Things you recently learned

[Guest]

In the spirit of sharing knowledge, post something short and interesting that you have recently learned. If you can, include a source so we don't risk spreading misinformation.

I recently learned that the big, red nose often associated with alcoholism is actually caused by rosacea. Source

[Cobra!]

I recently learned that the guy who played Victor in Highlander (Clancy Brown) also voices Mr. Krabs in Spongebob. It's crazy how voice actors can sound nothing like themselves and play an entirely different character!

[Guest]

@Cobra! Holy crap, that's awesome and I can totally see it now that I know. Clancy Brown always seemed like a good guy to me. I don't want to look him up in case that's not true, so in my head he's a nice dude that I want to hang out with.

[Guest]

I recently learned barnacles are actually related to shrimp, not molluscs. Pesky crustaceans.

I love PBS Eons. If you're interested in paleontology or prehistory, it's worth a follow.

[dotmidi]

I recently learned that it's good to just draw out whatever things you find to improve your art, recently I have been in such a rut with my art but I'm trying to pick it up again by jus drawing figure studies n such

Also, I learend art can be a LONG process I have a piece of fanart I am working on and I'm suuuper proud of it! However, this level of skill in this art is because I took my sweet time with it.. To make sure every detail is to my liking and to do the best I can! To be honest, I've always been a very quick and doodley artist but I think my past few days of drawing have changed me a lot

[Cobra!]

I got an network extender as the new router my family got doesn't extend far enough into my room, and it uses the power-lines on our grid to do so.

I had no idea you could even do that, but it evidently works!

[TYOMA !!]

I recently learned how to setup an HDD to work with my PS2! It took me about a week total but IN REALITY it took me MONTHS to get the darn thing set up!! The guides online suck and apparently always reference an old tool that is considered obsolete, plus most of the homebrew apps have really bad documentation, so I was fighting for my LIFE to get it all working. Now I can sit back, relax, and play The Sopranos: Road to Respect without a care in the world...

I'm procrastinating on a written guide to softmodding a PS2 as we speak! I want to make it really comprehensive so nobody has to suffer the way I did.

EDIT: I actually FINALLY finished it in case anyone is interested in something like that! Read it here!

[Guest]

I recently learned how to setup an HDD to work with my PS2! It took me about a week total but IN REALITY it took me MONTHS to get the darn thing set up!! The guides online suck and apparently always reference an old tool that is considered obsolete, plus most of the homebrew apps have really bad documentation, so I was fighting for my LIFE to get it all working. Now I can sit back, relax, and play The Sopranos: Road to Respect without a care in the world...

I'm procrastinating on a written guide to softmodding a PS2 as we speak! I want to make it really comprehensive so nobody has to suffer the way I did.

EDIT: I actually FINALLY finished it in case anyone is interested in something like that! Read it here!

Does it work for the slim models as well? I just skimmed the article you linked so apologies if it's in there and I missed it.

I used to have the official HDD on my original PS2, but I stupidly traded that for one of the slim models which didn't support it. The only thing I used the HDD for was installing the Resident Evil Outbreak games because otherwise the loading times were atrocious, but I'd still like to go back and play those.

[TYOMA !!]

Does it work for the slim models as well? I just skimmed the article you linked so apologies if it's in there and I missed it.

I used to have the official HDD on my original PS2, but I stupidly traded that for one of the slim models which didn't support it. The only thing I used the HDD for was installing the Resident Evil Outbreak games because otherwise the loading times were atrocious, but I'd still like to go back and play those.

I haven't tried it myself yet, but I'm pretty sure it'll work on a slim! The Hard Drive Compatibility Chart does have entries for it (v12-16), although I'm not sure if there are any differences in the full process other than plugging it in through the USB port instead of using the network adapter. I'm pretty sure the real issues just come with different Free MCBoot install methods, but I did already have the card prepared, so... I'll have to test it out!

(If you do try it for a slim you'd probably be best served with a HDD enclosure instead of a dumb cable like I've been using :omg:k:smile:

EDIT: After looking into it for a bit, connecting via USB will work, but your speeds are limited to the USB 1.1 protocol, which isn't ideal! I wager the loading times would probably be worse, among who knows what other issues. Theoretically you could use the Ethernet method to play games instead, but I'm ALSO not sure how much better that is! When that was my only method of playing games, the games were playable buuuut it was kind of a pain in the butt just setting up. Maybe I'll start measuring save/load times to see.

[Melooon]

Apparently Hans Zimmer (the composter who does like every big movie soundtrack - Inception, Pirates of the Caribbean etc) did the synth music on Video Killed the Radio Star; he even appears in the music video!

https://www.openculture.com/2022/05/hans-zimmer-was-in-the-first-ever-video-aired-on-mtv-the-buggles-video-killed-the-radio-star.html

[Commodorn]

I've learned that, in 2009, you could apparently order pizza with the Wii if you were in Japan. Huh!

[wichitalk]

The ABBA song Super Trouper is about a follow spot - the super-trouper. That was super cool to learn - especially since I was running a spotlight for Mama Mia. Made the show a bit more bearable hehe

[Melooon]

Apparently until the 1540s there was no word in English to describe the colour orange 

Also when sugar was first introduced to Europe (in affordable quantities) in the 1500s people used to host banquets made of fake food that was entirely made of sugar! (Also tooth decay suddenly became a major issue  Also they used to clean their teeth with sugar which didn't help very much  )

[shevek]

Today I learned that Werner Herzog is not only a film director, but also plays in some roles, like the Mandalorian. That was unexpected

[grovyle]

I inherited an encyclopedia recently, and reading through it learnt that in strawberries (and most berries I would assume, but not sure), the fruit is actually each of the little seeds on the outside of the strawberry, not the strawberry per se!!

Also the word "convivial" in French, a word that you can't truly translate to either spanish or english, which describes some place that is easy to coexist in (like a neighborhood, an establishment, a work environment, etc).