I've just added YouTube to my list of muted words. I can't stand the over-the-top hysterical format of the cover images that infests the platform today. Now, the format works because it appeals to emotions, but in today's polarized environment we need more facts and fewer emotions.

1/3 Has anyone reading this ever given your email address to a web site simply because it popped up a box asking for it? If I'm interested in a site I'll give an email address only AFTER I've read the article I came to read, and also checked out the site. 100% of the time, no reason to give email.

1/6 I'm disappointed with ‪@skylargrayson.bsky.social‬. I criticised one of her posts as clickbait, and instead of asking for clarification she blocked me and cut off all further communication. The post was "Add it to the list of space mysteries" and a video; I saw it as clickbait because the post

Here's the Symbolics keyboard I referred to in my earlier post. Credit (URL mangled to prevent Bluesky from linking to it): httq://xahlee.info/kbd/iold51593/symbolics_keyboard_pn_365407_348de-s1300.jpg

(1/3) In the 1980s, the Symbolics company marketed a keyboard with modifier keys Meta, Super, and Hyper in addition to the now common Shift and Control, but without an Alt key. (Today, "Windows" and "Apple" often take the role of Meta or Super.) I've come up with a layout with 8 more modifiers.

I've added #photography to my list of muted words. Far too many using this tag simply post photographs with zero supporting information: where it was taken, approximately when, and if the photo is theirs or not. Social media makes it too easy to steal others' work. Give credit where credit is due.

Outright blocking someone making a comment you don't like does not make for healthy conversations. Sure, block people who post downright hateful or racist crap; they're not worth engaging with. But blocking someone who merely asked for better information? This world needs better information!

So far I've been blocked (not merely muted) by two people who posted photographs (or AI) with no context or attribution and I asked them about it. If something is yours, own it. If it's not yours, acknowledge its origins.

This is strange. I briefly followed Olga Nesterova, then removed her because she was consuming 90% of the posts in my following tab. I quite appreciate her reporting, but now she's completely disappeared from my Discovery feed. Right now I have to follow her in a separate browser window.

Do product designers even THINK? Garmin Drive 52 GPS nav unit has area on back for dash mount, 45 mm in diameter. Within is serial number: 9 chars in tiny area 5×1mm, grey ink on black BG. Data Matrix code too, 5mm square but contrast so bad phone camera can't scan it. Usable area 30x30mm. USE IT!