Daily Tech News 18 September 2022

Top Story

What does the future of AI hold for us? Well first of all replacing the subliterate cretins who write for The Atlantic. (The Atlantic)
I recently started fooling around with Sudowrite, a tool that uses the GPT-3 deep-learning language model to compose predictive text, but at a much more advanced scale than what you might find on your phone or laptop. Quickly, I figured out that I could copy-paste a passage by any writer into the program's input window and the program would continue writing, sensibly and lyrically. I tried Kafka. I tried Shakespeare. I tried some Romantic poets. The machine could write like any of them. In many cases, I could not distinguish between a computer-generated text and an authorial one.
I've read GPT-3 text. It's bullshit. No matter the subject, it reads like pomo litcrit, because there is no mind behind it. Indeed the entire point of GPT-3 is style over substance.
I was delighted at first, and then I was deflated. I was once a professor of Shakespeare; I had dedicated quite a chunk of my life to studying literary history. My knowledge of style and my ability to mimic it had been hard-earned. Now a computer could do all that, instantly and much better.
Most people are not brave enough to admit they are so bad at their jobs they can be replaced by a chat bot.
If you asked GPT-3 to continue, say, a Wordsworth poem, the computer's vocabulary would never be one moment before or after appropriate usage for the poem's era. This is a skill that no scholar alive has mastered.
If that's a skill no scholar has mastered, how can you tell that GPT-3 is doing it?

To those who know nothing, everything is magic.

Tech News

Sony has showed off a new range of PCIe 5 SSDs for PCs. (Tom's Hardware)

Sony previously released its own SSDs specifically for the expandable storage for the PS5 (which has strict performance rules), and it looks like the company plans to keep making them. Speeds of these models are up to 9500MBps, and capacities up to 4TB.
AMD's Threadripper processors are twice as fast for developing large software project as Intel's best workstation chips. (WCCFTech)

Now, that's comparing a 64 core AMD chip to a 32 core Intel chip, so it's not unexpected. But even the 32 core AMD chip is 50% faster than the 32 core Intel model. The 64 core Threadripper has always been constrained by power and heat.
If you click Show Password in Chrome or Edge and you have Enhanced Spell Check turned on - or in the case of Edge, the Spelling & Grammar add-on installed - your browser might send your password straight to Google or Microsoft. (Bleeping Computer)

Oops.
Intel's NUC 12 Enthusiast is available for pre-order. (Liliputing)

This model has Intel's own Arc A770 dedicated graphics and a 330W power brick, so it's really, really not something anybody should be buying, particularly not at a starting price of $1699.
On the other hand, it looks like the regular NUC 12 is also shipping. It comes with an Alder Lake 1240P or 1260P CPU, slots for up to 64GB of DDR4 SODIMMs and an M.2 slot, two USB 4 ports and two HDMI ports supporting a total of four 4k displays, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and four regular USB ports.

These new chips are quite a bit faster than the 11th gen equivalents, at least for multi-threaded tasks.

I'd much rather have a Ryzen 6800U, but I don't think there's a mainstream NUC with that CPU yet.
Speaking of four 4k displays, HP's Pavilion Plus 14 can run two 4k screens via USB C and a third via HDMI. That's nice to see given that some recent Dell models have been cut back and can only run one external monitor at 4k.

The Framework laptop doesn't have a fixed port arrangement - it has four little modules that slot in with whatever mix of ports you want. If you want four HDMI ports, you can do that.

But the integrated graphics can only support four displays in total, including the laptop screen, so what happens if you have four monitors connected? Answer: The fourth is disabled, until you close the lid of the laptop, when it is automatically enabled.

That's pretty good.

Disclaimer: Moo.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 #1

Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 04:02 AM (GkGYg)

2 >>>This is a skill that no scholar alive has mastered.

Said so breathlessly!

Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 04:04 AM (GkGYg)

3 To those who know nothing, everything is magic.

Or Climate Change.

Posted by: olddog in mo, No Cheetos allowed on the 'toon at September 18, 2022 04:12 AM (ju2Fy)

4 hiya

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 04:15 AM (T4tVD)

5 Disclaimer: Moo.

Moo Who ?

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 04:16 AM (T4tVD)

6 If that's a skill no scholar has mastered, how can you tell that GPT-3 is doing it? To those who know nothing, everything is magic.

