- Welcome to Snow Castles.
Recent posts
#11
General Discussion / LLMs and LLM policies
Last post by James G. - Oct 06, 2026, 03:44 PMI admit I set up a pretty hard-line position here by banning basically everything LLM-related without staff approval, but it was my preference at the time to avoid bot posts in what should be a discussion forum; the more LLM content I see in public reaffirms my concerns.
I'm a writer who also likes to do my own research; maybe I can't understand not being someone who is good at those things. But it seems people are in a rush to outsource their thinking to machines. I've already seen enough bullet lists, 'not x, but y', and points that are repeated ad nauseam, expanding a mustard seed of an idea to a sequoia of a post, to last me for all of this 'revolution'. I'm about at the point where if you can't be bothered to write it, I can't be bothered to read it.
I grant there are good uses for LLMs, but I haven't been able to codify exactly what all those are yet, and in any case I'm not sure it's worth saccing the entire web to get them. Thoughts?
I'm a writer who also likes to do my own research; maybe I can't understand not being someone who is good at those things. But it seems people are in a rush to outsource their thinking to machines. I've already seen enough bullet lists, 'not x, but y', and points that are repeated ad nauseam, expanding a mustard seed of an idea to a sequoia of a post, to last me for all of this 'revolution'. I'm about at the point where if you can't be bothered to write it, I can't be bothered to read it.
I grant there are good uses for LLMs, but I haven't been able to codify exactly what all those are yet, and in any case I'm not sure it's worth saccing the entire web to get them. Thoughts?
#12
Game Board / Re: Would you rather?
Last post by James G. - Oct 02, 2026, 10:02 AMI only drink water as a beverage these days, so I guess I'd have to abolish the bread, but I wouldn't be happy about it.
Would you rather travel back in time or forward in time? You can pick the time you're going to, and you get to make a return trip.
Would you rather travel back in time or forward in time? You can pick the time you're going to, and you get to make a return trip.
#13
Random Access / Re: Avatar suggestions
Last post by Tester - Sep 29, 2026, 03:03 PMdo a pic of a duck tat looks like a banana!!
#14
Random Access / Re: What's the best ice cream?
Last post by Tester - Sep 29, 2026, 03:00 PMya blakberie sherbert is soooo gud i bet even james wud like it.
#15
Game Board / Re: Would you rather?
Last post by Tester - Sep 29, 2026, 02:59 PMobv tacos jams tey r soooooo much better.
WYR nevr drink water again (tea n milk n stuf dont count) or nvr eat any kind bread??? (evthing made w flour counts!!!)
WYR nevr drink water again (tea n milk n stuf dont count) or nvr eat any kind bread??? (evthing made w flour counts!!!)
#16
General Discussion / Re: Favorite graphic editor?
Last post by James G. - Sep 29, 2026, 11:35 AMI'm periodically tempted to get a new (well, new to me) copy of classic Photoshop. I'm just not sure I want to spend all my time with a graphic editor in an emulator, and then having to swap files from it to the main platform.
#17
Random Access / Re: Avatar suggestions
Last post by James G. - Sep 28, 2026, 03:24 AMQuote from: Verdauga on Sep 24, 2026, 10:58 PM...I've put my number into other people's phones under the contact name "___ the sentient tree" ... it's gone on most of my time at college, so I thought to add it. Plus, I think trees are cool. For a time, one was my discord pfp.That's fine, if there's an established history for it. Personal pics are personal. Based on the knowledge before I had it just seemed like it was out of the blue, but now my understanding has been expanded.
QuoteI think I care to own up to my posts more...I thought them, so I may as well have my imprint on them.Careful; that implies at least some of us are
I wouldn't say that it's only about anonymity vs. not, although that is one aspect of it, and the one I happened to highlight in the process of mentioning it was contra-forum culture. The arbitrariness of the shot gives us an insight into something that the reader likes or finds descriptive in some way. How much personality does a picture of somebody indicate? Symbols are powerful! The choice of a (hand-drawn) gryphon indicated something about me, especially with the taco added, while remaining universally applicable; a picture of me in a suit, or even in a domestic setting, just wouldn't have been the same. While we like pictures and portraits, back in the day they tended to ascribe as much value to things like the coat of arms, which is the same concept here in that it is a symbolic picture chosen that represents its bearer.
That isn't to say that all such pictures must invariably fall short; if a picture of a completely different person can be a viable profile picture then it only stands to reason that a picture of the actual person can be too. But I suspect it's easy to succumb to the same kind of logic that goes into social media picture decisions here when a more personal touch is better.
