Daily Tech News 6 October 2024

Top Story

Back at the dawn of time - which is to say, a few years ago - when an AI didn't know how to answer a question it would say it didn't know how to answer the question. Either that or tie itself into knots, spit out an entire ream of gibberish, and crash.

AIs today are much more sophisticated. Like many humans when they don't know how to answer a question, they lie. (Ars Technica)

This is what you get when you reward answers rather than accuracy. It's the comment spam problem all over again.

What's worse, the more advanced the AI - the larger its training set - the stronger the tendency to lie.

And the more effort that is put into supervising the AI after the bulk training - a process called alignment - the stronger the tendency to lie and get away with it.

It's not really lying, of course, since the current crop of commercial AIs have no intentionality. It's just that they also have no concept of truth, and the way they are trained rewards giving answers, not just giving the right answer.

Tech News

SSD capacity could quadruple by 2029 as the number of layers in flash memory chips continues to increase. (Tom's Hardware)

Before the development of multi-layer flash cells, SSDs had a real problem. We couldn't make the cells any smaller or they would leak - in fact, they were already leaking, and the newest SSDs were slower and less reliable than the previous generation.

The first multi-layer cells were significantly larger than in the chips they replaced, which made them faster and more robust, but the multiple layers provided much more storage in the same size chip.

If you don't want to wait five years, though, you could just buy four SSDs.
Chinese state hackers reportedly gained access to the US wiretap system. (MSN)

So if the DOJ was listening in on your conversations, so was the CCP.
Plastic-eating bacteria could combat pollution and possibly also utterly destroy civilisation. (MSN)

Scientists say that the latter scenario is "unlikely".
California has passed a law protecting "brain information". (GovTech)

So if you are trapped in an advanced VR game where if you die in the game you die in real life, you can rest assured that the company that created the game cannot legally sell your neural scans.
The latest HP OmniBook 14 Ultra isn't bad. (Notebook Check)

It lacks the Four Essential Keys and the screen is a 2240x1400 IPS model with a 60Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB colour, which is good but nothing amazing.

But it has a twelve core Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD.

According to the article it costs around $1050, which is reasonable for those specs, but I was unable to find that exact configuration in HP's online store.

Disclaimer: Senzawa is following Dooby3d and all is right with the world.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 BOING!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at October 06, 2024 04:02 AM (rpxMe)

2 Boing indeed.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at October 06, 2024 04:04 AM (BLOW1)

3 Boing in need is a boing indeed.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at October 06, 2024 04:07 AM (rpxMe)

4 Where are the sleepless?

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at October 06, 2024 04:08 AM (rpxMe)

5 "California has passed a law protecting "brain information"
---------

Too late. There are no brains there & the information is all gone.

Posted by: JQ at October 06, 2024 04:08 AM (njWTi)

6 Sleepless?

Raising my hand...

*present*

Posted by: JQ at October 06, 2024 04:10 AM (njWTi)

7 Great.

I killed another thread.

Posted by: JQ at October 06, 2024 04:17 AM (njWTi)

8 Gotta go to the hardware store. Some home fixing upping to do. l8r.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at October 06, 2024 04:19 AM (rpxMe)

9 It's just pining for the fjords.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at October 06, 2024 04:20 AM (BLOW1)

10 Mutant 59 The Plastic Eater
been there, done that.

Posted by: slicksister at October 06, 2024 04:21 AM (3ceQJ)

11 Sorry, Pixy, I do not (knowingly) click on MSN.

Plastic-eating bacteria? Doesn't sound very good to me.

Posted by: JQ at October 06, 2024 04:27 AM (njWTi)

12 Good morning, good people from the Fall Adirondacks. Colors are burgeoning, birds are gathering preparatory to migration, the geese most noisily.

Not a lot of interest on my part for water fowling any more since I lost my beloved Elizabeth Lab. Simply isn't near the same.

Posted by: IRONGRAMPA at October 06, 2024 04:43 AM (hKoQL)

13 I've had a number of HP laptops, some new, some used, and I've always had really good luck with the quality of the machines. They don't seem to break as much, and they last longer.

