Mine is originally using Baconreader while in the dorm community bathroom doing a deuce and seeing a mention of Sync. Installed and instantly became a user. Later on I had a problem with the app because I was running beta Android. Reached out to the dev and after a few fix attempts an update was posted that fixed the issue. To...
My first Reddit client was Baconreader. I can't remember why I stopped using it, probably because it had some limitations or other. I used RIF for a while, because they were going ad-free for Reddit Gold users. Didn't renew my Reddit Gold one day. Luckily there was a lot of hype going on around this newcomer called Sync, so I got it Sync Pro and was happy ever since. ...Until this day I guess, but that's not Sync's fault.
most of the time you'll be talking to a bot there without even realizing. they're gonna feed you products and ads interwoven into conversations, and the AI can be controlled so its output reflects corporate interests. advertisers are gonna be able to buy access and run campaigns. based on their input, the AI can generate...
SubredditSimulator was based on older generative algorithms, so everyone could fairly easily tell that it was rubbish. When SubredditSimulator got shut down, someone made a new one based on GPT-2 (I think) and everyone was like "OK, this is getting harder to distinguish from real people".
I'm betting someone has made even more advanced bots by now. I'm betting someone's also not concerned about telling other users upfront that they're bots, and they're not confining them into specific subs. Now, the only reason I'm not accusing Reddit Inc themselves of building these bots is that they aren't exactly a bastion of software engineering excellence; the site barely works as is.
As I recall, Reddit really dragged their heels in implementing GDPR-mandated data checkouts, citing technical challenges and privacy issues, but I'm sure it was more about the technical challenges and laziness (old codebase that has kind of sucked since forever and they're not keen on touching it). This was when the law went into effect in 2018.
I requested archives of my data from Reddit as per GDPR a few weeks ago, and it's still pending. And the page said "oh, uh, we'll provide them within 30 days." ...which is well within the letter of the law, if not the spirit. Other sites I've requested my data from can provide it within days, usually.
All I can say as someone who's been perplexed about Reddit's tech side for a long time is that it's pretty damn emblematic of the whole site.
I'm a pretty technically savvy person, can handle Mastodon, yet Kbin/Lemmy still still confuse me a little bit. Hopefully this one goes to the s***post channel (i.e. no one in particular).
Like many others, I've been wondering "Hmm, where the heck do I get all the cute animal pictures now?"
...but the answer to that question was staring me right in the face.
I'd just do what I've always done if I want cute animal pictures.
I mean, Pinterest is right there.
Reject subredditery, embrace tradition.
Why would anyone remove the French language pack? I mean, I'd just randomly squint at stuff! And try to figure shit out! It just adds challenge. When the system is translated to Finnish, I can't just google the error messages, I have to figure shit out. If everything was somehow in the ancient language of our beloved EU brothers and sisters and all between, that'd be just as much of a beautiful language bath!
What's your Sync story?
Mine is originally using Baconreader while in the dorm community bathroom doing a deuce and seeing a mention of Sync. Installed and instantly became a user. Later on I had a problem with the app because I was running beta Android. Reached out to the dev and after a few fix attempts an update was posted that fixed the issue. To...
Hot take: 18 years of user contributions to reddit will serve as a base model for an AI that generates content and conversations. the reddit experience continues as a simulation, to harvest clicks, sales and ad revenue.
most of the time you'll be talking to a bot there without even realizing. they're gonna feed you products and ads interwoven into conversations, and the AI can be controlled so its output reflects corporate interests. advertisers are gonna be able to buy access and run campaigns. based on their input, the AI can generate...
Obligatory Reddit history blast: War (3/3) (www.flickr.com)
How to remove the French language pack (programming.dev)