You make some good points there. I remember LAN parties in high school where we would spend hours troubleshooting network problems and calling older brothers for advice. I learned a lot from those experiences, because I was forced to. I think a big part of the changes we are seeing in computer literacy is what I would call the Apple philosophy: if a toddler can't use it, we need to simplify. Basically, as you said, things are getting simpler with less granular control. Of course, Apple is far from the only company doing this stuff, but they seem to be industry leaders in the sense of 'dumbing down' tech.

I recently had a friend say that privacy is a luxury these days. My first thought was that there is nothing luxurious about it. It takes hard work, inconvenience and savvy. And I'm not even close to Stallman levels of privacy paranoia. I know just enough to acknowledge that I know nothing. I feel similarly about tech in general. I have been using Linux for ten years, I use VPNs, I have played around with DNS settings, et cetera. But I realize that I have barely scratched the surface of what is possible and available to those willing to spend the time and get it done.

Anyway, I'll shut up now. Thanks for replying thoughtfully, and thanks for coming to my TED Talk.

So I play guitar. I had a problem where I would sometimes drop my pick. Then, one day, I had an idea. I took some copper wire and attached it to a pick through a small hole I burned into it with a needle. I wrapped the wire around my finger. Now I physically cannot drop my pick.

John Carpenter's 1982 masterpiece The Thing. The themes of paranoia and isolation are so perfectly explored; it launched the career of Keith David, who is just a treasure; the performances are all immaculate; and those effects. My god, the effects.

I quit my minimum wage job by saying to my boss, 'I don't work here anymore. You're a cunt.'

Felt so fucking righteous.

Thanks for the stranger, kind gold.

My current network is named 'Mom click here for internet'.

I don't live in the US, so I cannot comment on the legality of this. However, I will advise an informal policy of malicious compliance. If the manager asks why someone needs to take a day off, that someone should reply with incredibly graphic medical issues, whether real or fake. Think 'I'm shitting blood and I need to see a doctor,' or something like that. Keep it up for a few months and see how management responds.

So I have a story related to this. I teach English in Korea. One time, two 11-year-old students chose kopi luwak as a topic for their in-class (no research) project. I asked what that is, as I had never heard of it. They explained in pre-intermediate English that there is a cat that poops coffee beans. I didn't believe them at first, because it sounded so silly. But they urged me to look it up. At first, I got confused between 'kopi' and 'coffee', because Korean has no 'f' sound and substitutes a 'p' sound. But when I finally found the Wiki page, I was blown away. The fact that this is real would be so funny if it weren't for all the abuse another user pointed out.

I'm in Daegu myself. Enjoy the relative progressiveness of the capital city. Down here that guy would get beaten.

You can try Myanonamouse. Their whole thing is ebooks and audiobooks.

Naturally. I have the Arch logo tattooed on my forehead.

It used to be very popular, so I don't know if this qualifies, but I watch a lot of noir and neo-noir. Specifically, I like the ones told from the criminal's perspective. Films like Double Indemnity, Body Heat and The Postman Always Rings Twice are great places to start.

I had a budget, Lenovo in my country was having a massive sale, and this is my first Thinkpad, so I have nothing to compare it to.

Also,

Good on you. You can teach your son some valuable perspective, while getting in some quality time as well. Please let us know how it goes, if you don't mind. I feel invested now.

Ooh, another one I just remembered, translated from Afrikaans: 'Piggie war'.

Used to refer to a conflict where there are no winners, like pigs fighting in mud, where all participants just end up dirty, humiliated and bruised. Like replying to a troll online.

Thanks. Luckily there are some people here who have a smidge of empathy. They are few and far between, but not nonexistent.

Chris Barnatt is one of my favourite people on the internet. His vocal cadence, his humour, his editing choices. It's perfection. Thanks for sharing.

What a beefy comment.

Thank you for being sincere in this reply; you could easily have gotten defensive. And sorry if my reply seemed overly snarky. I'm not very good at social media.

That's probably the most practical suggestion; thanks. I'll turn to that if this post doesn't get anywhere. I just wanted to ask the fediverse first, for a number of reasons.

It's mostly folky stuff, just acoustic guitar and vocals. Nothing too complex.

Qtile. Full DEs are for rich people.

Where is Ned Ludd when you need him?

Also, I would like to say that this is why I love Lemmy. The community is just so much friendlier and more empathetic than a place like Reddit. Thank you for reinforcing my perception.

As far as design/style, I have a few specific ideas in mind that I could easily explain to an artist, but I have no stringent requirements. I'm also very flexible on the timeline. This is a hobby project, so there are no deadlines or prerequisites.

That's a great one as well. That alleyway fight scene is so fucking cool. Carpenter is easily one of the most creative, most fun artists of his generation.

Shit on the floor.

Much of a muchness.

Used to describe something redundant or superfluous. Naming a cat is much of a muchness; it won't come when you call it anyway.

That's not how you play cricket.

Used when someone or something is obviously bending or breaking the rules in an ungentlemanly manner. Capitalism is not how you play cricket.

Depends on what you're looking for, really. I'm unsure about the rules regarding sharing specific sites, but if you DM me, I can throw a few recommendations your way.

I am partial to 'Does the pope systematically cover up child sexual abuse?'

I'll only say no to this question because I don't want to have kids. But I taught my mom how to pirate, and I'm proud of that. I believe that piracy is not a morally neutral act. It is morally good. Pro-piracy is an ethically good stance to take in this age.

This is my first ever Thinkpad, so I can't be disappointed by the comparison. What I can compare it to, though, is my old Acer Nitro 5, and it is miles ahead of that one. The build quality, the keyboard, everything is superior on the Thinkpad.

On Android, I have been using AIMP for a few years now. It's pretty damn good.

Right? I can't watch it with people anymore, because I keep pausing to explain how certain effects were achieved. It's a monumental achievement.

That sounds awesome, although I do want to insist on paying. Your labour is worth something. Can I DM you with the details?

Jesus fuck.

I think it's intentionally ambiguous. For me, the point is the paranoia and distrust. I might be wrong, of course, but my interpretation is that we are supposed to leave the experience with questions.

Damn straight. Well, good luck out there. I hope you only have good experiences on Lemmy. And you can feel good knowing you gave this guy the warm and fuzzies.

Can I DM you with the concept(s) I have in mind?

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I'll return to this comment when mine arrives to remind myself of the titles you mention. I am very excited to get mine. I'm not a huge retro gamer, but I do love the creativity of constraint. Like setting a movie all in one room. You have to get pretty inventive to pull off an enjoyable experience with so little to work with.