Posted by: meh at October 06, 2024 04:44 AM (iZ1Vx)

14 Plastic-eating bacteria could combat pollution and possibly also utterly destroy civilisation. (MSN)

Scientists say that the latter scenario is "unlikely".
---
I've read that book. It doesn't end well.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 06, 2024 04:46 AM (BpYfr)

15 I think today I get a chance to test an old theory:

Nuclear Gandhi.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Gandhi

Namaste, Mother Fuckers.

Posted by: meh at October 06, 2024 04:46 AM (iZ1Vx)

16 I killed another thread.
Posted by: JQ at October 06, 2024 04:17 AM (njWTi)
---
It knows what it did.

It had it coming.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 06, 2024 04:47 AM (BpYfr)

17 "Senzawa is following Dooby3d and all is right with the world."

But, but, but Keekihime isn't, so she MUST hate her!

/sarc.

Posted by: cheshirecat at October 06, 2024 04:53 AM (TwA+r)

18 Always wondered about those people that would lie, instead of simply admitting they don't know. WTH?

It's so much easier to shrug and say "I don't know" than to come up with some fabrication.

*shrug*

Guess I'm just too lazy to invent fairytales.

Posted by: JQ at October 06, 2024 04:58 AM (njWTi)

19 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at October 06, 2024 05:00 AM (fwDg9)

20 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at October 06, 2024 05:02 AM (dg+HA)

21
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at October 06, 2024 05:11 AM (tljrc)

22 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at October 06, 2024 05:15 AM (hoCmQ)

23 OK, I'm back after a 3 hr nap. What did I miss except the coming of the Andromeda Strain?

Posted by: Ciampino - we already have petroleum-eaters at October 06, 2024 05:17 AM (qfLjt)

24 G'morning, all.

Our son and his wife had a safe drive back from Nashville to Virginia Beach yesterday.

Havn't talked to him yet to see what sort of heavy vehicle traffic hey saw up around Rt-40 and the storm zone..

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 06, 2024 05:19 AM (a1415)

25 And both of the kittens have apparently decided that 5:00am is a perfectly acceptable time for the first attack of the zoomies.

Sounds like Thunderhoof and Lightfoot going through the house.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 06, 2024 05:21 AM (a1415)

26 You can't just say 'plastics', they can't be lumped all together. We have polyethylene and polypropylene, which are essentially just hydrocarbons (CH); then synthetic rubber, which is hydrocarbon + sulfur crosslinks; then esters, which resemble fats and oils; nylon types which look like proteins; cellulose materials that look like ..... cellulose. You get the idea.

Posted by: Ciampino - we already have petroleum-eating bugs at October 06, 2024 05:24 AM (qfLjt)

27 Rescuing a dog from tree after the flood.

https://tinyurl.com/5b7ats3b

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 06, 2024 05:26 AM (a1415)

28 Did you just call me fat?

Posted by: Esther at October 06, 2024 05:27 AM (dg+HA)

29 Slow this morning. Maybe I could go and watch some uTube. listen to some good music?Friday I listened to a few orchestrated Ravel's Bolero which were wonderful. I've always loved that piece.

Posted by: Ciampino - music really is food for the soul at October 06, 2024 05:29 AM (qfLjt)

30 @28 Heh

Posted by: olddog in mo at October 06, 2024 05:30 AM (hoCmQ)

31 28 Did you just call me fat?

Posted by: Esther at October 06, 2024 05:27 AM (dg+HA)
----
Indeed I did. You should eat more nylon. And stop lisping.

Posted by: Ciampino - I forgot the ethers at October 06, 2024 05:31 AM (qfLjt)

32 Did you just call me fat?
Posted by: Esther at October 06, 2024 05:27 AM (dg+HA)
-

Wanna cracker?

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at October 06, 2024 05:31 AM (rpxMe)

33 The husband and wife that originally owned our two new felines are working with the local church to put together aid packages for up in Ashville.

I may wind up flying up there with the husband to make a delivery of packets in the next few days.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 06, 2024 05:32 AM (a1415)

34 > Senzawa is following Dooby3d and all is right with the world.

Also Shachimu

Posted by: Vanishingly Rare Foreign Youkai at October 06, 2024 05:33 AM (eeua8)

35 Since my teens I have noticed that I tend to love music pieces that introduce the various instruments one by one and slowly build up to the full band, ensemble or orchestra. Bolero is one of the finest examples.

Posted by: Ciampino - can't play but love music at October 06, 2024 05:36 AM (qfLjt)

36 33 Do you have 'government approval'? A permit? A pew-pew stick for the excise agents?

