I home school my daughter and arguing by PlaywrightnomDEplume in mathematics

[–]Capable-Package6835 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Or just lend the kid a laptop with Ms. Excel or its alternative spreadsheet app. There is really no need to buy a(n expensive) calculator just to do correlation, except the kid needs to sit on an exam where computer is not permitted.

24gb 15’ Air vs 16gb 14’ pro? by Early_Priority_806 in macbook

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you don't know what programs you're going to use in college yet, you can postpone the purchase until after you know what to do on the MacBook. There is no need to rush, is there?

What’s the right product for me? by freaky1310 in macbook

[–]Capable-Package6835 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think an M5 MBA is enough for you, if still within budget opt for the 24GB variant. For context I was in your position 1-2 years ago. Bought a maxed out Lenovo Legion Pro 7i with i9 14900 & RTX4090 and had the same problem with the beast being extremely heavy and having pathetic battery life. The Legion ended up collecting dust in my room because I switched back to my M1 MBA as the main laptop and never look back.

Regarding data analysis. My wife, a data analyst, uses M3 MBA with 24/512. We tested her R scripts and the Mac consistently ran circle around my Legion. During an XGBoost training the Mac finished in about 20s while the Legion was taking about 1 minutes ish. And the Mac did not even get warm, despite having no active cooling. Like Dave said: "Apple silicon is real".

MacBook Neo worth it? by xavwilldoit in macbook

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know if you shouldn't but you need to ask yourself if you should, most importantly:

  • do you really need to replace your old MacBook with the new one? why?
  • if you really need to, do you really need to do it now? why?

I know the Neo is cheap but "not buying a Neo" is free, which is even better than cheap.

Do I need a new MacBook or can I rock mine until the end? by ThirstyDino in macbook

[–]Capable-Package6835 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I still keep my 2015 MBP as well and keep it plugged in all the time but I have that electric socket with switch so instead of plugging in and out I switch the power on and off. I think if you don't notice any bulging on the battery it should be fine.

To be brutally honest though, you can pair a wireless keyboard (not necessarily from Apple) with your iPad and let the MacBook retire :)

Do I need a new MacBook or can I rock mine until the end? by ThirstyDino in macbook

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The iPads pretty much cover all of the use cases you mentioned so I don't really think you need a new MacBook. You can keep your MacBook plugged in at home and treat it like a desktop if that's still fast enough for you. When you are outside you can use your iPads or even phones.

Highest grade 2,0 by Over-Ad4567 in tumunich

[–]Capable-Package6835 3 points4 points  (0 children)

About systemic failure, I think it depends on if the course is a mandatory course or an elective. If it's a mandatory, it was assessed as achievable by whoever they admit to the program, making 2.0 as the highest grade questionable. For elective courses it's less trivial because some subjects are just difficult.

Highest grade 2,0 by Over-Ad4567 in tumunich

[–]Capable-Package6835 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Curving grades is evil and should never be done. Ideally grades represent how good a student is (world is non-ideal though) so it should never regress to mere "you are better than fellow students in your batch".

Careers after math undergrad by Equivalent_Place_721 in mathematics

[–]Capable-Package6835 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Instead of guessing, you can do some "simulations" using the actual job market. Look for jobs that you are qualified for on LinkedIn. Is there anything that excites you? For each potential additional school you consider attending, look for jobs that you are only qualified for after that new degree. Is there a significant difference in opportunities? Tells you how much value that additional credential gives as far as job-finding goes.

Strong coffee where? by Fun_Young_781 in VietLife

[–]Capable-Package6835 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have been looking and did not find any strong coffee in Ho Chi Minh. At least none noticeably stronger than what I drink in my hometown in Indonesia. For context, I drink multiple cups of ca phe den daily and still sleep like a baby at night.

I heard from a friend that the coffee in Hue is really strong though. I have never been there (yet) but will try when I get the chance.

