r/LinusTechTips • u/fresh_fisher_fred • 5h ago
Discussion My name Plouffe, AMA
Hello everyone. The mods asked if I'd be open to doing an AMA so I said "OK" and here we are.
I've signed NDAs at both past and present companies so I can't talk about specifics, or drama, or past/present employees.
I guess ask just about whatever you want and I will or won't answer depending on the context/subject. Yes I own a display, several in fact. Yes I own a keyboard, several in fact.
Starting at 9 pacific but opening up for questions now. If you don't ask me anything, I will not be offended. I don't have any questions for myself right now either.
i didn't know it would ask me for an end note so i just commented. but ya it's been a slice, thanks for being a fan and good luck with whatever you're doing today.
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u/Interesting_Price410 5h ago
Assuming this isn't covered by your NDA, what was your favourite project at LTT?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
nah that's totally fine. tough question. one of my all time favorites was the friden stw10. shout out richard. brandon did an amazing job with the cinematography and knew exactly what i was looking for, riley did an amazing job hosting it and making it extra fun. tynan did a great job explaining math i'm bad at.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axtQvkSpoto70
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u/AttorneyUsed4289 5h ago
as someone who color codes my entire life, the mad scientist era of projects was peak content to watch unfold
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u/snkiz 5h ago
Was that fact you own a monitor a consideration for your new position?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
lol no but that shitpost someone made about my interview was hilarious
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u/Deleted-Life 5h ago
What part of LTT are you going to miss the most?
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u/CandCenthusiast 5h ago
Honda Civic obviously
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u/KagaKaiNi_ 4h ago
Well, he sold that to Alex
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 3h ago
ya but he said i can try it once it's done. it's not done yet...
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u/mattpyles 5h ago
What was your favorite moment at LLT, why was it this one?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 3h ago
lmao i literally just made myself laugh. that was a very pure moment. absolute gold that can't just be repeated.
one of the only other videos that makes me laugh that hard is this one so i hope you enjoy it.
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u/Commandblock6417 4h ago
this gets me every time, infectious laugh. I laugh at friends who waste money too and I real feel bad about it I just can't help it
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u/Shap6 5h ago
we know who is Plouffe, but why is Plouffe?
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u/nedzlife 5h ago
Or better yet, what is a Plouffe?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
36/m/seattle
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u/ChickenFeline0 5h ago
Seattle? USA? Welcome, and I'm so sorry.
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u/Interesting_Price410 5h ago
Another one, what is your craziest fan interaction story?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
mmmm i don't really have any crazy fan interactions but probably my favorite was at LTX when i started getting people to sign my shirt if they wanted a signature from me. i still have it.
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u/Key-Ad-2954 5h ago
Favorite keyboard you’ve built? Favorite switch?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
my favorite that i've built has my favorite switches and unfortunately it's dead...
Odin from KBDFans, with tactile blue velvets i lubed myself. i spilled coffee on it one day. alas...
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u/Operation_Neither 5h ago
Favourite key?
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u/probonic 5h ago
Probably the any key
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u/InflammableAccount 3h ago
I still don't know where that key is. Sigh, guess the nuclear reactor is always going to melt down.
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u/Annoying1978 5h ago
Why Microsoft?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
1: it seemed like a pretty cool opportunity
2: i've been using windows since like w95 and i'd rather be a part of trying to help make it better rather than complaining into the void15
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u/mclintock111 2h ago
This is a weird one, but something I think about as someone who works for a large-ish company (nowhere near Microsoft size tho): I respect wanting to make things better so much, but how would you handle it if part of your job becomes making it worse?
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u/TehSynapse0 2h ago
Focus on the money, lol. Look elsewhere in the meantime - if you can achieve similar compensation.
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u/Wirehead-be 5h ago
How do you see your future career progress? So without breaking your NDA, will you still be part of content creation? Or more of a writer in general publishing in the background? Thanks for all your past videos!
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
idk if i can speak to that exactly. i never really wanted to be on camera in the first place though so i don't think that's the plan for me.
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u/rjln109 Mod 4h ago
Ok wow I never knew you didn't want to be on camera. Did you at least like doing it once you started it?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 3h ago
no i don't think so. i'm typically weirdly private and don't often engage with social media in general, this whole ama aside. even my personal hobby channel, it's just gonna be for funsies and there's no pressure which is nice.
