Olivier Forget
@olivierforget.net
Aerospace engineer turned developer and entepreneur. https://olivierforget.net Interested in web and user agency on the net. Building https://dropserver.org
Reposted by Olivier Forget
I've been listening to a lot of playlists lately and wanting a way to learn more about the currently playing artist without pulling out my phone. I put together a little raspberry pi setup to sit on our shelves and display info about the current playing artist.
November 6, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I've been listening to a lot of playlists lately and wanting a way to learn more about the currently playing artist without pulling out my phone. I put together a little raspberry pi setup to sit on our shelves and display info about the current playing artist.
"There are still questions of whether the internet is worth building on and what to build. "
wat ?
wat ?
Takeaways from #eurosky: big tech social media displaced journalism, a core pillar of democracy, and has been bad for society. EU lawmakers want European, privacy-centered tech. There are still questions of whether the internet is worth building on and what to build. But they are talking about it
November 21, 2025 at 4:05 AM
"There are still questions of whether the internet is worth building on and what to build. "
wat ?
wat ?
Reposted by Olivier Forget
Dearly lacking discourse in local-first... the prerequisites for "data ownership" is it must be freely addressable (e.g. via the file system) and one must be able to adversarially do things with it (e.g. open/ubiquitous formats).
Having data in indexeddb is no more "owned" than having it in an http cache. Both are on your hard drive. Both are obscure formats you can't and won't do anything with. Data ownership requires using open formats. Almost no one doing local-first is even trying to do that.
November 20, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Dearly lacking discourse in local-first... the prerequisites for "data ownership" is it must be freely addressable (e.g. via the file system) and one must be able to adversarially do things with it (e.g. open/ubiquitous formats).
The future is now!
2025 is the year of sharing... a file.. between two devices!!
🎉🎊🍾🥂
2025 is the year of sharing... a file.. between two devices!!
🎉🎊🍾🥂
November 20, 2025 at 11:05 PM
The future is now!
2025 is the year of sharing... a file.. between two devices!!
🎉🎊🍾🥂
2025 is the year of sharing... a file.. between two devices!!
🎉🎊🍾🥂
Reposted by Olivier Forget
Since I just had reason to use it again, this is an appreciation post for the always-reliable
Crontab.guru - The cron schedule expression generator
An easy to use editor for crontab schedules.
crontab.guru
November 20, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Since I just had reason to use it again, this is an appreciation post for the always-reliable
Reposted by Olivier Forget
Thriving in independent media for 25 years, without a) getting hoovered into some larger media org & subsequently axed, b) getting ruined by some hedge fund guy, c) falling afoul of any short-lived "pivot to video" style trends, or d) going broke...
... is a genuinely remarkable achievement! Kudos.
... is a genuinely remarkable achievement! Kudos.
PHOTOS: TPM Celebrates Our 25-Year Anniversary in NYC talkingpointsmemo.com/gallery/phot...
PHOTOS: TPM Celebrates Our 25-Year Anniversary in NYC
We rang in our 25th anniversary in style last week, hosting a...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Thriving in independent media for 25 years, without a) getting hoovered into some larger media org & subsequently axed, b) getting ruined by some hedge fund guy, c) falling afoul of any short-lived "pivot to video" style trends, or d) going broke...
... is a genuinely remarkable achievement! Kudos.
... is a genuinely remarkable achievement! Kudos.
Reposted by Olivier Forget
This is, of course, a fascinating thread from Kate asking why Google is effectively cannibalizing its own market for both digital ads on third party properties and search ads, by effectively taking away the incentive to click through to third party sites. I have a theory as to why they're doing it.
So this ad revenue metric is indicative of such a fascinating and weird set of business decisions by Google to inexplicably kill of SEO-- and I honestly don't get how they think this is going to pay off for them in the long run.
🧵
1/
🧵
1/
Stereogum says Google's switch to AI Overviews reduced its ad revenue by *70 percent* www.theverge.com/entertainmen...
November 18, 2025 at 9:26 PM
This is, of course, a fascinating thread from Kate asking why Google is effectively cannibalizing its own market for both digital ads on third party properties and search ads, by effectively taking away the incentive to click through to third party sites. I have a theory as to why they're doing it.
As an engineer first and software guy second, I really feel this.
Ethics is an important part of engineering education. You don’t cut corners or fib results! People might die if you do (ask Boeing about this if you don’t believe me.)
Ethics is an important part of engineering education. You don’t cut corners or fib results! People might die if you do (ask Boeing about this if you don’t believe me.)
