* Posts by Chris Warrick

11 publicly visible posts • joined 21 Feb 2020

A quick guide to tool-calling in large language models

Chris Warrick
IT Angle

OK, but why?

Why is an LLM required here? I can just type whatever I want calculated into the calculator app on my phone or computer, or I can use a small electronic device called a "pocket calculator", or I can use a Google feature that exists since time immemorial, and even Siri can handle elementary maths. Similarly, it’s faster to glance at the phone or taskbar to see the date and time. The Proxmox thing might have some use, but if I wanted reports like this, I could just build a simple web app that does the querying and returns HTML directly. Again, faster and easier than a chatbot.

Core Python developer suspended for three months

Chris Warrick

Shadowy cabals hate criticism

I have been reading the discussions, and Tim’s remarks sounded reasonable and sane (if a little harsh at times). Tim is not the only person that was suspended by the shadowy “CoC working group”; those folks were quite productive recently, handing out indefinite suspensions for some other Discourse members, because they had the audacity to criticise extending the power of the CoC WG’s banhammer.

Meanwhile, packaging in Python is still a trainwreck, the standard implementation is still slow. Gee, I why they have no time nor resources to actually improve the language?

Azure Linux 3 hits general availability – but don't expect any frills

Chris Warrick

Re: "Windows Subsystem for Linux springs to mind."

Using systemd in WSL is very easy, you only need to edit one config file: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/systemd

ChatGPT wrongly insists Trump-Biden CNN debate had 1 to 2-minute delay

Chris Warrick

Re: It is important though

Where is the El Reg campaign to ban LLMs?

Chris Warrick
Stop

I didn’t get the memo that ChatGPT is now including live Internet results in its bullshit (as opposed to an outdated knowledgebase). But weren’t the bullshitters supposed to refuse to answer any election questions, or was it another company’s?

Regardless, they all should be shut down, as they are actively harming humanity.

Samsung Korea warns many apps won't run on its Qualcomm-powered Copilot+ PCs

Chris Warrick

Kind of. Windows RT prevented running apps not from the Microsoft Store. Windows 11 on Arm has x86 emulation and allows running anything. That said, the emulation might be too slow for games, or it might break cheat detection and DRM, or it might not be applicable to device drivers in kernel mode.

FOSS replacement for Partition Magic, Gparted 1.6 is here to save your data

Chris Warrick
WTF?

Partition Magic?

Partition Magic is an old, proprietary tool. One of many partitioning tools out there, Wikipedia lists a ton: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_disk_partitioning_software . GParted is almost 20 years old, and fairly well-known. Does modern open-source need to feel inferior to old proprietary software just because it’s proprietary?

Windows 11 24H2 is coming so we can all shut up about Windows 12 for another year

Chris Warrick

Was there any credible evidence for Windows 12, or is it just bloggers making stuff up? Windows’ release cadence was all over the place, there’s no reason to believe Microsoft will replace 11 with 12 in just 3 years.

Windows 12: Savior of PC makers, or just an apology for Windows 11?

Chris Warrick

Windows supports an alternate shell, and has done so since forever. Now, can you show an example of a full replacement shell that is still being developed and has any significant usage? There are a few extensions like Open Shell or Explorer Patcher, but those only hide or fix small parts of Explorer.

Microsoft to intro dedicated mode for Cloud PCs

Chris Warrick
WTF?

Windows 365 Boot?

I don't really see the point of Windows 365 Boot. You’re giving your employees modern hardware powerful enough to run Windows 11, and the only thing it’s used for is remote desktop. Why? Why not get them cheaper thin clients? Or alternatively, why not just use Windows 11 on that PC?

Apple drops a bomb on long-life HTTPS certificates: Safari to snub new security certs valid for more than 13 months

Chris Warrick

Re: I understand

The EV system is completely broken. Someone managed to get EV certs for "Stripe, Inc." (even though they were not the payment processor) and "Identity Verified" (because they registered a company with that name). https://www.typewritten.net/writer/ev-phishing-final/

At the same time, users didn't notice the extra text added by EV certs, so its security value was zero. https://www.troyhunt.com/extended-validation-certificates-are-really-really-dead/