Off Topic Thread 5.0

Synode

Synode wrote: »

Been thinking what it could be and I have a weird Skype error dialog box that opens at startup and needs to be closed. Only started appearing in the last few weeks. I've been meaning to look into what it is but haven't had the time. I'll take note next time I startup.

Windows added skype to run at startup with a recent update. Fairly annoying of them. I use ccleaner to easily see what is running at startup. Under tools there is a startup tab. I just noticed there is a "scheduled tasks" tab too so maybe it's in there. Although I can't tell what half of the stuff is in there.

antimatterx

ClanofLams wrote: »

I’m sure they would ideally like to avoid by election but don’t think it will stop them if they consider it necessary. They have a bit of room majority wise, although not a massive amount, by election wouldn’t need to be done for six months or so.

Certainly in Coveneys case, it probably wouldn’t be over concerning given it returned 3/4 FG/ff TDs so even with government very rarely winning by elections, they would probably have at least a 50-50 shot there.

Commissioners length varies, Hogan was going to be ten years but no guarantee of that, need support of national government when it is being done after EU elections is my understanding so in theory whoever is appointed now could get another term if this government lasts the full length.

President of the Commission oftens comes directly from national politics (as Juncker and Von der Leyen have done) but it could also be a Commissioner afaik.

I don’t expect it will be Varadkar but it wouldn’t shock me, for whatever reason he has never struck me as someone who will be around for a long time as Fine Gael leader. Obviously need to move to Brussels so family needs to be on board too which may be a factor for the likes of Coveney, who has kids I think.

I think Leo will be off to Europe in his 50's. I think he wants at least 1 more term as Taoiseach. (Potentially a shot at another election). He could very well lead the EU as he is held in high regard.

errlloyd

Deleted User wrote: »

Windows added skype to run at startup with a recent update. Fairly annoying of them. I use ccleaner to easily see what is running at startup. Under tools there is a startup tab. I just noticed there is a "scheduled tasks" tab too so maybe it's in there. Although I can't tell what half of the stuff is in there.

Is the free version of this enough?

errlloyd

errlloyd wrote: »

Is the free version of this enough?

Yeah I've only ever used the free version. Didn't know there was a paid version

Former Former

errlloyd wrote: »

Is the free version of this enough?

You can just type 'startup' into your windows search bar, then select the 'Startup Apps' feature to see them without downloading anything. You can toggle any of them to off and it should solve it.

Squidgy Black

Or in task manager there's a startup tab too that shows all the enabled processes on startup.

irishbucsfan

I see the UK took Switzerland/Czech/Jamaica off their green list. Surprised they’re actually making any changes to it at all

Neil3030

Deleted User wrote: »

Windows added skype to run at startup with a recent update. Fairly annoying of them. I use ccleaner to easily see what is running at startup. Under tools there is a startup tab. I just noticed there is a "scheduled tasks" tab too so maybe it's in there. Although I can't tell what half of the stuff is in there.

It's crap like this that made me put the time and effort into switching to Linux.

Granted I haven't been using Windows for a while, but Mac OS was the same. Most recent update, Catalina I think, I just flat out lost the ability to save to my root directory. "Security issues" apparently. So for the Windows equivalent, imagine not being able to create a folder in C:\. Absolutely infuriating. The worst part is, you talk to tech ****s about this sort of stuff, and be very clear with them, "hey, you know the way you changed X, I ****ing hate that, it really screws up my ability to do Y" they almost invariably respond with, "yeah well why are you doing Y anyway, you should be doing blah blah..."

Just utterly wrapped up in their little world and lacking basic empathy and understanding about what it's like to NOT be a highly skilled tech user.

Dave_The_Sheep

Neil3030 wrote: »

"hey, you know the way you changed X, I ****ing hate that, it really screws up my ability to do Y" they almost invariably respond with, "yeah well why are you doing Y anyway, you should be doing blah blah..."

That's pure Mac/Apple though. Try and do something they don't want you to? F*ck off with yourself, we want you to use our products the way we want you to and only that way.

I'd jump straight to Linux in a heartbeat if it supported as many games as Windows. Primary hobby, I'd be crippling myself outside of Windows.