Posted by: Ciampino - just as the moonshiners did at October 06, 2024 05:38 AM (qfLjt)

37 *music pieces that introduce the various instruments one by one and slowly build up to the full band, ensemble or orchestra.*

Hmmm ...

Posted by: Musical flash mobs at October 06, 2024 05:41 AM (dg+HA)

38 "Do you have 'government approval'? A permit? A pew-pew stick for the excise agents? "

The husband has done things like this using his plane before, so I am putting my faith in him (and God) that all will be addressed.

But....yours is a fair question in today's bold new world. unburdened by that which has been.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 06, 2024 05:43 AM (a1415)

39 37
One of the Bolero pieces was in fact a musical flash mob. Excellent.

Posted by: Ciampino - suddenly a flash mob at October 06, 2024 05:43 AM (qfLjt)

40 I always run the plastic eating bacteria free gasoline in my lawn mowers and chain saws.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 06, 2024 05:53 AM (DDGz9)

41 Poly-aramids that look like Weasel's going-out shirt...

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 06, 2024 05:55 AM (DDGz9)

42 Sleepless in SF, which is because while it's a pleasant 66 outside, it's still in the 70's inside b/c it hit 93 yesterday. Ugh.

Posted by: SFGoth at October 06, 2024 05:56 AM (KAi1n)

43 G'mornin' Horde.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at October 06, 2024 06:00 AM (O7YUW)

44 Someone just really wants the world to take on a steampunk aesthetic by going back to using brass for everything we use plastic for now.

Buy copper futures.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 06, 2024 06:00 AM (DDGz9)

45 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at October 06, 2024 06:01 AM (VdhcA)

46 Old and busted: revenuers

New Hotness: raveners.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 06, 2024 06:02 AM (DDGz9)

47 I was reading a ZH article on protein powder earlier. Even in an article like that you still get jew-hate in the comments. Not as much, but man that's an ecumenical bunch of antisemites.

Posted by: SFGoth at October 06, 2024 06:03 AM (KAi1n)

48
Plastic-eating bacteria could combat pollution and possibly also utterly destroy civilisation. (MSN)

Scientists say that the latter scenario is "unlikely".

Scientists, you will remember, are the same far-seeing, thoughtful, and morally impeccable sports that pursuing gain of function research with bat viruses was equally safe and fire consequences were unlikely.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 06, 2024 06:03 AM (VzvgM)

49 Someone just really wants the world to take on a steampunk aesthetic by going back to using brass for everything we use plastic for now.

Buy copper futures.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 06, 2024 06:00 AM (DDGz9)
---
Aliens on the moon. It's the premise behind John Barnes' Daybreak series of novels. Not even making that up.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 06, 2024 06:03 AM (BpYfr)

50 Steampunk is cool but the aesthetic is way too brown.

Posted by: SFGoth at October 06, 2024 06:04 AM (KAi1n)

51
Plastic-eating bacteria could combat pollution and possibly also utterly destroy civilisation. (MSN)

Scientists say that the latter scenario is "unlikely".

Scientists, you will remember, are the same far-seeing, thoughtful, and morally impeccable sports that thought that pursuing gain of function research with bat viruses was equally safe and dire consequences were unlikely.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 06, 2024 06:05 AM (VzvgM)

52 Morning and evening to all the early risers and Sunday toilers!

I'm up with a mild but fading eyestrain headache -- possibly because of all the REM sleep I got last night. There was a colorful dream in which I woke up two hours late for work because someone I knew from work had come over to borrow a book. He'd brought his relatives and several of my other co-workers. One of them left open the front door of my apartment (which was huge, unlike my real one), and Stirling and Dagny got out. Dagny I collared and brought back in, while one of visitors tracked Stirling down and returned him. Meanwhile I'm getting dressed, no time for breakfast, and I told Miss Linda (she'd come over too), "Keep an eye on these people." I was looking for my Oldsmobile coupe in the apartment parking lot when I woke up.

Maybe melatonin works too well for me.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 06, 2024 06:07 AM (omVj0)

53 "...equally safe and fire consequences were unlikely."

That's what "experts" said about me.

