From 4329a929fdd8b071def3b5faf7d357cea61ea798 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Aki Date: Sun, 1 Sep 2024 00:16:38 +0200 Subject: Published Ratio article --- ratio_between_consumption_and_creation.html | 55 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 55 insertions(+) create mode 100644 ratio_between_consumption_and_creation.html (limited to 'ratio_between_consumption_and_creation.html') diff --git a/ratio_between_consumption_and_creation.html b/ratio_between_consumption_and_creation.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a3809a9 --- /dev/null +++ b/ratio_between_consumption_and_creation.html @@ -0,0 +1,55 @@ + + + + + + + + + + +Ratio Between Consumption and Creation + +
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Ratio Between Consumption and Creation

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Member of my extended family is an audiophile. Audiophiles have an interesting image around the Internet. For +example, this particular specimen claimed to hear a difference between the same audio file played with a 32-bit build of +foobar2000 and a 64-bit one. On the same platform. With bit rate of 128 kbit/s. If there was a difference in perception, +I doubt it was a result of the build bitness. +

Anyway, what we are interested in today is the ratio of the costs and what the activity gives back. I'd say that +costs are easier to identify and quantify. For example, money spent or time consumed. On the other hand, the "give +backs" are a bit more vague. Of course, we might sometimes get something quantifiable, like money, but usually it will +be something like satisfaction, social interaction, experience, skill, things of that sort. +

For the sake of an example, let's say the audiophiles have this ratio disastrously biased towards the costs. +

However, the ratio does not depend only on the domain. Consider playing computer games. You need to buy them, +sometimes even subscribe. They consume time and can get addictive, and result mainly in satisfaction after overcoming +challenges or serve as a medium to relax or escape. Depending on the certain game the ratio may tilt dynamically. For +instance, "whaling" is a known practice for MMO and/or gacha game companies, so some games may be designed to encourage +this kind of behaviour. There are also cheap or free games that people play solely to meet with their friends. There are +also games that accomplish both and even hold your social life as a hostage.

+yae miko +

An individual approach may also change the ratio. Consider amateur radio operator that slowly expands their station. +Maybe they bought a cheap handheld, but they also put up a long-wire with an SDR, built 144 MHz and/or 435 MHz antennas +for amateur satellite communication, got in touch with local ham radio clubs, started learning more about electronics, +and maybe even built their first receiver or transmitter from scratch. Compare that to someone who just spends a +non-trivial amount of money buying a professional radio station. Similar behaviour can be observed with any other hobby, +e.g., photography. +

There are also gadgets. What does a programmer need to work? A computer, keyboard, a screen. There is no need for +three ultra-wide screens and an RGB LED mechanical keyboard that reacts to the state of my lava lamp. Of course, have +some fun, we can spoil ourselves a bit. But did I really do enough to spoil myself? Will I ever use this Raspberry Pi, +or am I simply buying it to feel like doing something? Do not misunderstand and do not get discouraged. Trivial or even +pointless tasks, spur-of-the-moment decisions can make difference and may allow us to make the first step and grow. If +we never had chance in childhood or early adulthood, we might also discover new things that we enjoy. +

Simply because of this possibility it might be worthwhile to try things. Or at least think about them. If we keep a +discovery approach in mind, we might be able to maximize the "give backs". And because of this, I may want to avoid +making (too much) fun of audiophiles because some of them may get into proper sound engineering or maybe the are +actually very passionate about music. Also because what others do and enjoy is not my business and I should focus on +judging myself. +

With all of this being said, I really hope I won't feel bad about buying a new lens for my camera. +

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