Podge_irl

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

That's pure Mac/Apple though. Try and do something they don't want you to? F*ck off with yourself, we want you to use our products the way we want you to and only that way.

I'd jump straight to Linux in a heartbeat if it supported as many games as Linux. Primary hobby, I'd be crippling myself outside of Windows.

I think Mac/Apple is infinitely worse than Windows for the whole "don't do anything outside of what we want or it won't work" approach.

I am the same though, gaming is my primary hobby, so I'll stick with Windows. I don't really have that many complaints about it if I'm honest. They do annoying things, but its not that hard to get around them.

Neil3030

I don't play video games but I can apparently install a thing called "steam" on my version of Linux (PopOS 20.04) if that means anything.

Dave_The_Sheep

Neil3030 wrote: »

I don't play video games but I can apparently install a thing called "steam" on my version of Linux (PopOS 20.04) if that means anything.

You can. However, the number of games you can actually install on Linux via Steam is very limited compared to Windows. It's getting better though, and hopefully with more games supporting Vulkan, it'll get better.

Neil3030

Does this guy get around that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg_Lo8jlYkE

Dave_The_Sheep

Neil3030 wrote: »

Does this guy get around that?

I'm not familiar at all with Pop OS, but moderately so with Proton DB and Lutrix, but the ~educatedish guess I'd offer is "mostly no". It's very hit and miss.

It's very much a work in progress, but it's absolutely a positive development. As with most Linux, lots of passionate folks getting stuck into it.

Neil3030

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

I'm not familiar at all with Pop OS, but moderately so with Proton DB and Lutrix, but the ~educatedish guess I'd offer is "mostly no". It's very hit and miss.

It's very much a work in progress, but it's absolutely a positive development. As with most Linux, lots of passionate folks getting stuck into it.

Well I followed his advice to install that xanmod thing, and it wasn't compatible with my GPU (Nvidia... something something). Uninstalled xanmod, and suddenly my wifi disappeared, among other things. Was close to formatting until I realised that I just had to change my "default kernel" back to the "generic" thing-a-me-bob. Whatever all that means. Anyway we're back in business.

irishbucsfan

Dunno why people use Linux locally tbh! Outside of hobby/interest obviously

If you don’t really understand repos and kernels you can get into an unrecoverable mess. Certainly could back when I was using Mint years ago.

I use Mac OS. I work on Linux machines every day. I don’t really have an issue. 99% of what I do is either in a browser/IDE or else on a terminal. What applications do people run into trouble with?

thomond2006

Ah here tech bros.

mfceiling

*looks in*

Nerds are still here

*slips back out*

Neil3030

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Dunno why people use Linux locally tbh! Outside of hobby/interest obviously

If you don’t really understand repos and kernels you can get into an unrecoverable mess. Certainly could back when I was using Mint years ago.

I use Mac OS. I work on Linux machines every day. I don’t really have an issue. 99% of what I do is either in a browser/IDE or else on a terminal. What applications do people run into trouble with?

Two things I love about PopOS are the automatic tiling and the spatially congruent workspaces (both might GNOME features).

I usually work on a super wide monitor and I can quickly have a really clean work state, e.g.,:

Top workspace might be a terminal and the file system, split 50/50 across the screen.
2nd workspace down might be a python IDE
3rd might be a word processor
Then the bottom workspace might be whatsapp and a browser, or slack, or whatever

Just zipping up and down is so nice, really intuitive.

Automatic tiling then just boosts flexibility, e.g., on the word processor, if I need to google something, I hit super+B, chrome opens up, automatically tiled, so the two windows are side by side. I search for what I need, hit super+W and it's chrome is gone.

Podge_irl

irishbucsfan wrote: »

What applications do people run into trouble with?

Mass Effect

swiwi_

Listening to that Cryptoqueen BBC podcast.

It's greed that sucks people in. It's a rare thing a person whose life ambition is to make lots of money for other people. Whether it's banks, investment advisors, or cryptoqueens, their primary goal is making money for themselves. "Give me your money and watch its value skyrocket. Without any effort on your part, except give me more money".

The poor Scottish lady who together with her family and friends gave away €250'000...

