|
Is a moral or ethical discussion about coding too spicy for this forum? Here goes nothing.
I've checked out of platforms that boost posts based on "engagement"
I rarely visit, and no longer participate. I don't have a usable facebook or twitter account.
I do it for the same reason I've cut most advertisements and branding out of my life - to the degree that is possible in the consumer-centric society in which I live.
It's mind pollution. It's a psychic vampire. It eats joy. It makes you angry. That's the point. Anger keeps you "engaged" more than just about anything, so these platforms boost those posts.
It's promoting toxicity algorithmically. I think its messing up our social cohesion and our ability to be rational, at least as a whole if not specifically in the individual sense.
It's one of the darker sides of modern innovation in software development. Sometimes I feel like we're in the same moral or perhaps ethical predicament as say, physicists, who can use their knowledge to create things like weaponized nuclear fission, or they can use it to improve our lives. I don't think anyone involved at that level with something like the Manhattan Project did so without deep reservations about what it meant for our collective future.
Is it the same thing? Perhaps not, but can you really measure the damage we're doing with some of things we help create?
I think about this stuff when it comes to the projects I'm willing to take on. I try - at least by my estimation - to avoid projects that aren't socially responsible.
I think given the social landscape, at least in the divided country in which I find myself, after understanding some of the reasons we're in that situation, I don't want to be part of the problem. I won't be, at least deliberately.
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
|
|
|
|
|
No wise response here, simply, I agree with everything you wrote.
And yes, IMO, weaponizing nuclear fission (and many other things) vs. "weaponizing" software to coerce everything from consumer purchases to who we vote for, it is the same thing, and the damage we're creating with software is considerably more difficult to measure in terms of psychological and social effects. There is some good, for example, some of my diabetic friends on social media, whom I did not know were diabetic, were very helpful in helping me help my mom when she was diagnosed with diabetes. I think that's the dilemma -- while one can argue that a "weapon" can act as a deterrent, it is designed specifically for destruction. It's more complicated with software -- it can be designed with good intentions but is easily "weaponized" (without a line of code change) for unethical activity. Even worse, it can be used as intended but there are social and psychological effects no one understands.
|
|
|
|
|
HtC - you are spot on. I also do not use social media. Who needs the extra stress?
|
|
|
|
|
Totally agree. And I must let you know, I only saw the subject: Psychic drain Pin, and I thought of you that same moment!
Advertising in itself is just mind pollution, so that is a bit evil, but not as evil as this algorithmic feed generation that amplifies groupthink, division and aggression. The question of where to draw the line to morally unacceptable is a tricky one.
ATM i am involved in creating a server that creates scheduled web-TV channels from recorded assets. Our customers want offer these TV channels for "free". But they will make money from unskippable advertising in these channels. We are not involved in the (client side) unskippability. I do not think it goes beyond the morally acceptable, but nor do I think it will boost my karma...
"If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"
|
|
|
|
|
The use of anger to engage and control isn't limited to software-based social media, and it isn't a new phenomenon. It's as old as the printed word, and older still in the hands of politicians. The technology is just making the medium more efficient.
To create that anger you must create enemies for the people to hate, and it's handy to have a few enemies to blame, to direct the anger at, both external (Russia! China! Mars! California! Alabama (roll tide!)) and internal (Liberals! Conservatives! That religion! That <name any ethnic group or any group of like-minded people>!). Anything to distract us from what they're doing to stay in power and/or make more money.
Tyranny finds a way, and our "civilized" first-world countries aren't immune to it. I'd suggest we're more likely to serve several different tyrants at once.
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP.
|
|
|
|
|
To be clear what I think makes it different are the algorithms, because you're right - it's about the efficiency at which this happens. Things go "viral" in a way they never could before, just for example.
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
|
|
|
|
|
Correct.
I've cut nearly all news out of my life (1) and social media is for communicating with immediate family.
Also, I don't watch ads and if they come on the radio/tv/browser window is turned off until the ads cease.
Focus on the people near you and be in a healthy state of mind so you can help them when required.
NOTES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1: If the news isn't a bald faced lie it is information you don't need to know.
|
|
|
|
|
Let's call it by what it really is - asocial media. I completely agree with you.
|
|
|
|
|
I don't have a usable facebook or twitter account.
Neither do I, but that doesn't stop me posting there
Paul Sanders.
Some of my best work is in the undo buffer.
|
|
|
|
|
Let x be the number of IO pins required by your project.
Let y be the number of IO pins available on your MCU.
