ianbetteridge

ianbetteridge, 11 months ago to random

The whole “blue bubbles” thing is weird, driven by US tech journalists with a total lack of understanding that no one outside the US actually uses SMS, iMessage, or Google’s owned extensions to RCS. https://9to5mac.com/2023/05/31/top-reason-android-users-switch-to-iphone/

ianbetteridge, 4 months ago to writing

So I was writing a story the other day and realised that my go-to trick for getting out of any plot hole that I've dug myself into is “throw in some Cthulhu”. Struggling with a time travel story? Bring in Cthulhu. Thriller plot gone awry? Throw in some Cthulhu.

I may have to write this up as a self-help guide for writers.

#writing

ianbetteridge, 7 months ago to random

I love this quote from @pluralistic because it reminds me of me - we're both of the generation which was convinced that there was literally no future, because nuclear war was certain to happen before we got old.

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/cory-doctorow-wants-you-to-know-what-computers-can-and-cant-do?utm_source=pocket_saves

ianbetteridge, 11 months ago to random

If you ever fancy a bit of casual trolling, can I recommend any thread about Linux on The Register? Here you will find the kinds of users who believe that their use of X11 to do some obscure things involving remote applications means that someone else should be maintaining X11 to a much higher standard, and that if you would prefer, say, a working fractional scaling system you are somehow “not a professional user”.

ianbetteridge, 7 months ago (edited 7 months ago) to random

Do you think that when Marc Andreessen quotes the Futurist Manifesto he's also aware that Maranetti, who wrote it, was a fascist?

ianbetteridge, 9 months ago to random

Another great post from @pluralistic, and this passage reminded me of something the late Jack Schofield said to me at a lunch in the 90’s. Jack hated Apple with a passion, because he saw the Mac as a return to what he called “the proprietary minicomputer model". He wasn’t right then – but "the cloud" really is a return to the minicomputer time-share system, and the attempts to lock down hardware is a return to renting computers as we did with minis and mainframes.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/03/there-is-no-cloud/

ianbetteridge, 1 month ago to random

This is one of those "thank god some journalists understand the history of antitrust" moments. One small quibble: Allison says, "I’m not really sure Apple owes the DOJ a thank-you card for making the iPhone possible", but Gates himself noted how, distracted by antitrust, Microsoft's ability to compete in smartphones was curtailed. They might not have stopped Apple, but they might well have been able to stop Android.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/22/24107693/doj-us-versus-apple-complaint-microsoft-antitrust-case

ianbetteridge, 7 months ago to random

Once again I have no idea who originally created this, but I salute you.

ianbetteridge, 6 months ago to random

I've said it before, and I will say it again: if you can't manage remote workers, if you think that "remote = shirking", that is your failing as a manager and a leader, not the failing of remote work or your team. But leaders are so often reluctant to learn to adapt to new ideas.

https://www.businessinsider.com/return-to-office-mandates-employees-managers-fight-messy-remote-work-2023-11?r=US&IR=T

ianbetteridge, 4 months ago to random

New ChatGPT feature! A dial that lets you increase the racism!

ianbetteridge, 8 months ago to random

This is still one of the greatest ever put downs of Mastodon, to be fair.

ianbetteridge, 5 months ago to random

There's a post doing the rounds which says that Meta's terms and conditions mean they plan to harvest Mastodon users' personal data to target them with ads. Unfortunately that post is misreading the T&Cs, and cherry-picks from a section which is clearly about Threads users, not "third party service users" (ie. us). Here's the full, unedited section.

ianbetteridge, 4 months ago to random

If you are ever called to jury service, always remember that in the UK the jury is entitled to bring in what's called a “perverse verdict”: accepting that the accused committed the crime, but finding them not guilty anyway.

The government hates juries knowing this.

https://freedomnews.org.uk/2023/12/23/12-not-guilty-verdicts-for-elbit-8/

ianbetteridge, 4 months ago to random

Not ACAB. This one just wants to be left alone and sing his little songs.

ianbetteridge, 6 months ago to random

This picture captures one thing that's gone wrong with British politics so well. The three people on the right were PM for a total of 20 years. The five people on the left cover just ten years. I think we should have taken chaos with Ed Milliband.

ianbetteridge, 6 months ago to random

OK this is very very very cool.

https://www.macstories.net/stories/obsidians-importer-plugin-lets-you-move-your-apple-notes-to-any-note-taking-app-that-supports-markdown/

ianbetteridge, 9 months ago to random

Finished reading: The Centauri Device by M. John Harrison 📚

I first read this when I was about ten years old and I’ve loved Harrison’s work ever since. It showed me that SF could be something different, that spaceships didn’t have to mean macho hero figures. MJH doesn’t like it, but I do. https://micro.blog/books/9780575088054

ianbetteridge, 2 months ago to random

Pet peeve: phrases like "citizen journalists", "citizen scientists", etc. Professional journalists and scientists are also citizens, kids. Why not just call them "amateur"? It's a perfectly good word. And there is nothing wrong with being an amateur at something.

ianbetteridge, 2 months ago to random

I am sorry if this language offends anyone, but FUCK THE FUCKING TORIES.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/mar/16/desperate-neglect-teachers-washing-clothes-and-finding-beds-as-poverty-grips-englands-schools

ianbetteridge, 29 days ago to random

Currently working with a bunch of people under 25 and one of them described “vintage music” as “stuff from about 2005” to me the other day.

ianbetteridge, 3 months ago to random

What’s that? The world’s richest man, pumping out a racist conspiracy theory? #ElonMusk

ianbetteridge, 6 months ago to random

1. Rent controls
2. Punitively high rates on properties which are allowed to stay empty (AKA “investments”)
3. Higher taxes on short-let properties and second homes.
4. Tax breaks for converting commercial property into high-quality, affordable residential.

You're welcome.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/oct/30/councils-in-england-facing-bankruptcy-as-lack-of-housing-pushes-up-costs

ianbetteridge, 3 months ago to random

Netflix is already the service which gives us the least value. Making the services worse while charging the same money? Yeah, goodbye Netflix.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/23/24048107/netflix-basic-subscription-ads-earnings-q4-2023

ianbetteridge, 3 months ago to random

One of the most embarrassing things I have read

ianbetteridge, 1 month ago to random

Imagine, for one second, if a national newspaper referred to gay young people as “sexuality distressed”, rather than just calling them “gay young people”.