The Off Topic Topic

[Legbiter]

Jackson Crawford with Dr. Henrik Williams interpreting the Rök runestone in Sweden. Man, what a good lecture.

[crazy canuck]

Why are they ending?

Duolingo is in constant enshitification nowadays. Update to courses are now frequently AI made and I can't trust that without verification and I'm not willing to do that. They also have been losing motivation for quite a while. They seem to have reached the end of what the free version can offer them. It was a great tool to accumulate vocabulary, it's time for them to start hearing conversations, imo. Shows, movies and music offer that better than Duolingo.

@HVC 😆 my kids aren't allowed to go to public school in english.

It's the same with the paid version. The content just runs out.  And as you said, it's just something that teaches vocabulary, it doesn't really teach how to have a conversation.

[Grey Fox]

Why are they ending?

Duolingo is in constant enshitification nowadays. Update to courses are now frequently AI made and I can't trust that without verification and I'm not willing to do that. They also have been losing motivation for quite a while. They seem to have reached the end of what the free version can offer them. It was a great tool to accumulate vocabulary, it's time for them to start hearing conversations, imo. Shows, movies and music offer that better than Duolingo.

@HVC 😆 my kids aren't allowed to go to public school in english.

It's the same with the paid version. The content just runs out.  And as you said, it's just something that teaches vocabulary, it doesn't really teach how to have a conversation.

That's bad but reassures me in my choices. I'll see if, CBC/Radio-Canada's language learning app, Mauril can take them to the next step.

[crazy canuck]

For Jos,

What happens when cities are built for people instead of cars

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLEugFKIP-v/?igsh=bTgyeWlmdjdxYnIx

[Josquius]

Now I'm sad I can't move there.

[Syt]

Nothing special, just the King of Sweden playing darts with some skinheads in the 90s.

[viper37]

Communication.  An essential skill at work, I suppose.

Only today do I discover that most employees got 2 days off for Confederation and St-Jean-Baptiste.  No one bothered to tell me until I saw the time sheet and I called into the office to be told by the one person there that most everyone was off for two days each week.  Including my boss.  Who also somehow forgot to warn me about some very critical information. Again.  

[Sheilbh]

FFS in the office today and they had to turn off the AC because it does not function when there's a "high external temperature"

[DGuller]

FFS in the office today and they had to turn off the AC because it does not function when there's a "high external temperature"

Seems like a design flaw there somewhere.

[HVC]

FFS in the office today and they had to turn off the AC because it does not function when there's a "high external temperature"

AC designed to only work in winter seems like an odd choice to make

[Sheilbh]

Seems a very British design decision - it works but only in a very narrow band of basically mild temperatures. Just like our windows and insulation

[HVC]

You've finally discovered insulation?

I always found it odd that most of Europe is so far behind in some home efficiency things. Can't really blame being old since Germany is pretty advanced. Sure a bunch of it got blown up, but so did a lot of Europe.

[garbon]

You've finally discovered insulation?

I always found it odd that most of Europe is so far behind in some home efficiency things. Can't really blame being old since Germany is pretty advanced. Sure a bunch of it got blown up, but so did a lot of Europe.

Window screens are still a secret hack.

[HVC]

You've finally discovered insulation?

I always found it odd that most of Europe is so far behind in some home efficiency things. Can't really blame being old since Germany is pretty advanced. Sure a bunch of it got blown up, but so did a lot of Europe.

Window screens are still a secret hack.

They like nature so much they want it inside too?

[garbon]

You've finally discovered insulation?

I always found it odd that most of Europe is so far behind in some home efficiency things. Can't really blame being old since Germany is pretty advanced. Sure a bunch of it got blown up, but so did a lot of Europe.

Window screens are still a secret hack.

They like nature so much they want it inside too?

My husband had been worried he "wouldn't be able to see out" right up until he realized it would keep mosquitoes from eating him in the night.