Step 1: x = y + 1
Step 2: Upgrade the MCU or add an IO Expander
Step 3: Realize you can then add some cool functionality now you have more GPIO
Step 4: Go to step 1
|
|
|
|
|
lol, truth. Otherwise known as scope creep
Charlie Gilley
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
Has never been more appropriate.
|
|
|
|
|
I'm honestly not sure how people run out of pins, when realistically you can connect like 5 devices to an SPI or I2C bus before it collapses due to line capacitance.
I use the ESP32 for the lion's share of my projects, because it's hard to find a 512kB MCU with a dual core 240mhz processor. It's a sweet spot that allows me to perform magic, like True Type fonts with it, which makes all the difference in the world when it comes to presenting a user interface.
You don't really need all the sensors in the world to do cool stuff. You just need to lock down your scope. If you need to do more, you probably need another MCU - make another IoT device. If you're running ESP32s you can use ESP-NOW to create a wireless mesh network with up to like 20 devices on it. (Or you can use WiFi or bluetooth or BLE)
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
|
|
|
|
|
Because as a hobbyist on a budget I have to stick to easily available devices. It does not help you can put more devices on the same bus if I can't easily source the devices for a single bus type.
But yes, it looks like I have enough pins on the ESP32 - I started out assuming an ESP8266 would be more than enough, but once a SPI LCD eats a bunch of pins there isn't that much left (did not see any reasonable priced i2c transflective displays)
Add an i2c for humidity, one-wire for temperature (in a "hostile" environment, so need a longer cable run to get the MCU out of there), rotary encoder, UART for reacting to a solar installation, a few relays, and a water level sensor or two - then it adds up.
|
|
|
|
|
It certainly would on an ESP8266! Those are glorified bluetooth modules, more than MCUs.
To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.
|
|
|
|
|
Just the same with the memory.
"In testa che avete, Signor di Ceprano?"
-- Rigoletto
|
|
|
|
|
Lecture a Scotsman who breaks bowl (8)
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
|
And you are up tomorrow!
Lecture
a A
Scotsman MON
who breaks
bowl D ISH ADMONISH
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
I would associate "mon" with a Jamaican accent, but it fit.
|
|
|
|
|
Well,
That took me a long time to solve. I've never seen the word before. Did you set this one yourself? It's constructed a bit different than your usual puzzles.
Do you have one of these in your home? I found a very beautiful piece at Christie's[^] dated at 1746-84 that sold for quite a bit of money. I looked at alot of them online but I think this one is my favorite[^].
|
|
|
|
|
Yes, it's been sitting in my list since February when I last used MON for SCOTSMAN
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
As in; hoots mon there's a moose loose in the hoose !!!
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!" - Hunter S Thompson - RIP
|
|
|
|
|
|
As some of you might have been aware by some Australian post... Australian election are coming this Saturday!
On Facebook, not as private message but on a wall, someone shared an handy guide to all the minor parties. I commented, and I quote from memory, the post has been removed "party X is a bunch of crooks, shoot them on sight".
Now I was not really recommending to go full American and do a public shooting for real. It was more like a metaphor between like minded small group of friend, to emphasize how untrustworthy were those wanna be minister. Plus we don't have a tradition of public shooting here, I mean we did but no longer, thanks John Howard (even if you're a crook in other aspect).
At any rate, The Algorithm told me that my post was inflammatory and has been removed, and I could appeal if I think I was misunderstood.
I didn't, annoying but no big deals. In the past I noticed many web site have some heavy handed, wild blanketed rude language filter and they are just gonna ignore my complaint. Plus hey, I did use the words "shoot people". I mean obviously nobody I know (and nobody that would read that post) will think I was really advocating it, but, emm.. The Algorithm will think I mean my word. The Algorithm being as subtle as a 3 years old. Perhaps for good reason, according to the rumor I hear on the internet.
But I thought about it again today... it was just one click away, should have I complained, what says you?
|
|
|
|
|
I'd say there are a lot of loonies out there, and posting "let's assassinate politicians (or would-be politicos)" is bound to upset a lot of filters because it could be pointed at if just one loony does go postal. Even if said loonies never see it, and said politicos are crooks who do deserve a quick and merciful death - I have no idea what the parties are in Oz, let alone which one you think are crooked. All of them seem to be, worldwide anyway ...
Should you complain? No, it's probably saved you from some of the attention such things get from security forces, even if they give it a quick glance in context and decide it's nothing to worry about the fact of their looking at you and your comment history raises your profile next time you get red flagged.
Just like here: posting something obnoxious or spammy gets attention, which even if it is let through remains in the gestalt memory next time you come up. Too many memory joggers and teh ban hammer gets twitchy.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|