Bonum Certa Men Certa

Gemini Links 14/07/2023: Retro and Comebacks



  • Gemini* and Gopher

    • Personal/Opinions

      • Are my Eidolons Merging?

        I failed the universe's tenuous strands that hold its gauze together two days ago when I did not write about the dream I had which featured not Lucía herself, but a physical search for where she might be. I used to have tangible address books and there were essential to me. They were sacred. Tangible address books! Ones one could actually touch! Imagine that! And one of these tangible address books still exists and it is in a box in the closet in my bedroom in Seminole. When I was last there in March, I did not peruse it. Next time I shall.

      • New arrival: First post

        There's more coming, but I expect to fill this gemlog with musings on food, society, culture, technology, and the intersection of all the above.

      • Secure Your Corner

        Unforseen 99999 IQ mass brain fuckery will occur soon and the only thing slowing it potentially down is the friction of society.

        AI isn't going to steal anything, people with energy & access will.

      • "vampire boys" (2011)

        so if you watch horror on tubitv you're probably aware of this movie. it's just 70 minutes, it's a vampire movie, it's gay, it's TV-MA, i gave it a shot this week.

        so. if you don't know me, hi, i'm sol, i like women and vampires. i watch and write about lesbian vampire movies (mostly 70s sexploitation) as a hobby.

      • summer, at pace

        feeling persimmon-swelter-anxious. i'm on break. i'm putting it out there:

        day-month list:

        - watch two movies, three movies, two shows - dawn-walk

      • UAF Botanical Garden Photos

        I took these photos over a week ago (July 4th) but I haven't had time to rename or label them. Rather than wait for that, I'll just dump them here as they are. I might come back and label them later. These were taken with the S5300 — no post-processing.

    • Politics and World Events

      • Food systems and the myth of individual responsibility

        I used to be in IT, so I think a lot about systems. Modern life is full of systems. The size, depth, breadth and interconnectedness of them is so vast, but also somewhat obscured from the end-user. Not just technical ones, although those are probably the ones that most immediately come to mind for most people here. Beyond the systems and algorithms involved in serving content on the web, there's logistics systems that get packages and products where they need to go. Our food environment is one such system; from farm to manufacturer to retailer, although that is a gross oversimplification. The scale of these systems cannot be understated, and it is only growing.

      • It was never about clothes

        I began crossdressing around the age of 10. That may sound scary to some people but there was something there that drew me to it inside myself.

    • Science

      • A Proof that 0.999...=1

        This inequality implies that the value of 1-x is non-negative but less than the inverse of any positive integer. 0 is the only number to have this property: any possible nonzero value of 1-x could be written as 1/r for some real r, but by choosing n such that r<10^n, the inequality would fail to hold. Thus 1-x must be 0, and x must be 1. Thus 1 is the smallest number no less than 0.(9)_n for all n; extending this indefinitely, 0.999...=1.

    • Technology and Free Software

      • NoteTaking Navelgazing

        Time for another mojito while navel gazing. /sip

        I've been thinking about my reading and keeping organized about it. It is less of a big deal with fiction where either I finish or drop it quickly. Then mark it accordingly on storygraph (https://app.thestorygraph.com/).

        But when I'm reading non-fiction, and I am reading more of it lately, its less of a one and done situation. I want to take notes, and then at a later date be able to add on further/linking discoveries, but where?

        [...]

        Digitally I suppose I can just use a website and make a webgarden kind of thing. Maybe on Neocities. While I like Storygraph in terms of keeping track of what I complete, I find keeping track of where I am/progress in it obnoxious.

      • Day 5

        Today I've mostly been catching up on the OCC blogs and IRC chat. Basically a relaxed day as the rain hammers down outside. I should be doing some programming, maybe improving my scripts for Mastodon, but I haven't been in the right mindset/mood.

      • Day 4

        Today I got to see more family I haven't seen for a while, including my cousin and her children. Also stumbled across a swarm of burnett moths amongst the lavendar.

        Being away, I haven't done much computing yet. I've caught up on Mastodon notifications for my .social account via the scripts (I haven't got my TopSpicy.social account set up with them yet) though.

