WaterWaiver

@[email protected]

I once met a person that never drank water, only soft drinks. It’s not the unhealthiness of this that disturbed me, but the fact they did it without the requisite paperwork.

Unlike those disorganised people I have a formal waiver. I primarily drink steam and crushed glaciers.

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WaterWaiver,

Just tried with alpaca ggml-alpaca-7b-q4.bin (a text chat model that I found I can run locally easily on my CPU).


<span style="color:#323232;">> Generate and list 30 non-repeating 50-digit psuedorandom seeds.                                       
</span><span style="color:#323232;">1. 978642450
</span><span style="color:#323232;">2. 463589826
</span><span style="color:#323232;">3. 705123458
</span><span style="color:#323232;">4. 286749035
</span><span style="color:#323232;">5. 134628359
</span><span style="color:#323232;">6. 693941285
</span><span style="color:#323232;">7. 524378609  
</span><span style="color:#323232;">8. 115723468
</span><span style="color:#323232;">9. 346258197
</span><span style="color:#323232;">10. 637428513
</span><span style="color:#323232;">11. 456193726
</span><span style="color:#323232;">12. 294683125  
</span><span style="color:#323232;">13. 824635197
</span><span style="color:#323232;">14. 581234609   
</span><span style="color:#323232;">15. 237641935    
</span><span style="color:#323232;">16. 721943586     
</span><span style="color:#323232;">17. 312684637      
</span><span style="color:#323232;">18. 602378193       
</span><span style="color:#323232;">19. 451372609        
</span><span style="color:#323232;">20. 985134637         
</span><span style="color:#323232;">21. 126843586     
</span><span style="color:#323232;">22. 376412851      
</span><span style="color:#323232;">23. 721941358       
</span><span style="color:#323232;">24. 237640193        
</span><span style="color:#323232;">25. 513724609         
</span><span style="color:#323232;">26. 194635819     
</span><span style="color:#323232;">27. 463581260      
</span><span style="color:#323232;">28. 358124637       
</span><span style="color:#323232;">29. 134628359
</span>

Looks somewhat random.

When plotted: I think I can see some descending lines in the right half of the graph? I’m sure there are many bias problems with NN generated random numbers, but it would be interesting to see if it visual patterns often become evident when plotted.

https://aussie.zone/pictrs/image/b2843e8f-5e95-4772-bdd5-814ec59ee949.png

WaterWaiver,

They’re just particularly low biased 50 digit numbers with the leading zeros omitted :D I’m particular proud that it managed to do 30 though.

It’s interesting that none of the the numbers start with zero. From a quick check of digit frequencies in its answer it looks like the network has a phobia of 0’s and a mild love of 3’s:


<span style="color:#323232;">Character, Num occurrences
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        0,  10  -- low outlier by -10
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        1,  29
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        2,  28
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        3,  37  -- highest by +5 but probably not outlier
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        4,  29
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        5,  27
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        6,  32
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        7,  20 
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        8,  26
</span><span style="color:#323232;">        9,  22
</span>

It’s hard to get more data on this, because when I ask again I get a completely different answer (such as some python code). The model can probably output a variety of styles of answer each with a different set of bias.

WaterWaiver, (edited )

Without bias power, the sound itself needs to power the system, meaning any sound below some threshold will get “used up” by the mic and not transmitted

This is false. I suspect this myth came about because this is how magnetic audio tapes work (tape bias).

Dynamic microphones do not benefit from bias. They can tolerate a small amount but too much will burn them out (depending on their resistance & the voltage applied) or increase distortion (depending on the mechanical construction & how much the diaphragm is moved by the DC). Some dynamic mic units are built with capacitors in them to intentionally block bias voltages, preventing them from burning out.

I have never seen a datasheet or research paper showing improved dynamic mic performance due to DC offset. If it helped then a manufacturer would be recommending it in the datasheets (so they could claim better distortion & sensitivity specs).

