@TechConnectify@mas.to cover
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TechConnectify

@[email protected]

I'm that snarky, sometimes cranky YouTube person who told you about how dishwashers work.

I post many things which should not be taken too seriously (on account of the cranky snark thing). If you think I'm mad at you, I'm almost certainly not!

Friendly and helpful, if strongly opinionated.

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@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random
@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

I'm wishing to bring tidings of comfort and joy with this new video.

Or at least comfort and slightly reduced stress levels!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCVsyY5TRQI

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

it's christmastime, and there's... good news?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy7BrKNmZAQ

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

happy thanksgiving

i made this for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INZybkX8tLI

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

I made a video about my favorite adapter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I4Jc-WLsrs

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

Folks, I have a new video today where I'm very excited to announce a new dishwasher powder on the market.

Why am I so excited? Because it's vindicated every single one of my detergent opinions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAX2_mPr9W8

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

I have another video today! It's about old-school video projectors and how amazing they were.

Seriously, not only is it almost unbelievable that this even works, but it's doing full HD video with incredibly good image quality. It's also a royal PITA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms8uu0zeU88

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

I've got a new video out today, this time on the tech that keeps those old dinosaur-powered cars from polluting the air too much

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aytf6ARcs8s

TechConnectify OP ,
@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar

@mdwyer I have to be honest... this doesn't bother me because I regularly use the subscriptions feed. I don't get recommended tons of things I want to watch and so I adjusted my behavior to fix that problem.

Well truthfully I didn't adjust my behavior, that's just how I have always used YouTube, but "google isn't showing me your videos" is to my sensibilities a strange complaint.

TechConnectify OP ,
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@mdwyer I say this because it rings to me like "the library's not doing a good job putting a bookcase together just for me each time I walk in" and like... is that the library's job?

My algorithms video is much less about how bad algorithms have gotten and much more about how strange it is that we seem to expect the world to work like this now.

TechConnectify OP ,
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@kwahoo Did you miss the part of the video where I show the computer commanding equivalence ratios above and below 1?

The computer is deliberately causing those oscillations and we can see it in the scan tool.

TechConnectify OP ,
@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar

@kwahoo Respectfully, I think you're confusing the algorithms necessary for narrowband sensors with those in use with a wideband sensor.

Your original premise is that the engine should not need to oscillate between rich and lean based on the graph you have found. But that graph does not address the underlying chemistry of the reactions which take place in the catalyst.

Narrowband feedback systems produced the necessary oscillations basically as a side-effect of how they worked.

TechConnectify OP , (edited )
@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar

@kwahoo If I had a car with a narrowband upstream sensor, I would have written how even an analog control circuit could enrich fuel when O2 sensor signal shows lean, and once it was enriched enough for the O2 sensor to switch, it could pull fuel back. It would be attempting to stay at 1.0 but hysteresis and lag would cause it to oscillate.

A wideband sensor, though it still has a Nernst cell at its heart, is precise enough for the computer to be proactive rather than reactive.

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

In other news, here's a new video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzClLWL-Eys
Let's see if releasing this on labor day weekend was a good idea...

TechConnectify OP ,
@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar

@nitpicking Videos are now being uploaded to Patreon and can be watched there. However, Patreon's video quality sucks compared to YT.

I know many people (especially here) loathe the idea of giving Google any money at all, but if there are creators on YouTube you like, YT premium functions pretty much like Nebula does. It's the main reason I haven't considered joining Nebula, it feels like a mix of Patreon and YouTube Premium but with extra steps.

TechConnectify OP ,
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@nitpicking I could have quite the conversation about my thoughts here. I have a lot of stuff in my mind regarding affordances of platforms, gatekeeping of streaming services, discoverability and audience, algorithms, etc. etc.

On balance, I'd still rather be on YouTube and supported directly via Patreon.

TechConnectify OP ,
@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar

@nitpicking Listen, the fact that Google owns YouTube makes me more than very nervous, but YouTube's moat is what it is because they pay creators for their labor.

