ghaff (u/ghaff) - Readit News

ghaff commented on Spending too much time at airports thezvi.substack.com/p/spe... · Posted by u/nsoonhui

Zak · 28 minutes ago

I'm not imagining much compromise on the tablet side - at least not more than Microsoft's Surface keyboard connector. I'm thinking of thin tabs attached to the hinges slotting into the tablet body.

It would still be pretty compromised as a laptop, but better in that role than current tablet keyboard solutions.

ghaff · 13 minutes ago

As I say, software differences aside, my experience with the current magnetic Apple keyboard and the touchpad seem pretty good. I'm not sure a probably relatively weak mechanical coupling would be better.

ghaff commented on Valve Software handbook for new employees [pdf] (2012) cdn.akamai.steamstatic.co... · Posted by u/Michelangelo11

const_cast · 5 hours ago

Well that's because AR and VR are strictly worse for most use cases as compared to traditional human computer interfaces.

The mouse, keyboard, and monitor is pretty much just right. Highly productive, you can go super fast, with extreme information density.

VR and AR are obviously much slower to navigate because physical worlds are slow to navigate and that's what they're mimicing. We might assume a 3D world has more information density than a 2D screen... But 90% of the time it doesn't. I don't have eyes on the back of my head. And, usually, I'm going to be staring at a 2D thing.

ghaff · 23 minutes ago

As I've written before, I can imagine an essentially science-fictional version of AR being potentially interesting. Wear normal looking classes or contacts, look at something, and immediately get information through some subtle communications mechanism to be determined.

VR has basically been for niche high-end gamers. I can imagine a jet flighter simulation might be good for VR but I'm not even sure that's such a thing these days. One can imagine other uses like virtual exploration but it hasn't been that interesting and a big monitor works pretty well as an alternative.

ghaff commented on Trees on city streets cope with drought by drinking from leaky pipes newscientist.com/article/... · Posted by u/bookofjoe

hinkley · 2 hours ago

You’re not supposed to plane ANY trees in the middle of the septic system.

ghaff · an hour ago

You're not. But people often don't even fully know exactly where the limits of their septic system (including leach fields) are. SUPPOSEDLY they know where their septic tank is but tree roots grow, records are lost, etc.

ghaff commented on Spending too much time at airports thezvi.substack.com/p/spe... · Posted by u/nsoonhui

Zak · an hour ago

> The newer magnetic keyboards are actually pretty good

What I think I would really like is a detachable keyboard with laptop-style hinges (and maybe a secondary battery). There seem to be a few devices from about a decade ago with that kind of design but they died out in favor of flexible connectors and kickstands.

ghaff · an hour ago

The newish Apple magnetic keyboards seem pretty good for using on your lap at a conference which was one of my showstoppers for a lot of earlier tablet designs. Though I haven't had a lot of opportunity to try it in practice. And I'm just so used to laptop multi-window that I probably would need to just spend some time adapting.

A more hybrid design seems to make a lot of sense but it just seems to involve compromises on both the laptop and tablet ends. Even the Apple tablets with keyboards probably don't have a lot of advantages over the Air unless you're watching a movie or reading a book on a flight or train.

ghaff commented on Spending too much time at airports thezvi.substack.com/p/spe... · Posted by u/nsoonhui

______ · 2 hours ago

Having a kitchen tablet is also amazing - I have a ten year old iPad Pro with the keyboard, it's great for looking up recipes and following along, and also messaging while cooking.

ghaff · 2 hours ago

I've tried it and even built a stand for one at one point. Again, I usually have an old laptop on my dining room table. Maybe as I reconfigure my house after a kitchen fire and revert my dining room table from a work surface, I'll give it another try.

You actually give me an idea that I have an old iPad and a laptop stand I never use (probably a work thing I didn't think to return) and I may give it a try especially given I mostly use just a few sites.

ghaff commented on Spending too much time at airports thezvi.substack.com/p/spe... · Posted by u/nsoonhui

Zak · 2 hours ago

My recent revelation as a frequent flyer is that it's really nice to have a tablet. I had long shunned them as an awkward step between laptop and phone, but using laptops is forbidden during taxi,takeoff, and landing.

