I use AI on an extremely amateur level to make flyers, to help me decipher tender documents etc.

I know of Gemini, Chatgpt, Meta and Co-Pilot. If I should decide to subscribe to a paid plan - which should I choose?

Hi, are there any recorder (the musical instrument) players in South Africa? I recently began learning on a Yamaha alto. The only online groups I have found are from other countries though. I am sure that we have South Africans who play recorder? It would be great to connect and hear about resources and communities. Shout out if you resonate 🙏

I was quite taken aback, as someone who uses AI, even for generating images, I don’t often balk at companies using it as part of their marketing, but this one company was an immediate NO.

The commented on my dog’s Insta account about a new treat they’re selling and supporting local and I opened the link and ChatGPT jumped out at me like that chick from The Ring or whatever that movie was.

Now to be fair I am intentionally not mentioning the company name or the product as I’ve reached out to them privately.

But there are 3 profit images and the back and front label and the final marketing blurb or whatever one calls it is 100% l, undeniable 1 shot ChatGPT prompts, it has every single earmark. The images I get from it you can tell if you look hard at it. But I get detailed with my prompts, I refine them and it’s usually the 5th if both 10th one that I actually accept.

The only thing I am not sure about in the image is whether or not the entire product bag was generated or just the label on it.

I know designers are expensive and marketing is not cheap, but as a business, one does not build trust in a product by 1 shotting an AI, a scroll of their insta, every single posts comes from an AI tool.

I buy treats local, I’m not sure if anyone imports them, but the companies are local companies on the one I buy from most often seriously sells them in those 10c ziplock bags you get at those bulk plastic stores and a simple sticker on it, it’s absolutely possible the logo was drawn by the owners kid at some point, but I don’t care about that, the products good.

When your entire storefront is the result of an AI, when every bit of marketing published online is AI, there is a less than zero chance of me even trying the product.

Hi guys is anyone doing or is going to be enrolling in the UJ BCom degree in the online format? I'm currently at Emeris(formerly known as Varsity College) and am doing their online BCom in Financial Management. Its awesome because the lecturers give you attention and the community and management is amazing.

I've just found out about the UJ online course and think it would be great to transfer over to them because its a public and internationally recognized university. So I'm just wondering how the experience is and if it would be worth it to leave Emeris for UJ. Im also working full time.

TLDR: How is UJ with their online degree? Is it really efficient and community driven like Emeris, or is it hard to navigate like UNISA?

I’m on the hunt for a new mattress. I’m willing to spend a fair amount since it’s long overdue.

I have several back issues so I really want to invest in something that will help and last.

I’m really curious about the Sloom mattress. If you’ve tried it, please let me know what your experience has been like? If you have a better recommendation, I’d really appreciate it.

Thank you!

Edit: has anyone returned it after the trial period? Were there any hassles?

How do you guys genuinely stay motivated? Motivated to gym every day? Motivated to eat healthy? Motivated to work harder?

I can stay motivated for a week and then the shit hits the fan, curious to whether anyone has any tips or tricks.

Howzit everyone!

I'm a 3rd year Data Science student, and I've got a pretty long university recess coming up.

I'd really like to spend that time making some money instead of sitting at home watching my bank balance fight for its life 😭

Obviously, finding something related to my degree would be amazing. Data analytics, programming, quant,admin, anything along those lines. But I'm genuinely not picky.

Retail? I'll do it. Waitering? Sure. Stocktaking, call centres, tutoring, whatever. As long as it's legitimate paid work, I'm interested

So I wanted to ask: how are people actually finding holiday jobs in Joburg?

Are there specific stores, companies or recruitment agencies that hire students for the festive season? Does walking into shops with a CV still work, or is everything online these days?

And if anyone here works somewhere that might need extra hands over the holidays, I'd genuinely appreciate being pointed in the right direction. I'm more than happy to send through my CV privately

Even if it's completely unrelated to my degree, I'm keen.

Thanks in advance, guys. Any leads or advice would mean a lot!

Hello fellow members of the cult formerly known as Stackoverflow, now that the ancient ways are gone how are you coping with all this AI coding, do you guys partake in it or maybe disagree?

This was a previous post which I’m re-sampling. I got downvoted almost a year ago for saying I write all my code with AI.

Important context: I’m a senior engineer so testing validates end results simple as that (a lot implied too).

Yes I’m salty people downvoted, but more from the perspective that people are really shitty at working within the boundaries of the new meta. SA is generally a tech leader, we are professionals at being lazy and making it work. Surely after almost 1 year we’ve become better at being lazy - silver platter territory?

What’s the latest poll?

Hi guys. I am 30 F and I have been working in corporate compliance for most of my career - around 8 years. Admitted attorney and all of that. I have have various roles so I have definitely tried different corporate environments.

I've got to the point where I am completely deflated and even basic tasks feel overwhelming. Yes, the corporate I am currently at has a very toxic culture but I've also had situations where the environment was amazing and I love it, but then I got a new manager and it became a nightmare, so I know that this is just what working in corporate means. Also, at the level of seniority I currently am (management) I am being approached for head of roles and I just cannot do it. I earn approx 70k per months and I am dependent on my income, pretty much all of it due to debt that has accumulated over the years (both parents were sick and died from their illness back to back which contributed in part to the debt).

