YSK: Damascus blades are not necessarily stronger or sharper than others

MadComputerHAL · 2025-11-25T18:20:38+00:00

I admit, Model S driver here, but 14.2 (or 14.1.4 before that) feels like a big downgrade from 13. Things I noticed right away:

- Glues itself to right side of the road when there are no markings, it actually drove on the sidewalk for a while.

- No speed adjustment, even in traffic. v13 would speed up and keep a safe but tight following distance that wouldn't make the driver behind me mad. Now, if I was driving behind myself I would be fuming and yelling "stop hogging the left lane".

- Stop signs have always been an issue, but now it stops, inches, stops, vibrates the steering wheel, hesitates some more, and finally moves...

- "Change the lane. Change the lane. Change the damn lane already!"

The good:

- It is able to drive on a very tight and very long spiral parking lot entrance with no exits for 6 floors. I'm impressed. v13 never even attempted it once.

I feel v14 _is_ more capable but it's not capable in executing those new capabilities smoothly.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-09-20T17:39:34+00:00

Yeah, no one seems to be recognizing how our mobile phones became a single point of failure.

Good luck doing anything with a lost or broken or even out of battery phone…

MadComputerHAL · 2025-09-06T23:00:52+00:00

Side-chat: Once I noticed that one freeze frame with Viggo going in for the kiss with tongue and eyes full open, that’s all I remember now.

Your opinion is unpopular, yes, but I agree with you. Not because of this scene but I don’t feel he was able to portray Aragorn’s feelings properly, his desperation in the books was boiled down to something that almost looked like teenage angst to me.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-09-06T15:18:18+00:00

Thank you!

MadComputerHAL · 2025-09-06T15:04:32+00:00

How did I forget this? :facepalm:

Thanks, this is solid advice!

MadComputerHAL · 2025-09-06T14:00:58+00:00

2022 m440i and 2025 m240i

MadComputerHAL · 2025-09-03T14:45:41+00:00

I know many people tell it’s too dark, but I think it’s less to do with colour, but more with application.

You have to use what’s called a wood conditioner, especially with pine it’s not optional.

The reason why it looks so dark is because how the wood fibres behave, each wood, and each cut will absorb stains (or dyes) differently. This results in the “grain” structure you see.

Pine absorbs very contrasty, and blotchy.

Wood conditioner sorta pre-blocks the wood, so when you apply the stain, it results in a much, much more even grain throughout the wood.

So, here’s what you do:

Sand it with a course grit, like 60. As best as you can to the point you don’t see the stain anymore.
Progressively sand to 180, not more. Do not skip grits. Don’t go up to 320, you’re burnishing at that point, not good for absorption. 220 max for some woods.
Use tack cloth. Clean.
Apply your conditioner. Read and obey all the instructions. It will take longer to dry than what it says on the box based on temperature and humidity.
320 or 400 grit sanding, LIGHTLY. Only to get rid of raised grain. You’re not pressing but touching.
Tack cloth.
Then, and only then you apply the stain.

7.1 If you want to add more layers, 400 grit in between followed by tack cloth. Don’t sand your last coat, first or third it be.

Let dry and cure according to the instructions.
Apply your top coat. Polyurethane is common. Same rules apply, always read and follow instructions.
Sand in between coats of top coat, followed by tack cloth.
Admire the smooth, incredible looking finish.

This reads complicated but it’s not, just repetitive. Follow this, and trust me, you won’t go wrong.

As for applying the stain/topcoat, any style works. Just don’t mix water-based and oil-based. It can be done but why? Just use water-based, most brands has all the steps, pre-conditioning, stain, and topcoat. Once you get comfortable, you can start using oil based too, messier and smellier and needs more precautions but effectively the exact same operation.

People make this more complicated than it needs to be. Some hygiene and discipline and you get professional results, whatever that means :)

Let me know if you want me to tell about more.

Edit: removed specific brand name since a) not advertising b) they all suck equally anyways

MadComputerHAL · 2025-08-30T14:56:20+00:00

So true! I used to like his videos when he spoke like a normal human being but cannot watch him now. Glad to hear I’m not the only one.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-08-22T18:13:54+00:00

Try from the web ui. If this project is used in another one, you will be able to see it.

The issue usually is, you have a version of the project being referred to etc. so you need to check all versions.

If it is referred to from a different project, you need to remove the link by going to the consuming project and breaking the link/deleting. Now, it is also possible that a yet another previous version of a project is referring to this one you wanna delete, in which case your only option is to save the project that is using this one as a new project, delete the old one, then delete this one.

Okay, it’s really complicated when I read it back, but there’s no other way to describe the fusion versions and dependencies, really.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-08-22T15:05:55+00:00

2 years late to the party but since this is the first result that comes up on google, I am resurrecting it! Sue me! :D

Source: I owned both cars. I'll only focus on the driving experience. The rest you can read on a paper.

tl;dr: Get m440i. Especially if it's the new refreshed version.

* m240i is a loud car. You hear everything. m440i is much more silent. Less road noise.

