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Points in Time (discuss.tchncs.de)

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[-] OddMinus1@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 months ago

I really don't like these. It's binary for each digit, so it's really just a bad proxy for decimal numbers rather than being clean binary numbers. If it were roman numerals, I feel like it would be equally silly to separate the numbers this way: 15:39 -> I, V : III, IX.

I understand that it makes it hard to read if the binary numbers go high, but that's why we don't use them like this.

[-] mlg@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

They should make one that shows the unix timestamp with the full 32 bits lmao

[-] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

I'm sure I could learn to read this as quickly as any other clock, given practice. I saw one 45 years ago on the mantel in someone's house. My nerdy teenage friend had learned how to read it and taught me. I didn't have one to practice with, and quickly forgot. Forty-five years later, and I've never seen another one.

This display, as a clock interface for humans, makes no sense in the real world. Outside of showing it to people as a novelty.

If you want a cool clock that anyone can read, get a nixie tube clock.

[-] PKscope@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

I fucking love my nixie clock.

[-] nroth@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

Wouldn't it make more sense for the clock to have just 3 rows or columns? Hour/minute/second.

[-] dalekcaan@feddit.nl 1 points 3 months ago

I had a binary watch in highschool. They're really not that hard to read once you know how. Practical? No. But they're great for showing everyone you're the biggest dork in the class.

[-] binarytobis@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

My math teacher in high school had one of these, though he never mentioned what it was to us. I used to stare at it off and on during class, and eventually it clicked “Oh, it’s a clock!” After that, with some intense staring, I figured out the pattern and was satisfied. Asked the teacher about it later, and apparently I had taught myself binary.

That knowledge displaced whatever he was talking about that day. Hopefully it wasn’t too important.

[-] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 3 months ago

There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.

[-] noerdman@discuss.tchncs.de 0 points 3 months ago

... and those who know at base n, "10" can represent literally any number.

[-] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 months ago

"10" can represent literally any number.

That sounds eminently practical. There's NO way that would ever lead to any excess ambiguity! 😄

[-] Serinus@lemmy.world 0 points 3 months ago

For those who aren't familiar, this is how you read this. Just add up the columns where there are lights.

* 8 * 8 * 8
* 4 4 4 4 4
2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1

So the last panel doesn't have any 8s and is read like this. You add the columns.

- 4 4 - - 4
- - - 2 2 -
1 1 - 1 - 1

And adding those columns gives you:

1 5 4 3 2 5

15:43:25

[-] Psythik@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Fuck this, too much brain power needed to simply tell the time. I'll stick with my smartwatch (FWIW I at least use an analog watch face 'cause although I'm dumb, I'm not that dumb).

[-] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 1 points 3 months ago

Pebble

This is the level of watchface I need to tell the time quickly

[-] Psythik@lemmy.world -1 points 3 months ago

My dude, this is not something you should be bragging about.

[-] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 2 points 3 months ago

Not bragging by any means, more of a "my brain needs one less thing to worry about" situation.

this post was submitted on 11 Jan 2026
15 points (94.1% liked)

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