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therealbilly

32 karma · joined July 4, 2019

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therealbilly··on GlobalFoundries wins $3.1B in CHIPS Act subsidies for NY, Vermont
Not really. It’s because the government of Taiwan poured a lot of money into these chip companies. Which is the smart thing to do.
therealbilly··on ‘This Has Been Going on for Years’: Boeing’s Manufacturing Mess
Kelly Johnson of Lockheed (designer and PM for record breaking aircraft) had a very strong position on core competency. It had to be protected and advanced at all costs.
therealbilly··on ‘This Has Been Going on for Years’: Boeing’s Manufacturing Mess
There was some truth to that. The 737 MAX is a hot aircraft (a light airframe with new powerful engines) that could quickly get away from you. Most US pilots come from the military and are typically top notch. Third world pilots to be quite honest, don't measure up in all areas.
therealbilly··on The metaverse was never alive in the first place
I have no doubt the metaverse will be the future. Obviously it's hard for people to imagine the possibilities. It's also hard to explain it to people who lack imagination. I think it opens up amazing new horizons for humans to be a part of. From work to recreation. One example, you are working, writing code. You have virtual monitors hanging in front of you. No need to have a physical monitor with limited real estate. Your virtual monitors can be any width or height. They can be swiped aside or brought into focus. Your teammates appear and disappear as the needs dictate. You can have that virtual golden retriever you always wanted, lying by your feet. Music is playing in the background. This while you sit in the Taj Mahal. Later in the day you want to walk on the beach in Bali. One gesture, you are there. It's live and it's sunset. So yes, I want the metaverse sooner than later.
therealbilly··on HP 15C Collector’s Edition (preorder)
Pull the Free42 app down from the Apple store and have an HP 42 calculator on your phone. The interface is an image of the 42.
therealbilly··on F-35 Engine Running Too Hot Due to ‘Under-Speccing,’ Upgrade Now Vital
Most of us years ago pointed out the F-35 was heavy and not very aerodynamic. Meaning that the single engine would be burdened hauling that thing around. It's actually worse than we thought! If the engineers can somehow squeeze out 35% more thrust then the plane will be performant. I see that as being difficult.
therealbilly··on Big data is dead
I think server hardware solved the big data issue. The stuff we have now can blitz through data in the blink of an eye. For national governments like our own, mainframes still have a place. For me personally, I don't even talk about big data anymore.
therealbilly··on Ask HN: Why are big tech companies having mass layoffs?
My own theory is that the era of Big Tech firms like Google, etc., is passing or at least evolving. Companies are gaining confidence that they have answers for their needs and don't necessarily need input from those firms. So for the mundane line-of-business segment, companies want to try their own hand. I personally think there will still be a need for moderate sized Systems Houses that can deliver bespoke solutions weaving together state of the art software and hardware. In terms of jobs, I think they will be dispersed and not hoarded by the big tech firms going forward. All of this is just an opinion.
therealbilly··on MacBook Pro featuring M2 Pro and M2 Max
I still run a 2017 MacBook Pro with the 2.9 GHz i7 (admittedly with a recent keyboard replacement.) I only do office productivity stuff on it. The heavy lifting is done on my Dell Xeon desktop workstation. Anyway I'm looking at the M2 mini. That would be cool to poke around with. I'll keep the MacBook Pro as it still runs stellar and with the new battery, I can run all day with careful use.
therealbilly··on The silent struggles of workers with ADHD
I have suffered from ADHD my entire adult working life. I am a developer and it’s been a real struggle. I could not utilize Adderall as I have high blood pressure and it hits your system all at once. Two years ago, a doctor prescribed Vyvanse. It’s been miraculous. I’m now able to function at a high level and maintain that performance throughout the day. I believe it restores your dopamine levels to that of a normal person. Vyvanse is a time release formulation that is also a single enantiomer (highly purified) and does not contain other undesirable chiral components of Adderall. Please look into this medication if you suffer from ADHD.
therealbilly··on I/O is no longer the bottleneck
Does any of this really matter?
therealbilly··on With Ancient Apocalypse, Graham Hancock has declared war on archaeologists
Many of us lay-people strongly suspect that there was some sort of catastrophe around 12,000 BC. The disappearance of the Clovis people, the disappearance of the North American mega-fauna, the unequal sophistication of culture between the old and new world, point to something drastic that happened in North America. The clock was reset. Whatever happened, it affected Europe and Asia to a degree as well. The flood myths which many cultures seem to incorporate, points to something very profound. I look forward to future developments in this area.
therealbilly··on NSA Watchdog Concluded One Analyst’s Surveillance Project Went Too Far
Only me and the other guy seem to care. We all should care. Our government has no business collecting our transmitted information. This has to stop.
