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people calling LLMs AI. tbey are not intelligent. they have no ability to extrapolate or intuit. they are not intelligent and would fail the Turing test
Some have passed. https://www.popsci.com/technology/chatgpt-turing-test/ . Admittedly not the pure foundation model, there were meta prompts to make the models sound more human.
I agree that they aren't intelligent in how most people think of intelligence. But as Flaperon says, human use of language is based on learnt patterns that we recreate by picking next likely words to convey the intent.
I'd argue that taking the tired "stochastic parrot" approach to LLMs is an equally shallow view. How do you think your brain works other than by probabilistically picking the next most likely word as it comes along?
Well that's easy for you to aardvark.
Textbooks. At least ones whose numbering system goes 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, 4.11 and so on. And as an extension of that, lecturers who say 'four point twelve'. Do better.
In a similar vein, people that say "Twenty-O-Eight" instead of Two Thousand and Eight. Even worse when it's the presenter on University Challenge!
Golferers constantly having to practise their frikkin swing everywhere in public.
Got this fella at work who spends lunchtime whacking a soft ball or a nothing at all, swinging his golf bat in the workshop.
The repetitive thwack of the club off his silly little piece of fake grass is putting me off my cheese and pickle sandwich.
He probably wants people to ask him about his golf game. Not me. No way. I'm busy complaining about it on the internet!
Might bring my bike in and practise my shredding the gnar around the workbenches 🤔
In a similar vein, people that say "Twenty-O-Eight" instead of Two Thousand and Eight. Even worse when it's the presenter on University Challenge!
They did things differently back in the Noughties.
(sorry)
as an extension of that, lecturers who say 'four point twelve'. Do better.
I find this one particularly egregious because it's just flat out wrong.
My old Maths teacher would be fuming. He had a real thing about lazy errors like not specifying units. I can hear him now, "Twelve? That's not an answer! Twelve what, elephants?" Four point twelve would certainly have made him turn an uncomfortable colour.
20 year old sons, three mates, and their preparation for a bothy and hill jaunt to the Cairngorms at 11:30pm at night in a crowded house with two other residents up early for work in the morning.
(Too specific?)
Market traders who can't even be bothered to copy the words off their produce. Exhibit A:-
Note that Yudkowsky fella wrote the fanfiction; Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality which in turn is partially the reason and should take some responsible for; the murder and other violent crimes committed by the Zizians. So we probably shouldn't promote his works here, who know's what'll happen.
Used to work with a bloke who did the golf swing thing with imaginary bat and ball. Most ridiculous bit was the hand to the forehead to shield the eyes from the imaginary sun to watch the flight and lay of the imaginary ball. ****!!!
Car insurance renewal. It's 24 days until renewal date (end of month) and because I have 3 cars on a multicar currently, loading up details and getting quotes isn't a trivial effort with all the questions they ask now.
It's not something I want to spend an evening on, and I'm away next weekend so I thought I'd sort it this weekend, nice and early rather than leave to 10 days before, just like MSE advise, and I've spent the best part of 3 hours on various sites getting quotes, and waiting for my current insurer to open to get their renewal.
And they won't give me one because their system autogenerates at 17-20 days before. Mid of next week.
So do I take the best quotes I have in hand now, saving 300 quid across the 3 policies (mainly, two young drivers both a year older and a year more without claims) or trust the call centre that say that if I wait then their renewal will possible be similar but if not then call them and they will try to match it. But by waiting until 2 weekends time when I have chance again to spend time on this will I get the same quotes from elsewhere?
First world problem I know, the Disproportionately Cross is because surely someone has the ability to just press a button and generate a quote. I suspect that making you wait is to avoid the MSE advice that the sweet spot is about 24-28 days before and makes me feel it's a bit of an underhand tactic. And with myself for getting so annoyed by it, I'm probably going to change now just out of spite.
