Sandra Gornall
@gornall.bsky.social
Web person. Ex-librarian. Ex-X.
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
Blistering piece on ed tech in @economist.com.
‘Although ed-tech companies tout huge learning gains, independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it.’
economist.com/united-state...
‘Although ed-tech companies tout huge learning gains, independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it.’
economist.com/united-state...
Ed tech is profitable. It is also mostly useless
Independent research identifies few learning gains
economist.com
January 24, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Blistering piece on ed tech in @economist.com.
‘Although ed-tech companies tout huge learning gains, independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it.’
economist.com/united-state...
‘Although ed-tech companies tout huge learning gains, independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it.’
economist.com/united-state...
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
One of my old friends (absolutely offline) was going through some scary stuff last year -- and I, helpless, live so far away. And so I asked what I could do to support her best.
"When you see something that makes you think of me, text me."
"When you see something that makes you think of me, text me."
January 5, 2026 at 11:53 PM
One of my old friends (absolutely offline) was going through some scary stuff last year -- and I, helpless, live so far away. And so I asked what I could do to support her best.
"When you see something that makes you think of me, text me."
"When you see something that makes you think of me, text me."
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
An article I would like to read from a great UX designer:
An indepth breakdown of when chat based interfaces are preferable and a better solution than point and click software inputs.
I haven't seen much discussion on this topic and it feels quite important.
An indepth breakdown of when chat based interfaces are preferable and a better solution than point and click software inputs.
I haven't seen much discussion on this topic and it feels quite important.
December 30, 2025 at 12:50 PM
An article I would like to read from a great UX designer:
An indepth breakdown of when chat based interfaces are preferable and a better solution than point and click software inputs.
I haven't seen much discussion on this topic and it feels quite important.
An indepth breakdown of when chat based interfaces are preferable and a better solution than point and click software inputs.
I haven't seen much discussion on this topic and it feels quite important.
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
Darkness and cold, darkness and cold
December 11, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Darkness and cold, darkness and cold
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
I had an interesting set of interactions w AI-generated content that I think is instructive. A very bright student made a claim in an essay that struck me as outlandish, so I searched the question on Google which turned up that phrasing the search a certain way makes the AI summary agree w the claim
November 28, 2025 at 2:18 PM
I had an interesting set of interactions w AI-generated content that I think is instructive. A very bright student made a claim in an essay that struck me as outlandish, so I searched the question on Google which turned up that phrasing the search a certain way makes the AI summary agree w the claim
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
This study show that using poems to jailbreak LLMs is... super effective? What the heck.
November 20, 2025 at 5:36 PM
This study show that using poems to jailbreak LLMs is... super effective? What the heck.
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
Q. Who aligns the aligners?
A. alignmentalignment.ai
Today I’m humbled to announce an epoch-defining event: the launch of the 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.
A. alignmentalignment.ai
Today I’m humbled to announce an epoch-defining event: the launch of the 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.
Center for the Alignment of AI Alignment Centers
We align the aligners
alignmentalignment.ai
September 11, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Q. Who aligns the aligners?
A. alignmentalignment.ai
Today I’m humbled to announce an epoch-defining event: the launch of the 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.
A. alignmentalignment.ai
Today I’m humbled to announce an epoch-defining event: the launch of the 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
I Deleted My Second Brain. Why I Erased 10,000 Notes, 7 Years of Ideas, and Every Thought I Tried to Save. “Instead of accelerating my thinking, it began to replace it. Instead of aiding memory, it froze my curiosity into static categories.” [joanwestenberg.com]
I Deleted My Second Brain
Why I Erased 10,000 Notes, 7 Years of Ideas, and Every Thought I Tried to Save
www.joanwestenberg.com
July 8, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I Deleted My Second Brain. Why I Erased 10,000 Notes, 7 Years of Ideas, and Every Thought I Tried to Save. “Instead of accelerating my thinking, it began to replace it. Instead of aiding memory, it froze my curiosity into static categories.” [joanwestenberg.com]
Every product needs to do this. Or - here's a radical idea - make simpler interfaces for EVERYONE.
