Andy Toone
@lockfarm.bsky.social
Petabytes in my day job, kilobytes in my spare time.
Maker of Beasts - https://feersumbeasts.com/ 8-bit Z80 kit
Technologist, cynical optimist, occasional CTO, regular tinkerer.
Rural hideout in UK
Maker of Beasts - https://feersumbeasts.com/ 8-bit Z80 kit
Technologist, cynical optimist, occasional CTO, regular tinkerer.
Rural hideout in UK
Pinned
Andy Toone
@lockfarm.bsky.social
· Oct 18
You're meant to share the work you're doing..
I'm particularly bad at that, and somewhat overwhelmed with stuff..
..at which point I'm meant to end on a positive note and a call to action, but really, that's the post. That's it.
I'm particularly bad at that, and somewhat overwhelmed with stuff..
..at which point I'm meant to end on a positive note and a call to action, but really, that's the post. That's it.
Maybe @zackpolanski.bsky.social needs a tech policy advisor.
That'd really annoy the big corporates that run our media (and government infrastructure, and business services and...).
That'd really annoy the big corporates that run our media (and government infrastructure, and business services and...).
Sure, when I say it I'm a grumpy old greybeard.
When Cory Doctorow says it he gets interviewed on The Daily Show.
There's a point here for UK and European Policy Makers - the key part of our modern economic and social infrastructure doesn't have to be like this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2e-...
When Cory Doctorow says it he gets interviewed on The Daily Show.
There's a point here for UK and European Policy Makers - the key part of our modern economic and social infrastructure doesn't have to be like this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2e-...
Cory Doctorow - Rescuing the Internet From “Enshittification” | The Daily Show
YouTube video by The Daily Show
www.youtube.com
December 13, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Maybe @zackpolanski.bsky.social needs a tech policy advisor.
That'd really annoy the big corporates that run our media (and government infrastructure, and business services and...).
That'd really annoy the big corporates that run our media (and government infrastructure, and business services and...).
Sure, when I say it I'm a grumpy old greybeard.
When Cory Doctorow says it he gets interviewed on The Daily Show.
There's a point here for UK and European Policy Makers - the key part of our modern economic and social infrastructure doesn't have to be like this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2e-...
When Cory Doctorow says it he gets interviewed on The Daily Show.
There's a point here for UK and European Policy Makers - the key part of our modern economic and social infrastructure doesn't have to be like this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2e-...
Cory Doctorow - Rescuing the Internet From “Enshittification” | The Daily Show
YouTube video by The Daily Show
www.youtube.com
December 13, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Sure, when I say it I'm a grumpy old greybeard.
When Cory Doctorow says it he gets interviewed on The Daily Show.
There's a point here for UK and European Policy Makers - the key part of our modern economic and social infrastructure doesn't have to be like this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2e-...
When Cory Doctorow says it he gets interviewed on The Daily Show.
There's a point here for UK and European Policy Makers - the key part of our modern economic and social infrastructure doesn't have to be like this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2e-...
After putting up with an Epson EcoTank that flat out refused to calibrate, and produced consistently mushy prints, I had to do an emergency dash to get a printer for an urgent job.
A Brother office printer is a massive improvement - better built, better prints, more features, half the price.
A Brother office printer is a massive improvement - better built, better prints, more features, half the price.
December 11, 2025 at 2:31 PM
After putting up with an Epson EcoTank that flat out refused to calibrate, and produced consistently mushy prints, I had to do an emergency dash to get a printer for an urgent job.
A Brother office printer is a massive improvement - better built, better prints, more features, half the price.
A Brother office printer is a massive improvement - better built, better prints, more features, half the price.
Just a minor thought: our Political Parties have optimised to a local maxima, encouraged by an almost homogeneous media landscape.
So whilst they profess to hate each other, they're all too fearful of arguing away from extremely similar solutions and views.
#politics #sorry
So whilst they profess to hate each other, they're all too fearful of arguing away from extremely similar solutions and views.
#politics #sorry
December 10, 2025 at 4:52 PM
I don't know what you lot have been putting in your morning cuppa, but the first few conversations I've seen on the feed have involved po*n and penis fonts.
It's only Wednesday.
It's only Wednesday.
December 10, 2025 at 8:49 AM
I don't know what you lot have been putting in your morning cuppa, but the first few conversations I've seen on the feed have involved po*n and penis fonts.
It's only Wednesday.
It's only Wednesday.
Reform's act as MAGA-lite (complete with their sad impression of DOGE) is looking increasingly sad as the full-fat MAGA implodes in the US.
Nope, we don't want to be sold out to some idiot billionaires and their secret police, thanks.
Nope, we don't want to be sold out to some idiot billionaires and their secret police, thanks.
December 3, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Reform's act as MAGA-lite (complete with their sad impression of DOGE) is looking increasingly sad as the full-fat MAGA implodes in the US.
Nope, we don't want to be sold out to some idiot billionaires and their secret police, thanks.
Nope, we don't want to be sold out to some idiot billionaires and their secret police, thanks.
This should concern us a lot more than it does.
Yorkshire Bylines' reporting regularly impresses me.
