Simon @spoltier@qoto.org

Turns out we weren't done for major LLM releases in 2024 after all... Alibaba's Qwen just released QvQ, a "visual reasoning model" - the same chain-of-thought trick as OpenAI's o1 but applied strictly to running a prompt against an image

I've been trying it out and it's a lot of fun to poke around with: https://simonwillison.net/2024/Dec/24/qvq/

I cannot believe I am asking this question:

If I tell Windows to show the desktop, and it doesn't show the desktop.

Is there a way to empty the recycle bin without being able to access the desktop.

Can I do it from an Explorer.exe window. Can I do it from the command line. From the start bar.

@mcc If you open a `run` prompt, you can open the Recycle Bin location in a file explorer by running `shell:RecycleBinFolder`

If you're feeling lonely tonight or on Xmas day, feel free to join my Matrix chat. I'll be monitoring it, and there are almost always a few people to chat with.

Just say hi when you come in and you'll have people to waste your time with. Just as if you were with your family and friends.

I recommend using the Element interface.

Please BOOST for reach.
#chat #christmas #xmas #friendly

http://chat.mrfunkedude.com/

Wrote up my notes on ModernBERT, the brand new modern alternative to 2018-era BERT released by https://www.answer.ai/ https://simonwillison.net/2024/Dec/24/modernbert/

Question for anyone who started 2024 thinking that this whole "AI" thing (specifically of the ChatGPT LLM/generative AI variety) was over-hyped junk that wasn't actually useful for anything

Have developments over the last twelve months changed your mind?

Have you seen the Luc Besson movie, The Fifth Element ?

A discussion with friends last night centered around age vs exposure to the movie, so I'm posting a poll to gather data unscientifically.

Please boost for exposure, 🙏

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/12/18/majority-americans-oppose-trumps-proposals-test-democracys-limits/

For Xennials like me that witnessed the boundless optimism of the 1990's, and watched the disaster of the Chicago Boys "helping Russia reform", this is excellent reading:

https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/russia-programs/2024-12-18/long-telegram-1990s-whose-russia-it-anyway-toward-policy

Süsser die Boxen nie klingen: Nun tönen sie wieder laut von fern und nah – Weihnachtslieder. Aber bevor Sie einfach irgendeine Playlist laufen lassen, lesen Sie vorher, wie die Wahl der Musik Ihre Festtage prägt.

https://www.republik.ch/2024/12/24/kling-boexchen-klingelingeling?utm_medium=social&utm_source=mastodon&utm_campaign=cm&utm_content=klingeling

Kim Kyung-Hoon took this photo of a press conference by the CEOs of Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi, and accidentally created the perfect album cover.

Dîtes, l’autre jour je bossais sur le scénario d’une suite au film « Présidents » de Anne Fontaine et j’avais rédigé une liste de 35 anciens politiciens français complètement has been et bien réacs, parfaits pour une caricature.

J’ai paumé cette liste l’autre jour dans la rue de Varenne à Paris alors que je croisais un type appelé François.

Si vous avez trouvé la liste ou si vous connaissez ce François (qui l’a peut-être ramassée), vous pouvez lui demander de me la rendre ?

Merci !

In der Zwischenzeit stößt Al-Abdulmohsen vor mittlerweile 40.000 Followern öffentlich und unter seinem Klarnamen auf X (Coverbild: Sturmgewehr) rechtsextreme Parolen raus, wirft mit Drohungen und Hetze um sich. Mehrere X-Nutzer berichten heute, dass sie sich aus Angst vor Selbstjustiz an die Polizei gewandt haben, wo nichts unternommen wurde. Im Februar 2024 ruft er in einem Dienstgebäude der Berliner Polizei den Notruf der Feuerwehr.
3/6

if you got arrested after a nationwide manhunt, what would the media pull from your internet activity to make into ominous headlines?

@jillL @molly0xfff

Someday: “The suspect's social media footprint shows an interest in a game called “Chess" where the player tries to abduct a queen.”

just making sure everyone knows that Michael Whelan -- whose art is on the cover of a huge number of sf/fantasy novels from the 80s through present -- is on this site

https://mastodon.social/@MichaelWhelan@mastodon.art/113538825602686293