What does Spring Arrive? (According to ChatGPT)

A vivid landscape depicting the transition from winter to spring in Canada. The left side of the image shows a snowy environment with lingering snowflakes and the Rocky Mountains, representing winter. The right side bursts with the colors of spring, featuring blooming flowers, budding trees, and Niagara Falls, under a clear, sunny sky. At the center, the Earth is symbolically positioned relative to the Sun to indicate the vernal equinox, illustrating the astronomical perspective of spring's arrival. This composition harmoniously integrates meteorological, astronomical, and geographical perspectives on the onset of spring in Canada.

I love ChatGPT. I pretty much use it all the time now instead of Google. So when I turned to it to ask the simple question “When does spring arrive?”, I was met with this overly complex response:

Spring’s arrival depends on the context in which you’re asking—whether it’s meteorological, astronomical, or varies by geographic location. Let’s break it down:

  1. Meteorological Spring:
  • In meteorology, seasons are divided into three-month blocks based on the annual temperature cycle. This makes data collection and comparison more systematic.
  • Meteorological spring begins on March 1 and ends on May 31.
  1. Astronomical Spring:
  • Astronomical seasons are based on the position of Earth in relation to the Sun. This is marked by equinoxes and solstices.
  • Astronomical spring begins with the vernal equinox, which varies each year but generally falls on March 19, 20, or 21 in the Northern Hemisphere. It ends with the summer solstice, around June 20 or 21.
  • In the Southern Hemisphere, these dates are reversed. Astronomical spring begins around September 22 and ends around December 21.
  1. Geographic Variation:
  • The exact timing of spring can vary significantly depending on one’s geographical location. Regions closer to the equator experience less distinction between seasons, while higher latitudes and specific climates can see more pronounced seasonal changes.
  • Some cultures and regions might have different definitions based on local climate, ecological factors, or traditional calendars.

Understanding these distinctions helps in appreciating the complexity behind what might seem like a straightforward question. Depending on the context, spring can be viewed through different lenses, each offering its unique perspective on the transition from winter to summer.

Hmm, not what I was hoping for. Asking it for when spring starts in Canada, or even just Ontario was no better.. Okay, back to Google., which gave me this as the first link:

https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/3-when-do-seasons-start

This confirmed what I sort of remembered from school, which is “spring starts at the moment when the sun is directly over the equator, going from south to north: the ‘vernal equinox’“. But it also included this important table:

This image shows a chart titled "The times in this table are Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)" and lists the specific dates and times for the beginning of spring, summer, autumn, and winter from the years 2011 to 2030. The year 2024 is highlighted in yellow, and the dates and times for the four seasons are March 20 at 03:06, June 20 at 20:50, September 22 at 12:43, and December 21 at 09:20, respectively. The rows for the years 2011, 2012, 2022, and 2023 have a black and gray patterned border underneath them, possibly indicating that rows have been deleted for brevity. The chart is presented in a clear, tabulated format with columns for each season and rows for each year.

Okay, we’re getting closer to an answer: March 20 at 3:06 a.m. UTC. Luckily the website also gives us this table:

The image is a table providing information on how to convert Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to Canadian local times by subtracting hours for various time zones. The header reads "For Canadian time, subtract the following hours from UTC." It has two rows: "Standard" and "Daylight," corresponding to standard time and daylight saving time adjustments. The time zones listed are Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern (highlighted in yellow), Atlantic, and Newfoundland.

For standard time, the hours to subtract are:
- Pacific: 8
- Mountain: 7
- Central: 6
- Eastern: 5
- Atlantic: 4
- Newfoundland: 3.5

For daylight saving time, the hours to subtract are:
- Pacific: 7
- Mountain: 6
- Central: 5
- Eastern: 4
- Atlantic: 3
- Newfoundland: 2.5

The asterisks indicate notes at the bottom:
- A single asterisk (*) states "Yukon observes Mountain Standard Time year-round."
- A double asterisk (**) states "Saskatchewan observes Central Standard Time year-round."

The use of asterisks in the table corresponds to the notes, indicating exceptions in the Mountain and Central time zones for Yukon and Saskatchewan, respectively.

Popping over to https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/timezone/utc confirmed for me that we are currently 4 hours behind UTC, which means spring officially arrive tomorrow, March 19, at 11:06 p.m.

Why couldn’t ChatGPT tell me that?

New Custom GPT: Find Keywords – A Powerful Tool for Content Analysis

New Custom GPT: Find Keywords

I’ve created a new Custom GPT that will reduce text to just the keywords. The GPT is named Find Keywords and can be found at https://chat.openai.com/g/g-mL985wIE7-find-keywords.