Yorkshire Bylines' reporting regularly impresses me.
Government’s last chance to keep control of digital
Digital sovereignty isn’t optional anymore. We sold our water to foreign billionaires. Now we’re handing them our health data
By Philip O'Brien
Digital sovereignty isn’t optional anymore. We sold our water to foreign billionaires. Now we’re handing them our health data
By Philip O'Brien
Government’s last chance to keep control of digital
Digital sovereignty isn’t optional anymore. We sold our water to foreign billionaires. Now we’re handing them our health data
yorkshirebylines.co.uk
November 30, 2025 at 12:29 PM
This should concern us a lot more than it does.
Yorkshire Bylines' reporting regularly impresses me.
Yorkshire Bylines' reporting regularly impresses me.
Cute idea, looks fun.
@jemsmith.bsky.social and I made a 2D physics-based game in 4 days with sounds and music by Jaybooty Sutherland!
This is Fallbearers.
Here's a little clip of the other jammers playtesting it:
#gamedev #gamejam #indiegames
This is Fallbearers.
Here's a little clip of the other jammers playtesting it:
#gamedev #gamejam #indiegames
November 29, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Cute idea, looks fun.
This is a neat idea.
Roboticists at Seoul National University have developed an origami-inspired structure that can be smoothly folded and rolled up for compact storage. They used the structure to build an extendable robotic arm, and a mobile 3D-printing robot. 🤖 techxplore.com/news/2025-11... #Robots #Robotics
Interlaced origami structure enables compact storage and high-strength robotic deployment
Researchers at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, have applied the principle of interlacing to an origami-inspired structure and developed a "Foldable-and-Rollable co...
techxplore.com
November 28, 2025 at 1:35 PM
This is a neat idea.
Communities have power that they don't always fully understand - here's an interesting piece on Open Source and the power it hands to corporations and abusers.
"Open Software as a positive force in the world is entirely contingent on its ability to distribute power. To date it has facilitated the opposite."
This piece from @erlend.sh is such a banger! V excited for next week's @scenius.bsky.social open source panel with him 🔥
This piece from @erlend.sh is such a banger! V excited for next week's @scenius.bsky.social open source panel with him 🔥
November 27, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Communities have power that they don't always fully understand - here's an interesting piece on Open Source and the power it hands to corporations and abusers.
Quick! Whilst the Americans are through there eating all the food, let's put Marmite in their shoes!
November 27, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Quick! Whilst the Americans are through there eating all the food, let's put Marmite in their shoes!
The overwhelming feeling on BSky at the moment seems to be that we're all in agreement that certain things are really pretty unacceptable (British understatement), but no-one feels able to do the slightest thing about it.
Too busy trying to get through the day to stick it to the man.
Too busy trying to get through the day to stick it to the man.
November 27, 2025 at 8:50 AM
The overwhelming feeling on BSky at the moment seems to be that we're all in agreement that certain things are really pretty unacceptable (British understatement), but no-one feels able to do the slightest thing about it.
Too busy trying to get through the day to stick it to the man.
Too busy trying to get through the day to stick it to the man.
Today's mini thesis: AI concentrates wealth and employment but doesn't provide a pathway to new jobs. Alternately engineering and manufacture boost jobs and increase resilience and independence.
An argument for strengthening physical services and enterprises as AI eats the knowledge economy?
An argument for strengthening physical services and enterprises as AI eats the knowledge economy?
November 26, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Today's mini thesis: AI concentrates wealth and employment but doesn't provide a pathway to new jobs. Alternately engineering and manufacture boost jobs and increase resilience and independence.
An argument for strengthening physical services and enterprises as AI eats the knowledge economy?
An argument for strengthening physical services and enterprises as AI eats the knowledge economy?
Drink up, citizen!
See, nutrients are plentiful, there is no cost of living crisis!
See, nutrients are plentiful, there is no cost of living crisis!
November 26, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Drink up, citizen!
See, nutrients are plentiful, there is no cost of living crisis!
See, nutrients are plentiful, there is no cost of living crisis!
First up against the wall, come the revolution.
I'll keep banging the drum for online communities that actually benefit their members - and that requires us to build new platforms that aren't Facebook et. al.
I'll keep banging the drum for online communities that actually benefit their members - and that requires us to build new platforms that aren't Facebook et. al.
Meta halted internal research that purportedly showed (young) people who stopped using Facebook became less depressed and anxious, according to an unredacted legal filing released on Friday. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/m...
Meta halted internal research suggesting social media harm, court filing alleges
Meta is alleged to have halted internal research suggesting social media harm, according to court documents.
www.cnbc.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:26 AM
First up against the wall, come the revolution.
I'll keep banging the drum for online communities that actually benefit their members - and that requires us to build new platforms that aren't Facebook et. al.
I'll keep banging the drum for online communities that actually benefit their members - and that requires us to build new platforms that aren't Facebook et. al.
Turns out games are good for the heart and soul... literally.
(See what I did there?)
(See what I did there?)
Very proud of my friend @naomialderman.bsky.social who has followed the release of a brilliant and timely book with this brilliant and culturally very significant move observer.co.uk/the-critics/...
