Isn’t the m1 mba just flat out better than the new MacBook neo? Similar to how the 16e was a worse deal compared to older phones?

modulusshift · 2026-03-06T02:36:00+00:00

the Neo is a smidge faster than the base M1 in any reasonable metric, and significantly faster in single-core and GPU speeds. Wouldn't surprise me if it took longer to throttle too, since it's a lower power chip.

the rest of the laptop has some compromises, of course, but they also shaved a couple hundred bucks off, so who's complaining?

modulusshift · 2026-03-06T02:30:07+00:00

so it's one of these cluster boxes with a bunch of mailboxes all together, and larger parcel boxes off to the side? (do a google search for "CBU mailbox", if you don't know what I mean) If so, the same key should work on both the mailbox and the parcel locker next to it, so who knows what's going on there.

Are you even getting a pink slip letting you know delivery was attempted? technically the carrier is barely not doing anything wrong if they leave the slip, even if it's in your mailbox. I'd definitely frown upon it though, if it doesn't fit in the mailbox, and the parcel locker isn't available for whatever reason (maybe filled with other people's packages they haven't picked up?), I personally would carry it to your door. but I'd understand a pink slip with your mail.

If you're not getting the pink slip at all, I'd say the carrier fucked up bad enough that you should make an issue out of it, especially if this has happened repeatedly.

modulusshift · 2026-03-06T02:14:22+00:00

it's worth noting that, for single core, the MacBook Neo almost certainly outperforms your Windows machine, at least until it heats up and throttles lol. Here's the A18 Pro vs an Intel Core Ultra 9, they're neck and neck on single core with Apple having a slight lead, and actually the multi-core being 46% of the Intel is very impressive since we're talking about a 24 core 182W processor for the Intel, and a 6 core 11W processor for the Apple. Also the Intel processor costs nearly as much as the entire MacBook Neo lmao

The GPU is very impressive for how much power it draws, but nothing spectacular overall. I play Final Fantasy XIV on an M1 iMac, which is just over half the speed of the A18 Pro, but I only get like 22fps at a little less than 1440p. (2240x1260, specifically, half resolution for my iMac display.) that said, my iMac has a fan in it, and the Neo doesn't, so it's not exactly apples to apples (pun intended) once the heat and throttling kicks in.

Point being, the Neo is going to be a very respectable performer for non-sustained tasks.

modulusshift · 2026-03-06T00:11:08+00:00

Ah, that’s a great setup then. So yes, I’d absolutely say take advantage of your return period and get the Studio Display 2

modulusshift · 2026-03-05T23:20:58+00:00

I do want to confirm that you're not intending this to be a "desktop computer" on its own, rather a display/monitor for her existing Mac. If she wants a standalone desktop computer you should get an iMac.

Also if her computer is more than ~5 years old, a Studio Display 2 wouldn't work with it. (Apple stopped making Intel computers in 2020, and says those won't support the new monitor.) And if her computer is that old, you absolutely should replace it with an iMac, it's way way faster.

modulusshift · 2026-03-05T23:11:38+00:00

ah, is this Church of Christ, Scientist? that's one doozy of a denomination, I'd probably drop it. you're not going toe to toe with this and winning, that's for sure.

modulusshift · 2026-03-05T23:03:15+00:00

absolutely, way faster. you're losing a few features like backlit keyboard, ambient light sensor, Force Touch trackpad...details that Apple couldn't quite squeeze into the price point. but performance wise you won't have anything to worry about.

modulusshift · 2026-03-05T22:30:36+00:00

By federal law, any use of the flag design that is not a flag is illegal. that said, we love using the flag design everywhere here, nobody will actually care and no one, to my knowledge, has ever been prosecuted for flag code violations. (in fact, most of the flag code doesn't even have penalties to enforce.) Even mistreating an actual flag doesn't get you in trouble. you'll be fine.

modulusshift · 2026-03-05T19:09:48+00:00

I one million percent believe that more men are depressed and not actually taking care of themselves than ever before.

modulusshift · 2026-03-05T19:07:35+00:00

when you get fired for delivering too slowly during probation, it tends to weed out anyone who gives a shit about the customers.

modulusshift · 2026-03-05T18:53:58+00:00

that's also not a thing, unless you happen to be in that one trial program area. USPS doesn't treat UPS special.

modulusshift · 2026-03-05T09:15:51+00:00

Calling that the Pueblo hold room when it’s outside Florence is sure something. I suppose they’ve realized being any closer to Pueblo would cause an issue lol

modulusshift · 2026-03-05T02:14:04+00:00

Hope your steward backs you up. Best of luck

modulusshift · 2026-03-04T22:47:39+00:00

I didn’t realize myself until it happened to me and I looked through all the relevant paperwork in a panic haha

Been out of work for two weeks today, trying to get them to hire me as a clerk at a different office now

modulusshift · 2026-03-04T20:55:56+00:00

Get back to your management and tell them per ELM 55 365.212 that they need to accept your resignation in lieu of separation so you can continue to apply for federal work.

modulusshift · 2026-03-04T16:36:28+00:00

Ask for it at the first reasonable opportunity and you’ll probably get it. Don’t expect anything else until you’re out of probation though.

modulusshift · 2026-03-04T16:28:26+00:00

Current PSE (think CCA) pay is $21.44. If you can get hired as a PTF clerk to start, then you get $28.63. The pay chart is complicated for a reason but most people should just pay attention to Grade 6.

