• 20 Posts
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Joined 2 years ago
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Cake day: March 19th, 2024

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  • The problem with Scratch is that you don’t learn very much about computers with it. When I expressed I wanted to learn programming as a kid, I was directed to Scratch, and the whole time I was like “ok this is fun and cool, but when do I get to the real programming. I want to make an ‘actual program’.” You’d learn about how programming works on a very high level but you don’t learn much about how things work “under the hood” which imo is the fun thing about learning to program.

    The best way I can articulate my goal is like how it feels to watch an edutainment video (think VSauce/Veritasium/Numberphile/etc)—you get a peek at some topic you didn’t know about before and feel you understand how the world works a bit better. It’s not the same thing as training someone up to be an expert, i.e. I’m not trying to turn these people into programmers (though if they’re interested enough they can of course go away and pursue that in their own time).





  • I mean someone pointing out a vulnerability in a piece of software should be a falsifiable claim, e.g. “they store their passwords in plaintext”—if it’s foss then just look at the source. You don’t need to read the entire source because you have been given a specific part of the code to look at. You need to only look at the process between the software receiving a password and its query to the database.

    And if it’s not foss I don’t use it, and the claim may be unfalsifiable for an outsider who isn’t bothered to try reverse engineering.


  • For organisations, I think name changes should be minimised. They normally are because of some kind of schism or power struggle, and even if that’s not the case, that’s what people will assume. It’s damaging reputationally and also bad for SEO.

    For people, change your name as much as you like idc. Every day or every hour if you like. As long as you make it clear what your current name is. If you’re changing it every hour maybe wear a name badge.


  • Happened to me once when I was 14. I ordered a hotdog and thought I heard my name (this place did orders by customer name) and picked it up. It was a hotdog but I didn’t remember ordering the particular toppings. I also ordered a vegan hotdog specifically. As I was eating it I gradually became more and more sure this wasn’t my order—I didn’t remember ordering these toppings and I thought this seemed like a pork hotdog. But then I felt too awkward to go back to the counter after having eaten half of it already. Sorry to whoever’s hotdog I ate.






  • I’m in a similar boat. I use old computers for spare parts and hobby projects (e.g. I did Linux From Scratch on an old second-hand Thinkpad I picked up on a whim). I think cheap second hand computers are great for tinkerers e.g. you can flash custom firmware without worrying about bricking the mobo.

    You could also use them as servers if you have any services you want to host.

    Also if you truly have no use for them, fix them up, install something like Linux Mint on them, and give them away.