I’m a novelist who’s just bought a video games company. Here’s why you should care about games writing | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Turns out games are good for the heart and soul... literally.
(See what I did there?)
(See what I did there?)
I should roll these posts up into an essay.
Getting past the current decline in online communities and independent media is not about building a better algorithm - it's about building better incentive structures so the algorithms you have don't degrade.
Getting past the current decline in online communities and independent media is not about building a better algorithm - it's about building better incentive structures so the algorithms you have don't degrade.
The fatal flaw in Jack Conte's otherwise uplifting opinion piece for the NYT (many points I've been making for years), is that he's maintaining the incentive structures and gatekeeper architecture of the companies he singles out as bad. 🧵
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO14...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO14...
I’m Building an Algorithm That Doesn’t Rot Your Brain
YouTube video by New York Times Opinion
www.youtube.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:17 PM
I should roll these posts up into an essay.
Getting past the current decline in online communities and independent media is not about building a better algorithm - it's about building better incentive structures so the algorithms you have don't degrade.
Getting past the current decline in online communities and independent media is not about building a better algorithm - it's about building better incentive structures so the algorithms you have don't degrade.
Sunday Papers...
Why have the right wing press in the UK given up on reporting national politics, and just moved to wholesale importing American social issues?
Stop saying "everyone thinks..", and then talking like someone from 1950s deep South Texas..
Who are we rounding up/abusing today?
Why have the right wing press in the UK given up on reporting national politics, and just moved to wholesale importing American social issues?
Stop saying "everyone thinks..", and then talking like someone from 1950s deep South Texas..
Who are we rounding up/abusing today?
November 23, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Sunday Papers...
Why have the right wing press in the UK given up on reporting national politics, and just moved to wholesale importing American social issues?
Stop saying "everyone thinks..", and then talking like someone from 1950s deep South Texas..
Who are we rounding up/abusing today?
Why have the right wing press in the UK given up on reporting national politics, and just moved to wholesale importing American social issues?
Stop saying "everyone thinks..", and then talking like someone from 1950s deep South Texas..
Who are we rounding up/abusing today?
This seems to be giving off Mad Emperor Nero vibes.
November 23, 2025 at 11:40 AM
This seems to be giving off Mad Emperor Nero vibes.
The fatal flaw in Jack Conte's otherwise uplifting opinion piece for the NYT (many points I've been making for years), is that he's maintaining the incentive structures and gatekeeper architecture of the companies he singles out as bad. 🧵
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO14...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO14...
I’m Building an Algorithm That Doesn’t Rot Your Brain
YouTube video by New York Times Opinion
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:05 PM
The fatal flaw in Jack Conte's otherwise uplifting opinion piece for the NYT (many points I've been making for years), is that he's maintaining the incentive structures and gatekeeper architecture of the companies he singles out as bad. 🧵
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO14...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO14...
Luckily, none of our political classes are using AI to help them with policies affecting millions of pe..
..what?
..what?
I am by no means a prominent public intellectual, but my inbox is increasingly filled with messages from people who have been convinced by sycophantic chatbots that they have discovered revolutionary theories that entirely upend our scientific understanding of the universe.
November 21, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Luckily, none of our political classes are using AI to help them with policies affecting millions of pe..
..what?
..what?
Sooooo.... Arduino appears to have abandoned the community that built it.
Anyone want to do a hardware startup? I hear they're really profitable.
Anyone want to do a hardware startup? I hear they're really profitable.
November 20, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Sooooo.... Arduino appears to have abandoned the community that built it.
Anyone want to do a hardware startup? I hear they're really profitable.
Anyone want to do a hardware startup? I hear they're really profitable.
I had to withdraw a patent on some technology that would blow this right out of the water, as I couldn't finance the next stage of development in the middle of the pandemic.
Sometimes the stars just don't align.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjFV...
Sometimes the stars just don't align.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjFV...
The Future of Board Games? Arcade1Up Infinity Game Table 2025 Review
YouTube video by Tech It Before You Wreck It
www.youtube.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:39 PM
I had to withdraw a patent on some technology that would blow this right out of the water, as I couldn't finance the next stage of development in the middle of the pandemic.
Sometimes the stars just don't align.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjFV...
Sometimes the stars just don't align.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjFV...
I remembered to take a photo of my own exhibit, but spent most of the weekend having great chats with visitors and other exhibitors and completely forgot to take any other photos.
A really excellent weekend at @computinghistory.org.uk thanks to @heredragons.be
Boing Ball on a ZXSpectrum!
A really excellent weekend at @computinghistory.org.uk thanks to @heredragons.be
Boing Ball on a ZXSpectrum!
November 16, 2025 at 10:31 PM
I remembered to take a photo of my own exhibit, but spent most of the weekend having great chats with visitors and other exhibitors and completely forgot to take any other photos.
A really excellent weekend at @computinghistory.org.uk thanks to @heredragons.be
Boing Ball on a ZXSpectrum!
A really excellent weekend at @computinghistory.org.uk thanks to @heredragons.be
Boing Ball on a ZXSpectrum!