Pixy, you scamp. Your comments were generated by GPT-3 weren't they?

In other news, that is some seriously spot on understanding of the difference between human creativity and the thousand monkey AI model. AI is some serious tech but it doesn't have a soul. Maybe that is why "domain experts" are dazzled by things like GPT-3.

Posted by: Lost In Space at September 18, 2022 04:16 AM (/qNGG)

7 the Spelling & Grammar add-on installed - your browser might send your password straight to Google or Microsoft.

Wasn't aware of Enhanced Spell Check. Checked Chrome and there it was... turned off and set to Basic SC. Now have to check browser at the office.

Posted by: olddog in mo, No Cheetos allowed on the 'toon at September 18, 2022 04:21 AM (ju2Fy)

8 Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 04:15 AM (T4tVD)

5 Disclaimer: Moo.

Moo Who ?

Mooyu.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 18, 2022 04:22 AM (BLOW1)

9 >>>Disclaimer: Moo.

Moo.Noo.

Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 04:24 AM (GkGYg)

10 >>>subliterate cretins who write for The Atlantic

author: Stephen Marche, Canadian.

Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 04:26 AM (GkGYg)

11 I need some Pixy advice. I need a graphics card that can handle some serious photoshop demands. Tentatively, I am looking at Nivida 2080 class cards. I am skipping over AMD because their software blows up my very old but very adequate perpetual license version of Photoshop.

Thoughts?

Posted by: Lost In Space at September 18, 2022 04:27 AM (/qNGG)

12 Mornin', all

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 04:27 AM (Z/jzm)

13 12 Mornin', all
Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 04:27 AM (Z/jzm)

Good morning! Long time no see!

Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 04:29 AM (GkGYg)

14 Hiya MLii !

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 04:32 AM (T4tVD)

15 Good evening Pixy
Good morning horde

Posted by: Skip at September 18, 2022 04:36 AM (k8B25)

16 >>Good morning! Long time no see!
Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 04:29 AM (GkGYg)

Weekday mornings I always seem to be running late.

You'd think life would've gotten less crazy once taking care of mom ended. Nope. I think I'm busier now!

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 04:37 AM (Z/jzm)

17 11 I need some Pixy advice. I need a graphics card that can handle some serious photoshop demands. Tentatively, I am looking at Nivida 2080 class cards. I am skipping over AMD because their software blows up my very old but very adequate perpetual license version of Photoshop.

If it's just for Photoshop, don't overspend. According to Puget Systems (who created a popular Photoshop benchmark) there's only about 1% difference between a mid-range previous generation card like the 2060 and the latest RTX 3090. Either of them will give you a worthwhile boost over integrated graphics though.

https://tinyurl.com/3vwpx349

Posted by: Pixy Misa at September 18, 2022 04:38 AM (BLOW1)

18 Hi MLii

Posted by: Skip at September 18, 2022 04:39 AM (k8B25)

19 there's only about 1% difference between a mid-range previous generation card like the 2060 and the latest RTX 3090. Either of them will give you a worthwhile boost over integrated graphics though. Posted by: Pixy Misa

Thank you. I looked at the 2060s and I thought they looked about right. Again, thank you. More money is headed out the door for tech stuff.

Posted by: Lost In Space at September 18, 2022 04:41 AM (/qNGG)

20 *probably because then I had an excuse to not do stuff because mom was priority.

Lol. Who knew I'd miss her for more than just her being here.

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 04:41 AM (Z/jzm)

21 Hey JT and Skip!

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 04:41 AM (Z/jzm)

22 Lol. Who knew I'd miss her for more than just her being here. Posted by: My Life is Insanity

Is it GTP-3 or My Life is Insanity? I guess I will have to wait until GTP-6 to find out.

Oh, and your comment: for the win! It made me smile.

Posted by: Lost In Space at September 18, 2022 04:44 AM (/qNGG)

23 Still trying to decide if up or not
Blueberry pancakes when I do

Posted by: Skip at September 18, 2022 04:44 AM (k8B25)

24 Heading to breakfast with #1 son. We used to go to a local place fairly often, but I haven't been there in about 2 years. They open at 5. Looking forward to seeing some of the regulars.

They make awesome biscuits and gravy. I think that may be my choice this morning. Or blueberry pancakes.

What to do, what to do.