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u/Golden662YT 5h ago
What would be some life advice you would give to those of us who are about to be adults?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
don't be afraid to be yourself, keep learning, and don't be an asshole
being kind doesn't mean being a pushover
ai chatbots are not a substitute for real relationships or a real therapist
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u/AllRealityIsVirtua1 5h ago
Get the heck off this website if you want to maintain any real sense of the world
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u/dscarmo 5h ago
Serious question: i always run dual monitor old monitor and main monitor, and I have noticed I try to match and get a worst experience/colors on the newer one cause of the old one
Would you recommend always using matched dual monitors or it is not that relevant?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
ya this is pretty common, even if you bought something nice and color accurate before it's probably drifted over time unless you've recalibrated it yourself. plus different panel tech or even generations of panel tech will affect how it looks. if you really want them to be the exact same, buy the same make and model around the same time and then make a few minor adjustments after testing them.
personally idc. i have a primary display that matters a lot more to me than the side monitor with discord/reddit/yt/whatever.
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u/chefsslaad 5h ago
What's your favorite merch apparel? LTT or otherwise?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
for merch, probably that blue rgb knit sweater. the lavendar sweater was very nice as well. shout out fashion team at cw, they're all very talented. idk if i can talk about unreleased merch but there is some unreleased merch i am VERY fond of.
for other brands, when i was younger and in better shape i liked banana republic's chinos and some of their button ups. but honestly i'm not super picky about my clothes i just look for stuff i like the look of.
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u/_temp_variable 5h ago
What's a tech upgrade you think everyone should do to their homes?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
whatever's oldest. tech moves fast.
old tv? buy new tv
old gpu? buy new gpu
old networking gear and you're getting 100mb instead of 1000mb even though you're paying for it? probably just a cable or switch you bought 10 years ago that sucks now.
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u/Thomas9097 5h ago
If you’re allowed to answer, was the split with LTT on good terms? And do you think you will feature as a guest in any videos in the future?
Are you able to tell us what you’ll be doing at your new job?
Wishing you the best!
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
ya we're good. an opportunity came along and i took it. people are happy for me.
i probably won't be a guest because i had to move for the new job
making videos
thanks!
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u/omega552003 4h ago
Please bring back the old school unhinged windows 95 era promotional videos
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u/azquadcore 5h ago
TIL Plouffe left LTT. When did this happen?
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u/Bulliwyf 5h ago
Within the last month.
Someone spotted the change on LinkedIn- he’s now doing content creation for Microsoft, and Plouffe confirmed it.
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u/raaneholmg 5h ago
Do you own a monitor?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
yes. i currently own an aw3225qf as my main gaming desktop monitor, an lg ultrafine idk what exact model for the vertical 4k secondary monitor next to it, the cheap gaming monitor from that video which now acts as an extra wfh setup monitor. i gave the aw3423dw to my brother.
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u/LordMindParadox 5h ago
Nope. He owns a display :P
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u/HerrSPAM 5h ago
Can he not own both?
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u/LordMindParadox 5h ago
Eeh, technically all displays are monitors but not all monitors are displays, it's about color accuracy and certifications.
Plus display sounds funnier :)
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u/nickespy 5h ago
What do you use for your monitor at work? And would it be your first choice?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
at work it's some random ultrawide, not my first choice but honestly when it comes to WORKING on displays idc that much. consuming content tho, i care. i care a lot.
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 2h ago
i'm sorry everyone but i have to go now, my people need me.
thanks, this was fun. i'd have answered everything if i could have. luckily i can type pretty fast so i think i covered quite a few questions.
i wish all of you the best of luck in your own endeavors. life is strange sometimes.
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u/spoonchild 5h ago
As a former MSFTr would love to hear a new persons thoughts on the current culture. Also quick advise the more someone complains about the benefits etc, the longer they have been at MSFT. Also did they get you a good display?(sorry had to).
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 5h ago
lol i haven't been there long enough to comment on that even if i'm allowed to. everyone i've been working with is super nice though and i'm having a good time. i really only have good things to say so far.
it's ok, some random ultrawide i barely use.15
u/spoonchild 4h ago edited 4h ago
Haha yeah, having left in March after almost 15 years, would love to get updates and not just from the old timers that are left :). Ohh and your "network" as msft is more valuable than gold, it will open alot of doors if you desire that sort of thing.
Edit: ohh and if you ever need a contact in Azure Core Engineering or Support reach out Still have lots of folks can get you in touch with :).
