I think you're right, and I also think you're hitting on the key takeaway:

ChatGPT let someone solve a problem quickly, but the person didn't learn the skill.

So, when faced with a task, we should ask ourselves: Do we want to solve this quickly, or do we want to learn the skill?

It used to be we always had to learn the skill to solve the problem. It's interesting that now we have a choice.

Since I, as an individual, have no interest in being a FORTRAN programmer, I'm OK with not learning the skill. Sometimes you just need to solve a thing to move on with your life, so you can invest the time and energy on the things you care about.

~D

The retroactive portion was the most troubling bit, because it was a violation of their own TOS. With these new adjustments, the new fees only apply starting with the next LTS release of the engine, so it's no longer retroactive. That makes the math far easier, since it's only for new projects.

~D

The biggest problem is, by looking at the drive from the outside, there is no way to distinguish which devices have critically sensitive data, and which have been properly wiped. That means there is always room for human error as drives get moved around, or get mixed up, and non-wiped devices could get put back into use (or even worse, sold). That is: It's a human factors problem, not a technical one.

Shredding doesn't have that ambiguity.

~D

3D modeling, design review, training, scientific visualization and historic site preservation are just a few non-entertainment uses of VR which have proven to be very valuable.

But even as a VR professional, I think working all day in-headset is stupid.

~D

As a matter of practice, I don't publicly associate personal accounts and my job. You can e-mail my slashdot username at yahoo, and I'll answer your question personally.

~D

I work at a research organization. Many of the hot research topics aren't even fully formed yet. When I interview, I don't ask folks for what skills they have, I ask where passions lie. Folks who are passionate will clearly demonstrate it, and they will grow into the roles they're interested in. Folks who don't have passion, don't make it. I can train just about anyone, except people uninterested in being trained.

~D

So I also have made indie games for the public, but didn't put nearly as much of myself into it, and I have nothing but respect for you. Even with a small game, it's really tough... What I realized through the process is that I liked ~making~ games which is a very different activity from ~selling~ games, which I turn out to hate. I haven't found a fantastic way to navigate beyond that for small indie games, as many publishers are looking for full-time devs.

~D

There's also additional market pressures which Microsoft may be able to leverage that Google wasn't able to. Right now new gaming equipment is still hard to come by, and costs a premium. With older xBox systems (an audience Google couldn't tap) being able to play newer games, it provides MS with a specific audience of folks who may be looking for stop-gap measures to play the latest games until they can find/afford the latest hardware.

That's 95% from getting sick ~at all~. Before, where your chances were 100% that you would get sick, now it's 5% that you'll get a sniffle.

Of those vaccinated, extremely few have gotten seriously ill or died. So few, that getting in your car and driving somewhere is riskier behavior.

~D

Quest 2 does not need to be calibrated to your eyes. It has a fixed IPD that's good for most folks (but not all).

I do not recommend using VR without your glasses. The optics of the headset are designed to try to mimic the real world, so many things that would be blurry to you in the real world may be blurry in VR. It's not a perfect reproduction though (not actually holographic, though that is an area of research) so YMMV.

~D

Came here to say this. I use both commercial and business editions of the Quest for my job. If anyone has sincere questions about how it works, or some of the differences between the devices, I'm happy to answer.

We've reduced the movement required for typing from long keystrokes on a typewriter to some key switches that have as little as 2mm of travel. Reducing even further is great, especially for certain use cases (if the hand is constrained, for example), but I still argue that the stating it's controlling something with your brain is highly misleading startup-speak that pisses folks like me off to no end.

I do appreciate that you referenced an appropriate video from CTRL-labs (staff now hired by FB Reality Labs).

Hell, even in that article Reardon (Of CTRL-labs and FB Reality Labs) said the device was “not mind control,” which is counter to the impression the headline implies.

~D

The bracelet will let you control computers with gestures. Ultimately, yes, your gestures are controlled by your brain, but this would be like saying you drive a car with your brain... True at an abstract level, but really f****ing misleading.

It picks up motions / neural signals to the hands, it provides vibration or similar haptic feedback. It's not magic, and it has nothing to do with your brain in a meaningful way.

~D

Big budget games have the same risks and get limited in the same ways as big budget movies... The costs are so high that they can't afford to take risks on gameplay (hell, their risks are so high they have a hard time coming out with a stable product).

If you want innovation, the indie game scene is where it's at.

Being "at the top" is not the goal for me. I enjoy being technical, and doing creative things. Frankly, I'm doing the dream job, and am being paid very well to do it. I don't want to do my boss' job, and I certainly don't want my boss' boss' job. Don't get me wrong, they're great people (and help me set goals/objectives as opposed to being bossy), but I'm just not interested in what they do for a paycheck.