        [...]

        Trying to connect to the #OldComputerChallenge IRC channel for the first time since my preparatory period and it just seems to be hanging for some reason? Not sure why.

      • Note for anyone using Oracle Cloud with Ubuntu - check your IPv6 addresses!

        It turns out that Oracle Cloud has recently introduced a bug that has broken IPv6 assignments for servers running Ubuntu. Any IPv6 assignments you've made in the management console will still be visible in the console, but won't actually apply to your server after a reboot.

        [...]

        While investigating this I tried to use the gemini web proxy proxy.vulpes.one, which I had used in the past, only to find that it now redirects to some sort of German cannabis retailer. If you've linked to that site from anywhere previously, you might want to go back and edit those links!

      • asking for advice about computers

        what are good computers? even the regular brands. i don't know much about specs and stuff (im happy to listen to someone explain), and though this forum tends to the smaller-scale indie retro aesthetic stuff it is also the most nerdy (endearing) place i know. thank you thank you thank you.

      • Fix Vivaldi Graphical Corruption after Linux Update

        I updated openSUSE today. And, after launching the Vivaldi web browser, there was clear graphical corruption within the Vivaldi window immediately after launch.

        This issue can also be triggered by a Vivaldi update. I originally experienced this issue a month ago when I updated Vivaldi on a different system.

        The problem appears to be an underlying graphics upgrade which invalidates Vivaldi's graphics cache.

      • re: christyotwisty's 5 questions for July, 2023

        Here are my July answers to christyotwisty's 5 monthly questions. Thank you for doing these, christyotwisty! You give me m0ar to write about aside from the usual computer geek stuff, even if my answers are dumb. ;)

      • OLD COMPUTER CHALLENGE: DAY ]|[

        LAB: 10:12 AM 76F/51% CONSUME: Parsing recent mastodon enteries in home timeline. CONSUME: Reading #oldcomputerchallenge entries in mastodon (toot) GOPHER: matto is also using eeepc. Follow: ENABLED!

      • OLD COMPUTER CHALLENGE: DAY IV

        IRC: #opencomputerchallenge on libera.chat has much activity @1840UTC

        Discussions of eeepc, gemlog, wifi on trains, rivella (beverage), occ hardware woes, firmware upgrades, etc.

      • Old Computer Challenge 2023 - Day Five

        Of all machines I have used with the ratpoison window manager, this one has the most simple setup.

        My plan for this edition of the Challenge was to do as much as possible with Emacs. Before the challenge I was already using Emacs for email, use-net, RSS-feeds and following mailing lists, as well as browse the Gemini- and Gopher space.

        I knew that the big browsers like Firefox were not going to work, so expected to use eww, the web browser in Emacs.

        A couple of weeks before the Challenges, I played a bit with "rde", which is a Linux distribution based on Guix, focused at developers and power user. It is developed by the brilliant Andrew Tropin.

      • Internet/Gemini

        • can i "afford" simplicity?

          I find myself occasionally smitten with the very tiny, very minimalist sites on the web. Websites found at the 1MB club, the well known "best motherfucking websites" out there, websites like starbreaker.org.

          It always makes me think: shouldn't I be doing this too? Is there any way I can implement that on my existing sites? What would I lose and what would I gain?

          [...]

          The thing holding me back is the implications such a design has for me as a person compared to others. Others who may use such a minimalist, lightweight and focused design are different from me. They may be male, they may be older, they may have a portfolio full of amazing tech stuff they have built. They are cut-to-the-chase people, they may not be artistically creative but they are seen as very logical and good at tech things. I get the impression that when they do it, they have enough of their work, their personality and other markers such as gender or age working to ensure others are seeing it as the deliberate choice that it is, and not lack of skill.

        • comeback

          With the end of August, i plan a comeback to Geminispace.

        • First thoughts on Gemini

          Okay, it's weird publishing here and not getting that instant feedback dopamine hit you'd get elsewhere. I know that's by design, and it's part of the reason I signed up, but it's still weird to actually experience. Everything here is slower and more deliberate. I have a feeling it'll be good in the long term, just takes some getting used to.