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 04:46 AM (Z/jzm)

25 Lost in Space, lol. It's really me. No AI program could match my typos

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 04:47 AM (Z/jzm)

26 Great minds, Skip!!

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 04:48 AM (Z/jzm)

27 https://tinyurl.com/4ct5m2cf
There was a Bad Blue yesterday

Posted by: Skip at September 18, 2022 04:48 AM (k8B25)

28 the Spelling & Grammar add-on installed - your browser might send your password straight to Google or Microsoft.

Wasn't aware of Enhanced Spell Check. Checked Chrome and there it was... turned off and set to Basic SC. Now have to check browser at the office.
Posted by: olddog

"...should enhanced spellcheck features be enabled. Depending on the website you visit, the form data may itself include PII—including but not limited to Social Security Numbers (SSNs)/Social Insurance Numbers (SINs), name, address, email, date of birth (DOB), contact information, bank and payment information, and so on.

Holy Hell! Make sure to use your city's public WiFi when attempting to use this feature.

Posted by: Lost In Space at September 18, 2022 04:50 AM (/qNGG)

29 >>>(The Atlantic)

Gack, I read the whole thing. Its author's style is what I would call "flabby." Perhaps he is paid by the word.

Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 04:52 AM (GkGYg)

30 16 You'd think life would've gotten less crazy once taking care of mom ended. Nope. I think I'm busier now!
Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 04:37 AM (Z/jzm)

Time to change your nic?

Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 04:52 AM (GkGYg)

31 >>Time to change your nic?
Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 04:52 AM (GkGYg)

My Life is *still* Insane?

Lol

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 04:55 AM (Z/jzm)

32 27 https://tinyurl.com/4ct5m2cf
There was a Bad Blue yesterday
Posted by: Skip at September 18, 2022 04:48 AM (k8B25)

Thanks, Skip!

Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 04:57 AM (GkGYg)

33 Lost in Space, lol. It's really me. No AI program could match my typos Posted by: My Life is Insanity

And just like that we have a new Turing test for Shakespeare AI tech: feed in sufficient AoS comments or a couple MLII comments, or mine for that matter, if in a hurry. If the AI tech sets the computer to smoking when trying to match the original text, we have an AoS commenter and possibly an actual human. We may have to wait until GPT-9 for that distinction to be determined, if ever.

Posted by: Lost In Space at September 18, 2022 04:58 AM (/qNGG)

34 I learn something from the Tech News posts all the time. I've never heard of GPT-3, for example. I looked up a photo of the author of that Atlantic story. He looks exactly like the kind of doofus who would write "This is a skill that no scholar alive has mastered", while claiming to know that GPT-3 has mastered it.

At first I thought he might be a 20-something. Nope. He's almost 50. One of the many man-childs out there who inexplicably made it to the top of their profession.

Thanks Pixy.

Posted by: Colonel Travis at September 18, 2022 05:08 AM (RG7Wy)

35 Looked at weather, this week 80s but Saturday low 70s

Posted by: Skip at September 18, 2022 05:20 AM (k8B25)

36 I'm heading out for breakfast date with the kid.

Work schedule is the same, which means extra -early rise on Monday a.m. Hopefully I will get back into my usual routine and see you all in the early mornings more regularly.

My days are still spent emptying mom's house and dealing with probate. Fun times!

Have a good day, all

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 05:25 AM (Z/jzm)

37 Cleaning out my MiL house was a long process

Posted by: Skip at September 18, 2022 05:29 AM (k8B25)

38
To those who know nothing, everything is ~~magic~~ simple.

More reflective of our Nomenklatura.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 18, 2022 05:30 AM (1Nxff)

39 Good morning everyone.

Day two of house showings.

Coffeeeeeeee. . . .

Posted by: Tonypete at September 18, 2022 05:30 AM (LsEU/)

40

Long time no moo.Who let the cows out.?

Posted by: safristi at September 18, 2022 05:31 AM (qktfm)

41 Thanks Skip !

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 05:33 AM (T4tVD)

42 G'mornin' everyone !

LOL, LostInSpace, same here, Mrs is still using CS2

Posted by: sock_rat_eez - we are being gaslighted 24/365 at September 18, 2022 05:33 AM (8oyo2)

43 I had the news on to see what the weather was allegedly gonna be.

There was an on the scene reporter and she had the BIGGEST lips I ever saw !

She must spend a fortune on lipstick !

She should just use a four inch brush !