Oath of the Engineer: "In my profession I take deep pride. To it I owe solemn obligations. ... I shall participate in none but honest enterprises. ... In the performance of duty, and in fidelity to my profession, I shall give the utmost."
Oath of the Software Engineer: Fuck it we ball
Oath of the Software Engineer: Fuck it we ball
Microsoft warns that Windows 11's agentic AI could install malware on your PC: "Only enable this feature if you understand the security implications"
Microsoft is pushing ahead with its plan to add agentic capabilities to Windows 11 but has issued an important security warning for anyone who is interested in trying it out.
www.windowscentral.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:11 PM
As an engineer first and software guy second, I really feel this.
Ethics is an important part of engineering education. You don’t cut corners or fib results! People might die if you do (ask Boeing about this if you don’t believe me.)
Ethics is an important part of engineering education. You don’t cut corners or fib results! People might die if you do (ask Boeing about this if you don’t believe me.)
Reposted by Olivier Forget
I've built a new library that provides a local-first like experience but without the complexity. Count Cachula takes a different approach; it uses the Cache API, the stale-while-revalidate pattern, server-sent events and cache tags to give you the same full-sync experience.
Count Cachula - Local-first performance without the complexity
Count Cachula - Stale-while-revalidate caching for modern web apps
countcachula.spooky.click
November 17, 2025 at 8:28 PM
I've built a new library that provides a local-first like experience but without the complexity. Count Cachula takes a different approach; it uses the Cache API, the stale-while-revalidate pattern, server-sent events and cache tags to give you the same full-sync experience.
Reposted by Olivier Forget
This is a great milestone to see for Mastodon, in evolving towards its new community-focused governance structure. I’m optimistic about what this portends for the platform and how its features & future evolve. (And it’s fun that I was there for the photo being taken!) techcrunch.com/2025/11/18/m...
Mastodon CEO steps down as the social network restructures | TechCrunch
Eugen Rochko is stepping down as CEO of decentralized social network Mastodon. Felix Hlatky will now become the Executive Director as the company become structured as a nonprofit government by a board...
techcrunch.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:58 PM
This is a great milestone to see for Mastodon, in evolving towards its new community-focused governance structure. I’m optimistic about what this portends for the platform and how its features & future evolve. (And it’s fun that I was there for the photo being taken!) techcrunch.com/2025/11/18/m...
Reposted by Olivier Forget
some other familiar grocery store names that are brands for producer-owned agricultural co-ops:
Blue Diamond
Bob's Red Mill
Land O'Lakes
Tillamook
Welch's
Blue Diamond
Bob's Red Mill
Land O'Lakes
Tillamook
Welch's
My #SuperlativeCannedGoo tweet from the old place is making rounds again. Support co-op cranberry growers!
November 17, 2025 at 2:44 AM
some other familiar grocery store names that are brands for producer-owned agricultural co-ops:
Blue Diamond
Bob's Red Mill
Land O'Lakes
Tillamook
Welch's
Blue Diamond
Bob's Red Mill
Land O'Lakes
Tillamook
Welch's
Reposted by Olivier Forget
Bought an M1 iMac back in 2021, spec’d up enough to reach £2049.
Went though the Apple trade in flow to see how much they will give me now… £130 ⚰️
Went though the Apple trade in flow to see how much they will give me now… £130 ⚰️
November 16, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Bought an M1 iMac back in 2021, spec’d up enough to reach £2049.
Went though the Apple trade in flow to see how much they will give me now… £130 ⚰️
Went though the Apple trade in flow to see how much they will give me now… £130 ⚰️
Dropserver progress update for October 2025: I talk about shipping for the Mac and for Linux on arm64 🎉 plus some work on the Windows version.
Also, some talk about sandboxing on MacOS.
olivierforget.net/blog/2025/dr...
Also, some talk about sandboxing on MacOS.
olivierforget.net/blog/2025/dr...
Dropserver Progress - October 2025
Olivier Forget's Personal Blog
olivierforget.net
November 15, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Dropserver progress update for October 2025: I talk about shipping for the Mac and for Linux on arm64 🎉 plus some work on the Windows version.
Also, some talk about sandboxing on MacOS.
olivierforget.net/blog/2025/dr...
Also, some talk about sandboxing on MacOS.
olivierforget.net/blog/2025/dr...
Reposted by Olivier Forget
I've always found the OAuth auth flow sequence diagram to be useful to understand how what gets passed where and when.
Here's the AT Protocol OAuth Authorization flow as a mermaid diagram.
Is this useful for anyone else? tangled.org/strings/alex...