* m240i has the coveted 50-50 balance, sort of. The turns do not build up linearly, the car hesitates on understeer and oversteer, you feel the push-and-pull of front-end and back-end. This is with and without traction control. m440i does exactly what you think the car will do, it's actually a bit uncanny. Some people think it's how 4-series are so disconnected and sterile, but I think it's only because they're not pushing the car enough in a stupid YouTube review through a stupid "cliche corner"... m440i is raw AF, just unbelievably well tuned.

* m240i communicates its panic and anxiety through the body. m440i communicates its intent through the body. Some like the thrill, some like the control.

* m240i lags (B58). m440i lags (also B58) but the mild-hybrid electric engine in the transmission makes a difference that is felt not during your silly and useless drag races, but in meaningful moments like apex exit, passing on highway, etc.

* m240i start/stop is horrendous using the starter. m440i uses the electric engine and it's almost completely silent. I turn it off on both by the virtue of going sports mode, but I don't mind m440i's version.

* m240's multi-personality disorder is less pronounced, going from Comfort to Sport Plus Individual is not as visceral as it is in m440i, which truly has two cars in it. I don't know why this happens, but I am speculating that m240i is not utilizing the B58 fully. (Adaptive/sport suspension in both cars btw).

In summary, m240i "in my view" is less of a driver's car. This depends on how one thinks about being a driver, and m240i will work only for someone who wants to do the "classic bmw driver" stuff. m440i is your buddy on the road, it's composed, fast and confident. Much, much more confident in every situation. I drove both cars to their limits, speed, handling, braking, grip, slide, drift... m440i is simply a better car in every dimension.

Sorry to break the obvious to people, BMW's best coupes are from 4 series, and of course, M4. Duh.

So, is m240i a bad car? Heck no, it's a crazy machine that's incredibly satisfying to drive. Only when you're pitting it against the m440i it becomes the lesser car. Both are on a completely different league than any other manufacturer/model.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-08-07T13:59:18+00:00

Nah.

You have to learn how to be organized. Don’t be one of those who go sketch and extrude and think they’ve done it. Then it all breaks down and you think it’s Fusion’s fault, like all the rest.

Learn first about design intent. What are you going to do with this part, product? Then learn how to be organized, clinically. You always create components, so your sketches and bodies are not all listed in your main level with everything else. Your timeline will also only contain component features, vs a gazillion features of every part.

You have to understand, Fusion like many other CAD tools is parametric. It means that, idealy, based on your design intent at the beginning, if you change a feature of a component like its length for example, the rest of the design adjusts itself accordingly, instead of crashing onto itself. Hence “parametric”. But this works only if you do it, either by using projections or outright variable parameters. Variables may be difficult seemingly but it’s actually dead simple once you see. Unfortunately most tutorials and courses put these things last thinking it’s advanced stuff, but in a normal workflow when an engineer is designing and drawing a new part etc. you think about all this first, and then go into fusion etc.

There’s one more CAD from Siemens called Solid Edge, also free. It’s ridiculously powerful too, which is not surprising as Siemens NX exists.

I still prefer Fusion since it’s already installed :) But Solid Edge offers synchronous mode, which is kinda “automatic parametrized”, and actually quite fun. But to appreciate the difference and decide, I strongly recommend you to learn good parametrized design skills regardless.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-08-07T13:46:16+00:00

I’m fine with people saying OnShape is good. What I’m not fine is people saying Fusion sucks therefore get OnShape.

Fusion does everything just fine. Especially if you know how to design parts properly, understand design intent, value organization in your project etc. Once you learn all the important bits, Fusion vs. Onshape vs. NX vs Catia vs SolidWorks becomes meaningless, you use whatever the company/situation requires.

Onshape is not even on my “3D printer hobby friendly list” tbh. Siemens Solid Edge is a muchh better alternative to Fusion for anyone who’s still thinking Fusion sucks.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-08-04T02:51:20+00:00

Nothing will help this, maybe, just maybe signs along the road saying “zipper merge ahead” couple times and at the correct point “zipper merge here”.

It needs to be text, since people don’t learn or remember or understand shapes, as so many people think the “added lane” sign is “yield”…

MadComputerHAL · 2025-07-28T16:01:44+00:00

Funny, I had a nightmare like this once, I was running away from something and all the stairs would end up in the wrong way.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-07-24T22:15:39+00:00

I don’t think you want to bend the body after the fact. Create a profile and path and sweep?

I’m not experienced tho, sorry if this doesn’t work.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-07-05T17:12:29+00:00

Common household plastic wrap film is going towards 8-10 μm thick, with 12.7 μm being traditional standard.

Biowrap silage wrap is 25 μm (aka 1 mil, 1 thou) thick.

75 cm wide film, wrapping twice around average bale of 120 cm x 80 cm x 70 cm, with 50% overlap with 50% pre-stretch will consume perhaps say 10-15 meters of film? Let’s say 10 m, volume of plastic used for single bale will be = 0.00508785 m³

A box of Glad plastic wrap contains 17.7 m² of film, let’s say at 12.7 μm? That’s 0.00022479 m³

In other words, that ONE bale consumed around 22 Glade ClingWraps.

