John M. Gamble

Lives in Chicago.
Former #USENET denizen.
Programs obscure algorithms.
Blocks threads dot net.

https://github.com/jgamble

Last Notes

2026-05-11 17:09:25 UTC

My calculus book dates from the seventies, and introduces derivatives at page 90.
#Calculus #Math #Maths
https://youtube.com/shorts/3o3zcMTBPZc

2026-04-27 15:33:54 UTC

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https://cdn.fosstodon.org/media_attachments/files/116/477/365/842/783/094/original/3e192e3756076854.jpg

2026-04-27 15:20:02 UTC

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I took the question as-is (I think, misinterpretation is possible) and assumed there was such a thing as an ethical LLM when I voted.
But in reality, I don't think it's possible. It's as if someone discovered the Bubble Sort, saw that the algorithm blew up in large data sets, and decided the solution was special Bubble Sort hardware that consumed ten times as much power as the CPU it was attached to.
LLMs are the Bubble Sort of AI.

2026-02-10 12:46:07 UTC

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Damn, I didn't know he'd died. I lost track of so many people that I followed on USENET when it stopped being available.

2025-12-23 22:07:20 UTC

I'm thinking of bringing a #BoardGame with me to friends this Christmas. A cooperative game, because one of the people there isn't fond of competitive games.
Now I have the various Pandemic games, including the Cthulhu one, but I was looking for something different, given the holiday.
Does anyone have suggestions? It can be reasonably complex. I live nearby a games store, but even if they don't have it I'd be interested in reading your suggestions.
Thanks.
#BoardGames

2025-10-03 17:32:14 UTC

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Yes. If this account were bridged it would be useful for reposting your posts to other Bluesky users, who are the ones who could benefit.

2025-09-05 14:13:10 UTC

Energy costs are going to rise precipitously* and Democrats will get blamed.
#EnergyTransition #CleanEnergy #USPol
https://youtu.be/39YO-0HBKtA
_____
* Assuming nothing is done. This takes actual legislation, which hasn't been anyone's strong suit recently.

2025-08-27 20:06:24 UTC

I just found and read this article today. Searching Mastodon with "Peter Putnam" found me several people who linked to the article, including Greg Egan.
Better late than never. It's an excellent long form article by Amanda Gefter about physicist/philosopher Peter Putnam, one of John Wheeler's students, and why he vanished from academia.
#PhilosophyOfScience #Academia #Physics #CivilRights #Philosophy
https://nautil.us/finding-peter-putnam-1218035/

2025-08-16 14:07:00 UTC

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I didn't look for that book in particular, but searching for "Book cover T-shirts" got me pages of results.
It appears to be a common design choice.
Edit: particularly among etsy artists who will take requests. I haven't seen the show, but I guess the character made an online order?

2025-02-15 21:21:03 UTC

Q. What do you call someone who knows three languages?
A. Trilingual
Q. What do you call someone who knows two languages?
A. Bilingual
Q. What do you call someone who knows just one language?
A. A kernel maintainer.

2024-11-19 15:48:10 UTC

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"...for those who haven't already blocked fosstodon dot org..."
Er, what?

2024-09-29 22:29:37 UTC

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I am apparently a charm quark, which seems backwards to me, though the claim that I like to team up with strange quarks is right on the money.
#Physics #PersonalityQuiz
https://cdn.fosstodon.org/media_attachments/files/113/223/177/614/986/516/original/88a38fe2c7b51380.jpg

2024-09-28 04:30:10 UTC

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I haven't for nearly eight years. Download speeds are more than adequate now, for me at least.

2024-09-18 23:48:55 UTC

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Thanks!

2024-09-18 22:54:01 UTC

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May I ask where you got the posters from and/or who the artist is?

2024-09-07 20:42:32 UTC

Illinois bans native plants bans. Take that, HOAs.
This is the second Ban ban Illinois has passed, the first being the ban on book banning.
#Illinois #Plants #Gardening
https://news.wttw.com/2024/08/27/homeowner-associations-can-t-ban-native-plants-thanks-new-illinois-law