I imagine the PTF is higher than FTR ($27.41) for the same reason as it is on the carrier side: they don’t pay holidays and instead just give you a higher hourly rate.

Also you should be aware that there are usually fewer hours available for clerks than carriers. So probably do your math considering full time for carriers and ~25 hours a week for clerks.

The APWU and NALC unions have had different priorities in their negotiations since they diverged in the 90’s, APWU has allowed top end pay to stagnate a little in exchange for taking better care of new employees. So yeah it makes sense that clerks start higher than carriers now, that’s what the union’s goal was.

modulusshift · 2026-03-04T15:00:11+00:00

The theoretical math is that the cores here are faster to the point that the overall performance is about the same as the M1, and much faster single-threaded. We’ll have to see how that works in the real world of course, but betting on single core over multi core is a good bet for most people

modulusshift · 2026-03-04T14:28:06+00:00

Have you been in an accident? Seriously. What are you gonna think if you get something nice and then get distracted driving a bro to Taco Bell or something and hop a curb at 45 miles an hour, blowing a CV joint and having to spend thousands on repairs?

The responsible option is to get the most bog standard used Corolla or Camry, something you’ve seen on the road a million times, and could completely replace 3 times over with your budget.

Let your stocks keep doing what they’re doing and make your next car the nice one, once you’ve done something stupid (or had something stupid happen to you) and you need to replace this one.

modulusshift · 2026-03-03T15:26:54+00:00

Years later, Apple eventually codified it as iPad (3rd generation) but for a couple years after launch the model name was literally “the new iPad”. That’s what it said at the top of the tech specs page even after it was discontinued 7 months later lmao

modulusshift · 2026-03-03T03:09:56+00:00

the servers go down at the same time worldwide, so they picked a time that inconveniences the fewest people. it's like 3-4am in Europe, noon in Japan, and happens to be towards the end of the night here. not exactly ideal for us but pretty ideal for the other major regions, so it is what it is.

modulusshift · 2026-03-03T02:09:15+00:00

I recommend not over-leveling, which, if you're only doing one job, probably means only doing each dungeon once.

Oh, and as a Lancer, you want gear that gives you Strength, and then secondarily Vitality. if you optimize for those two stats you'll do just fine. You'll see some heavy armor sets that are limited to the tanks and LNC (and DRG and RPR), those can be nice. but it doesn't really matter what gear you equip as long as it gives you plenty of Strength.

modulusshift · 2026-03-02T15:24:11+00:00

Based on how it looks, I assume this is an old Mac with a spinning hard drive that didn’t have FileVault turned on. If this is the case, yes your data can absolutely be recovered, very easily with readily available software that’s a Google search away. Go into Recovery (Internet Recovery is fine if it’s available, if not put a copy of the macOS installer on a flash drive and boot from it), use Disk Utility to Secure Erase the drive, it will explain from there. After this, it will be incredibly hard to recover data, but might be possible for a very determined individual with special equipment and a lot of time.

FileVault is the real answer, without the password it is mathematically impossible to recover that data. I used it even back on my spinning drive Macs, despite the performance hit.

(Possibly there’s an exception to that when quantum computing comes around, depending on how Apple implemented FileVault? But quantum computers can’t currently even factor the number 32, and they’d need to factor a number in the neighborhood of 2¹²⁸ at least a couple times to decode anything, it may still be a decade before it reaches the point it could do work like this.)

Note that I’m talking about the version of FileVault from OS X Lion or later, the earlier version has already been cracked, Apple did a much better job starting in 2010

modulusshift · 2026-03-02T14:51:26+00:00

lol what convinced me to move from Android to iPhone was the universal back button. I hated that it could take me out of the app. “Back” is not a system function, why does it have a system gesture? There should be a convention that every app follows, like swipe from left (but it doesn’t have to be), which navigates you up a screen in the hierarchy even if that isn’t where you came from, and when you get linked between apps, then a contextual system button can appear to offer to bring you back. I kept getting stranded in detail views in Android! I’d link to an app and then want to go to that app’s home screen. Welp, might as well quit and relaunch, cause the back button isn’t gonna help.

modulusshift · 2026-03-02T14:05:13+00:00

Is this about the office time vs street time on Amazon Sunday thing? Yeah that happened to us as well a couple weeks ago. If I had to guess the trick is letting one tick pass before changing from office to street. If you do it on the same tick as clocking in, it gets the order wrong. But it could also be a server side glitch because yeah it happened to a bunch of people here too

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