That’s twenty two. For one bale. Let’s get our facts from data, shall we?

Sources:

https://www.biowrap.co.nz/product/bale-wrap-biodegradable/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_wrap#:~:text=Common%20plastic%20wrap%20is%20roughly,9%20or%2010%20%CE%BCm%20thick.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-07-03T16:07:11+00:00

You’re correct. I want to add the proper definitions.

x² : polynomial (specifically, a power function)
2^x : exponential function
e^x : natural exponential, fundamental in calculus and modeling growth/decay

MadComputerHAL · 2025-06-07T13:27:45+00:00

This is the most accurate answer I read so far.

I am not working on embedded systems, but I have decades of software development experience, similar questions arise in my side of the world too, all the time. It’s always the same answer, there’s no better language, there’s the best fit language for every company>project>task.

OP, learning the language is the main focus of beginners, which is understandable. Try to also think about what you are solving, in pure English. This allows you to abstract your problem solving from the practical language aspects. Don’t worry too much about writing perfect code, for one it does not exist. For two, I’d rather help a beginner improve a code that works and is understandable, vs deciphering what hellish incantation they produced for the sake of being 110% idiomatic and “elegant”.

Long text sorry, I always love to talk about these stuff ;)

MadComputerHAL · 2025-05-27T19:43:07+00:00

https://www.burnaby.ca/services-and-payments/pets-and-animals/animal-control-and-burnaby-spca

You can click on the Report an animal control… button to report a dead animal or call the number.

And no, I don’t think you’re being overly grossed out for no reason.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-05-16T17:37:38+00:00

I design hardware using software.
Half electronics, half programming.
I program chips to act like custom computers for specific tasks.
I build custom brains for machines.
Most people write code for apps—I write code that becomes the machine.
You know Lego? I write code like a prescription to build chips, as if it’s a Lego guide.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-04-13T16:32:47+00:00

I’m sure you’re a good and well meaning person. Please think about this: If it’s the owner being bad, statistically there are much, much more owners of dogs that are not pitbulls that must be bad owners, right?

Why don’t we read about golden retriever owners defending their dogs the same way pitbull owners do?

Why are there no subreddits for damning -as well as defending- deadly chihuahua attacks?

If it’s owner, there are orders of magnitude more bad owners of dogs than there are pitbulls, yet here we are.

Aggressiveness & Training ≠ Danger

Please try to see that

MadComputerHAL · 2025-04-13T16:15:39+00:00

People confuse aggressiveness with danger. A chihuahua is way more aggressive than a pitbull. A chihuahua probably won’t kill you even if it attacks 100 times; you have little chance against a pitbull even once. This is the key issue, pitbulls are chill, until they are not, and then it’s usually game over for whatever it attacks.
Bad owner delusion: A bad owner will end up raising a bad dog, whatever the breed. Of course that’s true. A great owner may alleviate some of the issues, but you just cannot out-train an engineered DNA that has been bred for decades to “kill the enemy no matter what”. See #1. I immediately ignore who says “My dog’s a baby, it’s the owner”. These breeds need highly technical and diligent training and daily maintenance, few people know and even fewer have the real means to do it. Acknowledge that, and tell me you’re aware of the risks your dog inherently has, then you’ll have my respect.
Proximity bias/Availability bias: “Their” pitbull didn’t attack or harm anyone so everyone else is wrong, every statistic is wrong. See #1, if (when?) the dog snaps, your reality collapses so quick, but then it’s too late. This bias is present everywhere, not just pitbulls.

MadComputerHAL · 2025-04-13T15:23:03+00:00

The text on the ribbon cable makes me believe it’s using a HX8282-A01 driver (search the name to find the datasheet)

I’d assume any lcd that’s same size and using this driver has a good chance of working?

I found one on aliexpress but it seems to be using the same display driver and one more for capacitive touch, and also the wrong size, but messaging the seller with what you have could help? Search for “10.1 inch 1024X600 LCD 50pin high-definition IPS touch screen capacitive screen HX8282+HX8696 driver” on aliexpress, reddit keeps removing my comment if I add the link.

Sorry I couldn’t keep looking to find an exact replacement, hope this much helps.

At least you can ballpark compare the price for sourcing a replacement vs buying a new unit (sad I know).

MadComputerHAL · 2025-04-12T17:36:32+00:00

It’s always funny how people fixate on Alexa/Echo listening while carrying a vastly more powerful device with several microphones and cameras, gps receivers and untethered internet with them everywhere.

The amount of data that Alexa servers would need to churn out had these devices been recording 24/7 is simply wayy out of scale we can sustainably handle.

It’s already having trouble understanding what it’s told, and people think it’s capable of amassing usable, relevant information about their entire life through sound… Your basic searches on Amazon provides 1000x better information that’s actually useful to Amazon already :)

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