Uber’s senior accounts, with larger typeface and fewer buttons, are now widely available
Uber’s senior accounts, with larger typeface and fewer buttons, are now widely available
Can non-seniors also opt for fewer buttons?
buff.ly
June 4, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Every product needs to do this. Or - here's a radical idea - make simpler interfaces for EVERYONE.
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
Remember when the whole internet wasn't just on four sites on people's phones? LET'S GO BACK TO A WEBSITE homestarrunner.com/toons/backto...
Back to the Crazebox! - Toons Back To A Website
Strong Bad and Homestar celebrate 25 years of dot commery.
homestarrunner.com
April 18, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Remember when the whole internet wasn't just on four sites on people's phones? LET'S GO BACK TO A WEBSITE homestarrunner.com/toons/backto...
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
Shriekback's "Oil and Gold" is flat out one of the best albums of the 80s. Huge for me. Rest easy Dave Allen.
A really nice man and a brilliant bass player.
April 6, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Shriekback's "Oil and Gold" is flat out one of the best albums of the 80s. Huge for me. Rest easy Dave Allen.
Reading about people preserving old media always makes me happy. "Preservation is an act of collective willpower."
I talked to @dhm.bsky.social and @papapishu.bsky.social about the principles and practice of preserving both important and less-important video, and one of my favorite weird American performers, Ricky Jay. defector.com/someone-has-...
Someone Has To Save The Film And TV That Studios Won’t | Defector
HBO had a series of legendary stand-up specials in the 1990s, and one of the best of those came from a performer who was not a comedian. Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants was incredibly funny, but Jay w...
defector.com
February 17, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Reading about people preserving old media always makes me happy. "Preservation is an act of collective willpower."
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
New from 404 Media: Low quality books that appear to be AI generated are making their way into public libraries, forcing librarians to sort through a functionally infinite number of books to determine what is written by humans and what is generated by AI.
www.404media.co/ai-generated...
www.404media.co/ai-generated...
AI-Generated Slop Is Already In Your Public Library
Librarians say that taxpayers are already paying for low quality AI-generated ebooks in public libraries.
www.404media.co
February 4, 2025 at 2:50 PM
New from 404 Media: Low quality books that appear to be AI generated are making their way into public libraries, forcing librarians to sort through a functionally infinite number of books to determine what is written by humans and what is generated by AI.
www.404media.co/ai-generated...
www.404media.co/ai-generated...
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
This Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner report from December of last year is interesting reading on the Toronto Public Library cyberattack - contains a number of details that to my knowledge have not been made public before: www.ipc.on.ca/en/cases-of-...
Toronto Public Library Cyberattack: Importance of reasonable security measures and notifying affected individuals under MFIPPA
A cyberattack on the Toronto Public Library exposed vulnerabilities in its systems that contained a significant number of individuals’ personal information. Read the closing letter to learn about how...
www.ipc.on.ca
January 13, 2025 at 8:19 PM
This Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner report from December of last year is interesting reading on the Toronto Public Library cyberattack - contains a number of details that to my knowledge have not been made public before: www.ipc.on.ca/en/cases-of-...
Stop using generative AI as a search engine. Seriously, just stop.
www.theverge.com/2024/12/5/24...
www.theverge.com/2024/12/5/24...
Stop using generative AI as a search engine
Sometimes ChatGPT spits out something original — and wrong, like fake presidential pardons.
www.theverge.com
December 11, 2024 at 7:24 PM
Stop using generative AI as a search engine. Seriously, just stop.
www.theverge.com/2024/12/5/24...
www.theverge.com/2024/12/5/24...
Reposted by Sandra Gornall
This is Cabel Sasser’s XOXO talk. Best not to know anything going into it…just watch all the way to the end. “Don’t waste this. Keep everyone guessing. Make me proud.” [youtube.com]
Cabel Sasser, Panic - XOXO Festival (2024)
“Don’t waste this. Keep everyone guessing. Make me proud.” When Panic co-founder Cabel Sasser spoke at our second festival in 2013, the Mac software company had just started venturing into games by funding the studio behind Firewatch, an indie blockbuster that launched Panic’s games publishing busin
www.youtube.com
October 15, 2024 at 9:52 PM
This is Cabel Sasser’s XOXO talk. Best not to know anything going into it…just watch all the way to the end. “Don’t waste this. Keep everyone guessing. Make me proud.” [youtube.com]