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 05:35 AM (T4tVD)

44 thx for the link, Skip, always something good there

Posted by: sock_rat_eez - we are being gaslighted 24/365 at September 18, 2022 05:38 AM (8oyo2)

45 There was an on the scene reporter and she had the BIGGEST lips I ever saw !
She must spend a fortune on lipstick !
She should just use a four inch brush !
Posted by: JT

Didn't ELO make reference to a 'painted lady' in 'Nobody's Child' way back in the day?

Good morning JT!!

Posted by: Tonypete at September 18, 2022 05:40 AM (LsEU/)

46 Hiya TonyPete !

You should announce that you're getting married and Miklos and LadyL will show up !

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 05:42 AM (T4tVD)

47 Didn't ELO make reference to a 'painted lady' in 'Nobody's Child' way back in the day?

I have NO idea !

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 05:43 AM (T4tVD)

48 Morning!

Is Sudowrite the fancier version of Gurgle Translate?

Posted by: Bruce at September 18, 2022 05:44 AM (vd8XM)

49 You should announce that you're getting married and Miklos and LadyL will show up !
Posted by: JT

Can't do it. I can only handle one wife at a time! But I would like to meet the elusive Miklos. LadyL and I have made each other's acquaintance at a few MoMe's. And a fine lady she is.

Posted by: Tonypete at September 18, 2022 05:46 AM (LsEU/)

50 LadyL and I have made each other's acquaintance at a few MoMe's. And a fine lady she is.
Posted by: Tonypete

Whoa.

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 05:47 AM (T4tVD)

51 LadyL said she was gonna regale us with tales of the wedding and of Miklos and then.......NOTHING !

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 05:52 AM (T4tVD)

52 Isn't something supposed to happen at 6 AM ?

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 06:03 AM (T4tVD)

53 Not looking good

Posted by: Skip at September 18, 2022 06:04 AM (k8B25)

54 Somebody should wake up CBD......

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 06:04 AM (T4tVD)

55 Isn't something supposed to happen at 6 AM ?
Posted by: JT

A human sacrifice?
Nood mud wrestling?

Something like that?

Posted by: Tonypete at September 18, 2022 06:05 AM (LsEU/)

56 A New Thread ?

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 06:07 AM (T4tVD)

57 Happy Sunday! We didn't get to that official EMT greeting yet, but here's an article on where to find help in the psalms. It's from the NIV ( New international Version Life Application Bible:

https://tinyurl.com/4nkk9drt

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 18, 2022 06:07 AM (NYy95)

58 Hiya Fen !

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 06:08 AM (T4tVD)

59 Good morning Fen - thank you for that.

Posted by: Tonypete at September 18, 2022 06:09 AM (LsEU/)

60 Good morning, JT!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 18, 2022 06:09 AM (NYy95)

61 Instead of the EMT, they should call it the BFT. (Bout Fookin' Time ) !

Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 06:10 AM (T4tVD)

62 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at September 18, 2022 06:10 AM (UqnOO)

63 >>> Most people are not brave enough to admit they are so bad at their jobs they can be replaced by a chat bot.

Oh, shit.

Posted by: fluffy at September 18, 2022 06:12 AM (UqnOO)

64 You are welcome, TonyPete.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 18, 2022 06:17 AM (NYy95)

65 nood - Krak is up.

Posted by: Tonypete at September 18, 2022 06:21 AM (LsEU/)

66 Happily I can't be replaced by Chat Box or any computer

Posted by: Skip at September 18, 2022 06:21 AM (k8B25)

67 Morning, all! Hell of a night, and it will be a hell of a week, I suspect. Last night more water began to seep from the base of one wall , despite A/C Guy's assurance on Friday that the leak was fixed, onto the kitchen floor. Towels are damming it up for a time, but I still need to mop and wring out the towels.

Then: I don't know what happened with my dinner, but I got nauseated about 2 hours afterward, and ended up losing all of it about midnight. I feel okay, not sick, just hungry and tired after only 5 hours' sleep.

Code Enforcement, the City Council, the A/C Guy, and the apartment manager are all going to get big earfuls from me.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius at September 18, 2022 06:24 AM (c6xtn)

68 Pixy, I'm using Win 10 on this stupid Dell laptop while I wait to replace the cat-chewed charging cord for my MacBook. How can I keep the browser (Brave) from randomly zooming the screen? Am I touching something on the pad, do I need to use a mouse, or is there a setting in Windows to turn this off?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius at September 18, 2022 06:26 AM (c6xtn)

69 Heading to breakfast with #1 son. We used to go to a local place fairly often, but I haven't been there in about 2 years. They open at 5. Looking forward to seeing some of the regulars.

