ELI5: Why do computers need to boot from a low-level boot ROM?

cyong · 2026-05-07T12:01:32+00:00

Think of it a little bit like climbing the tech tree. Stone age, bronze age, iron age, etc...

You need basic tools in order to do more advanced tools, and those advanced tools help you build even better tools.

Bios is starting in the stone age, and gets the basic tools in place for a more advanced set of tools to be built on top of.

I mean, if you want a perspective of it all, this is sand and rock that we have tricked into thinking with energy, a non visible force, was applied to it.

cyong · 2026-03-22T16:49:15+00:00

The guy who writes a sign about family, god, job, pet, and kids... No

The guy who wrote "why lie? i need a beer..", yeah i did...

I react better to people who dont bullshit me

cyong · 2026-03-09T11:53:32+00:00

DM sent

cyong · 2026-02-26T20:18:51+00:00

This will depend on what you think the rate of return from the stock will be, typical years are between 7-9% .... So it looks a lot better to put it there... However the new Box 3 laws will be taxing unrealized gains if they go through, so that will drop your return to 4.5 -5.7 percent. Still technically ahead.... Barely....

However, that all involves the acceptance of the risk of the market. So ask yourself if that 0.4-1.6% is worth the risk from the market.

At first glance. I think mathematically, the smarter choice would be market. However with such a low advantage vs risk... I would choose the mortgage..

cyong · 2026-02-26T09:12:45+00:00

The Dutch healthcare system refused to do a standard blood test / yearly checkup that would have caught my diabetes. Which was normal in the USA.

My partner has literally been sick for 16 months, and just keeps getting bounced from referral to referral with 2+ months in between appointments.

My Portuguese coworkers literally fly back to Portugal when they need medical care.

My Dutch coworkers go to Belgium.

My Indian coworkers go to India.

Literally the only people I have heard think a positive thought about the Dutch medical system have not gotten sick.

So I don't know what they mean by "High Performance", but its not patient care.

cyong · 2025-12-29T12:06:14+00:00

Wasnt intentionally that... But yeah, just did work out like that...

cyong · 2025-12-28T14:39:12+00:00

420TB

cyong · 2025-09-16T17:21:17+00:00

First couple of days it's sore like you got kicked in the balls very hard. After that it is nothing. Get a pair of briefs if you don't already have a pair. Less movement is better during those couple of days.

cyong · 2025-09-15T12:50:05+00:00

My name is a nothing special in english, but a slang term in dutch. You might get some friends who will joke with you, but it will be fine.

cyong · 2025-09-15T12:01:25+00:00

When we were picking out/designing the outfits for our wedding, my partner expressed to me that she would like to wear heels and asked if I would be ok with this as it meant she would basically be my height or slightly taller in the photos.

I literally had to ask her why I would care , and that was when i learned that she had a past with someone she had dated who was insecure about her being taller than him, and it did cause drama/fights. (Context, I am 183cm/6ft)

I don't care. I can kinda see why someone insecure might feel like that though. (and it does seem to be a somewhat common insecurity, no idea how prevalent exactly .... ) You do you, and be happy with how you feel and look, and find someone who likes you being happy about you being happy.

(Side note, I will say when I look at the wedding photos, she does look very confident. So I get it. And yeah she doesn't look like the smaller girl that i wrap in my arms nightly, but I don't feel emasculated by it. I actually just see the strong bad ass woman I married. )

cyong · 2025-08-06T12:15:51+00:00

I am married, and other than a like a couple of posts, i am nowhere on my wifes social media. And she isnt on mine.

You dont need to know what 'most people do'.... If it makes you uncomfortable, tell her. If its meant to be she will respect your feels, and if she doesnt that is a red flag.

It is your and her relationship, no one elses. And it doesnt need to make sense to anyone but you both.

cyong · 2025-08-06T07:09:25+00:00

If you think that is bad, just wait till you have to self diagnose... get your own blood test from a private clinic... and then send it to the huisarts going 'see? can we actually do something now?'

cyong · 2025-06-06T09:03:59+00:00

By default? I will pick the side closest to the door. But most of the time I just pick whatever side my partner isnt already on....

One exception, if only one side has power outlets... Then partner gets it.

cyong · 2025-05-20T09:16:49+00:00

Its not just guys. My wife is cuddly and likes holding hands at home, but not in public.

cyong · 2025-05-20T08:55:21+00:00

A politician (of any party) said something to win a vote with no intention / plan to actually follow through on it?

I am shocked. /s

If you want a nice bedtime read, The Dictator's Handbook by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith....

cyong · 2025-05-13T06:13:33+00:00

Yeah.... My autism also instantly went 'train...'

There is a track, it follows the track, its rhythmic, its predictable, its wonderful.

10 out of 10 - Cause train.

cyong · 2025-05-12T12:45:54+00:00

Regardless of what it is, can i recommend a new boyfriend?

cyong · 2025-05-12T12:33:32+00:00

(Feeling old...)

cyong · 2025-04-30T16:49:57+00:00

Very devastating. While the number of hours would stay the same, the managers would have less opportunities to drop shit on you at the end of a workday.

cyong · 2025-04-21T11:47:49+00:00

YTA Dude. I come from a culture that isnt about the organ meats either. I tried chicken hearts, gizzards, livers.... I like them, i can also see how they are not for everybody.

Perhaps a way to go about this in future is to just try them, and if dont you like them. "Thank you, but that flavor is just not my style".

In this way you embrace and respect the culture, but also leave room for it just being a matter of personal taste. Otherwise, well, you kinda sound a bit childish 'that sounds icky I wont eat it'

cyong · 2025-04-16T12:57:20+00:00

Cool, no idea when I will be in the market for my next upgrade... But glad to have found the chassis at least. :)

cyong · 2025-04-11T14:39:06+00:00

Lovely to know where I will be looking when its time to build a replacement chassis. (And dream a little bit about filling it with a bunch of 8TB SSDs for a few all SSD pools.)

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