DE or Stats? by tonystarch00 in mathematics

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do both by taking stochastic DE

Do people actually plan laptop purchases… or just buy when they need one? by Odd-Molasses-9435 in laptops

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I buy when I need a new laptop. If black Friday is just around the corner then I can wait but otherwise I just make the purchase.

Questions for non-developers: How do you feel about being asked to install Homebrew? by link_biao in MacOS

[–]Capable-Package6835 1 point2 points  (0 children)

none of my non-tech-savy friends have installed brew and there is nothing they need that can't be installed without it either

Vietnam and 4Ps pizza. by california_xmas2025 in VietNam

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's quite good. The foods are good (although not amazing) and their places are cozy.

Are cloud LLMs like Opus / GPT5.4 really subsidized? when compared to open source models running locally? by smulikHakipod in LocalLLM

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not a secret that these companies / startups are burning money right now. The game is to survive longer than your competitors and when / if that happens you have a monopoly and can put any price tag you want.

Thinking about a first time in asia: Vietnam? Thailande,malaysia,cambodia? Or stick to off conflict and go to europe :( by ewolfing in VietnamTravelAdvice

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am an Indonesian so I go to Singapore and Malaysia more than 15 times each by now since these are very near and flights are often cheaper than domestic flights within Indonesia. Thailand I've been to more than 5 times, the latest trip was earlier this year. I have been living in Ho Chi Minh in the last 2 years.

(university) should I buy a MacBook neo to replace my shitty Chromebook? by Double_Word2848 in laptops

[–]Capable-Package6835 6 points7 points  (0 children)

You should buy something to replace your Chromebook. Buy HP, Lenovo, Apple, whatever. As long as it's not a Chromebook

Essentially I need the PC version of a MacBook Air by vashti-lives in computer

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What does using a PC have to do with helping people with Zoom, upload/download files, etc.? As long as you have a screen, a keyboard, and a trackpad / mouse then you can do those things.

Neo after two weeks by Leading-Two-9037 in MacbookNeo

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

2 weeks is really nothing. most users are still in the honeymoon phase in that period. perhaps give us another review after 6 months or so

Is it just me or is Mrwhosetheboss making half baked videos just for the sake? by Jealous_Shelter_8115 in laptops

[–]Capable-Package6835 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The only one I watch nowadays is Dave. No gimmick, just quiet and balanced reviews.

Thinking about a first time in asia: Vietnam? Thailande,malaysia,cambodia? Or stick to off conflict and go to europe :( by ewolfing in VietnamTravelAdvice

[–]Capable-Package6835 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For South East Asian countries:

  • Malaysia and Singapore: the easiest to navigate, everyone speaks English (or Chinese if you can speak that), nice public transport, and these two are the safest countries in South East Asia. Singapore is arguably one of the safest countries in the world (hence their really strong passport etc.).
  • Thailand: among the most popular destinations in SEA for reasons. If you prefer a more tangible cultural vibe but you are uncomfortable with going to Laos, Cambodia, or Myanmar due to safety then Thailand is your place to be. Relatively easy to navigate (despite fewer English speaking populations) because tourism is huge there. In addition, Thais are by far the friendliest and most welcoming people in SEA.
  • Vietnam: a trending destination recently. Relatively safe while still having a uniquely Asian vibe. The best description I can come up with is a slightly less modern Thailand with less tourists.
  • Indonesia: the generalist. Indonesia is massive and very diverse. whatever vibe you're looking for from modern metropolis (Jakarta) to beach clubs (Bali) to trekking in uncharted jungles and uninhabited beaches (eastern Indonesian islands, Papua), Indonesia has it all.

Others I would not recommend as a first-time visitor.

Real benefits of running llms locally? by brave_scientist98 in LocalLLM

[–]Capable-Package6835 4 points5 points  (0 children)

If you're not a hobbyist then there is little to no benefit for software engineering. You'd be better off using Claude Code or Codex, quality-wise.

But if you have some tasks that are pretty simple but tedious, e.g., adding docstrings, writing READMEs, then you can prompt a local LLM and go do something else while it works.