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g09980 | 8 years ago | on: Ask HN: Who else hates iTunes?

It seems like Apple has been doing away with the iTunes dependency, albeit slowly. You have been able to update without iTunes for a couple of years and more recently the awful Apps syncing was removed too.

Also, introduction of iCloud sync for files and backup vs. iTunes local sync.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: The great Pacific garbage patch is largely abandoned fishing gear

But you're right. Gifts aside, we can at least reduce the packaging. Recently I had a chance to spend some time in Japan and the overuse of plastic bags and packaging was startling. (I expected a modern island nation to be more environmentally efficient.)

Sources suggest this is "customer first" culture-driven:

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/13266062/ns/world_news-world_envir... (2013)

https://www.quora.com/Why-are-plastic-bags-in-Japan-so-overu...

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: Facebook’s Surveillance Machine

Am I understanding correctly is that the primary blame on Facebook is in enabling apps (via API) to collect data?

This stuff has unfortunately existed for years, no different from an Android "beautiful waterfall wallpapers" app that also happens to ask for permission to access your contacts/messages. People consent to their data being public (sometimes in second-degree through their friends), data gets collected. And what about all those helpful Chrome extensions that want access to all of your browsing tabs?

I never authorize third-party apps on my accounts (or even install non-local Chrome extensions), but I'm likely in the minority.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: Facebook’s Surveillance Machine

If the task is "taking datasets and making them more searchable," it seems like that company gets the heat simply for making the task easier. Excel, SQL databases (or, heck, huge CSV files) don't get as much attention even though they could be used for the same purpose, even if very awkwardly.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: Enduring file references in macOS

So long as we remain wedded to directory paths as a means of referencing files and folders, much of our storage will contain duplicated content.

As a counterpoint, there are many situations where duplicating content may be preferred. If I'm pasting something into a document, I want it to remain immutable there without the risk of an external change (by me) altering the document that I assume to remain static.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: Coinbase Multiple Charges

There is a difference from risking a few hundred dollars you can maybe afford to lose, and the remainder (unspent) of your bank account being overdrawn.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: Coinbase Multiple Charges

One of those situations where software bugs may (temporarily) ruin people's lives.

Many threads on this topic from people who had a relatively small amount to their name in their bank accounts, it was linked to Coinbase, and they now can't pay living expenses:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CoinBase/comments/7xot6y/freaking_o...

https://www.reddit.com/r/CoinBase/comments/7xspus/what_happe...

https://www.reddit.com/r/CoinBase/comments/7xs2zr/i_have_bee...

https://www.reddit.com/r/CoinBase/comments/7xsyf4/17x_charge...

https://www.reddit.com/r/CoinBase/comments/7xrq4k/welp_offic...

https://www.reddit.com/r/CoinBase/comments/7xq3xc/you_draine...

https://www.reddit.com/r/CoinBase/comments/7xrf02/3x_5x_how_...

https://www.reddit.com/r/CoinBase/comments/7xrfhs/double_cha...

Many more on that subreddit... and that's just from people who use Reddit.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: Facebook lost around 2.8M U.S. users under 25 last year

What did for me was the influx of the "you won't believe what happens next, this video will make you cry" shares, and then political diatribes (you may call it virtue signaling) by well-meaning friends. Unfriended many people to cull my list to around 100 and FB has been more palatable since.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: Sandboxed Mac apps can record screen any time without you knowing

Mac App Store is a fascinating topic! It seems to be a product nearly abandoned by Apple (not much improvement in years since the first release, unless you count sandboxing as one.) User experience is poor (takes seconds to load pages, also the HTML-based buttons need to be clicked multiple times and/or downloads get stuck). Abandonware/copies of copies of copies of "free PDF Reader"-type software from developers who re-publish 300+ apps of questionable quality abound.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: U.S. Regulators to Subpoena Crypto Exchange Bitfinex, Tether

I'm just not sure why Bloomberg would choose to omit the date until being pestered online. Doesn't this change things quite a bit? If there was a true smoking gun, they would be shut down then and there already instead of continuing to operate/grow, such as issuing more tethers in the past month.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: TomTom ditches map updates for some sat-navs

Why do people (outside of special applications perhaps... planes? military?) still use these devices?

Had one in a rental car recently, after battling with it for a bit reverted to trusty iOS Google Maps.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: After Surgery in Germany, I Wanted Vicodin, Not Herbal Tea

Friend in the US had a benign type of surgery. The procedure carries minimal pain after the first 24 hours other than maybe aching (and my friend really had a pretty boring recovery). She was still given a bottle of probably 20+ pills of Oxycodone that fortunately went unused (later disposed.)

While my friend was responsible in her recovery, I wonder how many people medicate themselves just because.

g09980 | 8 years ago | on: Compared to paper towel, Dyson hand dryers blow 1300x as many viral germs (2016)

Have you ever tried their variation with the hand-dryer built into the sink faucet?

My experience: whatever fluids that were in the sink (soap scum/mine or other people's dirty water) flying into my face after being hit with Dyson-powered wind, me immediately jumping a foot back. Made me wonder how did they ever test this product before release.

This contraption: https://www.dyson.com/hand-dryers/dyson-airblade-tap-overvie...

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