Unlike the in-seat entertainment, the movie on a personal tablet won't be interrupted by announcements which I almost never want to hear.

ghaff · 2 hours ago

Traveling is mostly what I find the tablet use case to be. I find it useful relatively rarely at home. I try and then I just end up grabbing an older laptop from the dining room.

If you want to spend most of your time reading, a Kindle may have advantages but I'm more inclined to travel with a tablet. The newer magnetic keyboards are actually pretty good but I'm at fewer conferences and the like these days where I'm taking notes and I actually have found that I've adapted to just using a phone for many purposes.

ghaff commented on Spending too much time at airports thezvi.substack.com/p/spe... · Posted by u/nsoonhui

leelin · 7 hours ago

Best airport mental hack for last-minute types: Get lounge access beyond Priorty Pass

Even though most domestric lounges are hit-or-miss, it's a way to trick myself into getting to the airport 30 to 45 minutes earlier than I would. That way, if I'm running late, worst case I miss the lounge or cut short the time.

For those complaining that lounges are overcrowded with mediocre food, it's true and getting worse. However, it's buffet style - select a healthy salad option with a reasonable protein. Non Priority Pass options are somewhat worthwhile -- United Clubs have gone through a massive upgrade post Covid and so far haven't been too crowded. They also allow access upon arrival, if you really need to fire off some emails and hydrate upon landing.

As for in-flight, for former gaming geeks, try classic emulators. They won't require internet and drain very minimal battery life on your latop.

The adjacent hack is to bring an empty water bottle in your carry-on, which you fill once you clear security. Then, you have a full bottle of water and can decline everything from the "beverage cart" on your flight, meaning you never need to worry about managing a precarious open cup of liquid and ice sitting on your in-flight tray.

ghaff · 2 hours ago

I had Priority Pass for a few years when I had a premium credit card for other reasons. I think I used a club a few times when Star Alliance/United wasn't available. Nothing special. And the meaningful meal discounts were few and far between.

ghaff commented on Spending too much time at airports thezvi.substack.com/p/spe... · Posted by u/nsoonhui

marssaxman · 2 hours ago

> spending time at the airport is fun

People's preferences really do vary widely, don't they?

There's nowhere I feel less safe than a security checkpoint, and nowhere I feel less relaxed than a high-pressure commerce zone clamoring for attention I don't want to give and trying to squeeze me out of money I don't want to spend.

But there are people who voluntarily go to Las Vegas, on purpose, because they think they will enjoy it: so, we are clearly not all alike.

ghaff · 2 hours ago

Novelty is often a thing of course. I don't think anyone who travels a lot really enjoys airports even if distractions like butterfly gardens and nice airport clubs can make them more tolerable. Some people are probably into the duty free shopping though it's mostly not a bargain.

ghaff commented on Spending too much time at airports thezvi.substack.com/p/spe... · Posted by u/nsoonhui

sokoloff · 8 hours ago

I suspect people who look for annoyances in travel readily find them, while people who look for the positives readily find those.

I used to hate business travel, then took a role that required a fair bit of it. Getting used to the routine, finding ways to be efficient, and realizing that even the occasional irregularities aren’t so bad gave me a perspective that while I don’t love it, it’s far more tolerable than how I used to view it.

ghaff · 2 hours ago

You have your system/routine, TSA-Pre/etc., probably a club membership. At some point, I also largely said to hell with driving into the airport in most cases and just got a car service; no one pushed back. Whereas in a long ago job I'd sometimes use a shared van service which was... less good.

Still, as you say, some bad travel stories with delays and missed connections but you're better prepared to roll with those punches.

ghaff commented on Spending too much time at airports thezvi.substack.com/p/spe... · Posted by u/nsoonhui

whobre · 7 hours ago

Business is much better for long flights. For flights under 5 hours it almost does not make any difference.

ghaff · 3 hours ago

BOS to SFO, domestic business is more comfortable but not to the degree I'd likely pay out of my pocket for.