@theotherjonv has made me proportionately ashamed that I know I'm not going to be arsed with shopping around and our multicar policy will roll over unchallenged in April
Try discussing perfectly sensible rifle calibres with an American. We use the .303 calibre rifle, (the "three oh three" as it's been called for eternity) they call it a "three ought three" ,
We use the 30-06 (thirty oh six) but they have to confuse everybody, including themselves by calling at a "Thirty ought six"
Next we have the perfectly adequately named .22lr (the two-two long rifle) and they get all lazy and simply call it a "twenty two".
In a similar vein, people that say "Twenty-O-Eight" instead of Two Thousand and Eight.
Bluetooth.
More specifically, the auto connect feature.
More specifically, the complete lack of an option for it NOT to auto connect to certain devices.
I've got Bluetooth headphones I sometimes use to play stuff through my phone at work. I also sometimes Bluetooth to the main workshop radio. I sometimes Bluetooth to my partner's car, sometimes to my van, sometimes to the kitchen radio.
Sometimes I'll be listening to something on a Bluetooth speaker and my partner pulls up in her car, suddenly my phone has connected to her car Bluetooth.
The other day I was trying to listen to something at work, trying to connect to my headphones. It kept connecting to the main workshop radio. I tried turning on the Bluetooth and lightning fast tapping headphones to outrun it, but no, straight to the workshop radio. I just could not get it to connect to the one of the two devices I'm paired with that I wanted it to.
Sure, I can 'forget' the workshop radio. I can 'forget' my partner's car, but why oh why can't I simply have an option not to auto connect to particular devices? It's such a simple request. Maybe I'm missing it? Can't see the option anywhere (Android)
It means every time I actually do want to use other devices I have to go through the whole pairing thing again.
Does me nut.
My Beats Pro do that. Get on the turbo and they connect to Mac Zwift runs on automatically. Change it to phone. Get on turbo, it's switched back to Mac. Change to phone, start Spotify. Content starts playing and.... then we're back to the Mac. Some days it's perfect, others it's a calculated attempt to make the turbo experience even worse!
On my DC list this week are DPD. It's not the failing to deliver, it's not even the random pictures of some roadside shrubbery attempting to evident a delivery attempt, it's the breezy "Sorry our driver missed you" notification suggesting that somehow you are to blame. He didn't miss me, he didn't see me and he definitely never drove down the road. I don't blame the drivers, it's a cr@ppy job for sure but the non apology apology makes me a bit DC.
Also the redelivery that pings you a "will be between 0700 and 2200" that arrives at midday. It's only coming from Gloucester. That's 10 miles away. Surely you can do better than that. But I know their ways now, that just means another "sorry our driver missed you" at around 8pm. I'm giving them one more go then finding an alternative. Never thought I'd think "Hmm Yodel, excellent.
Yeah, DPD are infuriating. I sent the following email to a vendor (I'd had stuff sent to a post office because they kept failing to deliver thing to my house):
Yes, something weird happened with the delivery. DPD emailed to say it had arrived but the post office said no and DPD later confirmed that in online chat. Next I heard, it was on its way back to you (incidentally that or something like it has happened several times with DPD - they're my least favoured courier).
It was widely reported to be very windy last night, not just on the weather but actually on the news
Our waste lorry doesn't come round till 9-10am
Wheelie bins are not know for their stability.......
I think you can guess where this is going. My neighbourhood is literally covered in rubbish because people HAVE to 'put the bins out' at 3.30pm the day before collection
Drivers attempting 3 point turns everywhere and anywhere. These are often more than a 3 pointer. I am seeing these nearly everyday now. The driver stops then starts the manoeuvre wherever they please, at a junction, in front of our fast moving tandem, on tight lanes, on busy roads, with no thought or care for other road users. The last one I saw was performed at a busy junction (I was trying to cross the road), the driver blocked access to roads coming in and out, also he came up onto the pavement where I was waiting to cross, a complete to$$er.
