Esme Povirk @madewokherd@computerfairi.es

So far ChatGPT seems to be pretty good at this.

@directhex Not sure how I'd feel about them if they were more frequently practical. I suspect I'd have the same basic problem with them, but actions would be easier to perform so it wouldn't bother me quite as often.

@directhex I seem to wind up predominantly in situations where IDE debugging isn't practical, or I probably would use them more.

I think maybe the reason I don't like debuggers (the kind you type commands into) is that it feels like an execution challenge, where I have to perform the correct sequence of commands and actions to get the information I want. With print statement debugging I just write more code and if it's not good enough I fix it.

So basically I want a debugger I can program ahead of time.

Finding that in difficult debugging situations where I'd previously give up, my response now is more often to improve my tools.

Hypothesis: One of the few things LLMs are good at is metaphor. Human minds respond well to metaphor and can be changed and observed via imagination (which doesn't have to be visual - anything you can experience is a possible way to imagine). The problem is often finding the right metaphor what you want.

Therefore, LLMs may be good for helping to observe and make changes in one's mind through metaphor.

@hollie /offers hugs

I am either too tired to give my talk, or the perfect amount of tired to give my talk.

I have begun to think that any action that slows down oppression, even a little bit, matters. Any additional resources used means fewer available to oppress other people, and a delay to those plans. It doesn't have to change the winds to make a difference.

Planning a 27-hour train trip because flying (not the actual "being in the air" part but everything around it) sucks that much.

Being sober and going to bed at a reasonable time is underrated.

@khalidabuhakmeh the toilet paper solution worked, fortunately

This morning I set a roll of toilet paper so it would hang down the side of my bathtub, so that a spider could use it to climb out. It was adorable to watch. I love spiders.

(Usually I try to grab them by holding something flat underneath them and then drop that outside the tub, but I thought this might be less scary for them? Plus, it can still help while I'm away.)

Bathtubs should have textured bits so spiders can climb out.