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Reader Comments • Jump to last comment |
1 • Want a terminal with a splash of AI...? (by tom joad on 2024-02-26 03:16:41 GMT from United States)
Nope.
2 • "artificial intelligence": warmly embraced only by the artificial intelligentia. (by R. Cain on 2024-02-26 03:34:13 GMT from United States)
"I have found that people are interested in 'artificial intelligence' for the same reason that some people are interested in artificial limbs: they are missing one."--David L. Parnas
3 • AI in apps (by AppI on 2024-02-26 04:21:54 GMT from United States)
Soon AI-assisted apps will be all the rage - in graphics, music, docs, programming, etc. this will give a much needed shake-up to the staid tech industry, that just produces hundreds of do-one-job-well apps. AI might help to get more usefulness out of such apps, or combinations of same.
4 • A.I is not yet... (by Bobbie Sellers on 2024-02-26 05:33:24 GMT from United States)
So called A.I is a tool much like a search engine but with the ability to produce something which it does not much understand. It has no ability to detect lies online which leads to papers that assert un-provable matters but it is a tool and might conceivable be useful. The main problem is limiting its data bases to authenticated information. But it might be fun to play with.
5 • Warp is non-free software (by Andy Prough on 2024-02-26 06:04:44 GMT from United States)
I think it would be better to start a review like this one about Warp by warning that it is non-free software. That's a non-starter for some of us. That, combined with its required registration and its apparent requirement to be constantly online makes me wary that this could end up being another project that collects and sells user data.
6 • Warp (by brad on 2024-02-26 06:34:39 GMT from United States)
I thought I had recently seen Warp as an advertiser on DW - after enough page refreshes, I noticed that Warp is/was an advertiser on DW.
I find DW a valuable resource in the Linux/BSD world,and I realize that advertisers are necessary for the continuing survival of this website, but I have to agree with a previous post that mention of the non-free nature of Warp should have been first, rather than last.
I would add that a mention of the fact that Warp is/was an advertiser should also have been mentioned. When I read the Washington Post online, for instance, any mention of companies that are owned/linked to Jeff Bezos (who owns the Post) are acknowledged.
All that being said,it looks interesting.
7 • Warp (by Twinkling Eyes on 2024-02-26 07:42:17 GMT from Germany)
A glowing review for a commercial company which buys advertising space on DW, That is not mentioned in a disclaimer.
Anyway, the terminal is fine without flashy featuritis. Warp drive on, back to planet common sense...
8 • Warp (by Alexandru on 2024-02-26 07:46:41 GMT from Romania)
In addition to @5, I would add one more dangerous use-case for Warp giving malicious intention: Warp knows your system, knows your root password, knows where you place your files and how you use them, knows the passwords of your keystore et. You get the idea. If Warp online service would be hacked, many Linux systems would be very vulnerable.
9 • Warp terminal (by nfw on 2024-02-26 08:17:44 GMT from Bulgaria)
To use closed source and subscription paid terminal?? No F-way! I wonder why Distrowatch even promote it?
10 • Warp (by John on 2024-02-26 08:50:04 GMT from United Kingdom)
I stopped reading when I found out you had to set up an account, and while I don't rule out using non-free software altogether, using it for something as basic as the terminal is a definite no-no.
11 • AI in my terminal: sl (by jazzfelix on 2024-02-26 10:15:29 GMT from Germany)
The only command line "app" I use which is helping me to get more clever and which is much more clever than I am is: sl. Try it! My favourite shell: ksh93 with vi line editing. This was the biggest step up for me. A bigger step than from Amiga CLI to bash. Honestly Amiga CLI and bash is different but I have no preference. Bash is more capable Amiga CLI more clean and has more aesthetic value. ksh93 it is! But I don't want any AI or wrap/warp to besmear my ksh93 experience. :b
12 • Regarding wrap (by Shqipe on 2024-02-26 11:11:30 GMT from Albania)
The only option that I would like from Wrap (this commercial and sponsoring company in DW) is to help me configure distros in a new install (like wifi, sound,etc). It would be great to configure for example OpenBSD on a laptop.
13 • AI -- not so artificial, not so intelligent (by Cág on 2024-02-26 11:17:12 GMT from Germany)
Running a cat(1) pipe should link to https://porkmail.org/era/unix/award.
