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Off Key - General Discussion

4.1k Topics 29.7k Posts

A place to talk about whatever you want

  • Pinned threads

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    Great!
  • LLMs and the dwindling number of people who appreciate and value language

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    M
    I still haven't had time to look for the article, but your point triggered a question I can't answer. I'm told that the algorithms don't have the kind of memory that we use for writing, They predict the next word, but they don't plan the whole piece and they don't recall what's already been written when they get further into the piece. This means that a fully LLM-written novel will not and cannot have the kind of coherent throughline that a (competently) human-written novel would. (It also calls into question whether it's actually a novel, since a novel has narrative constraints that differentiate it from a book-shaped pile of pages. I have not done a lot of reading in narratology and I haven't read a fully LLM-written novel, so I can't say much more than that.) Anyway, when I think through how I'd go about writing, say, an email when I've been told to keep it under 200 words, it's a multi-step process. I plan what I'm going to say, I say it, I check the word-count constraint, I check to see if I said what I'd intended, and I edit accordingly. I'm not sure current models do that kind of thing very well. It may be that it's a sufficiently recursive process that such a process would multiply time and energy demands to an extent that would make writing succinctly difficult.
  • How Costco became a 'third place'

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    JodiJ
    @jon-nyc said: @wtg said: Mr wtg and I love shopping at Costco How useful is it for a couple? I associate it with bulk purchases. Glasses. hearing aids. Pecorino Romano. (We eat a LOT of that)
  • Word association thread

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    RontunerR
    Liturgy
  • Bird photographer of the year

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    AdagioMA
    Yes, the bittern. And the sage grouse. And the frogmouth!
  • Best way to clean car windshield?

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    MikM
    Here's how to fix it. How would you clean the windshield after an improper application Park in the shade and let the glass cool. Rinse the outside of the windshield with clean water to remove dust and grit. Wash it with warm water and a small amount of dish soap or automotive glass cleaner. Use a clean microfiber towel or a dedicated glass-cleaning towel. Rinse thoroughly, then dry with a separate, dry microfiber towel. Wipe in straight, overlapping passes rather than circular motions. If the haze remains, use a stronger glass-cleaning step: Apply a small amount of automotive glass polish or a mild 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water to the exterior glass. Work it over the windshield with a clean microfiber cloth. Rinse completely and dry. Clean the wiper blades with glass cleaner or diluted rubbing alcohol on a cloth. If they still smear, replace them—the residue may have transferred onto the rubber. Test the windshield with water. If water beads unevenly or the haze persists, repeat the cleaning once. Don’t apply more Rain-X until the glass is completely clear. Avoid abrasive household powders, razor blades, ammonia-based cleaners around tinted film, and mixing cleaning chemicals. If visibility is still impaired—especially at night—don’t drive until the windshield is clear. Rain-X’s application guidance emphasizes wiping the product off thoroughly; its product line also includes dedicated automotive glass cleaners. rainx.com
  • Gift ideas for the coming holidays (2026)

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    AxtremusA
    If you haven't bought it yet, it's too late! https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/09/its-500-toothbrush-disappeared-from-stores-dyson-wont-fully-explain-why/
  • Non sequitur Thread

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    J
    You don’t understand. Chunks is my dog.
  • Switzerland

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    [image: IMG-6988.jpg] The scenery in these mountains is spectacular! [image: IMG-6967.jpg]
  • What are you watching?

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    AndyDA
    @CHAS said: @AndyD Saw the first episode. Will watch more. Series 3 seems to concern rare earth mineral mining on Svalbard, Arctic Circle.
  • Jesus Christ just no

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    D
    That's ok. The Florida choices have been non-existent since before DeSantis. This was a Democrat state when I was born in '67 until the election in 2000.
  • House for sale

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    D
    @AndyD said: And I'd have to change all the furniture, which irks when you're handing over 55 million. That's like 13million per bedroom. Lol!
  • Saving Seals

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  • Laughter is the best medicine

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    [image: image.jpeg]
  • Leafscrolling - fall color?

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    AndyDA
    View from one of our living room windows this arternoon [image: 11850.jpg] [image: 11846.jpg]
  • Karl Rove impersonating Trump

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  • Meta-thread: Word association thread

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    B
    Um... are we allowing multiple-word responses?
  • Cars

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  • Goodbye, Landlines

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    AndyDA
    The phase out is inevitable given more modern alternatives; the logic is similar to the demise of long wave radio. Mobile phones' connectivity coverage now works well nearly everywhere (at least in our tiny country). People prefer them because they can carry them everywhere, internationally. They now support video, and are a multifunctional computer camera calculator. We have a copper phone landline which was used until recently for the Internet, though like many, we've had installed a fast full-fibre cable. And probably like many households, as we decorate, we remove the old phone sockets.
  • Narcissus

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    D
    "Narcissus can't recognize what he's seeing isn't someone else." Right. He didn't know it was himself. The psychological relationship between the mythological character and narcissists IRL is parallel.