#automate repetitive

[queerautism]

I'm not even a hardcore anti AI person. I think LLMs are neat as a technology and I enjoy running a small open source model locally on my computer!!! But I truly feel like a guy who's into origami suddenly watching society decide they're gonna make every building's load bearing wall out of origami paper. Like that's not what it's for 😭

[haveievermentioned]

I hate AI

AI is nothing more than a bunch of cyber bros masturbating over how they can now kill their english teacher who tried to teach them how to read and understand things. "Oh you can use it to summarize meeting" "You can use it to look up things" "Oh you are starting a Podcast about history? How are you using AI?" My job is integrating it on the back end and with that I can't opt out of it. Plus they never think about how if you need fewer people, then there are fewer jobs and therefore, fewer people who use your products BECAUSE THEY LITERALLY CAN'T AFFORD IT. I hate all of this all the time. I can't wait until it dies. At least my job is taking about how expensive it is so if people don't use it it's a waste. Guess what I will not use willingly!

[rebeccadumaurier]

need to figure out how to write a script that pauses my audiobook if i’m holding down the pedal on my sewing machine

[graysongarelick]

Elevate Client Services with Excel: Expert Tips for Financial Consultants by Grayson Garelick

Financial consultants operate in a dynamic environment where precision, efficiency, and client satisfaction are paramount. Excel, as a versatile tool, offers an array of features that can significantly enhance the services provided by financial consultants. Grayson Garelick, an accomplished financial analyst and consultant, shares invaluable Excel tips to help financial consultants elevate their client services and add tangible value.

The Role of Excel in Financial Consulting

Excel serves as the backbone of financial consulting, enabling consultants to analyze data, create models, and generate insights that drive informed decision-making. As the demands of clients become increasingly complex, mastering Excel becomes essential for financial consultants aiming to deliver exceptional services.

1. Customize Excel Templates

One of the most effective ways to streamline workflows and improve efficiency is by creating customized Excel templates tailored to specific client needs. Grayson suggests developing templates for budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting that can be easily adapted for different clients, saving time and ensuring consistency.

2. Utilize PivotTables for Data Analysis

PivotTables are powerful tools in Excel that allow financial consultants to analyze large datasets and extract meaningful insights quickly. Grayson emphasizes the importance of mastering PivotTables for segmenting data, identifying trends, and presenting information in a clear and concise manner to clients.

3. Implement Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting is a valuable feature in Excel that allows consultants to highlight important information and identify outliers effortlessly. By setting up conditional formatting rules, consultants can draw attention to key metrics, discrepancies, or trends, facilitating easier interpretation of data by clients.

4. Leverage Excel Add-ins

Excel offers a variety of add-ins that extend its functionality and provide additional features tailored to financial analysis and reporting. Grayson recommends exploring add-ins such as Power Query, Power Pivot, and Solver to enhance data manipulation, modeling, and optimization capabilities.

5. Automate Repetitive Tasks with Macros

Macros enable financial consultants to automate repetitive tasks and streamline workflows, saving valuable time and reducing the risk of errors. Grayson advises recording and editing macros to automate tasks such as data entry, formatting, and report generation, allowing consultants to focus on value-added activities.

6. Master Advanced Formulas and Functions

Excel's extensive library of formulas and functions offers endless possibilities for financial analysis and modeling. Grayson suggests mastering advanced formulas such as VLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, and array formulas to perform complex calculations, manipulate data, and create sophisticated models tailored to client needs.

7. Visualize Data with Charts and Graphs

Visualizing data is essential for conveying complex information in an easily digestible format. Excel offers a variety of chart types and customization options that enable consultants to create compelling visuals that resonate with clients. Grayson recommends experimenting with different chart styles to find the most effective way to present data and insights.

8. Collaborate and Share Workbooks Online

Excel's collaboration features enable financial consultants to work seamlessly with clients, colleagues, and stakeholders in real-time. Grayson highlights the benefits of sharing workbooks via OneDrive or SharePoint, allowing multiple users to collaborate on the same document, track changes, and maintain version control.

9. Protect Sensitive Data with Security Features

Data security is a top priority for financial consultants handling sensitive client information. Excel's built-in security features, such as password protection and encryption, help safeguard confidential data and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Grayson advises implementing security protocols to protect client data and maintain trust.

10. Stay Updated with Excel Training and Certification

Excel is a constantly evolving tool, with new features and updates released regularly. Grayson stresses the importance of staying updated with the latest Excel training and certification programs to enhance skills, explore new capabilities, and maintain proficiency in Excel's ever-changing landscape.