Note that it requires a subscription to ChatGPT Plus. Unfortunately, OpenAI does not offer trial subscriptions, and subscriptions cost $20 USD per month. Personally, I find the subscription well worth it for both personal programming projects and for personal productivity.

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Google Gemini vs ChatGPT: Generating Alt-Text. Who Wins?

An illustrative comparison between Google Gemini and ChatGPT for generating alt-text, depicted through a split design. On the left, Google Gemini is symbolized by futuristic, abstract shapes in blues and greens, embodying innovation and digital intelligence. On the right, ChatGPT is represented through a network of interconnected nodes and lines in warm orange and red tones, highlighting advanced AI technology and communication. A bold 'VS' symbol in the center accentuates the competitive analysis between the two technologies, against a backdrop that merges both designs, suggesting a blend of competition and collaboration in the field of alt-text generation.

Introduction

I’m currently subscribing to ChatGPT and Google Gemini to test them both out. One of the tasks I often use chatbots for is creating alt-text for my images.

For the importance of using alt-text in your images, see this post.

The prompt given to Gemini and ChatGPT was: ‘Alt text for this image‘.

Here is the image I used. Note that it includes text instructions and images.

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The Importance of Alt-Text in Enhancing Digital Accessibility and Engagement

An engaging feature image showcasing a computer screen displaying alt-text symbols, surrounded by diverse users engaging with digital content. The scene highlights inclusivity and accessibility in the digital realm, with a modern and professional style suitable for a blog post on the importance of alt-text for images.

This blog post, created by ChatGPT, supports another post of mine where I test ChatGPT and Google Gemini to see which is better at generating alt-text.


In the digital age, images are ubiquitous, serving as a powerful tool for storytelling, marketing, and communication across various online platforms. However, the visual nature of images can inadvertently exclude a significant portion of the audience, particularly individuals with visual impairments who rely on screen readers to navigate the internet. This is where alternative text, commonly known as alt-text, becomes a critical element in creating inclusive and accessible digital content. This blog post delves into the importance of using alt-text when posting images in blog posts or on social media, highlighting its impact on accessibility, search engine optimization (SEO), and user engagement.

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Using AI Chatbots to Solve my Pixel 7 Pro Charging Problem

A Pixel 7 Pro smartphone is displayed on a wireless charging pad, not charging, indicated by a visible red cross or question mark on the screen. In the background, various AI chatbot icons are depicted in speech bubbles, each providing different pieces of advice or troubleshooting steps. The setting is tech-focused, with a lighthearted yet informative tone, highlighting the diversity of AI assistance in solving technical issues.

My Pixel 7 Pro phone decided to stop charging wirelessly. I think I’ve exhausted any logical troubleshooting ideas I have so decided to turn the problem over to some AI chatbots before I bring the phone back to Telus while it’s still under warranty.

Following is a comparison of the different AI chatbots I used. As part of my troubleshooting prompt, it was important that the solution cite any sources that is uses. My prompt was….

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Using Python To Quickly Open Multiple Websites In Your Browser

Generated with AI ∙ January 18, 2024 at 1:10 p.m.

I had a problem where I was opening about a dozen bookmarks at the same time in Brave, and in doing so, it was giving me a “503 Service Temporarily Unavailable” error.

To fix this, I turned to Copilot Pro with this prompt:

Write a Python program that opens in my web browser (using Django?) that has a list of URLs that it opens in new tabs with a pause of 0.5 seconds between them. For the initial URLs, use Google and Microsoft.

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How to Save Python Files in the Same Directory in VS Code (Update)

In a recent post I gave a programmatic solution to how to get Python to write files in the same folder as the Python file itself when working in VS Code. By default, Python programs in VS Code write files in the root folder of the project, not in the folder where the Python file is saved.

My solution involved the use of a built-in variable named “__file__“, which together with some fancy path concatenation, achieved what I was hoping for.

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How to Save Python Files in the Same Directory in VS Code

Introduction

Have you ever been frustrated because your Python programs in VS Code always save in the root folder of your GitHub project, even if the program is in a subfolder? You’re not alone. I’ve encountered this problem too, and I couldn’t find a solution within VS Code’s settings.

Solution

The solution is within Python itself.

Python has a built-in variable called __file__ that refers to the path of the current Python file. By using this with os.path.join(), you can ensure that your file will be saved in the same directory as your program, not in the root folder.

The os.path.join() function in Python is a smart way to stick together pieces of a file path. It knows how to correctly use the right kind of slash (/ or \) depending on your computer’s operating system. So, if you have a folder named “folder” and a file named “file.txt”, os.path.join("folder", "file.txt") will give you the correct full path: “folder/file.txt”. It’s a handy tool for dealing with file paths in Python.

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