14 • Warp review (by Jesse on 2024-02-26 11:32:50 GMT from Canada)
@7: "A glowing review for a commercial company which buys advertising space on DW, That is not mentioned in a disclaimer."
I probably should have gone back and added such a notice. However, I tested and wrote about Warp before they set up the ad with us so it hadn't crossed my mind. The content of my review is not related to the advertising.
@9: "To use closed source and subscription paid terminal?... I wonder why Distrowatch even promote it?"
Warp doesn't require a paid subscription. It's available for free in most cercumstances.
As for why I wanted to talk about it? Because it's interesting. Because it's useful. Because Warp is trying something different. I understand why some people aren't thrilled with the idea, but chances are you use other software every day that requires you to be on-line and that isn't open source. Any web-based email service, your bank's website, tax return software, a weather app? All of those would fall under the same umbrella.
I'm not saying it's a good thing, but almost all of us use proprietary, on-line only services every day and don't think about it.
15 • Warp review (by jazzfelix on 2024-02-26 12:08:20 GMT from Germany)
@14: I think the review was extremely interesting. I also think it would be very helpful. Even for me with my 20 years of bash/tcsh/ksh experience. I also think it was very well written and I read every word of it because it was so interesting. Normally I just read a couple lines and the conclusions of the distro reviews. xD The topic is however very scary and probably insulting our egos because we Unix(-like) users are power users and want to be in control of our system. Only 2% in the poll only use GUI only. We are probably a bit too fond of our console skills to let a GUI or even worse an AI take over. ^^
16 • Warp review (by Ludditus on 2024-02-26 12:26:39 GMT from Romania)
@14: Nope, you're not intellectually honest. Just like Warp's webpage, you did not state outright that Warp requires an account. Then, there is no way to create an account on their website. The Sign Up has to be invoked from the app itself, which in my case (rpm on AlmaLinux 9.3 KDE) doesn't do anything! It asks for an Auth Token. Their site says I should check my ad blocker and my firewall. Thanks, but no, thanks. Was Warp written by some dumb AI? It can't even allow people to create an account! Anyway, this is utterly crap, and you know it, Jesse. Nice try.
BTW: https://github.com/warpdotdev/Warp/issues/2905
17 • Warp (by Jesse on 2024-02-26 12:39:01 GMT from Canada)
@16: "Nope, you're not intellectually honest. "
You're mistaken. I'm intellectually honest, you just don't like what I have to say.
> Just like Warp's webpage, you did not state outright that Warp requires an account.
I pointed out signing up for an account to use Warp in the review. Perhaps you missed it? "The first time I launched Warp, the software asked me to sign into a account and it opened a link in my web browser to help me set up a Warp account. This account then supplied me with a registration token I was asked to copy/paste into a field in the Warp start-up wizard."
> "The Sign Up has to be invoked from the app itself, which in my case (rpm on AlmaLinux 9.3 KDE) doesn't do anything! It asks for an Auth Token."
Yes, the token is displayed on the screen when you complete the sign-in process. You can then just copy/paste it into the terminal window.
> "The Sign Up has to be invoked from the app itself, which in my case (rpm on AlmaLinux 9.3 KDE) doesn't do anything! It asks for an Auth Token."
So you're blocking content on their website and then complaining you don't see the content they are trying to show you? I don't see how that is the fault of the website.
> "Anyway, this is utterly crap, and you know it, Jesse."
Just because you didn't get something to work doesn't make it bad. Just like when a distro doesn't work well for me doesn't make it a waste of time/effort. Different people have different experiences and like different things.
18 • Warp (by dragonmouth on 2024-02-26 12:51:12 GMT from United States)
Too damn invasive. Why do the developers (or whoever) need al that information if not for nefarious purposes?
19 • Warp 2 (by dragonmouth on 2024-02-26 12:59:44 GMT from United States)
@Jesse: LockBit is also interesting LockBit is also useful (to some people)
20 • Canonical Snap security (by borgio3 on 2024-02-26 13:33:02 GMT from Italy)
Canonical's Snap Store seems to be a serious problem for operating system integrity and user security. After the news reported by Alan Pope and described on this page, I wonder if anyone has doubts about the dangerousness of Snap as a package manager in Ubuntu. Does anyone at Canonical verify the reliability of the collected packages?
