A place for my thoughts, notes, and brain droppings. This site probably won't follow the same format as the old mailing list. Think of it as where I would pu...
When self-hosting it's easy to accumulate self-hosted apps that look pretty but you don't use much. These often store data that could've been a text file. A few years ago I started using Obsidian to store Markdown notes. Obsidian's value comes from plugins rather than the core app itself. The Remotely Save plugin combined with the amazing CopyParty syncs my notes across mobile and desktop. I could…
Should you have the time, this 18th Century English poem as expertly sung by the Askew sisters below will help you settle in to this post: Although Deborah's poem is also a great response to Softbank's absurd Goose-themed AI-fever-dream reminder that there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. And yes, Softbank, those fucking Goose thieving bastards now recognize the Goose as the source of…
I recently read MOS8502's countercomputing manifesto . I like it, particularly these parts: We assert that the sole agency over the use and output of privately owned tools belongs with and only with the owners of those tools; we assert an inherent right to decide for ourselves what software will and won't run, and when, on computers we own and operate for our own private benefit, and the same…
Andreas tagged me in his post over the Blog Questions Challenge. I rarely get tagged in things like this, so thanks Andreas! When Did You First Get Interested In Technology? I think I've been interested in technology since I became aware of what it was. I remember as a kid being fascinated by anything with switches, buttons, meters or lights. The first computer I used was a Commodore PET and it…
Over at 82mhz.net Andreas wrote an insightful post I read this morning about his unfinished projects. Having just finished a project myself, I thought I'd write about how I've recently changed the way I've approached my projects. I'm normally terrible for not finishing projects. I have so much junk from unfinished and half-finished, even unstarted projects it's not even funny. Right now on my desk…
This was actually two sessions on two days. I had meant to do this as one but I goofed on copying the PDF off the T42 and ran out of spoons for the day. I decided to revisit this and finish this up as I feel it's dragging on a little too long and it's becoming less fun. I've put the instructions on how to fold the zine inline with my commentary. All OCC posts Flat A4 PDF 8-fold A4 PDF 8-fold US…
I live in a place where electricity is quite expensive and not always reliable. When my previous home server was destroyed by lightning it reinforced that my strategy of using dedicated hosting providers and VPSes for a lot of my own needs was the right move. I can't even begin to guess when I bought my lifetime Plex Pass, but over the years I watched it change from being a better XBMC to a worse…
TL;DR: - Timeline-oriented score-keeping social media inherently optimizes for performative behaviour on all sides. Attempting to personally police the Internet is stupid. Control your own platform, filter heavily, mute liberally and block whole sections of your platform of choice for the best personal experience. I've always struggled with social media. Commercial platforms are like…
TL:DR: If you insist on a recommendation from a random Internet person, use a plurality of tools, compartmentalize your messaging activities by group and type, employ https:// and keep $2 in your pocket for the bus just in case. Oh, and in general don't put too much weight in messenger recommendations from anyone reachable via WhatsApp. (Also this post is just me getting things out of my head and…
I spent a few hours taking text I'd written in various gaps between bits of work over the past couple of weeks and putting it into MS Publisher. I initially used MS Publisher and decided to stick with it. I had a pretty rough physical health day today but worked through it, and I didn't have the spoons to do any pages in Aldus Pagemaker. I had several goals for today's 2-3 hour session: Get all 8…