therealbilly··on Boeing Needs an Act of Congress or Something Worse to Get Max 7 and 10 Flying
You would make a poor airline executive. These planes cost an enormous amount of money to develop. I notice you didn't mention the poor training of the now deceased pilots. Be brave and mention all the factors.
therealbilly··on Galactic settlement of low-mass stars as a resolution to the Fermi paradox
Ok, but we still don't see any ET's. I personally think interstellar travel is impossible for biological lifeforms. Some suggest some form of AI robotic craft, but that may be impossible as well. I don't know of any energy source that will last 20,000 years. By the time a robotic craft reached any sort of destination, the craft would be a derelict and non-functional.
therealbilly··on Google Cloud Workstations – Fully managed browser-based development environments
No cloud for me. I like having my hardware in front of me. The soothing LED's and gentle swoosh of the cooling fans puts me at ease. I'll let the young turks bust their ass on those crappy cloud platforms. I also like my best of breed software. I don't want to use cloud analogs of my favorite tools.
therealbilly··on Big Tech Founders Are America’s False Idols
Yeah, the dual shares is a sore point with me. The plebs get the non-voting instruments and the company insiders get the "controlling" shares. It doesn't sit right with me.
therealbilly··on Engine makers sound downbeat on supersonic, leaving Boom in a bind
I thought Boom had a smaller plane in the works. Trying to design a big 4 engine plane sounds daunting to me. A smaller craft with two engines sounds somewhat easier. Something able to transport 25 people maybe.
therealbilly··on Analysis Shows 'Quiet Fleecing' of US Workers–Not Quiet Quitting–Is Real Problem
Many people no longer want to enrich the Pharaoh. They want more beer and wheat in return for building that damn pyramid. I mean what is the point of making someone like Bezo's even more richer. All that profit rake-off should have been shared with the workers.
therealbilly··on Quiet Quitting Is About Bad Bosses, Not Bad Employees
I think Covid reset the employer to employee relationship. Prior to that, the employer could demand allegiance to the company, enforce a code of behavior and expect the employee to give priority to the company's agenda and needs. That whole dynamic was ripe for change. I like the idea that the employee has more of a say.
therealbilly··on AMD passes Intel in market cap
Not known to the public but China has invested quite a bit in AMD.
therealbilly··on Amazon issued 13,000 disciplinary notices at single U.S. warehouse
When reading the article, I was reminded of how things must have been working as a slave laborer in the underground Nordhausen rocket factory in 1944.
therealbilly··on Facebook keeps deleted data, gives it to law enforcement
At this point, I don't think anybody trusts the big tech companies to act responsibly. They have long since been plugged into the government's data-gathering infrastructure. The solution is simple. Don't use social media. It's as simple as that.
therealbilly··on Large Hadron Collider discovers three new exotic particles
Are these really new particles? It appears to me these are quarks in different combinations. I ask because this hadron collider machine needs to show amazing results but this announcement seems kind of forced.
therealbilly··on Electric Mercedes-Benz drove 747 miles without recharging, 2x Tesla's Model S
I think an advertised 400 miles range giving an actual 350 miles in real world driving is the sweet spot. Most humans need a rest at that 350 mile marker. With a quick charger, most trips would be possible.
therealbilly··on Emergency braking in space
Even worse, what happens when you get to your destination? Will you find a perfect analog of Earth and with the same kind of star? Assuming the star is very similar to our Sun, then you can ask about the atmosphere of the planet. Pretty much you need 25% oxygen and 75% nitrogen and 14 pound per square inch pressure on the surface. Fine, is the gravity the same? If not, there may be problems getting around. Okay, so what about food? You don't want to die of hunger. Finally, what about viruses and bacteria on the planet? They may attack you instantly and you die a miserable death in two weeks. At that point you may say to your self, Why did I come here.
therealbilly··on Interstellar Travel Could Be Possible Even Without Spaceships, Scientist Says
Let's find a civilization that has done this, observe their situation and then maybe we can give it a shot.
therealbilly··on US Drivers Begin to Balk at Record Gas Prices
The dirty little secret in England is that the government derives tremendous tax revenue out of gasoline taxes. Actually all of the European governments depend that revenue. What happens when EV’s take over?
therealbilly··on Nearly 20% of active Twitter accounts likely to be fake or spam
In a perfect social media world, there wouldn't be fake accounts. It seems to me by allowing fake accounts you introduce noise and confusion into the system.
therealbilly··on Intel's New Chimera: Alder Lake
Do you take Vyvanse? That is what I take. It makes a world of difference!
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