21 • What do you think of AI integration in the terminal? (by RetiredIT on 2024-02-26 14:11:28 GMT from United States)
"The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race." Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) - English theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author
22 • Warp (by Mike W on 2024-02-26 14:35:40 GMT from United States)
The first thing I thought of when I read the name of the distro that was reviewed this week is: "My God. Did someone bring OS/2 Warp back to life?"
23 • @17 Warp (by Anthony on 2024-02-26 15:50:16 GMT from Austria)
> So you're blocking content on their website and then complaining you don't see the content they are trying to show you? I don't see how that is the fault of the website.
I get what you're saying: blocking a piece of the webpage that is needed for the webpage to work obviously causes trouble. But... it takes two to tango: relying on third-party resources is often an arbitrary decision, and as such, it is the responsibility (potentially the fault) of the website. Sourcehut manages to provide login and even TOTP while the whole site works *without* Javascript... and without any 3rd-party resources. Many sites manage to provide the login functionality while 3rd party resources are blocked; those who "cannot" (read: "are unwilling to") do so have no excuses.
24 • OS/2 return (by Jesse on 2024-02-26 16:14:41 GMT from Canada)
@22: The first thing I thought of when I read the name of the distro that was reviewed this week is: "My God. Did someone bring OS/2 Warp back to life?"
Wouldn't that be a fun day? I wonder what a modern version of OS/2 would look like?
25 • AI (by Jerry on 2024-02-26 16:25:08 GMT from United States)
AI the movie was interesting, and very well done. As far as AI going on in our world here and now I confess to feeling a bit intimidated by it at this point.
Immersion is the only cure for that, I suppose.
26 • Warp (by David on 2024-02-26 16:38:21 GMT from United Kingdom)
Replacing the traditional terminal? A few years ago some-one suggested replacing the steering-wheel on a car with an aircraft-style control yoke. After all, the steering wheel was a century old — surely we could do better today? A Japanese company actually exhibited a prototype car. What ever happened to that idea?
27 • AI (by zephyr on 2024-02-26 16:51:01 GMT from United States)
Review is broad and not mentioning an account! Anything requiring an email and account is thumbs down. No need to get wrapped up into a $Windumb fiasco ever again. Not for me. Stay with KISS and enjoy Linux.
28 • Man pages (by Kevin on 2024-02-26 17:26:22 GMT from Canada)
Does anyone use man pages anymore? Seems to me these days it makes more sense to just google everything, makes it easier to get examples that way.
29 • Man pages (by anticapitalista on 2024-02-26 19:02:11 GMT from Greece)
@28 - yes. I just needed to since I had no Internet connection and man resolvconf provided a solution
30 • Warp and AI (by Nathan on 2024-02-26 19:28:32 GMT from United States)
Fantastic review, Jesse! My typical beef with AI assistants is that they don't work well as tools. In particular, I want a tool that behaves predictably and which reports correct information. AI assistants may or may not perform the task requested, and their reports are as likely to be works of fiction as of fact. But it looks like Warp's narrow focus of being a StackOverflow equivalent sidesteps these issues by simply recommending solutions that I can then vet and enter into my good ol' shell myself. I still won't be using it anytime soon as I'm an old curmudgeon who prefers to enter my error messages into a search engine AI rather than one integrated into my terminal, but hey, to each his own.
31 • Man pages, snap store exploit (by Andy Prough on 2024-02-26 19:38:34 GMT from Switzerland)
@28 - "Does anyone use man pages anymore? Seems to me these days it makes more sense to just google everything, makes it easier to get examples that way."
Seeing that Google has been caught recently selling their top search result listings to malware makers, I think the last thing I would do is ask Google for example commands to run. Besides, the good man pages already have example commands.
@20 - "After the news reported by Alan Pope and described on this page, I wonder if anyone has doubts about the dangerousness of Snap as a package manager in Ubuntu. Does anyone at Canonical verify the reliability of the collected packages?"
Apparently Canonical does not even do basic checking of the snaps in the snap store. I wish that the snap store and flathub would review and build all the packages themselves before posting them, like F-Droid does.
32 • WARP (by Any on 2024-02-26 20:04:35 GMT from Spain)
Closed source, needs registration, account, Internet, home calling ... No, thank you.
33 • Snaps (by Brian59 on 2024-02-26 21:27:16 GMT from United States)
@31 is correct. Canonical does not even check the snap package before they become available. This is the main reason I left Ubuntu Mate and few years ago and moved to Linux Mint.