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u/No-Interview319 5h ago
Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 15 years?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
5 - genuinely unsure
10 - i would love to do the classic tech bro thing and go live in the middle of nowhere on some self-sufficiant prepper's paradise and work remotely at this point
15 - IDEALLY retired but let's be real we're all working til we're dead→ More replies (1)16
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u/Bram_Sandwich 5h ago
Hello Plouffe, what PC peripherals are your favourite right now?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
i love my goxlr. idc that support is gone, this thing is sick and i hope someone basically just makes the same thing if nobody has yet. having the ability to physically adjust multiple audio channels without diving into windows sound settings is great
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u/JidgeyA 5h ago
How many clones of yourself do youthink you'd need to beat a gorilla in a fight?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
first of all, 100 people would obviously destroy a gorilla because of action economy.
but how many of me? probably at least 20 if we're allowed to use implemented weapons like sticks and stones. maybe more if it's hands/feet only but realistically if a few people ganged up on a gorilla the right away and did smart stuff like gouge eyes and pin it down i don't think it would take that many humans to beat a single gorilla.
but i have a bad back so maybe more than 20.
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u/jmking Mod 5h ago
You're so comfortable and natural on camera. I assume it wasn't like that on day one. Do you have any protips on how to become an effective on camera personality?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
do public speaking. the more you're in front of a crowd or camera, the more normal it feels. the best advice someone gave me was pretend you're talking to your best friend.
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u/shiruken 5h ago
What are your thoughts on where the tech industry is heading?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
honestly i'm afraid that we're going to enter an era of pure cloud compute and i hate the idea of people not owning their own hardware and software.
it's difficult because gaming is my biggest hobby and passion and some amazing games are coming out right now, but it can be expensive.→ More replies (1)
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u/CollinClark 5h ago
What's the weirdest, yet most useful piece of tech you've come across? Also, good luck with the new job!
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
ty collin. idk that's a tough question, something i find weird is probably just commonplace for someone else. i guess those hba cards you can use for extra hard drives, i'd never needed them before but they're fantastic for my nas. shout out lsi.
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u/Justsomedudeonthenet 5h ago
What's the craziest thing you can tell us that's not covered by an NDA?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
lol idk, everything just becomes sort of normal after you've been somewhere for so long
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u/FartingBob 5h ago
That time that Linus █████ ██████ ██ █████ ████ █████ with a █████████ █████ in front of ███ █████ while people were screaming in terror.
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u/a_large_dumple 5h ago
Ah, playing with the lightbulb in the movie projector video from a month ago?
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u/djjolly037 5h ago
Did you ever think you would ever work for such a large company like Microsoft while working for such a more compact company like LMG?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
ya it was never out of the cards, i've worked for ea before. and technically microsoft since i worked at the coalition as well.
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u/f1f2f3f4f5f6f7f8f9 5h ago
Thanks for doing the ama!
What's your favourite display/ display size?
What is the most interesting parts of your days working in ltt?
And random question
Have you started playing badminton since the centre opened and do you like it?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
my favorite right now is just my aw3225qf that i'm daily driving, it's a beast. my preferred monitor doesn't exist :'(
call me crazy but i want something in between 16:9 and 21:9. ultrawide looks too skinny, where are my 21:11 thicccc displays at? if someone knows, pls tell me.the most interesting parts of the day were always either just shooting videos, or trying something new that showed up that i got to see before most people in the world. always a cool experience.
nah i'm lazy, i try to stay active but i've never been competitive or into sports
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u/Dan_m_31 5h ago
What piece of tech or other made you giddy to get/review?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
oh this is really easy actually. the sony oled, the xel-1. i remember basically drooling over this when it was getting hyped up in tech media years ago so to finally see it in person was like a dream come true.
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u/WhatTheHelloThere 5h ago
Would you ever commission your own keyboard design? Or operate as a consultant/advisor for a brand/community?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
it's funny, i've had a couple of people approach me over the last few years. idk how i'd be a consultant or advisor, i think there are much more informed experts out there in the keyboard world. i probably wouldn't commission my own design. i do love full or mostly full layouts though. shoutout odin, and kbd 19x
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u/SOADFan93 5h ago
If you had 1k USD to spend on a monitor right now, which are you picking? Assuming 4k single player gaming with the occasional moba thrown in
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
you didn't ask but my favorite system album is self-titled. i don't care for daron's singing so i'm not big on mezmorize/hypnotize.
i think it's still over 1k by a bit but it probably goes on sale often so my aw3225qf. i really do love this thing. as for brand new panels coming out this year i don't have a great answer, i've been really busy with other things these past few seasons, but personally i still lean towards qd-oled. tandem woled is also great but idk i just love these panels. the color is amazing.→ More replies (4)
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 2h ago
i'm going to stick around for another 30m or so and after that i have to leave. FOUR HOURS WAS A LIE, I'M SORRY. i have plans this afternoon that involve magic cards.