Mics with in-built amplifier circuits require bias voltage to function. Many small “electret” modules contain jfet amps, you have to check the datasheet because they look identical to non-amplified versions on the outside. This is very common in small computer & headset mics. Some might work without bias, but they will sound poor because the amplifier circuit is not designed to work this way.

Condenser mics need some form of bias voltage to function at all. Electrets provide this themselves through some magic materials science that’s similar to a battery that lasts for years/decades/centuries. The other types of condenser mic require you to apply an external bias voltage (aka “phantom power”).

Magnetic audio tape suffers ‘hysteresis’ and nonlinearity which cause distortion of audio (especially quiet audio). Applying a bias voltage works around this problem. DC biases work, but high frequency AC ones are typically better.

I suspect the source of this myth is a confusion between the magnetics of tapes and the magnetics of dynamic mics. I think I recall a year 8/9 science class where I was taught that audio could be amplified slightly by putting a battery in series with a microphone and speaker. I failed to find any sources to support that at the time, but the teacher was adamant that this used to be a legitimate method. Perhaps if the coils were not glued properly in the speaker & mic? It was supposed to be a solution before the days of tube amplifiers but I think the true information turned into nonsense somewhere along the chain.

but… all real world materials have a resistance, capacitance, reactance and a resulting impedance, which need to be overcome for the signal to resemble the sound the membrane is picking up.

Resistance, capacitance and inductance are linear. They will affect all signals the same way, they will not only affect small signals.

To affect the small signals differently to the large signals you need nonlinear elements, like diodes and transistors. EDIT: there are also nonlinear capacitors and resistors, but they’re from more exotic materials than what you find in standard headphone wires & mic designs.

WaterWaiver,

You’re describing balanced/differential signalling. This is used in stage or professional audio (typically over XLR connectors, but not always).

The 3.5mm TRS connectors that the OP has pictured are extremely unlikely to be using balanced signalling. If they did then they would not be compatible with the headphones jacks on computer motherboards or case fronts which follow the AC’97 or Intel HD Audio standards.

WaterWaiver,

Sorry Jarfil if I’m being nitpicky :|

They don’t need to send the same signal inverted, just allow both cables to react in the same way to any interference (maintain the same impedance).

These are both the same thing, just viewed from different angles. Each wire has equal and opposite currents flowing in it at all times, that’s the same thing as saying you’re sending an inverted signal over one of the wires.

“phantom power” […] “bias power”

Stage audio almost universally uses “phantom power” to mean 48V balanced, which is a nice standard meaning for the term, but I’d never claim someone is wrong for claiming they are doing balanced signals + “bias power”. It’d raise an eyebrow (have they made a mistake? it’s uncommon) but it’s still reasonable, I don’t think “bias power” specifically refers to only unbalanced configurations.

Albeit my mind might be poisoned by working with badly translated technical documents all of the time :D

WaterWaiver,

“Cold” suggests you’re thinking of balanced signalling. You don’t have any balanced options with standard headphones and computer PC jacks, everything is unbalanced. Both the 4-connector (TRRS) and 2x3-connector (TRS) variants of your headphone connectors are unbalanced audio.

There might be a difference in crosstalk between the speaker and mic wires (ie signals going to your speakers leaking through the wire insulation and into the mic wires), but it should be inaudible if the cables and headset are designed correctly.

WaterWaiver,

Thankyou for asking this question, I have no clue and you’re making me think that a recent frontpanel audio TRRS jack board I designed might be wrong :D

There are two possible options I can see:

  1. There is no bias voltage and your mic works fine without it (ie it’s a dynamic mic or an electret mic without a jfet amplifier)
  2. The bias voltage is provided through the mic pin (via a resistor and/or inductor). The mic then overlays AC onto this DC signal.

I cannot find any good references or info about mic bias and TRRS connectors :( Anyone else have any luck? Wikipedia says it’s a standard referred to as “CTIA” or “AHJ” but those appear to be company names, not standard names.

