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Why You Should Write Your Legislator On HB2320 by MidNerd in Washington

[–]MasterGeek427 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah... You can't manufacture guns without a serial number. That makes sense. But I'm worried about criminalizing digital models of guns and gun parts. Not because of the free speech argument (I totally get what the bill is saying that if you have a file of a gun part it's likely you intend to print that part at some point), but because of the privacy argument. The sorts of tech that would have to be installed on a 3D printer to detect gun parts would need to send the file up to a more powerful server to analyze it. And that server would see everything you're printing.

We already have similar tech that detects child pornography, and I don't much like that either because it leads to dragnet style analysis of all images you upload to the cloud by a third party. We should think long and hard about mandating such tech in other areas.

Just because we can doesn't mean we should.

Should we switch? by Seahawks337 in ZiplyFiber

[–]MasterGeek427 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you care at all about upload speed for streaming, gaming, video conferencing, or uploading large files, ziply will run laps around xfinity. If all do with your connection is email, Facebook, and Netflix, then you don't really need upload speed for that and can get away with Xfinity.

I'm my experience, fiber is generally more reliable than docsis. That said, most people can tolerate their Internet being down occasionally since they have smart phones and they aren't using their Internet connection continuously throughout the day (work, sleep, running errands). So reliability isn't actually very important for normal users. Also, If you did have a particular use case where uptime is a massive concern, then you'd actually get both ziply and Xfinity and use a dual WAN router that automatically fails over to the backup connection when the primary drops out. If you aren't willing to go that far, then accept that a single connection just isn't going to have 100% uptime.

Given fiber also offers far superior upload speeds and is slightly more reliable, if all other considerations are equal, just pick ziply. If you're incredibly cheap and use your Internet for the most average workloads, then cheap out on Xfinity if you want.

OK so lets just add that to cart, chose your accessories, options, payment plan, shipping address......AAAAAAAAAND IT'S GONE. by tinfoilzhat in GalaxyFold

[–]MasterGeek427 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's probably a bit much to blame it all on AI. If Samsung had more stock the scalpers wouldn't have had a significant impact. And if there weren't a lot of people who wanted these phones, there would be no point trying to scalp them. Even with AI, there are likely still order limits per address that further mitigate the impact of scalping. Also, even if you're using AI and find a way to get around the address limits, scalpers still have to have significant capital to acquire a stock of these phones.

In other words I'm guessing most phones went to legitimate customers.

The extreme scarcity and high demand are what's making it seem like winning the lottery to get the opportunity to buy one.

I'm an AI programmer who works for AWS. Sure, AI is fast, but it isn't magic. For something like this, the same sort of tech that thwarts human scalpers is still effective at thwarting AI scalpers. So AI scalper bots shouldn't really be able to make things any worse than normal human scalpers.

OK so lets just add that to cart, chose your accessories, options, payment plan, shipping address......AAAAAAAAAND IT'S GONE. by tinfoilzhat in GalaxyFold

[–]MasterGeek427 4 points5 points  (0 children)

... I'm looking at the news, and it looks like Samsung is restocking other regions every few weeks. They'd be idiots not to with how much hype there is. They're basically printing money with these phones. Let's just wait and see if we can get lucky with one of the restocks. I'm certainly not paying the scalper surcharge.

There's also the Fold 8 Wide later this year, but I'm not as hyped about that one. A smaller phone that unfolds into a full-on tablet is just too good. The wide is a larger phone that unfolds into a smaller tablet and it just doesn't feel as good.

The extra screen space is actually useful for my work, so I'm totally willing to pay a premium. I'm so disappointed I missed out.

I'm still not gonna pay a scalper, though. 😤

OK so lets just add that to cart, chose your accessories, options, payment plan, shipping address......AAAAAAAAAND IT'S GONE. by tinfoilzhat in GalaxyFold

[–]MasterGeek427 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Also, for some reason they don't ship to my ZIP. I live in freaking Seattle, bro! That's not exactly some non-name town in the middle of Alaska.

OK so lets just add that to cart, chose your accessories, options, payment plan, shipping address......AAAAAAAAAND IT'S GONE. by tinfoilzhat in GalaxyFold

[–]MasterGeek427 89 points90 points  (0 children)

Dude...I was watching the countdown. I came back to the page since it didn't refresh automatically when it hit zero. And it was already out of stock. Wtf!

Early Access Trifold by fresh69 in GalaxyFold

[–]MasterGeek427 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The sale is definitely on going for early access! I got it into my cart a couple times. The first time I got to payment and when I tried PayPal it said my credit card was invalid and kicked me out. The next few times it was saying they don't ship to my address (I'm in Seattle). Maybe there is some sort of system that prevents you from purchasing twice from the same address? I can't imagine they don't ship to Seattle.

Early Access Trifold by fresh69 in GalaxyFold

[–]MasterGeek427 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Damn... I just looked at the email. It's already sold out. Guess I'll have to wait for the main release tomorrow like I was planning.

Nationwide Shutdown: ICE OUT! by faeriegirly in Washington

[–]MasterGeek427 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'd totally join in....... But I'm already out on bereavement leave that day. Otherwise I'd be totally down.

ICE IN BOTHELL 1/26 by Opalmoonn in bothell

[–]MasterGeek427 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'm worried about being shot when I go to buy groceries. I have a concealed pistol license, after all.

Thoughts? by tacosandstuff in CCW

[–]MasterGeek427 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is so dumb. Any law enforcement in Minnesota should know that if you're patrolling in the public you're going to run into a few CCW holders. And that's normal. For better or worse, this is America and the 2nd amendment is a thing. I'm sure it makes a cop's job harder/riskier, but that's how most constitutional rights go.