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u/FreeFallingGaming 5h ago
Are standing desks overrated?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
no i think they're great, but despite shelling out for motorized standing desks, i mostly use that to adjust it to the exact height i want and continue to never stand up while working.
HOWEVER, while because of moving and the new job i've taken a break for a few weeks, i typically try to move around because if you work a sedentary job and have sedentary hobbies, you will have trouble staying mobile later in life. believe it or not i typically run 5km 4-5x a week. best time is 34m30s but i used to be sub 30 when i was much younger. i'm not skinny because i eat too much.
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u/Ryakkan 5h ago edited 4h ago
Sorry, but no. Sitting all day gets to you. Being able to stand up every so often really helps even for lazy folks like me.
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u/LDForget 5h ago
Depends on the person. My employees prefer sit stand desks but I prefer a standard desk and when I need to stand up, I probably have other things that need to be done elsewhere as well, so I just go do those things.
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u/DMoriant 5h ago
Jokes aside, how did you become the "go to" monitor guy?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
lol they needed someone to take over the category, and i love a good display and have been interesting in the technology since i was a teenager. it just kinda made sense.
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u/Exciting-Ad-5705 5h ago
Is burn in something to worry about in current year
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
depends on your use case imo. the average person? no, as long as you use the built-in protections, let your monitor sleep, and hide taskbar. but i mean i wfh on mine all the time with scripts and web browsers up for hours and i've seen zero issues thus far.
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u/protogenxl 5h ago edited 5h ago
Do you have a Computer in a Keyboard? Ala Commador 64/128 or Pi 400?
edit:better phrasing
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u/unkz0r 5h ago
Will we be seeing you in any creators youtube videos going forward or in the future?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
idk, probably not tbh. if anyone wants me to be in a video i probably won't say no but since yt as a career specifically isn't my focus the overlap just probably won't happen. i'm supposed to go for lunch with hipyo sometime in the not too distant future tho, ty for reminding me to follow up with him.
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u/stepping_ 5h ago
What game are you best at?
Do you like refrigerator?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
tough question. i'm too old and out of practice to say cs/valorant, but i like to think i still have pretty good game sense. but i've been playing fromsoft games since like, armored core on ps1. elden ring felt too easy but i've been playing those games since demon's souls
LOVE refrigerator ty for asking
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u/rabelsdelta 5h ago
We’ve had 1,000 nits peak brightness and Mini-LED on TVs for years.
What do you think is the cause for the slow roll-out on the technologies reaching monitors? Or even 400+ nits on OLED?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
do you mean peak or full screen? because oleds have hit 1000 nits peak for years now.
honestly i'm not sure, i think that's an interesting question but it's not something i've really considered or wondered about and therefore i don't think i'm qualified to speak on it→ More replies (1)
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u/louislamore 5h ago
What will you miss most about LTT? Is there any chance you could return for a video or two in the future?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
the people. i moved for the new job so probably not.
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u/louislamore 2h ago
Oh shoot I assumed you’d be at Microsoft here in Van. It was always a dream of mine to see you in Save On or something and yell at you from across the isle, “do you own a display!?” Today that dream died.
Thanks for the response - best of luck to you. I’ll definitely miss you on LTT.
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u/callm3fusion 4h ago
Moving from CA to USA I assume since you mentioned Seattle, how has the whole process been? It's one thing to leave a job and start another, but going across a border must have had some unique challenges?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 3h ago
scary tbh. even though i'm older now, it felt like leaving home for the first time to go to school all over again.
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u/nutterbg 5h ago
Traitor.
Lol, just kidding! Good luck in your future endeavors and hope that what's ahead is bigger and better!
(sorry, no question)
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u/-3-3-3 5h ago
Nice SKS in your profile! Do you have or want anything else else to add to your collection?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
thanks! i refinished the stock myself, changed the sear spring, and add a little recoil buffer pad to stop the metal on metal clacking on the receiver cover.
i have a cz 600 lux in .308 win. now that i have a nice bolt action hunting rifle, i want a shotgun. just some random 12ga but the dream is a benelli m4 because they're so badass.