Quote3. K.J.V.Shalt thou write thy words in like manner? Behold, those that read may then say, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest.
Quote5.You could always do something from stained glass, or a mosaic. No suggestions on what the contents of that would be, but I think they're pretty. (Of course, even if *I* like or identify with them in some way, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's a great picture for you!)
#18
Random Access / Re: Avatar suggestions
Last post by Verdauga - Sep 24, 2026, 10:58 PM1. I suppose I shouldn't have expected you to understand the tree-- it's a small thing, but I've put my number into other people's phones under the contact name "___ the sentient tree" It's a little nonsensical, but it's gone on most of my time at college, so I thought to add it. Plus, I think trees are cool. For a time, one was my discord pfp.
2. I suppose I agree on the anonymity side of things. However, I think I care more to own up to my posts more now than I did in the past. I thought them, so I may as well have my imprint on them.
3. K.J.V.
4. I thought the same when I posted the option, on all your major points.
And perfectly fair for number 5
2. I suppose I agree on the anonymity side of things. However, I think I care more to own up to my posts more now than I did in the past. I thought them, so I may as well have my imprint on them.
3. K.J.V.
4. I thought the same when I posted the option, on all your major points.
And perfectly fair for number 5
#19
Game Board / Re: Would you rather?
Last post by James G. - Sep 24, 2026, 09:12 AMI don't eat candy much nowadays. Probably sweet, but it's close.
Assuming ounce-for-ounce equivalence, would you rather have burgers or tacos?
Assuming ounce-for-ounce equivalence, would you rather have burgers or tacos?
#20
Random Access / Re: Avatar suggestions
Last post by James G. - Sep 24, 2026, 09:06 AMA sea lion holding a hamburger.
More seriously, though, I'd have to know more about what you're looking for and why the above options are on your shortlist to be able to give a good analysis. But if you want some impressions, I guess I'll give it a shot.
1. I don't really see the tree. It would have made sense for Sagetip but there's never been a big association between you and trees or botany that I'm aware of. I'm not saying you couldn't make it work but there's no prior association here.
2. Selfie pictures aren't inherently wrong. I think we all have them on Facebook and GroupMe. But they do seem more serious (in most cases), and they're quite a bit less private. Historically forums have tended to err on the side of anonymity, so it's a little unusual for the locale.
3. It's certainly a reminder to be a good ambassador, and it could be a great way to reflect what you value. But what translation would you use?
4. If you have a character name, it's difficult to go wrong by having an illustration that matches. I think people expect it, and it reinforces the idea the name has a meaning. The trouble you have is that Lord Greeneyes doesn't really show up that long in the book, so I'm not sure how much art there is for him, and none of the other major cat characters are interchangeable. But if you could find it, or a picture of a green-eyed wildcat's head generally, I think this is a good (and probably obvious) option.
5. I'd need to think about this longer before I could decide on something. My name clearly lent itself to a gryphon, but the taco thing required an in-joke to emerge. The first thing to jump out is a green-eyed cat wearing that style of hat you had on in that picture a while back, but that'd be very hard to come by unless you used a LLM for it, and technically, my own forum rules presently ban that.
More seriously, though, I'd have to know more about what you're looking for and why the above options are on your shortlist to be able to give a good analysis. But if you want some impressions, I guess I'll give it a shot.
1. I don't really see the tree. It would have made sense for Sagetip but there's never been a big association between you and trees or botany that I'm aware of. I'm not saying you couldn't make it work but there's no prior association here.
2. Selfie pictures aren't inherently wrong. I think we all have them on Facebook and GroupMe. But they do seem more serious (in most cases), and they're quite a bit less private. Historically forums have tended to err on the side of anonymity, so it's a little unusual for the locale.
3. It's certainly a reminder to be a good ambassador, and it could be a great way to reflect what you value. But what translation would you use?
4. If you have a character name, it's difficult to go wrong by having an illustration that matches. I think people expect it, and it reinforces the idea the name has a meaning. The trouble you have is that Lord Greeneyes doesn't really show up that long in the book, so I'm not sure how much art there is for him, and none of the other major cat characters are interchangeable. But if you could find it, or a picture of a green-eyed wildcat's head generally, I think this is a good (and probably obvious) option.
5. I'd need to think about this longer before I could decide on something. My name clearly lent itself to a gryphon, but the taco thing required an in-joke to emerge. The first thing to jump out is a green-eyed cat wearing that style of hat you had on in that picture a while back, but that'd be very hard to come by unless you used a LLM for it, and technically, my own forum rules presently ban that.