34 • Warp - interesting, but no thanks! (by Calm Kevin on 2024-02-26 21:53:37 GMT from New Zealand)
AI trying to weedle it's way into my terminal - NOPE. But it is an interesting technology. The comments exploded around closed nature, registration, advertising - tiring to wade through it. Back to the core of it - it is interesting... an attempt to create a crutch for the legless in terminal country.
I think I have it figured why in the article this works:
$ mkdir temp ; cd $_
but not separately. Warp is not bash, so when you give a command, it invokes a bash. So when the next command is issued, that bash shell is done and gone, variables and all. A new one does not have content for $_ and fails. But as above the two commands are passed to one bash invocation which then has $_.
35 • Privacy Paranoia (by Joseph Mitzen on 2024-02-26 22:26:02 GMT from United States)
People need to stop freaking out about "privacy". The fact is, if you're not George Clooney or Taylor Swift, no one cares about you. No one wants "your" data. Some entities may aggregate data for research purposes, but no one cares what you personally are doing with your PC. You have no data anyone wants to see for free, much less pay for. I enable every cookie, opt-in to anything asked of me, and my life has not changed one iota for the worse. I'm not a secret agent or a wanted man. People need to adjust their egos.
And all the AI hate is just silly. The reviewed showed how incredibly useful it is in this circumstance. Someone making an error with a terminal command or misremembering arcane parameters is able to ask a question right at the terminal and get a correct answer, including code formulation. That's AMAZING and a lot simpler than opening a browser and navigating to documentation pages or asking coding questions on Stack Overflow and waiting and hoping for a reply sometime soon. This is objectively a GREAT feature and all the "nope" replies are inherently Luddite with no justification given.
There's nothing wrong with closed source - again, you're not a spy, the code isn't coming from North Korea, and 99.9% of you never look at the source anyway. There's nothing wrong with registration - do you refuse to drive because your car needs to be registered? The product is presumably using a remote back-end to do the AI heavy lifting, so registration makes sense. Perhaps one could argue for a local AI option provided one has a lot of cores and RAM to spare.
This is a really cool idea and it's great to see innovation coming to the terminal. The problem is that most terminal users are stodgy and old-fashioned and will reject outright any change, no matter how beneficial. :-(
If folks think this can be done even better (and with local AI), they're free to create their own open source project and show us. I honestly hope they do so.
36 • nothing to hide - then they came for ME (by duck-n-run on 2024-02-27 01:40:00 GMT from New Zealand)
@35 - ask around your family. The great DataReich _not_ having details about you might be a life saver. The old saying about boiling frogs, start them in cold water first.
37 • "A-I". (by R. Cain on 2024-02-27 01:43:49 GMT from United States)
'Artificial Intelligence' has by now succeeded in doing essentially everything that requires 'thinking' but has failed to do most of what people and animals do 'without thinking'...that, somehow, is much harder.--Donald Knuth
“The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than the question of whether a submarine can swim.”― Edsger W. Dijkstra
38 • Privacy and AI, Ay! Ay! Ay! (by Mr. Moto on 2024-02-27 01:56:26 GMT from Philippines)
@35, Agreed on the paranoia and fears of AI. However, I do limit any sites or apps that require signing in to those which are necessary. I keep a couple of disposable email addresses for signing in purposes. Guess which addresses get loads of spam, sometime so much that I have to dispose of them. Someone is indeed passing on information.
@17, Regardless of whose fault it is, I by-pass any websites that require disabling ad-blockers (or signing in) unless they are an absolute need. Not out of fear of privacy violation, or whatever, but simply because they are annoyances, and there are enough of those on the web even with ad-blockers.
@21, "Stephen Hawking" Look up the fallacy of authority. While undoubtedly a genius, Hawking was a physicist, not a computer expert. Even in their own field, geniuses can be wanting: See Einstein and quantum mechanics. I'd take Elon Musk's opinion more seriously, except he's gone on to try and develop his own. In any case, "full" AI is still a dream, and may be just a pipe-dream at that. These present things are advanced learning algorithms that can communicate in human language. Any "dumb" computer, given enough power, access and authority can destroy humanity. Movies were made about it: "Colossus: The Forbin Project", "WarGames". I'd still put my bets on good old humans as world destroyers..