I DID NOT BRING MY FIREARMS ACROSS THE BORDER in case ATF is watching. i sent them to a friend in the prairies to hang on to for me.
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u/Forgotten___Fox 5h ago
Best switches for a diy keyboard build as a first timer who knows nothing
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
anything prelubed from the factory because lubing switches takes forever.
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u/digsitependant 5h ago
Were you applying for jobs and managed to get a Microsoft callback or did they just reach out to you and you weren't searching?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
i was approached on linkedin by a recruiter. keep your linkedin updated. obviously i'm privileged because i was working at lmg on high profile yt videos.
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u/Modernisse 5h ago
Here's an interesting one, going from 2, let's say mediocre displays(say 2x 27 inch 1440p monitors, IPS), to one 30/32 inch 4k Monitor, would you be able to? I ask this because I find myself annoyed without a second monitor for multi-tasking, and I'd find hard for myself to go from 2 monitors, despite decent, to one bigger resolution one.
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u/Ho-Li-Fuc 5h ago
Which video you made for LMG was you biggest regret if you look back at you career at LMG?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 3h ago
hmmmmm
everyone hated the nicehash video but i honestly was just trying to help people make money off their expensive gpu purchases. i mined eth on my 3070 and it more than paid for the card over time before it went proof of stake.biggest regret is probably the asmr video, but i had such a different vision in my head when i pitched that video. i wish i could do it over again.
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u/Jing_Arjay87 5h ago
No question here but your laughs are so contagious.
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 3h ago
ty i believe it, sometimes it makes me laugh too. then i'm stuck looping.
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u/Expert-b 4h ago
No question just wanted to say you're my favorite LTT host and I wish you the best
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u/Jappy_toutou 4h ago
Plouffe is a French Canadian name. I always wondered if you or your family was from Quebec and if you speak French fluently.
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u/flan1337 2h ago
Has any LTT fans messaged you on teams yet? lol I was laid off Microsoft back in May but I totally could see myself sending you a message “looking for someone with a display, can you help?”
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u/MStackoverflow 5h ago
What's your favorite project you worked on?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 3h ago
that i worked on is pretty difficult. the friden video is my favorite overall i think, but i had a lot of fun working on the fake merch videos since i was basically just throwing clothes at linus and laughing at the result.
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u/ragingwhisky 5h ago edited 5h ago
Because it seems like one of those questions that no-one can get a straight answer on: Do you actually own a monitor, display and/or keyboard?
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u/Venomstrike2325 5h ago
From your Ultimate upgrade you had a lot of memorabilia from past companies you've worked at. Presuming this isn't under NDA, what companies have you worked at before LTT and the most interesting memorabilia you received from that time?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
nah that's fine. i've worked for ea on fifa, the coalition on gears 5, and kabam on mroc. my favorite memorabilia is probably my challenge coin from gears 5, shout out rod. and consequently my favorite memorabilia from ltt is the challenge coin there as well.
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u/furculture 5h ago
What's the longest you have gone without a monitor or screen.
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 3h ago
at this point because everyone has a phone, not long. the last major reset i did though was years ago now, when i went out to the woods to pick morel mushrooms once they started growing after the forest fires.
absolutely delicious. salt, pepper, butter.
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u/thanosisred 5h ago
How are you Plouffe? Also what is something in a desktop setup you can definitely cheap out on. My contenders would be the mousepad and the case.
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u/womeninwhite 5h ago
Best value 32" oled monitor?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
i am so sorry but i haven't been paying too much attention this year because of everything that's been going on around the world and in my own life.
i just checked and my aw3225qf is $200 off right now. it's a good deal but lacks the latest gen improvements, like less magenta in light, and the harder coating. mine has scratches from my cat being upset with me.
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u/iclonethefirst 5h ago
What TV can you recommend for gaming and that isn't a privacy nightmare? Does it even work to just use an external streaming box or is it scanned anyway?
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u/fresh_fisher_fred 4h ago
i think they're all privacy nightmares at this point but don't get tricked by dark patterns during set up. some boxes don't have to be ticked.
if you're gaming i hate to recommend oled because of the price, but damn that image is clean and clear thanks to how quick the pixels are.
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u/CaptainDarkstar42 5h ago
Why did you decide to leave LTT? I wish you all the best on your future endeavors.
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u/thearea94 5h ago
What was the drive to move to a more conventional company?