Saturday, April 25, 2026
Friday, April 24, 2026
Choice of Web Browser
I have been using the Google Chrome web browser forever. It is fast and it can handle many open tabs very well. Chrome works so well that other browsers like Microsoft Edge use essentially the same code. They can do this because Chrome is an open source project. So until recently, there was no reason to use anything other than Chrome.
I have a brand loyalty to Google because I'm trying to learn how to use Google's computer language called Flutter.
I've become fond of the Chrome feature that will read aloud a website or a selection. I can do something else while it reads an article to me, or I can have it read aloud something I wrote which helps me to proofread it.
However, lately this feature on Chrome has become buggy. It will read stuff other than what I selected, or sometimes not work right.
However, this feature works so well on Microsoft Edge that I've made Edge my default web browser. It doesn't matter much, since both browsers are on my taskbar and I can use either one.
I had too many tabs open on startup on Chrome. I did this for convenience, but Edge can't handle the workload and freezes up. So I reduced the number of startup tabs on both browsers.
Thursday, April 23, 2026
P(doom) | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
This way overstates the case. Obviously AI will have controls.
Furthermore, AI is not nearly as smart as we give it credit. It is like a Wikipedia that can talk. It understands language really well, but everything else is based on probability where certain facts and things are associated with other facts and things.
Beyond probability, AI has little understanding of things that it is talking about, and its ability to reason is limited, although it might be able to solve simple problems.
However, this is why there is a big push to make AI smarter. Doing so requires a great deal more hardware, and they are building it. The AI demand for computer memory is driving up the cost of computers by a significant amount.
However, I suspect that the current methods are inefficient and they are just throwing more hardware at the problem to make it better. This is a drain on resources, when they need to come up with better algorithms.
So I asked ChatGPT what it thought of my points, and this is what it said...
Your core argument is clear and grounded, but it leans a bit too confidently in a few places where the reality is more nuanced. Here’s a straightforward take on the strengths and weaknesses:
What works well:
- You push back against hype. That’s valuable—AI discussions often swing toward extremes.
- The point about scaling via hardware vs. improving algorithms is thoughtful and widely debated in the field.
- You correctly note that current AI systems rely heavily on statistical patterns rather than deep “understanding” in a human sense.
Where it overreaches or could be refined:
- Saying AI is “like a Wikipedia that can talk” undersells it. Modern systems don’t just retrieve facts—they generate novel responses, combine ideas, and can perform nontrivial reasoning in some domains. It’s still probabilistic, but not merely lookup-and-repeat.
- “Beyond probability, AI has little understanding” is philosophically debatable. Even humans rely on pattern recognition more than we like to admit. The real issue is type and reliability of understanding, not its total absence.
- The claim that reasoning is limited to “simple problems” is outdated. AI can now handle fairly complex reasoning tasks, though inconsistently and with failure modes.
- “Obviously AI will have controls” is asserted too casually. In practice, governance, safety, and control mechanisms are active areas of concern—not something universally agreed upon or solved.
Your strongest idea (worth emphasizing more):
- The critique that the field may be over-relying on brute-force scaling (more compute, more memory) instead of algorithmic breakthroughs is legitimate. Many researchers are asking the same question.
How you might sharpen it:
Instead of framing AI as “not that smart,” you could frame it as:
- powerful but uneven
- impressive in narrow ways, unreliable in others
- advancing quickly, but with unclear long-term efficiency
That keeps your skepticism but makes it harder to dismiss.
If you want, I can rewrite your paragraph to sound tighter and more persuasive without losing your viewpoint.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Monday, April 20, 2026
The computer I purchased in 2023
https://www.amazon.com/MINISFORUM-HX80G-Computer-Discrete-Graphics/dp/B0CJM9JDNM/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=RYRWH907L6NA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3DLTBgeMccvoaxTs6lQ3UU4EWZagKinjR3kQA7VyB9yI1ShFueiDG44JFI2mv9urn6-VmDNk4YL1F9mmC0y_b9BAEUdClU1y5Cud1F4Z6JPYAgjNzh_BjIe5sExJ0fwm4B-UpHtgsb07VKMYgqequBiTCf7FTcPEU91zOnqrnhWWOMLYmWebNoUQMJAB61HgSLEnXfdRslBpxR-dIz6fjmgHyPSKQ7PeXTPrKz8XIFjrS_s2KgsLSUm4T5XkEc4t8wOIAA_FmNxXARIU2nkeNOL1gpdSZfGw8yQ5rJ3W9Ug.LFgidEuU8NZ5ve0y2YFjQlJr9Mx0sN5lrkFlzg9EVbE&dib_tag=se&keywords=Minisforum%2BUM790%2BPro&qid=1776624561&s=electronics&sprefix=minisforum%2Bum790%2Bpro%2Celectronics%2C187&sr=1-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1
I chose the 7940hs processor with 32 gigs of RAM and 1TB storage. I only paid $640.
eufy L60 Robot Vacuum with Self Empty Station
https://www.bestbuy.com/product/eufy-l60-robot-vacuum-with-self-empty-station-hair-detangling-technology-6-pack-dust-bags-black/JJ858RL6XF/sku/10772478
This is the robot vacuum cleaner I bought 1.5+ years ago. Most of the robot vacuums I bought in the past have had mechanical issues within 2 to 3 years, and I used to buy larger, more expensive brands. Note that some brands can go up to $1,000, and I don't feel like they are worth the cost.
I paid $300 on Amazon for it, but Amazon now lists it for $400. I found it on Best Buy for $250.
So far I've been happy with this brand. It seems more intelligent than all the brands I have bought before. It is controlled with a phone App. Some features on the app took some getting used to.
Because it is smaller, the dustbin doesn't hold much, so I feel that the self emptying station is an absolute must. They recommend replacing the dust bag and filters once per month and it is necessary to clean out the dustbin and filters in the vacuum once or twice per month.
This vacuum works well with small debris, but large debris can clog the dustbin or the roller brush.
Once in a while it doesn't fully dock to its station so I have to give it a gentle push to get it to dock properly.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Terminator: The Story of the 6502 Code You See Onscreen
The 6502 was a very simple chip, but it was cheaper and faster than other 8-bit chips.
I loved programming the 65816 on the SNES. I wonder how the world would be today if we got 32 and 64-bit versions of the 6502?
Saturday, April 4, 2026
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