Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2022 May 31

= May 31 =

Guitar fret buzz on only one fret and one string
I don't know if this belongs in entertainment because of the subject, but it deals with guitar hardware, I guess.

For some reason, my electric guitar has buzzing on the first fret on the D string only. I think this came after I turned it up to a D# to play in an alternate tuning. Every other fret is fine, and playing the open string has no problem. I use one of those non-Fender brand Stratocaster model guitars. I lifted the string up the nut to see if that was the problem, but the buzzing still happened, so it's not a nut or fret height issue. Would the best solution be just to replace that string? I use Ernie Ball Regular Slinkies and the strings are around a month old when they were put onto the guitar. Pyraminxsolver (talk) 00:28, 31 May 2022 (UTC)


 * Because of standing waves, it might be that there's a raised fret (or a defect on the string) at one of the anti-nodes, where the string moves the most, in the position where the anti-node occurs when you fret the string at the first fret. Card Zero  (talk) 02:04, 31 May 2022 (UTC)
 * There are multiple possibilities for the source of this, including (but not limited to) too little a break-angle on that string at the nut or saddle, or a slightly loose component somewhere in the instrument that happens to resonate with that note (this could even be the truss rod, or a loose internal brace end if its a hollow body though presumably a Strat design isn't): my first guess would be that the second fret has lifted in the middle slightly – they're often made with a slight over-curvature and pressed down into position, but may sometimes spring back slightly (though as Card Zero suggests, it could be another fret). Strings are cheap(ish) and you'll need replacements sooner or later anyway (and one can break a string at any time), so changing the string would seem worth trying.
 * Disclaimer: I'm in no way an expert, but I do watch a lot of YT videos by luthiers, including Ted Woodford (Channel = twoodfrd), Dave Gooch (Dave's World of Fun Stuff), Ben Crow (Crimson Custom Guitars), and Folkies Music. I'd recommend any guitarist (or guitar fan) to watch these and/or similar experts to learn more about guitar problems and solutions. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.209.235.54 (talk) 16:11, 31 May 2022 (UTC)

Comparison between Fedora and Debian (Linux distributions)
Hello! I was wondering what the key differences between Fedora and Debian are? My main priorities (in order of importance) are security, speed, and user-friendliness. I'm not so worried about application support, because I'll be running Qubes OS, and this question is mainly geared towards if apps support both distros. Thanks so much! 🐶 EpicPupper (he/him &#124; talk) 06:16, 31 May 2022 (UTC)
 * Type "compare fedora debian" into google (other search engines are available) and several hits are diplayed. Maybe look on distrowatch.org and read the reviews of each? I have used both professionally, and I think Fedora easier to administer than Debian, but that is because I have more experience of distros that come from Redhat. --TrogWoolley (talk) 11:51, 31 May 2022 (UTC)
 * As with any flavor of Linux, the difference is the package manager. Fedora uses dnf. Debian uses apt. They are not compatable. You cannot easily install an apt package using dnf. You cannot easily install a dnf package using apt. So, what is a package? Everything you install is a package. You want to install a graphics editor. That's a package. You want to install a web browser. That's a package. So, once you pick a distribution, you are tied to the package manager. There are attempts to make a universal package manager, like snap, but it hasn't gained enough traction to set aside this major difference. Is one better than the other? No. They are functionally equivalent.
 * Apart from the package manager, Fedora and Debian have very different mindsets. Fedora comes from Redhat. It is secure and legal. So, you end up with issues. For example, you want to make mp3 music files. You can't in Fedora because they don't supply the packages to install programs to do that. Why? Legal stuff. But, it is a non-issue for most people. You install a secondary package repository that has all the packages that Fedora doesn't include. Then, you can install them. Debian is more about stability and less about security and legality. Most people don't use Debian. They use Ubuntu, the more open and free version of Debian. What is the end result? You can easily install things like an mp3 editor on Debian without setting up a secondary repository. But, when it comes to tight SELinux controls, you have to turn those on - if you want them. Most people don't want them for home use. So, for home use, Debian is nicer. For business use, Fedora is nicer. But, I would suggest using Redhat for business and, if you are a Redhat administrator, using Fedora at home to be in a similar environment. If you aren't business and are not a Redhat admin, use Debian (or Ubuntu).
 * What about all the windows and start menu and graphics and all that? That is a window manager. You can use Gnome. You can use KDE. You can use XFCE. There are many others. All of them are easy to set up and use in both Fedora and Debian. So, don't let that be part of your decision. 12.116.29.106 (talk) 12:39, 31 May 2022 (UTC)
 * That is a reasonable answer for a comparison. The last question is about application support. There is no reason that a program that runs on Fedora won't run on Debian or a program that runs on Debian won't run on Fedora. Both are Linux, the same operating system. The issue is installing the programs. As noted above, installation is easy if the programs you want are in the repository that you use. If they are not in the repository, installation and upgrades are hard. So, it is a matter of installing Fedora and seeing if it has the programs you need. If not, install Debian and see if it has the programs you need. You can start with Debian and switch to Fedora if necessary. Either way, you get the same operating system and the same programs. 97.82.165.112 (talk) 12:05, 1 June 2022 (UTC)

Why is }}} and nothing else three lines instead of zero?
Not putting the stuff inside the outermost {} on the same line as the outermost {} looks ugly as fuck. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 09:11, 31 May 2022 (UTC)
 * Do you mean like this?

void complain (void) { if (2 + 2 == 4) { if (1) { fprintf(stderr, "more context needed"); throw(FIT); } } }
 * Card Zero (talk) 12:22, 31 May 2022 (UTC)
 * Correct. Is it done cause there's sometimes so much stuff all on one line would become hard to read? Do old-fashioned line length limits of only a few score have anything to do with this? Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 05:52, 1 June 2022 (UTC)
 * It's nothing to do with line length limits, it's just good programming practice. Indentation aids comprehension, and trying to be clever with "one-liners" is just downright unfriendly to anyone else who has to read your code.  Compare the segemnt above to:
 * void complain(void){if(2+2==4){if(1){fprintf(stderr,"more context needed");throw(FIT);}}}
 * and which would you rather debug or update? Martin of Sheffield (talk) 08:21, 1 June 2022 (UTC)
 * Also, in the lifetime of a piece of software, many times more may be spent on maintenance (modifying the code) than on the original creation. While changes to the code may be intended to fix bugs, they too often introduce new ones. A common mistake is adding a new snippet of code – by itself correct – in the wrong spot. It is much easier to get them in the right positions if each closing brace has its own line. --Lambiam 11:17, 1 June 2022 (UTC)
 * I remember that in university on a programming course, one teaching assistant told us students that if the code in our exercise submissions wasn't indented, he would fail the submissions straight away without even reading the code. J I P  &#124; Talk 20:17, 5 June 2022 (UTC)