Posted by: Mrs. O'Leary's cow at October 06, 2024 06:08 AM (dg+HA)

54 Everything is a photo op. CCC uploaded four photos of a crew digging trenches and laying those straw wattle snakes to divert and absorb toxic debris from house fires entering a creek.

https://tinyurl.com/yeaxarhp

The bottom left image shows the crew scratching dirt. One laborer is using a mcleod, another a short handled entrenching shovel and one doing something odd with an ax. And three others bullshitting and hold stuff.

Posted by: 13times at October 06, 2024 06:10 AM (2g3Eg)

55 Friday I listened to a few orchestrated Ravel's Bolero which were wonderful. I've always loved that piece.
Posted by: Ciampino - music really is food for the soul at October 06, 2024

***
Me too . . . though in my case I'll always think of the sequence in Blake Edwards' 10 w/ Bo Derek. And the night Mrs. Wolfus No. 2 and I played it and . . . well, I won't go into detail, this is a family blog.

YooToob can be a fantastic resource.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 06, 2024 06:10 AM (omVj0)

56 And three others bullshitting and hold stuff.
Posted by: 13times at October 06, 2024 06:10 AM (2g3Eg)

I can't fault them too much. No one can dig with hands tools non stop for very long. Two crews of three swapping out sounds perfectly fine. If it were me I'd almost rather be three crews of two.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 06, 2024 06:14 AM (DDGz9)

57 Close communion- a Christian devotional on holy communion, communion with Christ and family closeness between a father and a toddler. Scripture: Matthew 23:37-39.

https://tinyurl.com/3drcasy2

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 06, 2024 06:20 AM (uqMTk)

58 ...but it does very much resemble a bunch of volunteers who don't exactly know what they're doing, doing something that isn't going to do very much.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 06, 2024 06:21 AM (DDGz9)

59
I have no need of one myself (at least not yet), but having watched yesterday a craftsman shape what eventually would become a hammer's head using a power hammer, it would be great fun to work with one.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 06, 2024 06:21 AM (VzvgM)

60 Phrases that come from the Bible:

https://tinyurl.com/rap9h9ba

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 06, 2024 06:24 AM (uqMTk)

61
The bottom left image shows the crew scratching dirt. One laborer is using a mcleod, another a short handled entrenching shovel and one doing something odd with an ax. And three others bullshitting and hold stuff.
Posted by: 13times

The Highlander Rule: "There can be only one (at work)."

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 06, 2024 06:27 AM (VzvgM)

62 It’s performative bullshit. Mattocks should be used, not mcleods. Axes are not entrenching tools.

Short handled entrenching tools are a poor choice versus an ordinary shovel. It’s not like this is an airborne hotspot jump team.

460,000 acres burned and CCC is jerking off.

Posted by: 13times at October 06, 2024 06:30 AM (xljv1)

63 The yootoober "Wilson Forest Land" has some decent videos on forestry, especially on how uncle sam's approach to land management is running the forests. In a nut shell, putting out all the small, trivial, natural fires for a hundred years means all that fuel of fallen leaves and needles piles up and leads to massive, catastrophic wildfires. Trees can easily survive the former, but not the latter.

He's also pretty funny.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 06, 2024 06:31 AM (DDGz9)

64 I’m just pissed off with the whole affair.

Posted by: 13times at October 06, 2024 06:31 AM (xljv1)

65
Trying to type with the device's screen dimmed as much as possible so as not to awaken the missus is just begging for misspeaking doozies such as "fire consequences".

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at October 06, 2024 06:32 AM (VzvgM)

66 Last night I got something of a workout. Miss Linda dragged me to an "Art For Art's Sake" event in an uptown shopping district. They do this a couple of times a year. Galleries and other shops stay open late and offer free wine, cheese, and crackers. Scads of free-range people wander in and out, eat at cafes and restaurants, teeter around mildly drunk, and (in the case of some of the women) show off their style. Some, I repeat. Like many of the men, a lot of the women looked like good candidates for Wegovy or Jardiance plus a solid exercise regime.

It was nice to get out . . . but I keep imagining how much more interesting it would be to visit a district I haven't seen a thousand times and discover some new shops and street names.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 06, 2024 06:32 AM (omVj0)

67 Good morning morons.

Had schnitzy for dinner tonight to watch the footy finale at the North Bondi RSL.

I have no idea what any of that means, ask Pixy.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at October 06, 2024 06:34 AM (zG664)

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