FoxQuirk 🦊 @quirk@computerfairi.es

I can't stress enough how important it is to have a central API for coordinate transformations.

Tile grid coords, pixel coords, internal buffer pixel, screen pixel, viewport, world, zoomed/unzoomed, you never want to just transform these in-line anywhere. Take the time to write functions for going between them all especially if you're making a something like a map editor.

I also use typedefs to help document what function signatures expect and return.

#gamedev

breedable and quoteable; i'm the perfect partner 😌​

how to seal a leaky bucket

***** A few words about Google's future *****

At Google I/O today, the firm is publicizing an array of new projects. Some of them seem flashy and relatively useless, others seem like they could be very worthwhile. How many of either category will still exist five years from now is of course a crucial question given Google's history.

But Google I/O is merely the gloss, in many respects what has become the so-called "lipstick on the pig". Because Google executives have permitted their race for the golden and in many respects false prize of "Artificial Intelligence" to cloud their vision, and to permit an increasing number of basic services that billions of Google users depend on every day to, in effect, rot away.

The collapse of Google Search, once a global technological wonder, has been profound. Often incorrect or even inane generative AI responses now often supersede links to the very sites from which Google is obtaining the raw material for their AI systems (usually without any form of compensation, while driving down user click-throughs).

A similar decline is obvious in various other core Google services.

Of enormous continuing concern to me is the very foundation of how virtually all Google users access most Google services -- Google accounts themselves. I continue to be flooded by persons who have problems with their Google accounts through no fault of their own, including lockouts and permanently lost crucial personal data, with Google's automated systems providing them with no resolutions, only horrific frustration. Google's frankly poorly conceived and rushed implementation of passkeys -- and the pushing of users to them who typically do not understand them and have more problems as a result -- is making matters even worse. What good are fancy new services when your Google account needed to use them may lock you out at any time with effectively no genuine ability to appeal?

Some groups of Google users -- such as seniors and other users with special needs who may not be technologically sophisticated -- are especially affected by these sorts of problems and suffer mightily as a result. I don't think Google actually "hates" these users -- I think Google simply does not want to make the minimal efforts required to help them, basically treating them with much the same disdain as you might flick a bug off your shirt.

There is so much that would be relatively simple for Google to do that would vastly improve the user experience for these users and others -- but Google seems to only care about the majority, and if you're in the minority, well, if you swing slowly in the wind locked out of your account, too bad for you. Google's got other fish to fry to keep the profit centers humming.

I could go on, but you get the gist. I don't hate Google. I still have enormous respect for the firm and especially for Googlers (Google employees) in general. But I am enormously
disappointed with the direction executives are now taking the firm, and this seems to be getting worse at an accelerating rate.

And that's very, very sad to see. -L

SELF HOSTING

PROS: you are your own tech support 😎😎😎
CONS: you are your own tech support 😭😭😭

Who called it “code review” instead of “objection-oriented programming”

This exists now!

http://catpawdesk.top

bad idea: A mouse cursor that's not just a simple floating pointer, it's a cat/dog paw... but it stretches all the way to an edge of the screen like it's a really long leg

Finally, a way to replace your cursor with a long cat’s paw. (Windows-only for now, sorry!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXFsE9mNhks

I hope this email finds you no matter how well you think you've disguised yourself.

So many man-made horrors, so little time

T-Shirt with Garfield saying "I hate Monads" on it

Is Your Child Talking About Trains?
HRT: hourly running trains
LGBT: love going by train
LOL: lots of locomotives
ROFL: rapid or fast locomotives
KMT: kiss my train
FML: for mighty locomotives
WLW: weekend locomotive watching
MLM: monday locomotive meet
JFC: just for carriages
WTF: watch trains fly

#TrainFacts

For my birthday, I'd really like it if my beloved fedi could spread word far and wide of Kitsune Tails. It's a platformer with a heartwarming story featuring queer main characters and personal discoveries in classic SMB3 style. You can find trailer, screenshots, and wishlist links here: https://kitsunegames.com/kitsunetails

It's coming out this year and the team and I have been working hard on it for several years now. Most of the team is queer in some form so by boosting you'd not only be making me happy on my birthday, but supporting a bunch of queer creators making queer art as well

YOU MUST SATE YOUR THIRST TO HAVE STRENGTH TO CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES.

GIVE👏GPT-5👏NUCLEAR👏WEAPONS