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How I won $2,750 using JavaScript, AI, and a can of WD-40

davekiss.com

81–90 of 229 posts

Re: How I won $2,750 using JavaScript, AI, and a can of WD-40

#81
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Genius idea! I've found Vaseline to be less than ideal for running, and "personal lubricants" dry out much too quickly. I hadn't considered using industrial lubricants. Pretty much everyone who uses WD-40 for mechanical work ends up getting it on their skin (and probably inhaling a good amount), so I'm sure it's fine for limited exposure.

WD-40 isn't really a lubricant, it's more like a de-greaser and water remover.

It is a lubricant. There's a lot of confusion around this because it often isn't a great lubricant for the purposes it gets used for, like door hinges or bicycle parts. But it most definitely is a lubricant.

https://www.wd40.com/myths-legends-fun-facts/

Re: How I won $2,750 using JavaScript, AI, and a can of WD-40

#82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

WD-40 isn't really a lubricant, it's more like a de-greaser and water remover.

Water displacer, hence the name, right?

It's a mixture of light mineral spirits and mineral oil.

Oil displaces water, who knew?

Re: How I won $2,750 using JavaScript, AI, and a can of WD-40

#84
post #10

This is an excellent example of using LLMs to convert knowledge into productivity and profit. This will be the way forward: https://www.lycee.ai/blog/large-language-models-productivity...

The linked blog post is hardly a way forward, it's a high level summary of LLM uses and drawbacks with no real insight. The conclusion: "The potential for generative AI to transform industries is vast, but realizing this potential requires a thoughtful, strategic approach that balances innovation with practicality." Really? There are no excellent examples of anything. I feel cheated.

I read it more as a source of strategic insights, but of course, it's not a list of startup ideas ready to be executed. No one has that, everyone is figuring things out.

Re: How I won $2,750 using JavaScript, AI, and a can of WD-40

#85
post #66

I once ran an ultra marathon distance and had no lubricant but getting a bad rash so I sprayed my thighs and balls with WD-40 which I found outside someone’s garage. It lasted me almost 15 miles until I could buy some Vaseline. Off label use probably

Sounds like you missed a great opportunity to make a video for the contest!

Re: How I won $2,750 using JavaScript, AI, and a can of WD-40

#86
post #67
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that's one of the biggest screwups people make with WD-40 is that it's basically just a petroleum solvent and other than maybe initially unsticking things, it often makes the problem worse. As far as solvents go it's not particularly great, and in terms of lubricating or breaking free it's pretty bad. I'm surprised they still sell as much of it as they do (chalk it up to good marketing), when for basically ev…

TIL that ATF=automatic transmission fluid. Still unclear on why this particular mix is optimal for unsticking things but Google suggests a lot of people use it.

Yes, I've used ATF to fix seized up motors. Just fill cylinder and let it sit for a few days.

Re: How I won $2,750 using JavaScript, AI, and a can of WD-40

#87

Lubricating a sliding door Quieting a squeaky door hinge Lubricating an HVAC register lever Wd-40 is not really a lubricant. You can use WD-40 to clean gunk out of things, but you really need to follow it up with a proper lubricating oil

> Wd-40 is not really a lubricant And yet, it lubricates! I've heard your claim a lot, but the fact remains, it makes machinery work more smoothly, by reducing friction, and it is effective over significant time periods. By any definition, it is a lubricant. https://www.wd40.com/myths-legends-fun-facts/ > Myth: WD-40 Multi-Use Product is not really a lubricant. > Fact: While the “W-D” in WD-40 stands for Water Displa…

And yet, if you want to actually lubricate things, there are much better, cheaper, options that will last longer.

It's just marketing.

Re: How I won $2,750 using JavaScript, AI, and a can of WD-40

#90
post #49

Incredible. One of the winning human made video submissions says: "There's something almost poetic about working with your hands. In a world where everything has gone digital, where things get solved with a click and a swipe, there's a unique satisfaction about tackling something tangible, something real." Then there's this guy who algorithmically floods the contest with AI slop. Click and a swipe indeed!

Hey, it's not slop! I wrote the script, I shot the video, I edited everything — the only place AI was even used in the submissions was to alleviate the pain of tracking down fitting music and re-recording voice overs (both of which I've done manually in the past). I actually thought the videos would be pretty helpful for a non-handy homeowner.

Having done voice overs, it takes time and it doesn't feel as creative as the rest of the job.
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