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redcalx commented on FLAC – Format overview   xiph.org/flac/documentati... · Posted by u/jsbg
bretbernhoft · 4 years ago
I've only ever used .WAV and .MP3 formats. What would a .FLAC file format be used for?
redcalx · 4 years ago
WAV is uncompressed. MP3 is highly compressed, but lossy. FLAC is compressed and lossless. If you wanted to store lots of master copies of audio, you could use WAV or you could reduce storage space by using FLAC instead.
redcalx commented on LG 28-inch 16:18 DualUp Monitor   lg.com/us/monitors/lg-28m... · Posted by u/jqcoffey
spiffytech · 4 years ago
I work at a desk, lean my chair back, and use a footrest. Here's the one I'm using now: https://amazon.com/gp/product/B07PWT8X6K/ My desk has a keyboard tray so I can keep my chair low, and I'd want something taller if I had to raise my chair.

For me, this totally eliminates back strain from working. I've also got a friend who uses a La-Z-Boy in his home office, with his laptop connected to the TV. He can't say enough good things about that setup.

redcalx · 4 years ago
Interesting, thanks. Is your chair anything special? I'm guessing it has a high back for head support?
redcalx commented on LG 28-inch 16:18 DualUp Monitor   lg.com/us/monitors/lg-28m... · Posted by u/jqcoffey
spiffytech · 4 years ago
I've always stacked my monitors because I recline while I work, so the up/down eye motion feels natural for me. By contrast, I turn my head to see side-by-side monitors, which doesn't feel as nice to do all day.
redcalx · 4 years ago
> I recline while I work

Can you elaborate on this? Sounds like it might be a way to limit back strain? Do you have a desk at all?

redcalx commented on Hacks for Engineering Estimates   shubhro.com/2022/01/30/ha... · Posted by u/shbhrsaha
williamkuszmaul · 4 years ago
One estimation trick that I've found effective is the following: (1) determine the smallest number that your sure is larger than the true answer. (2) determine the largest number that you are sure is smaller than the true answer. (3) take the geometric average of the two. (i.e., sqrt(a * b))

The reason this does well, is that oftentimes, (1) overestimates the true answer by roughly the same multiplicative factor as (2) underestimates the true answer by. So the geometric mean cancels the over and under estimates in order to get an estimation that does pretty well.

I find that this works remarkably well for estimating the dimensions of buildings, trees, etc.

redcalx · 4 years ago
So basically, if there's a distribution of possible outcomes (with estimated duration plotted on the x-axis, and probability on the y-axis), then we put bounds on either side of the distribution and take a 'central' point on the x-axis between them. But instead of a simple average, we can use a log scale on the x-axis, so that we represent estimates of different magnitudes well. Now the simple half way point on the x-axis is on a log scale, and (I think) equivalent to the approach you described.
redcalx commented on Hacks for Engineering Estimates   shubhro.com/2022/01/30/ha... · Posted by u/shbhrsaha
abetlen · 4 years ago
My go-to heuristic is three point estimation, basically a weighted average of the best, worst, and average case [0].

(Best + Worst + 4 * Average) / 6

One nice property is that it imposes a distribution that adjusts for longer tailed risks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-point_estimation

redcalx · 4 years ago
So one question here is: Why reduce the distribution (with long tail or whatever) to a single estimate number? If the distribution represents the range of possible outcomes well, then the single number throws away most of the information in the distribution.
redcalx commented on Hacks for Engineering Estimates   shubhro.com/2022/01/30/ha... · Posted by u/shbhrsaha
NAHWheatCracker · 4 years ago
This is precisely the issue from my perspective as well.

Most project managers I've worked with either have a desired estimate already in mind or they don't care about any of the extenuating circumstances.

On one hand, the desired estimate is often based on the knowledge that projects estimated to take more than a quarter aren't going to get a green light.

On the other hand, it's ridiculous how many projects blow through estimates when external dependencies are ignored, newly-hired engineers create a burden on the project, and de-scoped work turns out to be necessary.

Those project managers also pursue the same estimation agenda even after several projects turn out the same way.

redcalx · 4 years ago
> Those project managers also pursue the same estimation agenda even after several projects turn out the same way.

This is an aspect of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planning_fallacy.

redcalx commented on UK-Morocco 10GW Renewable Electricity Interconnector Planned   xlinks.co/morocco-uk-powe... · Posted by u/redcalx
samwillis · 4 years ago
This is really interesting in the context of what is happening locally to my home, we are about two miles from what is planned to be the UK largest domestic solar farm [0,1]. It will output 350MW, so the one proposed in Morocco will be about 28 times the size.

There has been a significant push back against the project locally and so I suspect it won’t be built to the scale proposed. The main criticism is that the land is particularly fertile.

0: https://www.mallardpasssolar.co.uk/

1: https://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/news/amp/clock-is-ticking-...

redcalx · 4 years ago
Yes, I don't see the logic of using fertile agricultural land for solar PV. It seems like short term thinking and a planning failure. I've heard at lest one similar story regarding reforesting, i.e., a scheme that was planning to use fertile land in Wales that was ultimately canned due to local objections/resistance.
redcalx commented on UK-Morocco 10GW Renewable Electricity Interconnector Planned   xlinks.co/morocco-uk-powe... · Posted by u/redcalx
qwedf · 4 years ago
The latest Doomberg does a great job in pointing out the practical flaws.

https://doomberg.substack.com/p/20000-volts-under-the-sea

"The Xlinks project is a pretty good concept, and yet…it needs access to materials already claimed by many others at prices increasing by the day, it needs to build an entire HVDC industry in Britain from the ground up, and it needs money, lots of it."

redcalx · 4 years ago
For the battery storage, perhaps they will ultimately choose https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_iron_phosphate_battery. The cable manufacture seems like more a 'when' rather than an 'if' problem. The scheduled first phase of construction is 2025-2027, which we can reasonably expect to be delayed by 2-3 years if they are trying to build new manufacturing capability. Overall this still looks to be in the realms of possible/viable IMO.
redcalx commented on Ant mill   en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant... · Posted by u/anthropodie
redcalx · 4 years ago
Reminds me of the turkey's circling a dead cat video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns5MA69MXuE

u/redcalx

KarmaCake day528June 29, 2015
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