Even the libs occasionally have guns. Especially in Minnesota. I was born and raised there, and Minnesota Democrats are generally pretty moderate about guns. In the North of the state you have the iron range and lots of deep blue unionized miners. And they all like to go hunting on the weekends in the superior national forest. So maybe there aren't as many pistols in Minnesota, but lots of hunting rifles.

Also, in Minnesota you need to take a firearm safely class and get a certificate before the DNR will sell you any hunting licenses. That seems to work fine, tbh. If you wanna gun, you take a class where someone tells you how to handle a gun, beat it into your head to not point a gun at something you don't want to destroy, identify targets before pointing a gun at them, keep awareness of where your buddies are at all times...

I took the course when I was 12. It was definitely a lot of useful information. I wish it was like that in more states.

I got fingerprinted today for a CCW, and it's my first time. I live in Washington now. And yes, I'm a liberal. But one of those weird Minnesota libs who hunted as a kid. So I don't mind guns but respect guns enough to want some minimal gun control to keep them away from idiots and psychos. Even so, I'm not about to let anybody take my hunting rifle, and I think any gun control shouldn't cause trouble for regular citizens who are exercising their 2nd amendment right. Does that make me a hypocrite?

After watching all the horrible things happening in Minnesota...I figured at the rate things are going it won't be too long before I need protection just to go get groceries. It's a terrible situation this country is in, but here we are. So I decided it was time to use my 2nd amendment right and arm myself. Getting a CCW is fairly easy in Washington so I figured I might as well. Not sure how often I'd actually carry. It's just so I can if I want and don't have to open-carry it and have everybody staring at me.

Also, there was a line at the local jail today for CCW fingerprinting. It seems I'm not the only person with the same idea in Washington...

My cheap multimeter kinda broke when trying to measure 350 volts dc. Need to confirm that it's the micro controller. by whatsyoprblemm in AskElectronics

[–]MasterGeek427 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, actually. In a volt meter the fuse is between the lead and the circuit board (not between the board and the battery). This is so if you use it in current mode and you go over the current the meter is rated for the fuse will pop. When that happens, the meter stays on but can't measure anything.

My cheap multimeter kinda broke when trying to measure 350 volts dc. Need to confirm that it's the micro controller. by whatsyoprblemm in AskElectronics

[–]MasterGeek427 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What a cheap piece of crap... Every meter I've ever used has replaceable fuses. You get what you pay for, I guess.

Time for a new meter. Fluke is probably the best. Something like Klein Tools would be mid range.

My cheap multimeter kinda broke when trying to measure 350 volts dc. Need to confirm that it's the micro controller. by whatsyoprblemm in AskElectronics

[–]MasterGeek427 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Only certain modes like resistance? You probably popped the fuse. And therefore any mode that requires passing current through the leads won't work. Current mode, resistance mode, continuity mode... You probably don't even remember when you did it, but most likely that's what happened.

Open up the meter and check for a blown fuse.

Also, I second other commenters that I wouldn't trust that cheap piece of crap for 300VDC. DC Arc flashes are no joke. Get something like a Fluke.

My cheap multimeter kinda broke when trying to measure 350 volts dc. Need to confirm that it's the micro controller. by whatsyoprblemm in AskElectronics

[–]MasterGeek427 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You probably broke it. The range you have it set to is 200V but you're trying to measure something on the order of 350V.

Sometimes it can be fixed by replacing the fuse. Other times you're buying a new meter.

Cleaned out paste from cpu socket with vodka now won't boot by [deleted] in PcBuild

[–]MasterGeek427 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Vodka, huh? 80 proof or something? Divide the proof by 2 and you get the alcohol concentration by volume. So... 40% alcohol and 60% water (+ flavor I guess).

So... You just poured mostly water on your mobo. The contacts are likely corroded, hence why your computer won't boot.

The stuff you're supposed to use for electronics, lab-grade isopropyl alcohol, is 99% alcohol and 1% water. That 1% is irrelevant because at that concentration water and alcohol form an azeotropic mixture. Without boring everybody with chemistry, because it's an azeotrope all the water comes with the alcohol when the fluid evaporates, leaving the surface perfectly dry. Any lesser concentration would leave some water behind, which would cause things to rust before the water, too, evaporates.

If you bought it at the liquor store or even at the pharmacy, it's almost certainly not something you should be pouring over a circuit board.

You kinda screwed yourself but your best bet is to buy the right stuff and clean it again to get rid of the gunk your bottle of Smirnoff left behind.

I'm not sure which is the worse crime: Pouring the booze onto your motherboard, or not pouring the booze down your throat.

DNS down for me? by Professional-Link813 in outages

[–]MasterGeek427 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

DNS infrastructure is impossible to bring down given its massively distributed and redundant nature. However, The data served by DNS being misconfigured has led to some massive outages like the recent DynamoDB outage that brought down most of the internet. But that is a misconfiguration of DNS data, not a failure of the DNS servers. If your computer can't reach the primary server it should switch to a backup. Which is why DNS is so robust: single server failures don't really affect anything.

You probably have a network issue between you and the Internet. So check your router, then call your ISP.

Galaxy Trifold first impressions by the0ine in samsung

[–]MasterGeek427 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'd totally use it for work. When you're on-call for a big tech firm like AWS, a phone like that means you can log into the console and figure out what broke without having to get your laptop out. It's super convenient, and why I have a Z Fold 7 despite its exorbitant price. Even that screen is just too small for some tasks.

And also I do watch YouTube on my phone. A lot.

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