Patents. Its always patents.

There is probably some IP there that can make printers worse for consumers too.

The modern interpretation, sure.

And agreed, “random, you might like this” is not as random as “here is a page on red food colouring”

That’s why I said seeded. Seeded from noise. The random number generator (function) is still an algorithm…

In comsci, there are no real random numbers. They are all seeded psuedo-random number algorithms. (Unless you integrate with some third party random as a service setup)

Dont worry, lemmings worry about some shutdown every other week. Been here since the API closures, and its quite nice (if you block the news communities)

Yo, are you okay?

And if you’re in this position where you see this all as fact, then what is the alternative?

IMO there is none.

Trying to rebuild the system at the time of an election is the wrong time. You have two options - because that is the reality you live in (right now).

Work on building something better AFTER the election, change the system, fix it for the future. But for NOW, you get a choice. Not voting (in this system) is a vote for ambivalence, and you dont seem like the person that doesn’t care.

But importantly, work to change the system later. You have valid concerns and the system you are in is broken, but you can make a change.

Edit: to not be misconstrued, I agree with the issues at hand that you’re highlighting. I’m just saying that the alternative is worse and that is a likelihood in this reality no?

When will the pressure be applied? It sure as shit won’t be the current election, so you’re betting on it still being a thing in 4 years that they can change their mind on?

Calling your representatives changes more opinions than “not voting” or “voting for someone else” in a two party system.

Say something dumb in an IRC channel? Get banned.

The good ol’ days when I was young and irresponsible and got banned for it. I learnt how to converse with people online through this. Talk shit, get banned. I also feel like I forgot some of this on later platforms.

I hated it at the time, but like most learning experiences, grown to appreciate it later. I can’t believe I had free and unmoderated access to the internet’s back in the early 2000s. Shout out to those mods for putting a teenager in their place!

I know the guy working on makepad is trying to solve this problem along with vr headsets, Apple tv, etc. It’s really painful because of dependency bloat messing with build times so he ended up rewriting a bunch of things 🤷‍♂️.

Next time buy a laptop for him. But get him a chrome book and charge him for the best? It’s. It stealing if he was going to lose the money alway right?