      • Programming

        • Wikipedia haste

          I threw these couple scripts together to quickly satisfy wondering what Wikipedia has per specified search/query terms.

        • Fake RNG for fake games

          There are antiquity that feature bros at dice; Achilles always beats Ajax. There are storytelling reasons for this; Achilles is the best, so therefore cannot lose, except when the plot demands it. A continent over Shakuni used dice that always rolled the desired number. More examples can doubtless be had.

          Computer games sometimes feature not exactly random numbers that favor storytelling or skill over cold hard statistics; the rolls are fudged to be more in line with what a human expects, which is that a skill that activates 33 percent of the time will roughly follow the pattern of hit miss miss. A 95% skill that misses twice in a row? Fuggedaboutit!


* Gemini (Primer) links can be opened using Gemini software. It's like the World Wide Web but a lot lighter.



Recent Techrights' Posts

'Dark Patterns' or a Trap at the European Patent Office (EPO)
insincere if not malicious E-mail from the EPO's dictators
There's an Abundance of Articles About the New Release of Kali Linux, But This One is a Fake
It can add nothing except casual misinformation (fed back into the model to reinforce lies)
IBM's Leadership Ruining Lives of People Who Thought Working for IBM Would be OK
Nobody gets fire-lined for buying IBM?
The United States' Authorities Ought to Become Enforcers of the General Public License (GPL) for National Security's Sake
US federal agencies ought to pursue availability of code and GPL compliance (copyleft), not bans
The Problem of Microsoft Security Problems is Microsoft (the Solution is to Quit Microsoft) and "Salt Typhoon" Coverage Must Name CALEA Back Doors
Name the holes, not those who exploit them.
A "Year of Efficiency"
No, we don't mean layoffs
 
