchange in the early 90's. The small shop I worked for at the time had no idea and just wanted to make the parts they quoted and send them when done.

The EDI request came in a box, with external modem, a paper with phone number and directions and then a smaller box with PROGRESS database software for MSDOS in side and a handful of disks containing the EDI system.

Good lord that was painful! I just plowed through it and all that pain completed a check box at Honeywell, who then sent us jobs electronically!

Yes, via FTP.

The CAD they were sending was Computer Vision and it was a full on solid model representation! At the time we were running CAD from the early enlightenment, CADKEY 3.5 for MSDOS!

Our best micro computer lacked the storage to handle the uncompressed file, which arrived on another handful of floppies that formed a multi part. Zip file, which uncompressed totaled about 40 megabytes and change! Entire systems only had 20!

The CAD system failed to translate the data too. 16bit pointers lacked the range needed. They had me fetch a patch a day or two later and it took a few hours to do.

300 kilobytes of wireframe CAD, and the parts we made were basically 5 percent of that data!

Crazy times!

You have a couple problems that I can see:

One is the MIT license does not prohibit selling. And wrapping it in a "for non-commercial uses" clause creates a contradiction difficult, if not impossible to enforce.

I saw that and was quite pleased with the idea of it all working nicely in say,80x50 text mode, that I proceeded to write a similar set of subroutines.

I ended up with a pretty nice subset.

Could draw a window with fields, pop a number of them up on top of that window, if desired.

Used that to write a small pile of DOS programs which computed various manufacturing related values used in sheet metal work.

Yes, I learned that trick out-of the blue book, de re Atari I believe. Hard to remember.

I also used that trick to scroll one of the lower resolution graphics screns for a brick out type game that would inch whatever was left toward the player.

That makes sense. No judgement here, just me wondering.

I agree with that.

Why GAZETTE rather than just COMPUTE! ?

Big fan of the project here BTW.

As others mention, a reverse "class action" isn't a thing.

I see it a bit differently:

A solid, high value contract should make sense. And guess what? When they do make sense, most people have no reason not to pay and they will, barring emergencies and the usual risks that play out in all business. Most people, myself included, would side with Adobe. The peeps need to pay up.

However, when the contract is shady, abusive, just dripping with greed? A much higher percentage of people are gonna say, "fuck 'em! Plenty will find reasons too. And there is a higher inherent risk associated with all new accounts, potentially going as far as to raise it, while value dilution happens across the board to software subscriptions as a whole.

Who wants all that noise?

I am not sure whether the piece mentioned this or not (skimmed, Ok? LOL), but there are fairly strong second and third order effects playing out that are likely to persist for a very long time:

Network effects: A pretty healthy slice of Adobe users, or forced users I could say, reach their hating peak every year. When I was skill building for creative work, Adobe hate was modest. Adobe love was higher than average too. So far, so good, right?

Just half a decade later, I revisit this work about the time people could no longer buy the suite on physical media with a perpetual license. Hmmm... haters were right! That is exactly what they said Adobe was going to do. Some time after this change, and while watching how Adobe handles the users of one of their more hated acquisitions; namely, Alias and MAYA who came from industry culture that believes Autodesk could quite possibly be one of the worst to end up owning what many observers called "elite" or "career" type software packages with costs starting in the mid to high 4 figures and ending up a solid 5 figure purchase ... (Alias 10 forever hoo rah!) ... um, yeah, where was I?

Yes, Hating Adobe solid now. Not ever going to be a potential customer.

You are reading third order effects. People like me, and the very aggressive first order people are hard at work figuring out just how much they can do with alternatives and also realizing everything they can do with the OSS alternatives are publishing our work, sharing successes and when we are teachers, consultants, department heads, we de-recommend Adobe on sight, while at the same time being very forgiving as people ramp up on the other options.

That catches the attention of many who would never have a clue if it were not for social media bringing us the very best drama like this.

Takes years and real talent to grow a software business while also so damn consistently earning the hate. Amazing!

Some one said it could also mean Google hardware has some advantage they would rather stay inside the G-silo.

Not bad. That could work, but still the sentiment remains a bit elusive.

Yours does nail a couple strong elements to it.

It seems almost noble, or just is a celebration of quiet nobility. That is a part of it too.

I feel this is one of those times we would learn Germans have a dead on word like they often do.