Elevating Client Services with Excel Mastery

Excel serves as a catalyst for innovation and excellence in financial consulting, empowering consultants to deliver exceptional services that add tangible value to clients. By implementing Grayson Garelick Excel tips, financial consultants can streamline workflows, enhance data analysis capabilities, and foster collaboration, ultimately driving client satisfaction and success. As financial consulting continues to evolve, mastering Excel remains a cornerstone of excellence, enabling consultants to thrive in a competitive landscape and exceed client expectations.

[frog707]

Project update

Approaching the half-year mark for the open-source coding challenge I started in June. Here are current statistics:

+ 34K lines of Java (up from 29K lines on 11 November)

+ of those, 12K are tests or examples (up from 8K)

+ 19K lines of C++ (up from 17K)

These days I'm mostly translating the JoltPhysics "samples" application from C++ into Java. I use translation to uncover important functionality that my JVM bindings haven't exposed yet. It's slow, repetitive work, but there are occasional opportunities for problem solving. I have a high tolerance for repetitive work, but it's not unlimited. Soon I'll need a break from the current grind.

I recently imported my project into IntelliJ's IDEA development environment. I use Apache NetBeans for most of my software development, but IDEA has an automatic code-inspection tool I like to use occasionally. The tool uncovered dozens of problems I was glad to fix. However, it also reported thousands of false positives---things it thinks are problems but I do not. My experience with automated inspection tools is that they are invaluable on occasion, but for a given project, their benefit/cost ratio declines rapidly after first use.

[jatanshahskill]

Jatan Shah Reviews | A professional productivity and data mastery

A professional productivity and data mastery expert, Jatan Shah, explains the potential of using AI tools to ease automating repetitive tasks and streamlining workflows.

[coffeeangelinabox]

This took me a while to find, so for anyone else who is struggling here are my instructions for desktop:

On the far left of your screen click settings

Ignore the section it opens with your account basics and look at the menu on the far right

Scroll down to your blog name and click on it

This will open a new menu centre screen

Scroll down this to "visibility"

It's right at the bottom

They are already selling data to midjourney, and it's very likely your work is already being used to train their models because you have to OPT OUT of this, not opt in. Very scummy of them to roll this out unannounced.

[learning--tech]

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[vinodkaushikadvocate]

[joelletwo]

DIRE REQUEST: does anyone have any pomodoro-style timers where the alarm keeps going off until you dismiss it, versus stopping after a few seconds

[july-19th-club]

tags @whileyoureinschoolidothisallday #I really like this emphasizes labor#like I honestly think that everyone contributes something even if it's just their presence#even a genuine asshole that I avoid 95% of the time has their moments#but LABOR?????????? that is simply not for everyone#especially the labor most leftists are talking about#My ideal society really is: ONLY the people who are wholeheartedly enthusiastic and/or passionate about the work they are doing#should be the ones doing the work#it ends up being better work that way!!!!!!!!!#I don't think people realize how much goes into work regardless of the job#you need to have baseline people skills because most likely you're gonna be working with at least one other person#you need to have average executive function or at least know how to manage a below average one#you need baseline stress management skills because something WILL go wrong#^similarly you need a good amount of patience and tenacity#and you need to be able to alter your sleep schedule#among many other things!!!!!!!!#if someone tells you 'you really don't want me working/don't want my help with that' they're probably right!!!!!!#and that's a good thing to know that about yourself!!!!!!

Too many leftists are still glorifying work for work's sake. Too many leftists have equated "performing labor" with "moral fortitude."

If your ideal society has no place for people who genuinely, fully, 100% do not want to work, or who can't work, your ideal society is not as ideal as you think. There has to be space for people who don't "contribute," there has to be space for people who don't fulfill some greater "purpose," there has to be space for people who cannot and will not ever be a part of the labor force.

I am a firm believer that laziness does not exist, and if someone is flat-out refusing to do something, there's a good reason for it. That reason could be disability, it could be fear, it could be a lack of education, it could be that they're confused or lost and don't fully understand what they're supposed to do, it could be that they don't have the skills, it could be that they're at their limit and need a break, it could be that the task is uninteresting or not relatable to them and they don't understand why it's necessary, it could be countless other reasons. "They're just lazy" is a cruel assumption that doesn't solve any problems or accomplish any tasks.

But even if I'm wrong, and laziness is real, you can't penalize "laziness" without hitting a lot of disabled or otherwise vulnerable people in the crossfire. You cannot and will not ever create a society in which everyone is a perfect worker. There has to be a way for someone to contribute absolutely nothing to the labor force, but still be taken care of instead of left to needlessly suffer.

[joyandella-123]

Does Automation Really Reduce Payroll?

Automation and robotics are touted as a panacea to the problem of qualified worker shortages. Can the resource outlays more than pay for themselves once the automated lines are up and running?