39 • Use mcfly not warp (by mcflier on 2024-02-27 02:12:43 GMT from United States)
Please for the love of Bob! We can do better than a proprietary terminal that requires an account and a login. If there was a FOSS AI that reads man pages and provides shell tips locally, that would be much more interesting.
I'll admit that clicking on files to open them is nice - that's why I use Konsole.
For a real AI-powered shell utility, try mcfly. It uses a neural network to provide better suggestions for Ctrl-R history search.
40 • Warp AI (by Mark E on 2024-02-27 11:05:26 GMT from United Kingdom)
Seems like a constructive use for AI, one that isn't (mis)used to dominate, deceive or disempower people like some other freely available AI I could mention and which we hear about constantly in the news.
Not sure about having to sign up though, that's a bit of a non-starter for me. If it was free of ties I'd probably give it a try as it's would save a lot of time searching Stack Exchange etc. I worry it would make me lazy though!
41 • Warp (by Dr.J on 2024-02-27 12:09:02 GMT from Germany)
It is not so easy to comment on Warp.
i think that if you look back a thousand years from now, you will see a paradigm shift sometime in the 21st century, i.e. a point in time when computers left their early phase behind them. this includes new hardware (quantum computers) as well as new software. At the moment, the many colorful GUIs obscure the fact that we still - and Jesse, you point this out - have not moved that far away from the DOS era. Much of what I do on my computer today is no different to what I did in the late 80s (the terminals/shells are of course more convenient with mouse control, drag'n'drop etc.). But it's just too early to say anything sensible about it. Let's give it a try. The other aspect concerns the hype around AI. At the moment, humanity still has no idea what intelligence actually is and how to produce something that is intelligent. In this respect, so many discussions about the danger of AI, for example, are more real satire than necessary measures. What we are seeing is better handling of big data and a modified voice-controlled interface. That's a lot, yes. But it's not a quantum leap towards AI.
42 • MY data (by bigdataisstealingyou on 2024-02-27 13:32:58 GMT from Germany)
If someone wants to collect my data, they'd better pay me for it. Instead, they all act as if they automatically have the right to collect data, including personal stuff.
Whether I have something to hide or not is irrelevant.
43 • @42 (by kc1di on 2024-02-27 14:11:48 GMT from United States)
Right on!
I'm too old to want AI snooping in my stuff will avoid it as long as they let me ;)
44 • @35 (by Any on 2024-02-27 15:15:36 GMT from Spain)
@35 I am glad that nobody cares about you and me, but I would like if nobody cared about MY data too. In other words, if they are not interested on me why they want my data? I do not have anything to hide BUT also what I have is none of your business.
45 • @38: Mr Moto: The fallacy of "Appeal to Authority" (a plague; it's EVERYWHERE) (by R. Cain on 2024-02-27 16:14:19 GMT from United States)
>>"While undoubtedly a genius, Hawking was a physicist, not a computer expert. Even in their own field, geniuses can be wanting...''
Congratulations on saying what has needed to be said for quite some time; not only here but in a LOT of other places... -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Never confuse education with intelligence, you can have a PhD and still be an idiot.”--(RPF) ...and...
“I believe that a scientist looking at [a problem outside his area of expertise] is just as dumb as the next guy.” (paraphrase)― Richard P. Feynman
“Children must be taught HOW to think, not what to think.” ― Margaret Mead
46 • Data (by Friar Tux on 2024-02-27 15:59:32 GMT from Canada)
@35 (Joseph Mitzen) I find this data collection/privacy thing laughable. People flapping their gums without really checking into the whole data collection thing. Did you notice that even AFTER your excellent comment, they're STILL going on about "NOT MY DATA, YOU DON'T". Laughable. Data collection has been going on since forever. It is the way any good business stays ahead of its customers. True, it was a bit different before the Internet came along. My mother used to go to the local grocery/dry goods store, when I was a kid. The owner always knew her by name, what her usual purchases were, how many kids she had, even what each of us kids preferred as a treat. He knew our sizes (including Mom and Dad's), and pretty well everything about us. THAT was far more personal data than is collected by apps and websites, today. And we didn't mind telling him that info because it helped HIM serve US. Most of the data collected, today, is for the same reason - the user's convenience. I !
like to use Google as an example. Google knows where I live, because of data collection. Therefore, it gives me results in my area, not like DDG* that sent me to a brand named store in Hawaii when I live in Saskatchewan, Canada. Google also knows, or seems to, the stuff I've purchased/searched for in the past and makes recommendations accordingly, not like DDG* that shows random stuff - like Viagra when I'm looking for laptops.