MaybeMaybe

swiwi_ wrote: »

Listening to that Cryptoqueen BBC podcast.

It's greed that sucks people in. It's a rare thing a person whose life ambition is to make lots of money for other people. Whether it's banks, investment advisors, or cryptoqueens, their primary goal is making money for themselves. "Give me your money and watch its value skyrocket. Without any effort on your part, except give me more money".

The poor Scottish lady who together with her family and friends gave away €250'000...

The Planet Money podcast from NPR had an episode about the Cryptoqueen that's worth a listen

Interested Observer

swiwi_ wrote: »

Listening to that Cryptoqueen BBC podcast.

It's greed that sucks people in. It's a rare thing a person whose life ambition is to make lots of money for other people. Whether it's banks, investment advisors, or cryptoqueens, their primary goal is making money for themselves. "Give me your money and watch its value skyrocket. Without any effort on your part, except give me more money".

The poor Scottish lady who together with her family and friends gave away €250'000...

Then the out right denial that it was a scam. Really good podcast I thought.

swiwi_

Interested Observer wrote: »

Then the out right denial that it was a scam. Really good podcast I thought.

I’ll sell you some of my swiwi coin. It’s low risk high reward. I’ve got a “Platinum” package where you get 10’000 swiwi coins for €100’000. The swiwi coins are each worth €100 so you’ll become an instant millionaire! In a few months you will be able to convert your swiwi coins into actual euros. Make sure you let your friends and family know, I wouldn’t want them to miss out on this once in a lifetime chance.

Bazzo

Boards is back creaking again for me... Seemed to have been a lot better for the last week or two

Are the riots and shootings in America being over reported or are things getting seriously out of hand there? The defence of Rittenhouse who I view as completely radicalised is somewhat blowing my mind and I can only imagine that the likes of Carlson and Trump standing up for him is a nod of approval to the many who have been similarly radicalised.

Zzippy

Deleted User wrote: »

Are the riots and shootings in America being over reported or are things getting seriously out of hand there? The defence of Rittenhouse who I view as completely radicalised is somewhat blowing my mind and I can only imagine that the likes of Carlson and Trump standing up for him is a nod of approval to the many who have been similarly radicalised.

Totally being over reported. Trump needs to stoke fear to motivate his base and get the vote out. It's textbook 1930s fearmongering and othering. Creating imaginary threats of the "radical left" and antifa etc. Problem is he's been in charge the last 3.5 years so the over reporting of riots along with his threats of "look what Biden's America will look like" are actually reminding swing voters of what his America looks like. Defending a murderer just shows how weak a candidate he is i.e. he is so captive to his far right base that he has to appease them rather than do the right thing and condemn all violence.

Squidgy Black

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Are the riots and shootings in America being over reported or are things getting seriously out of hand there? The defence of Rittenhouse who I view as completely radicalised is somewhat blowing my mind and I can only imagine that the likes of Carlson and Trump standing up for him is a nod of approval to the many who have been similarly radicalised.

Ridiculously over-reported. Perfect opportunity for the Republicans to push that all the protests are violent and causing destruction and that anyone who acts against it is acting in self defense, as is the narrative that's being spun for Rittenhouse now.

You just have to look at how the protests by people refusing the lockdown and wear masks walking around carrying semi automatic guns outside municipal buildings and stopping traffic was reported vs this.

I appreciate that the administration's take on the protesters is going to be wildly skewed and propagandised, but the level of street violence reported by the wider media and the skirmishes between protesters and Trump supporting militia seem to be escalating pretty seriously?

Most large US cities are reporting a spike in homicides so it's not restricted to Portland.

It's hard to tell whether they are on the cusp of wide spread civil unrest or whether the clashes are on the whole fairly minor in the grand scheme and the media is just vying for viewership and clicks.

Zzippy

Apart from the ongoing Portland protests and the most recent flare-up in Kenosha, I think protests, although widespread, are being conducted peacefully. Trump is itching for a fight so he can project the hard man image his supporters need, hence sending paramilitary federal agents into Portland to inflame the situation. There aren't widespread riots or looting on a daily basis despite what Fox "News" tries to portray.