Automation can significantly reduce payroll needs in various industries, including metal fabricating. The impact of automation on payroll is primarily due to its ability to increase efficiency, productivity, and accuracy while reducing the need for manual labor in certain tasks. Here are some key points on how automation affects payroll:

Reduction in Manual Labor: Automation typically reduces the need for manual labor, especially for repetitive, mundane, or physically demanding tasks (the three D’s: dull, dirty, and dangerous). Machines and automated systems can perform these tasks more efficiently and for longer hours than human workers, leading to a reduced need for a large workforce.

Shift in Workforce Composition: While automation may reduce the number of low-skilled positions, there is often an increased demand for higher-skilled workers who can manage, maintain, and optimize automated systems. This shift can change the nature of payroll expenses, with a possible increase in salaries for these higher-skilled positions, but overall fewer employees.

Increased Productivity and Efficiency: Automated systems often work faster and more consistently than humans, increasing overall productivity. This means that the same amount of work (or more) can be done with fewer employees, leading to a potential decrease in payroll costs.

Reduction in Errors and Rework: Automation can also reduce costs associated with human errors, rework, and quality control. Automated systems can maintain high precision and consistency, leading to improved product quality and lower waste, which indirectly affects payroll needs by reducing the need for additional labor to correct mistakes.

Long-term Savings vs. Short-term Investment: While the initial investment in automation can be significant, the long-term savings on labor costs can be substantial. Over time, the reduction in payroll due to automation can offset the initial costs of purchasing and implementing automated systems.

Training and Development Needs: With automation, there's a need for ongoing training and development of staff to work effectively with new technologies. This aspect of payroll might increase as employees are upskilled to handle more advanced systems.

In summary, automation generally leads to a decrease in payroll needs related to manual labor, but it also requires a shift towards a more skilled workforce. The overall impact on payroll will depend on the extent of automation, the nature of the work, and the company's adaptation strategy in terms of workforce development and restructuring.

[sreegs]

the past few years, every software developer that has extensive experience, and knows what they're talking about, has had pretty much the same opinion on LLM code assistants: they're OK for some tasks but generally shit. Having something that automates code writing is not new. Codegen before AI were scripts that generated code that you have to write for a task, but is so repetitive it's a genuine time saver to have a script do it.

this is largely the best that LLMs can do with code, but they're still not as good as a simple script because of the inherently unreliable nature of LLMs being a big honkin statistical model and not a purpose-built machine.

none of the senior devs that say this are out there shouting on the rooftops that LLMs are evil and they're going to replace us. because we've been through this concept so many times over many years. Automation does not eliminate coding jobs, it saves time to focus on other work.

the one thing I wish senior devs would warn newbies is that you should not rely on LLMs for anything substantial. you should definitely not use it as a learning tool. it will hinder you in the long run because you don't practice the eternally useful skill of "reading things and experimenting until you figure it out". You will never stop reading things and experimenting until you figure it out. Senior devs may have more institutional knowledge and better instincts but they still encounter things that are new to them and they trip through it like a newbie would. this is called "practice" and you need it to learn things

[tommykinard]

Coloring anon here, yes, I would definitely like to know more about how you color frame by frame and the other techniques you mentioned! It would be much appreciated, thank you!

Hi anon! I'd be happy to go over my preferred methods for colouring!

First resort (ideal):

Painting over shots with little movement (the first method in this tutorial)

Colour manipulation using selective colours (the second method in this tutorial; alternate tutorial -> i also sometimes add a hue/saturation layer on top to manipulate the cyans/blues as well)

Second resort:

Keyframes for shots with consistent movement where it's easy to hide "imperfections" (tutorial 1, tutorial 2)

Last resort:

Frame by frame colouring -> DISCLAIMER: the way I do this method is the easiest way I've gotten it to work for me but that also means that it's very inflexible when it comes to editing any of the colouring afterwards. Once you start colouring in frame animation mode you're basically locked in so you need your gifs to be exactly the way you want them prior to adding your colour

So in this tutorial I'll go over how I do my frame by frame colouring as well as how I create actions to automate the repetitive parts of this process! (Some resources that explain how to create actions are here: 1 2)

To use the select subject feature you will need Photoshop CC 2018 or later

Step 1: Preparing your gif with base colouring

So first you want to do your base colouring for your gif in timeline mode, which I've explained here. I keep my gifs short (ideally 40 frames or less) since this colouring process is tedious!

I make sure that in my hue/saturation layer, I turn the saturation in the yellow, green, cyan, and blue tabs all down to -100 (and for the yellows I usually add around +20 to +60 in lightness)

Here's my gif with the base colouring that I'll be starting with:

Note: turning down the saturation in almost all the colours gives you that nice silver/grey neutral background to paint on top of. It's a lot less noticeable when your painted layers aren't perfect

Step 2: Converting to Frame Animation Mode

I use the save action from this action pack to convert my gif from timeline mode to frame animation mode.

You cannot edit your base colouring from this point onwards!

