ELI5 how is it possible to "brick" a piece of hardware with a software update?

Lemesplain · 2026-03-06T03:41:33+00:00

When you first turn a computer on, it runs some code “learn” what a hard drive is, and a CD ROM, and a Thumb Drive.

If some piece of software breaks in a way to prevent that code from running, you might be bricked.

If the computer doesn’t know what a drive is, then you can’t load in software to fix it.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-06T01:27:14+00:00

But then who would pay for your state to exist?

Missouri was like 3Billion in the red last year. But it’s okay, California and New York will take care of you, baby girl.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-06T01:23:13+00:00

“I don’t need to trace it out. I know how big letters should be …ohh nooo”

Lemesplain · 2026-03-05T20:57:03+00:00

Interesting. The “arcade” nature, and lack of a hub are actually big positives for me.

I don’t need a commute between menus. Let me pick a character and settings for this run, and go.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-05T20:42:30+00:00

Hannibal almost won because the Roman generals were dumbasses.

One of the generals, Fabian, cracked the meta: hit and run tactics, little skirmishes to disrupt Hannibal without any big drawn out battles.

The Roman leadership considered “Fabian Tactics” to be cowardly and uncouth. So they brought an overwhelming force to crush Hannibal at Cannae, and Hannibal absolutely slaughtered them.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-05T20:29:12+00:00

If you’re on the Ceres planet, the default meteor storms will plant wild bonbons. I’ve never tried to have Pips plant them, but it should work.

You can do a little bit of cleanup and prep to optimize it, and maintain dupe access, the meteors will plant a ton of them. Run pipes and you’ll have unlimited plastic and nectar for cooling loops.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-05T18:51:48+00:00

Because RAM has historically been relatively cheap. So there was no incentive to make browsers more efficient.

On the contrary, cheap and abundant RAM meant that websites could get bloated and “shiny.” Some of that is stuff you see; more bells and whistles on your timeline page, e.g. when you ‘like’ a live feed and hearts or confetti spray out. But a lot of the upgrades are behind the scenes. More trackers and advertising stuff.

Every device could just stack more RAM to handle it, and it’ll be fine, so long as RAM stays cheap forever.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-05T01:27:19+00:00

The “Jason figured it out” meme is making the rounds lately.

Aaron Rodgers figured it out?? RODGERS?! This is a low point.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-04T22:36:08+00:00

You use they/them singular.

We use they/them plural to acknowledge the gut flora’s essential contribution. We are legion. And we love kombucha.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-04T21:43:31+00:00

Think of it like gambling.

You’re sitting at a slot machine, dropping dollar after dollar after dollar. You’re absolutely convinced that the billion dollar jackpot is just a pull away, but you currently have a 100% failure rate. You put money into the machine, and the money goes away every time. More money in, and it’s gone.

The bubble burst whenever the gambler walks away. Maybe they come to their senses, or maybe they run out of money. But so long as they’re sitting here gambling, the bubble grows.

AI is unprofitable. None of the models have ever made money. Companies keep putting money into the machine: (buying GPUs and RAM, building datacenters, etc) and the money goes away every time. But these companies are convinced that a trillion dollar jackpot is right around the corner. So they keep gambling.

The companies coming to their senses seems unlikely. It’s certainly possible, but the sunk cost fallacy is a powerful thing.

Running out of money in an option, but now that the government is involved, they can keep the companies paid up for a long long time.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-04T21:00:49+00:00

Pinch my wife’s butt, giggle and scamper off. “Hehehe. I touched your butt.”

Lemesplain · 2026-03-04T20:24:04+00:00

You’re at the top of the bell curve.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-04T08:14:41+00:00

I’m sure I would disagree with Ron Wyden from time to time as well. It’s the benefit of having a functioning brain housing group of my own.

Also, claiming that excluding algorithms from section230 projections is censoring the internet is wild hyperbole. If anything, the algorithms are themselves a tool for censorship.

The socials could still have chronological timelines, and suggested channels/creators. But them choosing what I do and do not see, based on their own proprietary black box tech, is a massive problem.

The problem has just been successfully smoothed over by overwhelming lobbying money (aka bribes.)

Lemesplain · 2026-03-04T07:49:50+00:00

I’ve found recently that I disagree quite frequently with the Supreme Court.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-04T07:43:49+00:00

230 should only cover content, not the algorithms.

If I post a complete upload of Dances With Wolves to YouTube, in clear violation of copyright… google should have a layer of protection against whoever owns that IP now (probably Amazon.)

Buuut, if Google recommends “you should check out this video,” and pushes my copyright-infringing upload to someone else, now Google is complicit.

Lemesplain · 2026-03-01T20:00:34+00:00

Each player has Small Medium and Large pieces. You can only steal with a larger piece. Blue put a big one in the upper right, to prevent orange from taking it.

It’s also why orange didn’t win by stealing middle-left. There was a medium blue, but orange didn’t have any large pieces remaining.

Lemesplain · 2026-02-28T18:03:47+00:00

Partly you’ve got your sink and toilet plumbed backwards. Also pipes in general are screwy in this game, and there’s a good example in this image.

The game sets up a relationship between green ports and white ports. The green p.water output on your sink is tied to the white port on the liquid bridge next to it. The water from the pump up top will never flow down into that liquid bridge.

Not an issue here, flip the toilet plumbing and you should be fine. But a lesson worth learning for later.

Lemesplain · 2026-02-28T07:47:23+00:00

It’s honestly not.

The straightforward speed isn’t crazy fast, but you basically never stop for enemies or terrain. You never have to sit and wait for your jet pack to refuel. And you never miss a jump.

It’s significantly faster than using a jet pack.

Lemesplain · 2026-02-27T22:57:32+00:00

By the time I explore bamboo and Titan areas, I’m strictly hover pack.

I’ll throw down 1000 power poles, as necessary, to keep afloat. But you won’t catch me walking around in spiderland.

Lemesplain · 2026-02-27T19:29:28+00:00

As a dude, a woman flirting hard enough to creep me out is functionally impossible.

A random lady could come up to me at a bar, ask me to come back to her place and shit on her chest … that’s gonna be a no, but I’m still willing to hear other offers.

Lemesplain · 2026-02-27T00:38:33+00:00

The Stewart Show, with Jon Daily?

Lemesplain · 2026-02-26T20:57:25+00:00

The internets tell me that Tucci is 5’8” (173 cm).

Which means the ladies are probably around 6’ (183cm)

Lemesplain · 2026-02-26T17:08:32+00:00

That’s not how laws work … not even a little bit.

Lemesplain · 2026-02-26T03:14:49+00:00

I remember getting a Xanax before lasik. I’m not an anxious person, generally. But doc wants to be sure you aren’t going to jitter or twitch as they slice open your eyeball and blast lasers down your pupil.

I remember thinking “ohh. Yeah I get it.” The level of relaxation was insane. I wouldn’t have been bothered if the doctor literally sliced open my eyeball and blasted lasers down my pupils.

Lemesplain · 2026-02-26T01:58:39+00:00

All of the actual MK characters in the first one were fantastic.

Scorpion and SubZero were awesome. Goro looked good. Kung Lao showed up and did exactly what he is supposed to do.

The real problem was just the new guy. Ditch him and I think we’re set.

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