There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge." - Isaac Asimov (1980)
Tyler K. Nothing

All the nothing Tyler knows in one place!

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Into the Unbeing Part One #1

Zac Thompson


    apple

    Microposts

    Well, that’s not great. Another good reason to get a #MacMini, though I do understand the allure of the #iMac. When I got my M1 I considered getting the iMac, but I already had a dual-display setup and the M1 iMac can only handle one external display. #PROTIP: Always get AppleCare+. #Apple will make it difficult to get anything repaired unless they issue an official recall. #tech #hardware www.macworld.com/article/2…

    technology

    Microposts

    #GPD is about to roll out their new Pocket 4 micro laptop and it’s gotten a significant upgrade. It now features an #AMD #Ryzen AI 9 HX370 CPU with a #Radeon 890M iGPU and an 8.8" 2560x1600 144Hz display. It has 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 and a swappable port module on the back, as well. It’s more for admins than for gaming but it’s rather versatile and can even run #linux. Very slick little devices! #tech youtu.be/FWo4xElfK…

    Microposts

    Well, this is interesting. Does the name D.B. Cooper ring a bell? It should, as that’s the nom de plume of the only air pirate case that has never been solved. 57 years ago today, he jumped out of a commercial jet with a parachute and $200,000 and has, so far, gotten away scot free. It’s seems now, however, that they might have their first new evidence since they soft-closed the case in 2016. #crime #airpirates #airlines #robbery #dbcooper yro.slashdot.org/story/24/…

    video games

    technology

    Microposts

    Well, I kind of expect dumb from Redmond’s very own Factory of Dull, #Microsoft, but this is on another level. I still have no idea why anyone tolerates #Windows11, what with all the shady crap being slotted into the successor to the “Last Windows”, #Windows10. They’ve paused 24H2 because some of Ubisoft’s #VideoGames crash after the update is applied. Wow. Just run Windows 10, peeps. #tech www.theverge.com/2024/11/2…

    apple

    technology

    Microposts

    Dave’s Garage on #YouTube does a nice breakdown of performance benchmarks comparing the new M4 Pro Mini to the M2 Ultra Mac Pro and, for shits & giggles, a Threadripper 7995WX. My takeaway: If you’re an everyday, average user, get the M4 Mini base model and an external Samsung T7 2TB SSD. #tech #apple #M4MacMini #benchmarking www.youtube.com/watch

    CORRECTION: I originally stated the comparison included the M2 Ultra Mini, a system that does not exist, and have corrected it to M4 Ultra Mac Pro.

    video games

    Microposts

    I have a complex relationship with home #arcade cabinets. I want one, but I want specific ones like Arctic Thunder or San Francisco Rush 2049, which aren’t stick cabs. If, however, you’re into classic stick and button cabs, then #Evercade’s new Alpha mini cabinets might tickle that spot for you. At $230 for the Mega Man or Street Fighter version, you get what looks like a nice unit, but with a few caveats. #videogames #retrogaming #tech www.wired.com/review/ev…

    apple

    retro technology

    Microposts

    Here’s a rather fascinating (and detailed) breakdown of installing a 1TB mSATA SSD into a PowerBook G4 1.67GHz hi-res display model, the last of the mobile PowerPC PowerBooks. I put a similar rig in my G4 Mini 1.4GHz “Silent Upgrade”, though my SSD is a mere 120GBs. Then again, I run Mac OS 9.22 on it, with a 10.4 partition. #apple #Mac #retrocomputing #hardware lowendmac.com/2024/fanx…

    Microposts

    Is it just me or is #Facebook a stupid name for anything? #stupid #tech #internet

    video games

    retro technology

    Microposts

    In the rarely used #GoodNews category of #VideoGamePreservation, Epic Games has granted the Internet Archive permission to archive old versions of #UnrealEngine and #UnrealTournament and make them available to anyone who wants them… for #FREE! It may be a small step in the wide-ranging universe of outmoded #videogames, but it is a step! Take heed, publishers hoarding old games!! #RetroComputing #tech mjtsai.com/blog/2024…

    technology

    Microposts

    Tyler Fisher (no relation) has announced Sill, an open source web-based Nuzzle-like tool that aggregates popular links from your social media sources, currently Mastodon and Bluesky. I can’t say I know anything about Nuzzle, though I recall hearing it was popular at some point :) It seems to have some neat features. #4nerds #socialmedia #internet #utilities sixcolors.com/link/2024…

    apple

    technology

    Microposts

    Satechi dropped some details on their upcoming new hub stand for the redesigned M4 Mac Mini, sans a price, though the model designed for the older models sold for $100. From what we can tell, it has three USB-A ports and an SD card slot on the front and it can take up to a 2280 4TB NVMe SSD drive, but is limited to 10Gb/s speeds, so it’s probably best for wireless peripherals and TimeMachine backups. #tech #Apple #hardware satechi.net/landing/n…

    technology

    Microposts

    I would have loved having one of these back in my D&D, GURPS, Aftermath #TTRPG days, but it won’t come cheap. Starting at $100 for the plastic model and going up from there, the Timestop D-20 will roll up to 12 D4 through D20 and has graphics for crits, and can even roll up to a D100. Oh yeah, it even tells time! #gaming #nerdculture #gadgets #tech #lofi #watches gizmodo.com/this-d-20…

