So Microsoft is shipping a new feature in Windows 11 called Recall, which takes screenshots of what the user is doing every few seconds, and then feeds it into OCR.
And I've read a number of people describe it as useless.
But I disagree.
I'm sure plenty of people will find it very handy.
For example, your friendly local law enforcement agents and prosecutors are likely to find a feature like this very useful.
As will the NSA, the other three-letter agencies in the US, and intelligence agencies around the world.
Including the ones in authoritarian states. A couple of back doors, and it will be so much easier keeping track of who's been typing naughty words like "Prigozhin", "Navalny", or "free Hong Kong".
Not in the state surveillance business? No worries!
Assuming this data isn't locked down properly — and we are talking about Microsoft here — it's sure to find plenty of more mundane uses.
Perhaps for bosses who will no longer need to install keyloggers to snoop on their staff.
Or jealous current and former partners.
Mark my words, this poorly-thought-through attempt to shove LLMs in another place they don't belong to temporarily spike Microsoft's share price will find its uses.
And the next computer I get definitely won't be running Windows.
I've argued before that it's better to aim to get gross emissions as low as possible, instead of lauding net zero claims that have been achieved through (potentially fraudulent) carbon offsets.
Here's a great illustration of why carbon derivatives are a poor substitute for real emissions cuts:
@ajsadauskas@sydney glad the roxy got a shout out. Parramatta is still a bit under baked but it'll be interesting to see what it's like in 5 or so years.
Stop building CBDs, city is outdated concept in 21 century. Cities outlived it usefulness, we do not need them as centers of commerce, or military strongholds, or to concentrate workforce. Let them die, future is distributed, not concentrated.
Want to be an AFL media personality? It's easy — just follow the four-step Kane Cornes plan.
Look up which teams that lost on the weekend.
For each of the teams, come up with a reason why either:
a) It's the players' fault. They're too lazy. Don't train hard enough. Don't put in enough effort!
b) It's the players' fault. They're not skilled enough!
c) It's the coach's fault. Bad tactics. Bad strategy. He's allowing those players to be lazy!
d) It's the recruiter's fault. They picked/traded for the wrong players!
Get your producers to find a passage of play, interview, or press conference you can say backs up your claim.
Go on TV or radio and say what you think confidently, as if you're really pissed off about it.
Yeah, the older Richmond players didn't show enough effort. You really don't care — you used to play for Port Adelaide after all.
But you pretend you do on TV and the radio, because it makes great content.
@ajsadauskas@afl the worst part about Cornes isn’t his hatred of the Tigers, or his irrational vendettas against certain players, or even that he’s basically just a clickbait machine. It’s that he’s still an All Australian selector FFS!
@ajsadauskas@asklemmy I’m also doing this but doing some of the hosting myself. I’m using @doncow to host my own email. I’m also looking at @cryptpad for apps. Those could fit your needs also. I’m not a nextcloud fan but I think these do have integrations.
2 weeks ago, I suscribed to a pre-installed Nextcloud service. IT IS SO WORTH IT!!! It’s much more that what I was expeting. Data storgage of course, but tons of super usefull apps. Deck to replace Trello, News for rss feeds, Only Office for an online suite, Memories for picture, a very usefull media player, and much more. In the age of AI, I’m never again storing anything on Google or MS storage. We nees to take the internet back, fuck the GAFAM.
A huge congratulations to @philipthalis on his well-deserved award.
Philip is undeniably both one of Australia's most respected architects and a tireless advocate for good urban design.
More importantly, he's not afraid to speak up publicly against bad state government planning decisions, as he did with Barangaroo, even when there's a personal cost.
So despite climate change, Australia's federal government has just committed an extra $3.25 billion into building a toll road and a 20-lane freeway widening.
"Pouring an extra $3.25 billion worth of federal funds into Melbourne’s North East Link is a good use of taxpayer money, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has insisted, despite the project’s cost doubling just a few months ago.
...
"The North East Link – which includes 6½ kilometres of tunnels – will stretch from Bulleen to Greensborough. It will widen the Eastern Freeway by up to 20 lanes.
"Allan revealed in December that the 10-kilometre toll road had more than doubled in cost since it was first announced.
"The toll road was initially budgeted at $10 billion and reassessed in 2019 at $15 billion. But the government revealed last year that the updated cost estimate was $26 billion."
Hornsby is the fifth best place to live in Australia, apparently.
At least, according to a study SGS Economics and Planning:
"Sydney's Northern beaches ranks as the highest in the nation for wellbeing, with only one Queensland city making it to the top 10, the annual index revealed today.
"The Australian Capital Territory came in second due to its low gender wage gaps, climate change risks and the division of wealth."
The study assessed 518 local council areas on seven indicators:
It’s also a failure of politics. If you tell people you’re going to raise taxes to pay for the road, you’re probably not getting elected. Toll roads ideally are just another form of tax that is more sneaky than straight up raising taxes.
People won’t stop driving entirely. Some are legitimately afraid of rain, sun, wind, snow, etc . Placing the toll booths every 100m would go a long way to reducing traffic and reducing dangerous vehicle speeds.
Looks like Sydney Trains is going to drop the jargon from its PA announcements.
From the SMH:
"Commuters will soon be told to “get off” the train, rather than “alight”, after Sydney Trains resolved to overhaul its station announcements to favour colloquial language.
"The phrase “this train terminates here” is also being retired, due to concerns the word “terminates” is difficult to understand."
@rusl@ajsadauskas@sydneytrains You think that's bad? I was in an airport where they made passengers "deplane" to take care of a mechanical issue. When it was time to have the passengers get back on, the gate agent made an announcement asking them to "re-deplane". 😒