4 ms·

While writing a formal dreidel model might make you a better theorist, it won't make you a better dreidel spinner. In fact, it might make you worse at spinning

While writing a formal dreidel model might make you a better theorist, it won't make you a better dreidel spinner. In fact, it might make you worse at spinning dreidels, because it embodies the disastrous "formalism above all" doctrine. Spinners like to obsess about gimmels and shins and other high-theory stuff, yet the following skills, essential for spinning dreidels, are almost never discussed and even more rarely practiced: - Deciding how to grip the dreidel - Proper vertical positioning so it doesn't immediately tumble - Waiting until the clay is dry and ready, before you play In that spirit, I offer the following alternative challenge: Create your own dreidel out of clay. Don't bother with formal theory, others have already done that for you. "Just" make a dreidel that can actually spin, even if it only supports a subset of the game at the beginning.

jkingsman 3y ago
[flagged]
- jdelman 3y ago
  The OP doesn’t read like a ChatGPT comment to me, though maybe I’m easily fooled. It has a bit more personality (“High-theory”, putting “just” in quotes as an ironic wink). It’s tongue-in-cheek, not nonsensical.
  - kevinventullo 3y ago
    “High-theory stuff” in fact. I think it’d take a fairly specific prompt to elicit the word “stuff”.
  - GuB-42 3y ago
    Also, unless cleverly prompted, ChatGPT normally has a positive attitude. This post looks too negative and dismissive for a typical ChatGPT answer: "worse", "disastrous", "stuff", "don't bother", etc... It follows the general construction of a ChatGPT answer though.
    - callalex 3y ago
      >It follows the general construction of a ChatGPT answer though. In my English education in public school in California, it was hammered into my head quite strictly that A Paragraph has a very specific structure, and that no parts can be rearranged or even omitted. Thankfully I have moved on from thinking about the English language that way, but it’s not shocking to me that many real people write with a similar structure because they were taught that it was the objectively correct way to communicate in written form.
- CrazyStat 3y ago
  Makes reasonably good sense to me.
- bawolff 3y ago
  Reads like a joke to me. Especially given the pun (is that the right word?) about making your own dreidel out of clay. Maybe the joke didn't fully land, but chatgpt content usually isn't very good at making ironic content so i highly doubt its chatgpt.
- Genwald 3y ago
  Context: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38768909 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38768909 I thought it was pretty funny.
  - jrussino 3y ago
    Yeah, I didn't even see that original comment but I've been on HN and Reddit long enough to know this must have been a referencing the style/format of some other sw dev related advice comment.
  - thret 3y ago
    Thanks, I missed that thread the first time around.
  - khazhoux 3y ago
    :-)
- scoopertrooper 3y ago
  It's unlikely that ChatGPT penned this dreidel commentary. The nuanced understanding of dreidel spinning - especially the tactile aspects like grip and timing - reflects personal experience, something ChatGPT lacks. Also, the comment's informal tone and specific focus on practical skills over theoretical models seem more human. ChatGPT typically provides more generalized, theory-based responses, not delving deeply into the practical, less-discussed aspects of niche hobbies like dreidel spinning. source: https://chat.openai.com/share/be44306f-2836-4dc8-8f13-7c15a4b407d1 https://chat.openai.com/share/be44306f-2836-4dc8-8f13-7c15a4...
jeffhuys 3y ago
Nah I’ll just 3D print it. It’s almost 2024 baby!
- fsckboy 3y ago
  it's 5784, bubele
- names_are_hard 3y ago
  I have a little dreidel I'm printing it 3D When it's done and ready Oh dreidel I shall play It kinda rhymes if you have a southern drawl. After all, Luke Bryan rhymes "weatherman complains" with "rain is a good thing"
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
potsandpans 3y ago
Is this a new hackernews meme? It's the same format as another comment about writing compilers.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- AnnikaL 3y ago
  The "clay is dry and ready" bit is a reference to the song "I Had A Little Dreidel"[0], a common Hanukkah song and/or picture book for kids. [0] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_a_Little_Dreidel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_a_Little_Dreidel

jkingsman 3y ago

[flagged]

jdelman 3y ago
The OP doesn’t read like a ChatGPT comment to me, though maybe I’m easily fooled. It has a bit more personality (“High-theory”, putting “just” in quotes as an ironic wink). It’s tongue-in-cheek, not nonsensical.
- kevinventullo 3y ago
  “High-theory stuff” in fact. I think it’d take a fairly specific prompt to elicit the word “stuff”.
- GuB-42 3y ago
  Also, unless cleverly prompted, ChatGPT normally has a positive attitude. This post looks too negative and dismissive for a typical ChatGPT answer: "worse", "disastrous", "stuff", "don't bother", etc... It follows the general construction of a ChatGPT answer though.
  - callalex 3y ago
    >It follows the general construction of a ChatGPT answer though. In my English education in public school in California, it was hammered into my head quite strictly that A Paragraph has a very specific structure, and that no parts can be rearranged or even omitted. Thankfully I have moved on from thinking about the English language that way, but it’s not shocking to me that many real people write with a similar structure because they were taught that it was the objectively correct way to communicate in written form.
CrazyStat 3y ago
Makes reasonably good sense to me.
bawolff 3y ago
Reads like a joke to me. Especially given the pun (is that the right word?) about making your own dreidel out of clay. Maybe the joke didn't fully land, but chatgpt content usually isn't very good at making ironic content so i highly doubt its chatgpt.
Genwald 3y ago
Context: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38768909 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38768909 I thought it was pretty funny.
- jrussino 3y ago
  Yeah, I didn't even see that original comment but I've been on HN and Reddit long enough to know this must have been a referencing the style/format of some other sw dev related advice comment.
- thret 3y ago
  Thanks, I missed that thread the first time around.
- khazhoux 3y ago
  :-)
scoopertrooper 3y ago
It's unlikely that ChatGPT penned this dreidel commentary. The nuanced understanding of dreidel spinning - especially the tactile aspects like grip and timing - reflects personal experience, something ChatGPT lacks. Also, the comment's informal tone and specific focus on practical skills over theoretical models seem more human. ChatGPT typically provides more generalized, theory-based responses, not delving deeply into the practical, less-discussed aspects of niche hobbies like dreidel spinning. source: https://chat.openai.com/share/be44306f-2836-4dc8-8f13-7c15a4b407d1 https://chat.openai.com/share/be44306f-2836-4dc8-8f13-7c15a4...

jeffhuys 3y ago

Nah I’ll just 3D print it. It’s almost 2024 baby!

fsckboy 3y ago
it's 5784, bubele
names_are_hard 3y ago
I have a little dreidel I'm printing it 3D When it's done and ready Oh dreidel I shall play It kinda rhymes if you have a southern drawl. After all, Luke Bryan rhymes "weatherman complains" with "rain is a good thing"

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

potsandpans 3y ago

Is this a new hackernews meme? It's the same format as another comment about writing compilers.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
AnnikaL 3y ago
The "clay is dry and ready" bit is a reference to the song "I Had A Little Dreidel"[0], a common Hanukkah song and/or picture book for kids. [0] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_a_Little_Dreidel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_a_Little_Dreidel