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

I made a little video about little video tapes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFYWHeBhYbM

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

i like weird bulbs and i cannot lie

new video time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaKKzZRrPIg

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

It's time for another electric vehicle charging video.

Too many people believe EV charging solutions require expensive, huge electric circuits (or worse: service upgrades).

The really high-power ones people tend to go with can be a headache, but there are many other options!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W96a8svXo14

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

New video time!

A whole lot of folks keep forgetting about closed captions on DVDs, and as time has marched on this means they're getting less accessible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSCOQ6vnLwU

TechConnectify OP ,
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@dysfun Ah, but they might! There's a good chance they don't have a subtitle track, but they may have closed captions.

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

Time for a dry subject: dehumidifiers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_QfX0SYCE8

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random
@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

Surely this new video won't make me seem like a crank.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEJpZjg8GuA

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

If you've been following my Christmas light saga, this year's video has made me happier than ever!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSFNufruSKw

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

wanna see a real weird light bulb?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHskIsOYZ8s

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random
@ernie@writing.exchange avatar ernie , to random

What did this guy expect would happen? He posted something savaging the platform and people got up in arms about it.

https://mastodon.social/@o_simardcasanova/113053473600003123

TechConnectify ,
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@ernie I'm biased because, having looked through there my thoughts seem nearly perfectly aligned with the OP, but tbh there's a lot of people living the "this is fine" meme over here, and at this point being blunt might be necessary.

TechConnectify ,
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@ernie I'm not sure I'm seeing what you're seeing. Could be that ol' Fedi goodness but other than a few back-and-forth arguments, I'm not picking up on surprise.

At this point, I know I can't be critical of this place without taking shit which is why I've stopped. But that's kind of the whole problem, as I see it.

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

Ya know what? I'm gonna toot my own horn today On Here Specifically.

I have already received at least a dozen thankful comments/replies for letting people know they can slow down door closers. A lot of people have been living with irritating bangs in apartment buildings and whatnot.

And thanks to watching a YouTube video, their life is now better. I didn't sell anything to them, I just decided to share some knowledge in my own (hopefully entertaining) way.

TechConnectify OP ,
@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar

So next time someone shares a YouTube video with you and you want to be a stick in the mud about that, remember that everyone has their own paths to knowledge and their own way to spread knowledge.

"this could have been an article"

Yeah it could be, and in fact it is! Anyone could look up door closers on Wikipedia and get the gist of my video's information.

But many millions of people don't even know they're called door closers. Hell, I didn't! Not until I needed to install one.

TechConnectify OP ,
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Now, people browsing YouTube looking for something to watch are getting a helpful video with a thumbnail and title that makes clear "this is a door closer, they are adjustable, I will show you how to slow them down" and they're going to learn a lot of cool shit if they click through.

That's why I do this. And please feel free to bookmark this thread in case you'd like to educate one of the loud YouTube/video haters for me.

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

Look, I'm gonna lay this out on the line:

This place is fucking shit for my mental health.

It's that simple!

And it is not helped that any time I voice this, I get replies which one way or another make it clear it's my problem to solve.

TechConnectify OP ,
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@SymTrkl I am trying to make clear in a direct way that in order for me to stay here, shit has to change.

And I am tired of being told I need to change clients, change instances, use Arch, or whatever the heck.

I don't know what specifically makes this place so uniquely irksome, but a lot of it is how the userbase chooses to respond to things. And that's in no small part encouraged by the way moderation is put entirely on the receiver.

@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

FYI my last boost?

That's why I don't hang out here so much anymore.

Kind of a drag to see someone share a video of mine then deal with that kind of sentiment.

Also I'd really like to be able to quote toot but alas...

TechConnectify OP ,
@TechConnectify@mas.to avatar

A screenshot for posterity

A mastodon post from a user with the screen name Jerome: " Please do not ask me to watch YouTube videos. I don't like videos, they normally take 10 minutes to tell me stuff which can be written in two sentences. I am not interested in "influencers," I don't believe someone's opinion is more valuable because of more followers. I won't like or follow, because I don't have a Google account. I hate advertisement, either officially or slightly disguised as a video. Thank you.
ALT
  • Reply
    • @TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

    Confidence is not "I know what I'm doing."