They make awesome biscuits and gravy. I think that may be my choice this morning. Or blueberry pancakes.

What to do, what to do.
Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022

***
Sounds great! I wish I had someplace here that would open early on a weekend. I don't even know if IHOP does any more, and I hate IHOP.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius at September 18, 2022 06:35 AM (c6xtn)

70 Does a cow have Buddha nature? I don't know but they taste good.

Posted by: David Prince at September 18, 2022 06:40 AM (pB7yW)

71 Mornin', Wolfus!

Hope the kittens are getting along.

The breakfast place here is great She only does breakfast/lunch with some dinner-like specials for lunch. Only open until 2 pm. But it's decorated cute and it's very home-y. Lots of regulars and everybody knows your name

I ended up with a skillet scramble with cheese, tomato and jalepeno. Awesomeness on a plate !
And of course the coffee flows.

It was fun to see some people I haven't seen in a while and listen to the conversations that range from politics (most here are conservative) to personal.

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at September 18, 2022 06:53 AM (JNreR)

72 "To those who know nothing, everything is magic."

Yes. It's why people who've never worked with their hands, picked up a tool or built anything in their entire lives, decide the pyramids could only have been created by aliens.

Posted by: MLCross at September 18, 2022 07:31 AM (K8Z2z)

73 Now if that AI could code the AoS page to stop redirecting in Safari, that’d be something.

Posted by: MAGA_Ken at September 18, 2022 07:58 AM (cMXNt)

74 Finally we will get the Lace Wigs bot we need and not deserve.

Posted by: MAGA_Ken at September 18, 2022 08:03 AM (cMXNt)

75 61 Instead of the EMT, they should call it the BFT. (Bout Fookin' Time ) !
Posted by: JT at September 18, 2022 06:10 AM (T4tVD)

LOL JT

Posted by: m at September 18, 2022 08:56 AM (RtN13)

76 Happy Equinox, Pixy! I hope your spring is as delightful as our fall has been so far.

Posted by: Nemo (One of the Tens of Millions of Deplorable Enemies of the State) at September 18, 2022 09:48 AM (S6ArX)

77 I'd love to get that idiot at The Atlantic to read the pastiche documents in Black Dossier, part 3 of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. He'd probably think it HAD to have been written by machine.

Posted by: werewife, princess of Delray Beach at September 18, 2022 09:54 AM (SPNTN)

78
Give credit where credit is due, the Dow did hit 36000.
Albeit twenty years after the 1999 Atlantic article.

Posted by: Levin at September 18, 2022 12:46 PM (WGj9s)

79

I am making $162/hour telecommuting. I never imagined that it was honest to goodness yet my closest companion is earning $21 thousand a month by working on the web, that was truly shocking for me, she prescribed me to attempt it simply ,

COPY AND OPEN THIS SITE__________salarybaar.com

Posted by: jasmin loutra loura at September 18, 2022 02:43 PM (bazHm)

80 It's amazing to see so much breathless hyperbole from a "former professor of Shakespeare" (which tells you the quality of our soft-subject professors) that completely misses one of the most basic epistemological distinctions, one I learned about at the beginning of high school: the difference between shallow learning and deep learning. Shallow learning can successfully imitate the style and jargon of a subject, regurgitate facts and figures, and even perform some analysis. Deep learning is required to extend and apply concepts outside of their immediate scope and to synthesize new propositions about the subject. It's the difference between learning the technical skill of painting and learning about composition, space, color interactions, etc. and being able to apply those to 3D modeling.

Posted by: Cortillaen at September 18, 2022 02:49 PM (4Acrv)

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82
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Posted by: Carrie Gilbert at September 19, 2022 04:12 AM (kS8o6)

83 "If you asked GPT-3 to continue, say, a Wordsworth poem, the computer's vocabulary would never be one moment before or after appropriate usage for the poem's era. This is a skill that no scholar alive has mastered."

Do it to the unfinished poem Kublai Khan and I'll be impressed. Hint: I won't.

Posted by: David Krishan at September 19, 2022 10:30 AM (IMEDn)

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