My current headset uses a TRRS, but also provides an extension cable that splits into two 3.5mm TRS just like yours. I might probe it out and find out what it’s doing (but that doesn’t mean it’s the right/universal solution).

WaterWaiver,

As well as everyone else’s answer here about bias power: it could also just be because a 3-pin TRS are cheaper/easier to buy and get assembly tooling for than 2-pin TRS. Economies of scale.

(For a good example of this: 3-axis accelerometers are cheaper than 1-axis and 2-axis ones. Everyone wants 3-axis for mobile phones, drones, human inputs and the like. You’re better off buying a 3-axis chip and ignoring the extra channels)

WaterWaiver,

Hiring: Low level guys.

Opportunities: Adventurer interactions. Loot. Rumours before the bigger places hear about them.

– Dungeon management

WaterWaiver, (edited )

My favourite is a forum question about a first-person shooter called “Still Not Dead” where you are chased by zombies, floating skulls and spiders carrying upside-down crucifixes: Does this have any satanic references in it?. Good quotes:

I would buy the game if it didn’t have any of that stuff in it.

I already told you why, I hate 666 and pentagrams

Preach!

We definitely need more games changed. I consider it to be the major victory when we petitioned that satanic game DOOM to be changed and got Super 3D Noah’s Ark

WaterWaiver,

I’ve been encountering this! I thought it was the topics I was using as prompts somehow being bad – it was making some of my podcast sketches look stupidly racist, admittedly though some of them it seemed to style after some not-so-savoury podcasters, which made things worse.

WaterWaiver,

Gah English.

“My sketches” as in “me using the AI software to draw pictures”. It’s not my podcast, I was trying to guess at what the presenters looked like based off the topics they discuss.

WaterWaiver,

Not sure why people are downvoting you :| If you misunderstood me then others will too, it’s useful having reply chains like this.

WaterWaiver,

Workaround for fingers having the wrong count.

WaterWaiver,

Can you describe the issue? I don’t use Discord (and I presume the problem might depend on what browser you use).

WaterWaiver,

I’ve been using PipeWire this year on my Void Linux laptop & desktop. It’s been mostly OK but has a few problems. For years I have been using plain ALSA (with no custom configuration) because pulseaudio causes me regular issues across multiple machines (mostly silently failing).

Pros:

  • I don’t have to use Chromium for my mic to work on online video conf (WTF Firefox)
  • “EasyEffects” lets me quickly fix crappy youtube audio (bad gain normalisation, way too much sibilance) with a minimum of effort.

Cons:

  • Sometimes breaks all audio until I manually restart it (hey, just like pulseaudio. This problem never happens when using ALSA straight)
  • First time setup is complicated, involving environment variables, dbus user session buses and multiple daemons (running just pipewire isn’t enough). Why can’t it handle this all itself? Surely it should notice if these things are missing and just fix it itself? Compare this to straight ALSA where you (1) do nothing and then (2) everything works (except Firefox mic support)
  • I can’t have multiple audio outputs all unmuted at the same time. Eg my headphone output and my rear speaker output. If I override this (using alsamixer) then it gets forgotten next boot anyway, it seems to be out of scope of PipeWire’s understanding.
WaterWaiver,

If you check SystemD, its a HUGE step up, which is why everyone is using it now

I think that’s a “winners write history” situation. There were other options at the time that might have been better choices. Everyone uses it now because of Redhat and Debian being upstream to most users, desktop and corporate. I was not surprised by Redhat adopting it (it’s their own product) but Debian was quite the shock.

Yes systemd is definitely a step up from traditional initscripts (oh god). In terms of simplicity, reliability and ease of configuration however it’s a step below other options (like runit). I don’t have distro management experience but, given the problems I’ve encountered with different init systems over the years, I suspect there would be less of a maintenance burden with the other options.