    Confidence is "I know how to find that out" and "I know how to learn new things" and most importantly "I know when I don't know what I'm doing, so I stop and find someone who does"

    Obnoxious blowhards rely on people not understanding this distinction. And they amplify it by framing actual confidence as weakness.

    This may be a useful thing to talk about with certain people in your life who are being fooled by fascists.

    @TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

    WBEZ just had a pledge drive and didn't meet their goals.

    NPR has its problems, but your local station does really valuable journalism for your area and it's accessible to all.

    If you haven't listened to your local affiliate or checked out their website, see what you think of their work. If you find it valuable, and you have the means, I think it's good to support such work. Especially now, good, accessible journalism covering your local area and not just national news is important to preserve

    @TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

    So I just got back from a Menards run and I've noticed something fascinating:

    Menards has always had a lot of store brands. But they're really pushing a new food brand called Marcella. Stuff like coffee, jams and jellies, prepared foods, sodas, etc. A lot of it is fairly unique - I bought a maraschino cherry cola on a whim and it was pretty great!

    The weird part? They're pricing this in-house stuff higher than name brands. The soda was a tad more expensive than the Sprecher's next to it!

    TechConnectify OP ,
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    @beeoproblem people compare Menards with Canadian tire a lot so I'm going to assume it's quite similar

    TechConnectify OP ,
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    @BalooUriza @beeoproblem it's much, much, much, much more eclectic than tractor supply.

    I would say imagine a cross between harbor freight, home depot, and Walmart (sans produce), then stick a lumber yard in the back and you're there.

    TechConnectify OP ,
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    @beeoproblem @BalooUriza ah, well that's how Menards got started! And that's why they have actual lumber yards.

    Actually, it's extremely handy because you can drive back there and pick stuff up. Pretty much all bulky building supplies are kept out there (even, for instance, rolls of insulation) so you can just order it in the store, they give you a printout, and you go and get it after you pay at the registers.

    @TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

    Scene: a facilities manager, having just ordered bathroom supplies, is out to lunch.

    "Do you think the menu's this huge at the urinal cake factory?"

    TechConnectify OP ,
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    I realize the target audience for this joke is a subsection of a subsection of a subsection of a subsection of the population but urinal cake factory popped in my head and it had to get out one way or another

    @TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

    I'd like to tell a quick story about successful troubleshooting.

    A few months ago I rented a scissor lift to install lighting at my new office. When it arrived, the delivery person gave me a quick demo and off he went.

    Well, when I went to actually use it - the lift went up by about a foot then stopped and screamed beeps of terror. It was broken!

    But the display on the control read "18"

    Rather than call the rental company, I searched "sinoboom fault code 18" to see what that meant.

    @TechConnectify@mas.to avatar TechConnectify , to random

    I put my thoughts on the skeet place and I want to highlight this reply I got.

    I think a large number of people who are active here specifically need to hear this perspective.

    A Bluesky post from Dr. Jamiebear: For me the problem is posts I make on nerdy subjects are non-adversarial ("look at this cool thing!"), but the replies are very very adversarial... or at least come from the POV that since I'm posting about a subject they love, I must know *nothing* about it: an anti-intellectual view in itself.
    ALT
    TechConnectify OP ,
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    @vl_tone It would solve my problem but that's not all I'm looking for.

    Mastodon has a real culture problem. The leadership thinks humans tooting are the only thing shaping the culture, but this is wrong. They don't really examine the infrastructure itself and give credence to the affordances that infrastructure provides (and doesn't).

    I desperately want some signals from the crowd to direct the conversations which happen. Algorithms based on engagement provide it, if imperfectly.

    TechConnectify OP ,
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    @vl_tone That's my real crux: signals from the crowd.

    Those are minimal here. You can't see which replies are resonating with people in any functional way. You just see a bucket of replies.

    I understand the impulse to keep it that way. Algorithms can be exploited and they are imperfect.

    But their absence, as a large account, is exhausting in myriad ways. Some are universal irritations that are merely amplified here, but others prevent a true culture from even forming.