I love this! I did not expect to love this.

Wow.

The cards are exemplary. Any Ojisan[0] featured on a card should feel honored. I looked at the cards shown to us and immediately was struck by the artists ability to both see the beauty in these fine people and deliver it on the card in a compelling, clearly respectful way.

And the motive! It is simple and noble: Elevating Town Fathers in the eyes of those for whom they often serve.

The idea is pure,[1] uncluttered by unnecessary detail and expectations. The only real complication came from the kids, who naturally wanted the game aspect to make the whole thing fun!

Of course they did.

Humans being beautiful. That is what this is and as much as I want this sort of thing where I live, I know it would not be this organic thing of beauty and that makes me sad. I am not sure enough of us here have what is needed.

I am definitely sharing today. What a delightful story!

[0] Capitalized because local heroes

[1] Pure is the word I use in this context. There may be better ones. Please share.

Indeed!

I am a strong tech person. Always have been.

That said, early in my life I took a chance on music and really enjoyed the performing arts. Through an unfortunate set of circumstances, I ended up doing Music education for my peers.

A beloved teacher had a health issue that left them unable to teach and the substitute did not have the same manner and appreciation for the music and after a few conflicts, they called me out and I (foolishly) accepted!

Now I just had to back it up with actions.

Short story, "my" class was a success. Students reached their goals, we placed well in competition and that teacher and I developed a great friendship.

You are dead on with your comment. And having had the chance to take music education, then turn right around and deliver it seriously was at once crazy and ultra enlightening!

I had the realization my chest thumping got me placed into a position where I had an obligation to educate my peers and rid them of that blind spot you wrote of the same as was done for me.

And that was the H in "hard." Running the class, prepping pieces for performance, debugging the choir all were what I thought was hard.

Nope.

Getting them to internalize the humanity of it, language of emotion and all that, is hard. Respect for the art, whatever it may be, is hard. Cultivating the culture of learning, shared vulnerability (in the case of group performing arts) and the intensely personal nature of it all is hard.

I grew half a decade doing that as a high schooler, who had no clue at all what they said yes to...

In the end, a walk through the humanities is both empowering and enlightening on a level many technical people fail to appreciate.

No fault of theirs. They just did not get what I and many others did or gave as the case may be.

I can put a notch sharper point on all this for passersby (assuming you and I talking is preaching to the choir):

The ones who do not take the trip through the humanities are often told what to do by the ones who did.

Thanks for doing the hard work you do. It is often underappreciated.

Same.

I turned it on very soon after I setup my account. My own personal tolerance for speech is less aggressive than what we see here on HN. I dislike completely inaccessible history, and basic accountability is why.

Works like the trash does. Want to see how people live? Pick through the trash.

Observation:

How lucky are we that our contributions here warrant two fine moderators?

I just read Tom's brief story on how he arrived here and what it means and felt... I don't really have a quick word for it.

I know I am better for having spent time here.

Oh, I got it! A tiny bit spoiled, but in the best of ways. Yeah, that is what I felt.

How lucky we are indeed. :)

Thanks Tom your work is appreciated and I'm sure will be appreciated going forward. There's a whole lot of us here who really value this place, and the many fine minds who share time with us in it, and you're a big part of that.

Maybe Kagi treating them like one?

The feel is smaller, closer compared to Google, as an easy example.

My Sublime Text licenses are perpetual.

I have various perpetual CAD licenses going back to the 90's.

Same for some development tools, some, or maybe just one dating back to the 80's. (MAC/65)

MSDOS

All versions of Windows I have used and or purchased.

Microsoft Office

Libre Office

SGI IRIX

And I could go on for a long time. Point is a whole lot of software runs on some sort of perpetual license. Any why not? It all does what it was written to do.

Until very recently, with the rise of software in our browsers, one could expect most software to operate this way.

When new versions are needed, AND if needed, payment for that work is obvious and entirely reasonable. And with some software navigating what happens if new is needed becomes huge pressure to get people to upgrade. And that is sometimes unpleasant.

CAD is one of those for sure.

Subscription software, in many cases --and I am speaking generally here, can be easy to subscribe to.

All good right?

Well, I tend to keep software that2, Supports my skills.

Doing that would be huge payments!

As a buyer,I expect to see software coat / licensing make better sense.