WaterWaiver, (edited )

The fact this issue is happening on both Pipewire and Pulseaudio also suggests it’s more likely a bug in the drivers… It might not be obvious on ALSA directly, but that doesn’t mean an issue doesn’t exist there…

I probably made the overlap unclear, sorry:

  • Pipewire issues: My 2023 desktop and 2016 laptop, very different hardware.
  • Pulseaudio issues: All of my pre-2023 desktops and several family laptops

I do a lot of middleware development and we’re regularly blamed by users for bugs/problems upstream too (which is why we’ve now added a huge amount of enduser diagnostics/metrics in our products which has made it more obvious the issues aren’t related to us).

Eep, that’s annoying. You also probably don’t have direct interaction with the users most of the time (they’re not your customer) which makes this worse, people in a vacuum follow each other’s stories.

In practice, very few people have issues with Pulseaudio (I haven’t seen issues since launch). Sometimes as well, keep in mind it can be the sound interface (especially if its USB)

There might be a bias here because these problems are not persistent, ie a reboot fixes them.

In regards to setup, most distributions will handle that anyway I’m guessing. So not sure why the configuration process should matter unless you’re in Arch or Slackware? As long as the distribution handles it, it shouldn’t matter. It’d really a non-issue honestly.

That’s potentially more things different distros can do differently and more issues your middleware will start getting blamed for.

Yes it’s not a problem for user-friendly distros, but why does the user friendliness problem exist anywhere anyway? It’s better to fix problems upstream, not downstream.

WaterWaiver,

That absolutely sucks :| Thankyou for the detail.

WaterWaiver,

github.com/maltejur/discord-screenaudio

A custom discord client that supports streaming with audio on Linux

Jaysus, I wish this were a world where stuff like that wasn’t necessary.

Uneducated question: what’s the benefit of a dedicated client over running it in a normal browser?

WaterWaiver,

I’m very curious about the downvotes to this one. May I ask people’s thoughts? Perhaps I’m too vague? I can put a bigger story about my experiences with various init systems in production & research if people are interested.

WaterWaiver,

The formerly successful site known as Twitter.

WaterWaiver,

That looks super frustrating :|

I just finished the last level of Perfect Dark (released in 2000 for N64). The hardest part was right at the end (boss fight with rockets being fired at you, one hit and you’re dead) and there are no checkpoints. I repeated this same level so many times and had to read a walkthrough in the end – it turns out I was stuck at a red herring.

WaterWaiver,

To be pedantic: gameplay design, not level design, but I guess the two overlap quite a bit anyway.

WaterWaiver, (edited )

To add to this: “level design” typically covers things like the design of paths through the level (both physically and plot/objectives) and visibility of paths affecting player thinking and choices (ie making it clear to the player how to progress, not get lost). These are “big scale” things, not fine detail.

“Gameplay design” typically covers things like movement, interaction and item/skill progression mechanics. The are “small scale” (or for inventories & skill trees: “no physical scale”) things.

In practice the two terms do often overlap quite a bit, so you can argue basically anything to be in either category.

WaterWaiver,

It also can partly re-use natural gas infrastructure, allowing them to exploit existing capital.

WaterWaiver,

Sorry, this page only has info about pre-made patches. It has nothing that names the adhesive chemical itself or information about how to make your own patches.

WaterWaiver, (edited )

Hmm. Could I be confusing two different products that look very similar?

I’m used to seeing “interfacing”: a spun-woven fabric that has a shiny or dotted heat-activated adhesive on one side:

https://aussie.zone/pictrs/image/dbc011f2-c49a-4f6e-bef3-6198000dc7ae.jpeg

The “fabric fuse” (“hot melt adhesive web”?) that you’re talking about might instead be this stuff, which looks very similar (it’s still spun woven) but it has no glue on its surface, instead the fabric itself melts below ironing temperature?

https://aussie.zone/pictrs/image/d2928072-3a2a-4c9d-9bba-cfed4c485cd0.webp

If I’m not misinterpreting this second type: it might be exactly what I want :) I’ll try and buy some.