LLM Slop Disguised as Journalism: The Latest Threat to the Web
A lot of it is to do with proprietary GitHub, i.e. Microsoft
Gemini Links 20/12/2024: Regulation and Implementing Graphics
Links for the day
Links 20/12/2024: Windows Breaks Itself, Mass Layoffs Coming to Google Again (Big Wave)
Links for the day
Microsoft: "Upgrade" to Vista 11 Today, We'll Brick Your Audio and You Cannot Prevent This
Windows Update is obligatory, so...
The Unspeakable National Security Threat: Plasticwares as the New Industrial Standard
Made to last or made to be as cheap as possible? Meritocracy or industrial rat races are everywhere now.
Microsoft's All-Time Lows in Macao and Hong Kong
Microsoft is having a hard time in China, not only for political reasons
[Meme] "It Was Like a Nuclear Winter"
This won't happen again, will it?
If You Know That Hey Hi (AI) is Hype, Then Stop Participating in It
bogus narrative of "Hey Hi (AI) arms race" and "era/age of Hey Hi" and "Hey Hi Revolution"
Bangladesh (Population Close to 200 Million) Sees Highest GNU/Linux Adoption Levels Ever
Microsoft barely has a grip on this country. It used to.
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, December 19, 2024
IRC logs for Thursday, December 19, 2024
Gemini Links 19/12/2024: Fast Year Passes and Advent of Code Ongoing
Links for the day
Twitter is Going to Fall Out of Top 100 Domains as Clownflare (DNS MitM) Sees It
evidence of Twitter's (X's) collapse
[Meme] Making Choices at the EPO
Decisions, decisions...
Large and Significant Error Correction in South America?
Windows now has less than half what Android achieved in terms of "market share"
Links 19/12/2024: Astronaut Record and Observer Absorbed
Links for the day
Links 19/12/2024: Seven Dirty Words and Isle Release v0.0.3 (Alpha)
Links for the day
Links 19/12/2024: Nurses Besieged by "Apps", More Harms of Social Control Media Illuminated
Links for the day
15 Countries Where Yandex is Already Seen to be Bigger Than Microsoft (in Search)
Georgia, Syrian Arab Republic, Cyprus, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Belarus, Turkey, and Russia
Links 19/12/2024: Magnitude 7.3 Earthquake and Privacy Camp
Links for the day
Gemini Links 19/12/2024: Port Of Miami Explosion, TurboQOA, Gnus
Links for the day
Fake Articles About 'Linux'
Dated yesterday
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, December 18, 2024
IRC logs for Wednesday, December 18, 2024
FSF Has Made It Halfway to Its Target (Funding Goal) a Week Before Christmas Day
$400,000 definitely seems reachable now, especially if they extend the "deadline"
[Meme] The Master Churnalist
Speaking of press releases being passed off as "journalism"
Spamnil's TFiR: Still Pretending Press Releases Are 'Articles' (TFiR 'Originals' as Plagiarism or Fluff)
Same as last year
Links 18/12/2024: Zakir Hussain Dies, TuneIn Layoffs
Links for the day
Links 18/12/2024: Karate Love and Advent of Code
Links for the day
Windows (or Microsoft) Has Become the "One Percent" (Market Share) in Chad
How long before it falls below 1%?
Arvind Krishna, IBM's CEO, Will Eventually Suck Up to Donald Trump Like His Predecessor Did or the Watson Family Did With Adolf Hitler
Literally Hitler
Being a Geek Need Not Mean Being Sedentary
"In the past 18 months," Berkholz writes, "I’ve lost 75 pounds and gone from completely sedentary to fit, while minimizing the effort to do so (but needing a whole lot of persistence and grit)."
GAFAM Kissing the Ring of the Mafia Don
"resistance" to dictatorship and defenders of democracy?
Slop Spaghetti From the Chef, Second Time Today
Fresh slop ready out the oven!
IBM - Like Microsoft - Lies About the Number of People It's Laying Off (Several Tens of Thousands, Not Counting R.T.O. "Silent" Layoffs and Contractors/Perma-Temps)
How many waves of silent layoffs have we seen so far at IBM this year?
Links 18/12/2024: EU Launches Probe Into TikTok (At Last!)
Links for the day
Links 18/12/2024: Doha/Qatar Trafficking, Bloat Comfort Zone, and Advent of Code 2024
Links for the day
Saving What's Left of Decent and Independent Journalism on the Web
We increasingly (over time) try to make local copies (hosted on our server) of important documents; it's hard to rely on third parties
[Meme] Microsoft's Latest Marketing Pitch
"Stop Being Poor; buy a new PC with TPMs"
In South Africa, a Very Large Nation, Web Developers Can Already Ignore Microsoft Browsers (Edge Measured Below 3% in 55 Nations)
The dumb assumption you must naively test with Microsoft browsers is no longer applicable in a lot of places
Open Source Initiative (OSI) is the Voice of Bill Gates and Satya Nadella
Not hard to see what they've done with the money
Microsoft Boasts That Its (Microsoft-Sponsored) "Open Source AI" Propaganda Got Cited in Media (That's Just What the Money Did)
This is a grotesque openwashing campaign
In Many Places Around the World, Perhaps as Expected, Yandex is Nearly Bigger Than Microsoft (Like in Several African Countries)
Microsoft may soon fall to "third place" in search
Keeping Productive This Christmas
We've (pre)paid for hosting till almost January 2026 and fully back on the saddle
IBM and Canonical Leave Money on the Table Because Microsoft Pays Them Not to Compete and Instead Market Windows, WSL, Microsoft 'Clown Computing', and TPMs
Where are the regulators?
Other Editors Who Agree "Hey Hi" (AI) is Just Hype But Won't Say So Publicly as It Might Upset Key Sponsors
Some media would gladly participate in a scam to make money
Brian Fagioli's Latest "Linux" Article Appears to be Fake
Another form of plagiarism/ripoff using bots?
IBM (and Red Hat) is a Patent Troll, Still Leveraging Software Patents to Extract Money Out of Other Companies by Suing Them
Basically, when it comes to patents, IBM is demonstrably part of the problem, not the solution
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, December 17, 2024
IRC logs for Tuesday, December 17, 2024