    Microposts

    I guess it’s fair that #Macworld’s David Price put ‘confirmed’ in quotes, but it is potentially misleading. Sure, a Barclays analyst has seen clear evidence that the #iPhone #SE4 is likely shipping early next year, but nothing is for sure with the #Apple of today. Mid-range phones are hot these days, however, so I think this #rumor has merit. As always, we must wait and see. #tech www.macworld.com/article/2…

    Microposts

    If you want to buy a new TV but would prefer that it were stupid, as I have for years now, then get one from Sceptre, an American electronics firm that makes Dumb TVs. We got our 55" 4K TV for $330 and, while it’s not amazing, it works great with our Apple TV box. Then you can avoid the coming madness illustrated below. #tech #advertising #television arstechnica.com/gadgets/2…

    Microposts

    If you need any more evidence that granting an opaque black box of magical faux brains domain over data to remake at will, give this lede a quick read. AI is artificial. It is NOT intelligent, but it’s clearly dangerous. #tech #ai #law #copyright #robotapocalypse www.wired.com/story/new…

    ...

    capitalism

    editorial

    Microposts

    Um. Wow. Okay… So, it’s a banana… and it’s taped to a wall… with a strip of standard silver duct tape. And it just sold at auction for $6.24 MILLION DOLLARS. Aside from being the easiest art to forge, I applaud artist Maurizio Cattelan for creating “Comedian” since it pokes the art industrial complex in the eye and the winning bid makes fools of every last art “speculator” out there. It also peeks under the veneer of stupid we’re running on these days. #art #banana #stupid www.nbcnews.com/news/us-n…

    Microposts

    Good news, everyone! In #iOS 18.2, slated to release in a few weeks, you’ll be able to set more default apps to replace #Apple’s own apps, and in one easy-to-find place. In the US, you’ll be able to change email, messaging, calling, browser, passwords, keyboards, and a few more esoteric functions. This expands Apple’s efforts to improve customization in iOS with the release of iOS 18 and is very welcome. #tech #iPhone 9to5mac.com/2024/11/2…

    Microposts

    I’m an American so, while the ZX Spectrum was here, it didn’t blow up like the C64, Atari, and Apple ][, and I was a TRS-80 kid ;) This looks really cool, though. You can build it yourself or order a pre-built for $99 on Crowd Supply. #retrocomputing #tech #ZXSpectrum

    ESP32 Rainbow is an homage to the ZX Spectrum with an integrated display (crowdfunding) liliputing.com/esp32-rai…

    Microposts

    LOLZ. I have a hard time believing that #Qualcomm can catch up to #Apple Silicon’s performance and efficiency levels any time soon. Has anyone evaluated the M-series generational performance gains against Moore’s Law yet? I bet those are some interesting numbers. Meanwhile, the Q hasn’t been a big draw in #Windows laptops, what with compatibility issues and lackluster performance and efficiency. #tech #ARM liliputing.com/qualcomm-…

    Microposts

    Lame. Get a new #M4MacMini or sidegrade to #Linux and continue to benefit from your existing investment for years to come. Unsurprising, though. #Microsoft’s user market share has been slowly but steadily dropping for years now. I expect that to accelerate. #tech #windows10 www.theverge.com/2024/11/2…

    Microposts

    Wut!? How so very bizarre. Then again, who of us wouldn’t want to fight a billionaire over the shit they pull. #videogames #internet #capitalism

    Billionaire Waits Outside Supermarket To Fight Call Of Duty Fan kotaku.com/call-duty…

    Microposts

    Wow. The hypocrisy is so thick I can’t see my own hand facepalming. #uspol #TFG www.salon.com/2024/11/2…

    Microposts

    I’m sorry, but this is just yet another bucket full of stupid into the seemingly bottomless pit of live-action remakes of beloved animated properties coming from major studios. Animation is a medium, not a sub-standard genre. #animation #film #HowToTrainYourDragon #DreamWorks www.awn.com/news/hicc…

    Microposts

    I’d say #Bluesky is doing pretty well against #Threads considering that it doesn’t have a #Facebook/#Instagram/#WhatsApp/#Meta/Lizardoid behind it. #socialmedia #AIsucks #EmbraceRetroTech www.engadget.com/social-me…

    Microposts

    Well, it seems that #RiotGames is hitting back at reports that they wasted $250 million on two seasons of their #Netflix animated series, #Arcane. In short, they’re calling bullshit. The show was always supposed to be two seasons, and not the five being reported. And the cost? Apparently 80% of that is going to the #animation wizards at French studio #Fortiche, and the price tag is in service to the art and paying artists what they deserve. Fair. gizmodo.com/arcane-se…

    I’ll freely admit that I avoided starting it because I expected to be forever disappointed by yet another excellent show being cancelled early and didn’t want to be left hanging. I was, however, convinced to give it a go by a fellow Mastodonian, and I …