Halifax deciding to change their credit card provideer from Mastercard to Visa. Great, now I have to put new card details into all the places I use it regularly, and do all the verification and 2FA that comes with it, for absolutely no benefit to me. And they haven't changed the expiry date, so I'll still have to do it all again when it expires next year.
This, presumably times* however many people have their credit card.
*speaking of, might have mentioned this before, but people who say "ten ecs" out loud instead of "ten times". You get one chance, but the two en dee time you do it, you can get in the sea.
Yeah, DPD are infuriating.
Failed to delivery it again. Third time the charm maybe. DPD used to be fab but this is turning into a proper farce. Schrodingers driver- he may be delivering, he may not. Oh it's not again is it. The sad notification flow from "out for delivery" to "delayed" to "er system error.. no idea where it is, not out fault gov"
Halifax deciding to change their credit card provideer from Mastercard to Visa.
I've got the pleasure of this in the near future. I fell out with them last year when they wouldn't reissue my soon to expire card any earlier. I wasn't able to book a hotel beyond the expiry date. In the end I took out a new card with a new provider on better terms...
I know it's been done to death but .......evri........
I usually avoid online companies that use them (email to explain loss of custom if I'm at a loose end)but every so often I slip up.
My new "running shoes" get to the point in the chain where someone is obviously looking for new trainers and then the packaging gets damaged and they get returned to sender who sends me a replacement pair......ad nauseum.
"Claire" send me an email explaining that they have missed the connection, even though the system says it's got to the hub and the app says it's out for delivery.
I think it's this falsehood in the system that works me greatly.
Bluetooth.
More specifically, the auto connect feature.
Oh, like Van Gogh, I've got one here.
The car is paired with two phones, mine and my partner's, mostly for Android Auto (which I think is Wi-Fi rather than BT?) The ****ing thing connects maybe 80% of the time to her phone. If I'm the one driving - which I always am if we're both in the car - then I have to drop out of AA, go back to the device selection screen and choose my own phone, which is multiple touchscreen steps because of course it is. You can't even jab the screen when it's trying to connect to the wrong device because it ignores you.
I've tried everything. A wired connection makes no difference. The system has been factory reset multiple times. During setup I've paired hers last, hers first, makes no odds. It drives me crackers.
Bluetooth.
More specifically, the auto connect feature.
More specifically, the complete lack of an option for it NOT to auto connect to certain devices.
I've got Bluetooth headphones I sometimes use to play stuff through my phone at work. I also sometimes Bluetooth to the main workshop radio. I sometimes Bluetooth to my partner's car, sometimes to my van, sometimes to the kitchen radio.
Sometimes I'll be listening to something on a Bluetooth speaker and my partner pulls up in her car, suddenly my phone has connected to her car Bluetooth.
The other day I was trying to listen to something at work, trying to connect to my headphones. It kept connecting to the main workshop radio. I tried turning on the Bluetooth and lightning fast tapping headphones to outrun it, but no, straight to the workshop radio. I just could not get it to connect to the one of the two devices I'm paired with that I wanted it to.
Sure, I can 'forget' the workshop radio. I can 'forget' my partner's car, but why oh why can't I simply have an option not to auto connect to particular devices? It's such a simple request. Maybe I'm missing it? Can't see the option anywhere (Android)
It means every time I actually do want to use other devices I have to go through the whole pairing thing again.
Does me nut.
A few years ago this happened to me with one of the many pool cars at work. I’m standing in a corridor on a phone call when the phone went quiet. Two floors below me I see one of the work Hyundai. I was surprised, god knows what the driver thought!
YouTube creators with ever longer videos!
Shouldn't be complaining. I mean, if you like a creator then I suppose you should want more and more and more of their content.
But, these hour long or 45 minute long videos appearing more and more. I'm trying to have some kind of life here besides YouTube you know! 😂
EBay is a rich seam of annoyance. Today’s installment - I sold a ball-head. For the non-photo folk it’s a gadget you attach to the top of a tripod and into which you lock your camera. I was waiting for feedback, hoping for the buyer to confirm they were happy with the purchase so I could go ahead and spend the money without worrying about an “item not as described” claim. Feedback was that his camera was loose in the ball-head clamp. Wtf? That thing is clearly adjustable. If you don’t know how to do that, there’s a user manual online. If you still have a problem just send me a message and I’ll help sort it out Don’t just ignorantly post a negative feedback.
