New post: Blog status update (June 2024): I've brought back my blogroll to my site. Also, my thoughts on why blogging still matters versus the state of social networks and Google (AI, algorithms, bigoted trolls etc.).
Google: "AI search results! You won't have to visit actual sites! Plus our SEO rules are mercurial and arbitrary anyway. But websites better comply if they want traffic, such as it is!"
Meta: "We're using your posts for our AI machine and made it difficult to impossible to opt out! But you can pay to boost visibility to some followers within our non-chronological algorithm."
Twitter: "Freedom of speech! By which I mean no moderation against my favorite 4chan-like posters; get lost, 'Black Twitter'. Also, mock me and you're banned. Good thing governments, companies and news outlets won't leave, no matter what... a captive audience!"
TikTok: "Video, the future of social media! Hope you're young, have time and energy to make and edit video, and also telegenic! Also, we might be banned in the US soon."
Mastodon: "We don't need text based post search by default or easily finding other followers because... federation reasons. And what hashtags are for, I... guess? Also, hope you like Linux?"
Bluesky: "Sure we don't have a clear business model, still missing features even Twitter and Mastodon have, and felt the need to reinvent the wheel with our own federated protocol nobody uses, but we do have... sh*tposting? Also, go back to Mastodon, tech nerds."
"I know, but Windows 11 also insisted it could handle all your needs with AI. Which it didn't. In other news, it's now recording everything we're doing on the Batcomputer with something called 'Recall'..."
"(Face in hands) How soon can we get Barbara here to install Linux?"
@box464 yes, finding a Gmail alternative isn't easy. Most of the alternatives either: are kind of pricey for email (Fastmail these days), want a full year payment up front, or only work via their own proprietary apps vs allowing IMAP (Tuta, Proton Mail; yes, I know why, but still...).
Same goes for Google Drive alternatives: pricey (Sync dot com, etc.), want a year's payment up front, or aren't cross-platform (few having Linux apps, iCloud doesn't have an Android app, etc.).
@box464 my case, I already have iCloud (from my Mac), so been trying to use that for email (since it's cross-platform, unlike most of the iCloud services).
@box464 for cloud storage, it's mostly been a mix of iCloud (on my Mac, via the browser on Linux, and via some webapp on my Samsung devices) and the free pCloud and IceDrive accounts I signed up for.
For photos, currently using Ente Photos (some small privacy-focused photo hosting service from Europe). It seems to work OK so far?
@box464 from what little I've heard about Moose in "Riverdale," there's probably a whole bunch of other questions raised...
I know it's slapstick, but think my dislike of bullies (and the aforementioned stuff) made Moose ultimately rub me the wrong way. Seeing the 12th 60s-era digest reprint where he hospitalizes Reggie for trying to hit on Midge, or the 80s story where he beats up Jughead (after stalking Midge) for taking a gift from her, well...
@box464 I used to buy the digests for one niece; at the time, not a lot of kid-friendly comics (she wasn't into superheroes). Flash forward to now, where for another niece, I have a ton of choices for graphic novels, all with more modern premises/elements. (Also it's now $10 for an Archie digest, or what a graphic novel runs...yikes.)
@box464 I appreciate Archie trying new things/to modernize things in the 2010s (Kevin Keller, etc.). But still, it doesn't seem like a match for "Dog Man"/Raina Telgemeier/the ton of other kids' graphic novels out now. (Plus the manga boom on top of that.)
At this point (between the competition, the digests' cost, not seeing it show up in book channel comic sales figures, etc.), it feels more like a nostalgia brand? I wonder how it's doing as a company (esp. w/"Riverdale" over)...
@timrichards@ComicContext "it's a mullet! The hip, with-it haircut of the 90s! I need to show that I'm cool! Now excuse me while I record 'The Simpsons' on my VCR, have a Crystal Pepsi and then listen to my new Smashing Pumpkins CD."
Wonder if @ComicContext also applies that "Hal Jordan ruins everything" hashtag to the second Air Wave, who's also named Hal Jordan. (The GL Hal is his cousin.)