I would argue that what's going on is that they are compressing information. And it just so happens that the most compact way to represent a generative system (like mathematical relations for instance) is to model their generative structure. For instance, it's much more efficient to represent addition by figuring out how to add two numbers, than by memorizing all possible combinations of numbers and their sum. So implicit in compression is the need to discover generalizations. But, the network has limited capacity and limited "looping power", and it doesn't really know what a number is, so it has to figure all this out by example and as a result will often come to approximate versions of these generalizations. Thus, it will often appear to be intelligent until it encounters something that doesn't quite fit whatever approximation it came up with and will suddenly get something wrong that seems outside the pattern that you thought it understood, because it's hard to predict what it's captured at a very deep level and what it only has surface concepts of.
In other words, I think it is "kind of" thinking, if thinking can be considered a kind of computation, but it doesn't always capture concepts completely because it's not quite good enough at generalizing what it's learned, but it's just good enough to appear really smart within a certain distribution of inputs.
Which, in a way, isn't so different from us, but is maybe not the same as how we learn and naturally integrate information.
We use Notion at work and one thing that worries me is how the hell I'd make a local backup of all the data we're putting on there. If there were a way to import my Notion data into something like this it would make a fantastic solution.
I was using Jerboa because i was used to Sync for reddit. But, I got a bit tired of how rough around the edges it is, so I switched to just installing my Lemmy instance front page as Firefox "app" on my phone and realized it's not that bad as a UI, so sticking with it for now.
I'll probably try apps again in the future but I feel more open to "installing" good web apps now. Incidentally I tried the same trick with Reddit's mobile interface after Sync stopped working and realized it's also not so awful as I remembered. I did prefer Sync but I'll see how it goes with this method. So it's mobile web interfaces on Android for me for now.
Having said that, in both cases I think I'd prefer a more "simple HTML" type experience like old reddit over these dynamic SPA things they both have going.
Literally had a meeting with someone yesterday who, after starting late because of trouble logging in and things crashing, started off the meeting by apologizing for using Teams but said it was just easier because it's the default. Made me chuckle.
Anyone who chooses Teams because they actually think it's better.. I just.. are we even using the same program?
It doesn't seem to be too common for books to include specific clauses or EULAs that prohibit their use as data in machine learning systems. I'm curious if there are really any aspects that cover this without it being explicitly mentioned. I guess we'll find out.
I just noticed that my subscription to m/machinelearning is showing "no posts" despite the "magazine" being full of posts if i browse to kbin.social. Must be related.
really curious about contracts. It seems from the example that they are a runtime thing so what is the advantage over just putting some checks in your code at the top and bottom of the function? Does it allow the compiler to help infer compile time conditions at all?
Huh, so a sort of factory pattern to encapsulate construction. I feel it's slightly awkward as construction has to happen outside the object, but maybe usable. At least nicer than calling __enter__() explicitly. Thanks, definitely an option I'll consider.
And this is an even bigger problem on communities on other instances, since you are not only signed out, you don't even have an account there. So you are forced to go back to your instance and search for it, hoping that it is seen through federation. imho what should happen in that case is that Jerboa should "adapt" the URL so that you see the community as from your own account's instance. So if I click on a link to blah.ml/c/blahcommunity, that should actually open lemmy.ml/c/blahcommunity@blah.ml. Hm, but actually it shouldn't do that because it should just open the community directly in Jerboa. But that would be second best.
This is a good point and makes me wonder: is there any interest in running a personal instance that has no communities, just for the sake of being in control of your own identity? Would that even be an appropriate thing to do? And if so, how would you convince instances to federate with you if you have no content?
I would be happy to use another instance but my account is on this one. Is there a way to migrate an account, or perhaps "link" accounts on multiple instances somehow?
It's a really special book. I'm not sure I buy into the many worlds interpretation but I loved how the book delved into it in a very original eay and avoided common tropes.
thanks for posting this!
I spend my days in emacs and terminal emulators and I want this very badly in a laptop form factor so I can comfortably work outside.