Step 3: Using Select Subject

If you're recording an action this is the step you would *start recording*

This is what your window should look like:

Making sure your first frame and first layer are selected, go to Select at the top of your window and click Subject

You should then see the marching ants outline around the person in your gif

You then want to create a new solid colour fill layer (which can be found when you click that little circle icon at the bottom of your layers panel), and set the layer blending mode to colour.

The layer mask will automatically be created since you had the marching ants outline.

Since my person is in colour and not the background, I want to invert the layer mask by clicking on it and using command + i (or ctrl + i), and now this is what it looks like:

Note: Select subject isn't always perfect!!!, depending on how cluttered the scene is and how much contrast there is between your person and the background, select subject could either do a really good job like it did here, or screw up a little like it did here:

That's okay though because it still gives us a good base to start from! We can fix any issues by painting with black and white brushes on the layer mask.

Step 3.5: Create clipping mask

Thanks to @wolfchans for telling me about this because it gives us back a little bit of flexibility when colouring frame by frame! Instead of merging down, we can make a clipping mask instead. Right click the solid colour fill layer and select create clipping mask.

If you're recording an action, it's at this point where I would *stop recording*

Step 4: Fixing the layer mask if needed

So now I want his jacket and t-shirt to also be purple, and to show his fingers behind the glass. I make sure the layer mask is selected, and paint with a brush at 60-70% hardness (painting with black erases the colour, painting with white shows the colour). User smaller brush sizes to paint smaller details!

This is what my canvas and layer mask look like now.

Step 5: Repeat

Now I click on my second frame and second layer, and repeat steps 3-4. As you can see, using the clipping mask allows you to still see and edit the colouring of the previous frame, just make sure you click on the right frame and it's corresponding layer when you're doing further editing.

This is where an action is super helpful in cutting down all the repetitive steps and clicks you need to do. So at this point I'd just play the action I created and paint on the layer mask as needed.

Repeat for all your frames and then you're done! After this I convert it back to timeline mode again so that I can add my text and do any other effects such as blending or transitions. Hope this helped!!

[whompthatsucker1981]

you said you think gay sex cats is the new duchamp's fountain. i dont disagree and i kinda see what you mean already but please elaborate

it was a silly and tongue in cheek way to say that a lot of people are getting mad about it in a way that implies reactionary views on art, and that there's no way to say gay sex cats isn't art that wouldn't also imply that the fountain isn't art. a funny meme image is a funny meme image, but it is also funny to overthink and recontextualize them as art.

and the reaction makes the comparison even more apt. neural net generated artworks are anonymized mass produced images, vast majority having no artistic pretension or meaningful content such as a thomas kinkade painting. gay sex cats was made with no intent to be art, but the discourse it has with audience reaction and its appropriation in derivative works make it so. why is gay sex cats not art if people talking about it negatively allow it to be called art? is art only things you find beautiful and valuable? if so, what is value and beauty, and how do you draw the line? if gay sex cats was still ai generated but had more "aesthetic qualities" would it be art? if someone copies the original image by hand with all its ai generated faults where is the value generated? does the original still have no merit of its own, even after appropriation as a digital ready-made?

but the main reason as to why gay sex cats is comparable to the fountain still is because it made a lot of people with bad takes on art really really mad. and that the pissed off tags wouldn't look out of place as reaction to modern art in the 1920s. art is a flat circle

EDIT: well. putting an addendum because in retrospect more people took either or both the op and image in face value and much more self serious than ever intended. a lot of people understood the tone i was getting at, and i still stand by the questionings i added on, but still for clarification. the original comparison is not serious. it's self evidently ridiculous to compare a meme image to a historically significant artwork, the comparison was only drawn because they were both controversial to an audience, who reacted denying their status as respectively as an image and as art, and that it was funny that the negative reaction people had to the original image explicitly denied its status as art, even if the meme never had pretension to be art, so it was funny to draw a comparison and iterate on that.

i did think it was valid to bring in questionings about art and meaning because that's the reaction i saw most and wanted to make people think about the whys, and that also i do not think it's valid to base your dislike on ai art on either grounds of questioning its position and value as artwork, or even as a question of ip theft. regular degular handmade art can be soulless, repetitive, thoughtless, derivative, unethical, open and blatant theft, and much more, and that does not make it any less of an artwork. neural nets are tools that generate images by statistic correlation through human input.

the unambiguous issue with neural nets in art is its use as a tool by capital, to threaten already underpaid and overworked working artists and to keep their labor hostage under threat of total automation. in hindsight i regretted not adding the paragraph above as it was a way in which people could either misinterpret or assume things about me, but hindsight is hindsight and there's no way to predict how posts would blow up. so shrugs. i had written more posts in my blog that elaborated on that because asks would bot stop coming. and i think my takeaway is that people will reblog anything with a funny image without reading the words around it, or even closely looking at the image.