The assumption that Youtube is the be all and end all for instructions. Yes it has its place but why not a nice simple set of written instructions that you just read and repeat?
Youtubers. Get a life. Who cares what you think?
Meat . Where's the bloody fat nowadays?
Why can't places and events show prices? All I want to know is how much it costs to get in. I don't need to go through the buying process first. And surely in this day and age it must be possible to put prices on the web before I have to give specific dates. I wanted to book some holiday flights. Didn't matter when precisely but cheapest was best. Could I do that? No.
And any international minorities day/event etc. Womens day apparently just gone? Yet if I promoted a mans day there would be hell to pay. Ladies only swimming sessions locally but mens only? Nope. They dare not do it am told.
Over exaggeration. Apparently the Cairngorm ski area had an epic weekend of snowboarding according to FB. Conceivably snowboarding across Antarctica may be epic but in the Cairngorms? Hmm
And while I at it. Poor use of capital letters. Either none or all.
Over exaggeration
Tautologies. ( Especially unnecessary ones 😉 )
And whilst we're on the subject, I do think it is perfectly possible to have an epic day skiing/ boarding in Scotland... Fair enough not Cairngorm, but Glen Coe ( or Glencoe as some halftards call it) has provided my best ever skiing day.
Yet if I promoted a mans day there would be hell to pay.
International Mens Day is on the 19th November, same as every year.
Anyway, what I came here to say is
The Cycling Faux Pas thread. Why would you title your thread "Stuff that you've done according to accepted etiquette"
People who turn up late to a meeting and expect a recap. Today's example, 20 minutes late to a 30 minute meeting. No, I won't go over the last 20 minutes again just for you.
People who turn up late to a meeting and expect a recap. Today's example, 20 minutes late to a 30 minute meeting. No, I won't go over the last 20 minutes again just for you.
People - and it's the usual suspects every time - who come into the office for the fortnightly 10am meeting, sit around nattering till 9.45 , **** off out to go and get a frothy coffee and then stroll into the meeting at 10.05.
While another colleague who struggles with childcare issues will run through the door at around the same time having bust a gut to try not to miss it.
who come into the office for the fortnightly 10am meeting, sit around nattering till 9.45 , **** off out to go and get a frothy coffee and then stroll into the meeting at 10.05.
Reminds me of a scary network upgrade we did for the Economist many years ago. The level of entitlement was eye opening. The project sponsor was entirely uninterested in any part of the project other than making himself look good. Our PM was a feisty Irish lady who didn't take cr@p off anyone and was brilliant at managing a pretty complex project.
This fella turned up late for EVERY meeting. Sometimes there'd be 20+ people in there and we had to make time sensitive decisions. Eventually the PM called him out, made it very clear what his role in the meeting was and he needed to be on time, present, read up on the briefs and ready to make decisions. He looked down at her over his prince-nez (really) glasses and drawled "Young Lady, the meeting starts when I ARRIVE"
It all kind of went downhill after that 😉
When the person at the desk next to you on an office day sniffs incessantly...oh, and then coughs everywhere without covering their mouth.
Edit: in fact, on reflection, this isn't disproportionate...it's grounds for a murder defence. 🤬
Right now Hits Radio is making me cross.
Cheap masking tape that leaves a sticky mess rather than peeling off cleanly. Trashed a project last night. grrr.
The Crystal Maze-level of complexity that is changing platforms at Birmingham New Street station
I hate that when I press enter, it creates an extra line space, so whenever I write a list or an address etc, I then have to **** around finding the formatting to remove the extra line space. If I want a line space I can hit enter twice far easier than removing the unwanted automatic formatting after it has been applied.