I would argue that what's going on is that they are compressing information. And it just so happens that the most compact way to represent a generative system (like mathematical relations for instance) is to model their generative structure. For instance, it's much more efficient to represent addition by figuring out how to add two numbers, than by memorizing all possible combinations of numbers and their sum. So implicit in compression is the need to discover generalizations. But, the network has limited capacity and limited "looping power", and it doesn't really know what a number is, so it has to figure all this out by example and as a result will often come to approximate versions of these generalizations. Thus, it will often appear to be intelligent until it encounters something that doesn't quite fit whatever approximation it came up with and will suddenly get something wrong that seems outside the pattern that you thought it understood, because it's hard to predict what it's captured at a very deep level and what it only has surface concepts of.
In other words, I think it is "kind of" thinking, if thinking can be considered a kind of computation, but it doesn't always capture concepts completely because it's not quite good enough at generalizing what it's learned, but it's just good enough to appear really smart within a certain distribution of inputs.
Which, in a way, isn't so different from us, but is maybe not the same as how we learn and naturally integrate information.
Apparently if people are gullible enough you can even use video calls to commit crimes, no AI needed!
Oh man brings back memories, I remember the song this was sampled from, from kids television in the 80s. Sesame Street maybe?
We use Notion at work and one thing that worries me is how the hell I'd make a local backup of all the data we're putting on there. If there were a way to import my Notion data into something like this it would make a fantastic solution.
I was using Jerboa because i was used to Sync for reddit. But, I got a bit tired of how rough around the edges it is, so I switched to just installing my Lemmy instance front page as Firefox "app" on my phone and realized it's not that bad as a UI, so sticking with it for now.
I'll probably try apps again in the future but I feel more open to "installing" good web apps now. Incidentally I tried the same trick with Reddit's mobile interface after Sync stopped working and realized it's also not so awful as I remembered. I did prefer Sync but I'll see how it goes with this method. So it's mobile web interfaces on Android for me for now.
Having said that, in both cases I think I'd prefer a more "simple HTML" type experience like old reddit over these dynamic SPA things they both have going.
Literally had a meeting with someone yesterday who, after starting late because of trouble logging in and things crashing, started off the meeting by apologizing for using Teams but said it was just easier because it's the default. Made me chuckle.
Anyone who chooses Teams because they actually think it's better.. I just.. are we even using the same program?
How do you block people using a VPN by region? Just block the whole VPN?
Maybe. I'm interested in the specifics.
It doesn't seem to be too common for books to include specific clauses or EULAs that prohibit their use as data in machine learning systems. I'm curious if there are really any aspects that cover this without it being explicitly mentioned. I guess we'll find out.
I just noticed that my subscription to m/machinelearning is showing "no posts" despite the "magazine" being full of posts if i browse to kbin.social. Must be related.
really curious about contracts. It seems from the example that they are a runtime thing so what is the advantage over just putting some checks in your code at the top and bottom of the function? Does it allow the compiler to help infer compile time conditions at all?
Huh, so a sort of factory pattern to encapsulate construction. I feel it's slightly awkward as construction has to happen outside the object, but maybe usable. At least nicer than calling
__enter__()explicitly. Thanks, definitely an option I'll consider.Nice, only 3 days old too. Great minds think alike :P
Thanks for pointing that out to me.
And this is an even bigger problem on communities on other instances, since you are not only signed out, you don't even have an account there. So you are forced to go back to your instance and search for it, hoping that it is seen through federation. imho what should happen in that case is that Jerboa should "adapt" the URL so that you see the community as from your own account's instance. So if I click on a link to blah.ml/c/blahcommunity, that should actually open lemmy.ml/c/blahcommunity@blah.ml. Hm, but actually it shouldn't do that because it should just open the community directly in Jerboa. But that would be second best.
This is a good point and makes me wonder: is there any interest in running a personal instance that has no communities, just for the sake of being in control of your own identity? Would that even be an appropriate thing to do? And if so, how would you convince instances to federate with you if you have no content?
I would be happy to use another instance but my account is on this one. Is there a way to migrate an account, or perhaps "link" accounts on multiple instances somehow?
Is it good? The description sounds a lot like the plot of Source Code.
It's a really special book. I'm not sure I buy into the many worlds interpretation but I loved how the book delved into it in a very original eay and avoided common tropes.