* (Yes, I tested out Duck Duck Go (DDG) but gave up due to all the silly suggestions and search results. I also tested a few other search engines and went back to Google.)
47 • warp AI (by PracticalPenguin on 2024-02-27 16:59:25 GMT from Croatia)
I enjoy the manical raving squealing of fsf fanatics.
All my support to any AI implementation in linux
48 • Privacy (by Denethor on 2024-02-27 20:29:08 GMT from Bosnia and Herzegovina)
The readers commenting against data privacy are either really naive and narrow minded or worse, government agents or bots. When I say government I don't necessarily refer to the elected one... Look in your favorite corporate search engine (all of which are government funded and made into giants) about the correlation between privacy and freedom.
49 • Warp (by Ludditus on 2024-02-27 20:45:56 GMT from Romania)
@17/@Jesse:
> So you're blocking content on their website and then complaining you don't see the content they are trying to show you? I don't see how that is the fault of the website.
I AM NOT BLOCKING ANYTHING! Standard Firefox on AlmaLinux, plus uBlock Origin. But WTF has an app to do with my browser?! If the app wants me to create an account from within it, it should bloody be able to let me do that!
> Just because you didn't get something to work doesn't make it bad.
When an AI-powered app isn't able to let me create an account, be it in the app or by invoking the browser, it's not just crap, it's pure $h^1te.
50 • @49 (by Titus Groan on 2024-02-27 21:41:56 GMT from New Zealand)
> I AM NOT BLOCKING ANYTHING! Standard Firefox on AlmaLinux, plus uBlock Origin.
~ uBlock Origin by Raymond Hill Recommended Available on Firefox for Android™Available on Firefox for Android™
Finally, an efficient wide-spectrum content blocker. Easy on CPU and memory. ~
methinks you are blocking stuff. BTA, I am just a reader / lurker.
51 • LLM in the terminal (by DaveB on 2024-02-28 02:26:53 GMT from Australia)
I might try it as a one off experiment. However I wouldn't rely on it. I know from experience that when we rely on machines to do basic stuff like math or spelling, we forget how to do that ourselves. I'd rather use the opportunity to research and learn, rather than have a machine fix it and I learn nothing.
52 • Warp AI Terminal (by Linuxgeex on 2024-02-28 05:55:26 GMT from Canada)
As cool as it sounds, I don't trust it as I believe the chatbot function is run by sending your data to their server, so they have to be tracking everything you do in the terminal, and all the most security-sensitive stuff I do is via the terminal... so as long as the AI is being done remotely I will never trust it.. even if the software company is trustworthy - because trustworthy companies are being hacked constantly and user data being taken and misused.
53 • ai (by Romane on 2024-02-28 09:49:47 GMT from Australia)
No interest in this so-called AI - nothing more than clever and targeted programming. You want intelligence, look at a human being - no programming comes near to it.
Yes, useful, within its own sphere. Much over-hyped and excessively vaunted technology, but I will agree that is a step in the approximate direction.
54 • @46 Friar Tux: (by dragonmouth on 2024-02-28 11:47:30 GMT from United States)
"Data collection has been going on since forever." SO WHAT?! Rape and other crime has been part of humanity forever but that does not mean we have to like or condone it. Data collection and invasion of privacy is intellectual rape.
Unless you've lived in a totalitarian state (although Canada is swiftly getting there) where the "government" knows every person you've talked with, when you got up and went to bed, when you had your last bowel movement, whether you a zit on your left butt cheek, whether your views conform to the orthodoxy, you just don't know what you are talking about.
EVERYBODY, including you whether you know it or not, has things they want to keep private.
55 • @38 Mr. Moto: (by dragonmouth on 2024-02-28 12:13:44 GMT from United States)
" fallacy of authority" The MOST wide-spread fallacy by far and the one we fall prey to the easiest. As soon anybody (politicians, movie stars, sports stars, priests and shamans, etc) achieves a modicum of notoriety (good or bad), all of a sudden they are convinced that they are the sine quao non, alpha and omega, le dernier cri on any and every subject. Why do we think that Paris Hilton, Taylor Swift, LeBron James, Joe Biden, every ideologue and demagogue know better than we do? OTOH, just because someone is a physicist, engineer or a bricklayer, why do we assume that is ALL they know???