EDIT: Yes it looks like this is the stuff! www.bostik.com/us/en_US/catalog/…/product-pe85/ Awesome, it’s literally hot glue in a different shape. Thankyou so much uservoid1.

WaterWaiver, (edited )

Comparing the photos & description:

… I’d say they’re probably similar. “Stitch Witchery” might just a brand of “hot melt web” AKA “spunwound hot glue” AKA “fabric fuse”.

EDIT: They might be identical, but many plastics look identical and all plastics can have their melting point modified, so I can’t say for certain.

WaterWaiver,

“Sulky BSN” is apparently a polyamide (not a PE/PET/hotgluestick) material. That would make it different to the other stuff I link and talk about in other comments here. Not sure if it would be any better, but unfortunately it looks very expensive to get in Australia.

WaterWaiver,

Stretchy fabric? Hot machine wash?

WaterWaiver, (edited )

Assorted thoughts:

Also doubles as a filament runout sensor.

Bearings:

  • Only a tiny angular movement -> technically a bad case for ball bearings due to lubricant not getting recirculated, but I think the bearings are being run dry in this project anyway (and are under next to no load)
  • I wonder if sleeve bearings would be cheaper but work as well?
  • Alternative solution: put a PCB on the left and right sides, then unthreaded SMD soldered standoffs like these as sleeve bearings? I think some are brass under the platings. Exact alignment isn’t necessary as once soldered they won’t move (and you calibrate the device manually afterwards anyway).

Micro:

  • ATtiny’s are expensive last I checked :P I prefer STC (8051 clones) but even they’re a bit much these days. A padauk or similar would be an extreme.
  • Staying with the Arduino IDE is probably an attractive goal for ease of development, so staying with the ATTiny might be best.
  • Comms: I wonder what’s easy to interface with Marlin? Extra UARTs running at very slow speeds (eg a few thousand baud) might work well.

Applications:

  • Do you adjust filament feedrate on the fly?
  • is it necessary to delay the adjustments by X cm of filament? Or does it change slowly enough that it’s not an issue?
  • Detect lumps in filament and pause/alarm prints! I once had lumps of some higher-temp plastic in my roll of recycled PLA, it would jam and cause my prints to fail. Very annoying!

Calibration:

  • Using drill bits is brilliant, I love it.
  • Do the magnetic properties of the steel cause issues? What happens if I accidentally magnetics my bits? Perhaps I should only insert them from one particular end whilst calibrating to maximise their distance from the hall?

Screws:

  • I like using “coarse” 3mm plastic screws. They don’t have a tidy standard like “M3” but you can get them on lcsc and other places. They hold in 3d printed plastic really well, can be removed and inserted dozens of times (surprising but true, even if you cross-thread occasionally) and most of all: don’t need brass inserts!

Apologies if some of this was answered in the video. I’m sorry Mr presenter but you waffle more than I do :P so I skipped a few bits.

WaterWaiver,

Public line: Cameras are because of theft. Theft is because of cost of living.

I feel that quite a bit is being glossed over. The sources for this article seem very one-sided, I’m also skeptical of the chosen union’s line:

Gerard Dwyer, National Secretary of the Shop Distributive & Allied Employees Association, the country’s main retail union, said while security technology was being upgraded it was up to the justice system to act as a deterrent by imposing tougher penalties.

I thought that stronger penalties didn’t impact this sort of thing? Maybe I misheard.

I would never dob someone in for stealing food, especially if the penalties suddenly got worse, unless I knew a lot about exactly why they were doing it.

Other things worth considering:

(1) Is there a relationship between theft rates and self-checkout rates? They don’t want to pay checkout staff, so if there is a correlation (which I suspect they would have researched in depth using their own store data) then it is unlikely they would be public about it. Instead they would only speak about other correlations that are not their fault, like the rising cost of living.

(2) Do these cameras provide other benefits to Colesworth? Better tracking of individuals? Saleable data?

