hn_throw_250915

Reading this comment I’m stumped as to what SF can learn from this. There’s a lesson in there somewhere but I have no idea what it could be.

Oh well.

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/fBoqMMPoU9k

I read through it and it’s amusing but along with the title being something I’d receive in email from a newsletter mailing list I’ve never subscribed to (hoping it has an unsubscribe link at the bottom), there’s nothing really of hacker curiosity here to keep me hooked. It’s shallow and appeals to some LCD “I did the thing with the stuff and the results will shock you because of how obvious they are now click here” mentality. Vainposting at its most average. The Mac restoration video was somewhat easier to sit through if only because the picture quality beats out a handful of other YT videos doing the exactly same thing as I’m holding back a jaw grating wince of watching someone butchering a board with poor knowledge of soldering iron practice, so YMMV? Back to hackaday for me I think. I’m not here to read submarine resumes of people applying to work at Linus Tech Tips.

There was an article not too long ago about someone taking the old thumb wheel Logitech mouse and upgrading its electronics by adding a usb charging port and changing the switches used to make it easier to press. My perspective is heavily skewed in saying this but moving forward I foresee the ranks of people like that, as an entity unto themselves whether a minority or not irrelevant, upgrading and improving stock products for sake of durability, usability and serviceability. That last one in particular I’m reminded of things like relays and door locks in washing machines which are designed to last for approx. the duration of warranty, but it can extend to many other things also. While this hacker spirit has always been a thing, I suspect it’s been predominantly concentrated in developing countries where incomes are too thin to afford throwing things out, and so a repair may in fact fix a blemish of the stock product and extend life as if it is an upgrade unto itself. I think it will become more mainstream.

I thought we knew that these were vehicles by wannabe self-help authors to puff up their status for money. See for example “Grit” and “Deep Work” and other bullshit entries in a breathlessly hyped up genre of pseudoscience.

Larry the lawnmower Ellison?

The most fascinating thing in this self-aware rant is that Reason is still around. I haven’t heard of their DAW in what must be 20 years.

n.b. They were shamelessly anticonsumer all along even in the early days. That’s why we just moved on from them and, to me anyway, they fell into obscurity.

This comment reminds me of the one time when a critic said to Arnold how he wouldn’t want to look like him.

Arnold replied back, “don’t worry, you never will”.

Didn’t we have a thread a few days ago regarding the lack of expertise in WSJ’s scientific/technical research and understanding department? What’s all this now?