I would trust Hawking's opinions on AI much more than some AI developers, or some Hollywood actor, or some politician, or somebody on a discussion forum.
56 • Privacy/Data Collection (by Jerry on 2024-02-28 13:37:29 GMT from United States)
@54 and others. For me it's about WHO has knowledge of my info/habits etc. I feel badly about any government entity having data but that's society if you want to own a vehicle, drive that vehicle, have babies, learn to pilot an aircraft, have credentials of any type, etc.
Browsing data can be cut down a bit with software and other measures, but not 100% unless you're just browsing off line.
As far as the PERSONAL stuff, like warts and poop times etc, don't get Alexa or a wife.
57 • 26 (by Clarence Perry on 2024-02-29 03:16:16 GMT from United States)
I think I heard about that one. They hired a test pilot to handle testing. After a cruise around their yard, away he went down the road. Shortly came upon a traffic jam with nothing moving;. When the Test pilot pulled back on the wheel, to his surprise he continued on at speed and smashed into the rear of the next car in line.
End of this non-functioning aircraft prototype. Or perhaps a poorly designed auto.
58 • Good review of Warp AI terminal! (by Drew Ames on 2024-02-29 20:30:59 GMT from United States)
Thank you for the great review of the Warp AI terminal.
"AI" is a very broad and inexact term (a point that John Scalzi makes in his blog, while commenting on a video by Vox here: https://whatever.scalzi.com/2024/02/28/you-could-be-using-ai-right-now/). This use of AI seems to be very focused and helpful. This kind of contextual help coupled with natural language processing could be a huge help to a lot of people who want to be more proficient with the command line.
I've been seriously using GNU/Linux since 2006, compiled software, done my own dependency checking -- including for QGIS!, built LFS twice, and created bunch of bash scripts that work pretty well. I've gotten comfortable with the command line.
But, I don't think I've ever used awk when it hasn't been part of instructions I'm following for something. I usually have to look up the syntax and options for the find command. And so forth. So for all but the most common tasks I do from the command line, I have to reference man, info, or do a web search. Within that context, Warp terminal seems to be pretty useful!
I do have concerns about it not being free software. More importantly, I have concerns about the ethics of AI training. What sources did they train this AI on? Was it all free and open data like man pages and info files, or . . . . what?
Still, this looks like an interesting project that bears further interest.
59 • AI (by Brian59 on 2024-02-29 21:03:40 GMT from United States)
Today's AI = Bias opinions of the creator and/or their personal goals.
60 • @55, dragonmouth--that falacy of logic called 'Appeal to Authority' (by R. Cain on 2024-03-01 17:47:43 GMT from United States)
>>“Why do we think that every...demagogue know[s] better than we do?”
This is, quite simply, a fact of the human condition, due to most people's inability, lack of desire, and laziness to think for themselves. It is, quite simply, too much trouble to be a critical thinker; it's easier to not have to think.
To your credit, you included "demagogue". And "bricklayer".
Eric Hoffer, who was a common laborer and longshoreman when he was 'discovered' very late in life, has become known as a veritable philosophical jewel; one of the better philosophers of our modern age (see his book, "The True Believer"), and had a lot to say about demagogues (Look up the subject on your own; a demagogue is an extremely scary and very dangerous individual. Most would classify a demagogue as definitely a psychopath, and most definitely as the textbook definition of 'sociopath'.) Start here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demagogue
Some quotes of Eric Hoffer--
"The quality of ideas seems to play a minor role in mass movement leadership. What counts is the arrogant gesture, the complete disregard of the opinion of others, the singlehanded defiance of the world."
"It is by its promise of a sense of power that evil often attracts the weak." "Passionate hatred can give meaning and purpose to an empty life." [sound familiar?]
"I CAN NEVER FORGET THAT ONE OF THE MOST GIFTED, BEST EDUCATED NATIONS IN THE WORLD, OF ITS OWN FREE WILL, SURRENDERED ITS FATE INTO THE HANDS OF A MANIAC."
Number of Comments: 60
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