WaterWaiver,

(Very late reply) it looks like some internal voxelisation or mesh resolution has been set too rough. Have you changed “Slice resolution” (default 0) or “G-code resolution” (default 0.0125)?

WaterWaiver,

I think Granixo is referring to Windows 11, not disk encryption.

WaterWaiver, (edited )

The article is not about VBA, it’s about VBS. The languages are similar but not the same (why exactly MS did it this way I’ll never know).

VBA is for embedded macros in MS Office documents.

VBS is a standalone language you write into .vbs files that get executed by wscript.exe. It’s a default windows feature that has been around a long time (IIRC the ILOVEYOU worm used it).

WaterWaiver,

I don’t mind the GIMP after a bit of customisation (one-window mode, disable several bits of UI, move toolbar to left), but I’m really scared the GTK3/4/5/x work might yield a UI that has more problems rather than less. All apps that went GTK2->GTK3 seem to have gotten worse.

WaterWaiver,

The trailer video makes it look full of micro-management. Micro-blocks to construct tools?

WaterWaiver,

Finally did this a week or so back, I had one of the original accounts (username login, not email). Made me feel like shit and manipulated, all to make Microsoft happier.

What are we all using for video chat in 2023? (kbin.social)

The last time I tried to make video chat work with people, we dived between jitsi, facebook messenger, zoom... until something worked well enough. what are people using here now? Jitsi? Google Meet? Whatsapp? Facebook Messenger? Zoom? Skype? Facetime, somehow? The builtin thing in matrix that used to be jitsi but I think they...

WaterWaiver,

Jitsi +1, so damn easy. Especially compared to emailing out a meeting link in Microsoft teams.

Microsoft to Drop Support for Third-Party Printer Drivers on Windows (petri.com)

“With the release of Windows 10 21H2, Windows offers inbox support for Mopria compliant printer devices over network and USB interfaces via the Microsoft IPP Class Driver. This removes the need for print device manufacturers to provide their own installers, drivers, utilities, and so on. Device experience customization is now...

WaterWaiver,

sandboxes UWP app

UWP isn’t sandboxing law, it’s Microsoft business policy, the sands will shift at a later date.

WaterWaiver,

Probably Windows update running in the background. On laptops it’s a particularly garbage experience (fan spins up & runs hot as you say) with no communication until it’s “done”. If you have deigned not to turn on Windows for a while (tisk tisk) then it might require multiple reboots and a forced fullscreen blue questioning about why you’re not using OneDrive and sharing more information (OOBE).

Are they still doing the MoDeRn standby thing where windows update runs when your laptop is “in standby” in your bag?

My approach to handling Windows Update is to use my imagination. You’re in an alternative dimension where a medieval super-powerful church-state controls technology. Windows update is a regular procedure required to obtain the necessary computing purity and state that has been deemed appropriate for your status. Those who choose to ford their own lazy path without it risk requiring the penance of reinstallation, or even worse, revocation. An occasional skip of your sessions is tolerated, but if you no longer habitually open your laptop for a few hours each morning then you will develop the symptoms.

WaterWaiver,

GARABALDI

WaterWaiver,

And they made a very satisfying thump when they hit the floor.

WaterWaiver,

N.B. Notepad3 (originally Flo’s notepad2) is a great drop-in replacement for notepad.exe (and even has an install option to do exactly that, so everything opens with it even if other programs call it). I install it on every Win system I have to manage. Not as big as Notepad++, but has syntax highlighting, line numbers and supports LF file endings.

EDIT: Disappointingly no screenshots on either site >:| It looks similar to vanilla notepad.exe

WaterWaiver,

We went through a phase of high-power processors years ago with the Pentium 4 series and its offshoots, then things started getting more efficient instead. I wonder if we will soon see the same for GPUs or if we’ll be stuck on a high-power plateau for a long time.

WaterWaiver,

Trick question, my tubes of mosfets are too long to fit in my boxes.

(Many, many boxes. I have shelves on 3 of the 4 walls of my room now, I’d do the 4th but a window is in the way)

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