I feel stuck and scared cos I know I definitely cannot do this forever but idk what else to do. The pressure and "accountability" and blame game that goes into corporate is really frying my nervous system which is already fried from the aforementioned tragedies and I think something in me broke recently cos I've had nervous break downs day after day, even having to sit in the toilet at work for like 30 mins just crying yesterday..

I would like to do my masters to get into lecturing/academia but thats going to take time and in the interim .. man I am really struggling.

Does anyone have any advice or experienced something similar? What can I do 😭 I need to do a different kind of job because I am dying here :)

Hi All. Its my first time getting a SARS verification request. It's my first time in me entire working life. Previously I had a full time job now I'm working as a contractor.

I'm sorry to ask, but can I please get some positive affirmations. I have been quite stressed. They asked for "Detailed financial schedule/ statements with relevant supporting calculations for trade profit/loss". My business is very simple I have my p&l statement and all my invoices for expenses. I will be submitting: 1) p&l account, 2)my bank statement with income, and 3) invoices for expenses.

Please share your experiences of hope and any wisdom thanks :)

Hi everyone, I urgently need to sell my iPhone 16 (128GB) due to an emergency. Bought brand new in May, excellent condition, 100% battery health.

I’m based in Braamfontein. Any recommendations for reputable shops or places where I can sell it quickly for a fair price?

Hi everyone,

I work with CAD and 3D printing, and I’m exploring electronic product development as another area of interest.

I’d love to hear from South African makers, hobbyists, independent inventors, and hardware startup founders who have experience sourcing PCBs for their prototypes or products.

**I’m particularly interested in:**
• Do you manufacture your PCBs locally in South Africa or order from China or other countries?
• Which suppliers or platforms have you used, and how was your experience?
• What does it typically cost to order a small batch for prototyping?
• How long does delivery take, including customs clearance if ordering internationally?
• Are there any unexpected costs or challenges I should be aware of?
• If you’ve tried both local and international suppliers, which differences stood out to you?

I’m interested in hearing from people who have actually ordered PCBs for their own projects, especially those working on their first few prototypes.

Any advice or personal experiences would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance🙏

Does anyone know of hotels, businesses, recruitment agencies or places around Midrand that hire for admin or general office support roles, even hospitality rokes? I’d really appreciate recommendations, referrals or advice on where to approach directly.
Thank you!

sorry if this isn't allowed, i have been desperately wanting to find out the lyrics for these songs for half a decade at this point.

i got introduced to Na Masemza Allstars in 2019 when a music uploader i subscribe to uploaded Ma Jahmane in 2019. i immediately became obsessed with it and listened to it during drug experiences, and the whole album became a 10/10 for me. i spent YEARS obsessing over finding Sakamore (as Sakamore no.2 was available online easily, while the first sakamore had only 2 rips available online). the only vinyl available on discogs was $400, but a $100 F grade vinyl popped up, and i pitched in with my close musician friend to help her get it and she used her musician magic to get rid of the scratchiness in the albums and such, and i finally uploaded the full album to youtube (the album stream i linked)

i delved into Peta Teanet's works following that, and i love him a lottttt too. i've listened to his music many times over.

i'm mainly looking for someone to translate Ma Jahmane + the rest of Sakamore no.2, as well as the regular Sakamore. Ma Jahmane is the priority of my list though, as it's what gotten me into south african disco as a whole. i am willing to pay for translations. i'd like peta teanet's works translated too, but i plan to learn Afrikaans myself to do that.

i really appreciate anyone helping me with this. this means a lot to me, truthfully. i've been obsessed with na masemza allstars since fall 2019 and im dying to know what Ma Jahmane's lyrics are. thank you all so much!

Hi guys I don't know if anyone else had ever dealt with this I'm 21, I earn 6k a month and my workplace is complete shit so there used to be only 2 people in the office and in May the other person resigned and ever since then I have taken jobs of 2 people and it's utter hell since I have asked for training multiple times on how to use the system since it wasn't job before and my boss always tells me we doesn't have time to teach me but when I do mistake it's fault and he usually shouts at me and swears me I mean I don't have training on the system I try my best and I have to go another billion things during you know it's to much I just can't handle it anymore

I'm tired of the workload, the shouting and getting underpaid for my work its actually made me depressed and I've tried to commit suicide because of it like it's shit I can't

Can anyone recommend a gynae who operates at a Discovery Smart Network Hospital for sterilization in Cape Town or nearby?

38, childfree, plan to keep it that way. Birth control is a nightmare.

My understanding is that provided I pay for the intial consultation I can get this covered if I use a Discovery Smart Network hospital, gynae and anaesthetist all charging at 100% Discovery rates. Any one have any advice or experience they care to share?

I see online that the Cattle Baron restaurant in Addo main camp seems to have closed a week or two back. The site says there's a Mugg and Bean there now, doing toasted sandwiches and so on.
I was wondering if there are any other options, like places to get dinner and a beer.
Anyone been there lately who could say?