If something's not accurate, let me know!
Here's the AT Protocol OAuth Authorization flow as a mermaid diagram.
Is this useful for anyone else? tangled.org/strings/alex...
If something's not accurate, let me know!
November 14, 2025 at 11:33 PM
I've always found the OAuth auth flow sequence diagram to be useful to understand how what gets passed where and when.
Here's the AT Protocol OAuth Authorization flow as a mermaid diagram.
Is this useful for anyone else? tangled.org/strings/alex...
If something's not accurate, let me know!
Here's the AT Protocol OAuth Authorization flow as a mermaid diagram.
Is this useful for anyone else? tangled.org/strings/alex...
If something's not accurate, let me know!
I've been tempted to record my screen while I scroll down quickly on one of those sites. If you scroll fast enough (not crazy fast, just "I'm busy and I'm looking for something fast") all you see is the background of the page. Like, it's blank.
I'd do it and post about it, but, I'm busy.
I'd do it and post about it, but, I'm busy.
Last 5 years (?) everyone's been making websites where when you scroll down new stuff fades in. It's so counterproductive and distracting and it makes me so mad so mad so mad.
What is this called? Where's the blog post explaining how much it sucks that I can send to people who use it?
What is this called? Where's the blog post explaining how much it sucks that I can send to people who use it?
November 14, 2025 at 7:55 PM
I've been tempted to record my screen while I scroll down quickly on one of those sites. If you scroll fast enough (not crazy fast, just "I'm busy and I'm looking for something fast") all you see is the background of the page. Like, it's blank.
I'd do it and post about it, but, I'm busy.
I'd do it and post about it, but, I'm busy.
Reposted by Olivier Forget
also just chuck everything behind @tailscale.com so your boxes don't get popped due to running something ancient.
the best way to run a homelab is to set everything up once and NEVER UPGRADE ANYTHING ever
November 14, 2025 at 2:04 PM
also just chuck everything behind @tailscale.com so your boxes don't get popped due to running something ancient.
Reposted by Olivier Forget
Your periodic reminder that most CLI password prompts accept Ctrl+U to fully clear input so you can try again. Leave that backspace key alone.
November 13, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Your periodic reminder that most CLI password prompts accept Ctrl+U to fully clear input so you can try again. Leave that backspace key alone.
Reposted by Olivier Forget
Making the web work with no-JavaScript is a noble goal, but it tends to lose credibility when folks neglect accessibility in their pursuit of it. So, now when people say no-JS or CSS-only, I'm immediately skeptical.
November 13, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Making the web work with no-JavaScript is a noble goal, but it tends to lose credibility when folks neglect accessibility in their pursuit of it. So, now when people say no-JS or CSS-only, I'm immediately skeptical.
Reposted by Olivier Forget
"The mainstream understanding of AI is as an interefering piece of shit which doesn't work" pt II
www.askamanager.org/2025/11/the-...
www.askamanager.org/2025/11/the-...
November 12, 2025 at 8:47 PM
"The mainstream understanding of AI is as an interefering piece of shit which doesn't work" pt II
www.askamanager.org/2025/11/the-...
www.askamanager.org/2025/11/the-...
The ratio of ratios on this is epic.
November 12, 2025 at 11:14 PM
The ratio of ratios on this is epic.
Reposted by Olivier Forget
What happened with the P2P computing movement of the 2000's?
November 10, 2025 at 7:42 PM
What happened with the P2P computing movement of the 2000's?
Another very cool website. And very useful too if you're shopping for a cargo bike.
guys someone made a "plan your stable of cargo bikes" app: bikes.louiseveillard.com?bikes=super-...
like that 'look how big pickup trucks have got' website, but all the vehicles are awesome
like that 'look how big pickup trucks have got' website, but all the vehicles are awesome
Cargo Bikes Size Comparator
Compare the real size of cargo bikes easily.
bikes.louiseveillard.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Another very cool website. And very useful too if you're shopping for a cargo bike.
Reposted by Olivier Forget
This is huge: graze.leaflet.pub/3m4yjmbnyec2c
Journalists are organizers – like political organizers – but of information, knowledge, and culture.
In my most humble opinion, I think journalists _need_ to be using tools like this, on their own terms. It's scary, but so is being a socialist in NYC.
Journalists are organizers – like political organizers – but of information, knowledge, and culture.
In my most humble opinion, I think journalists _need_ to be using tools like this, on their own terms. It's scary, but so is being a socialist in NYC.
About The Other Night... - Graze Newsletter
How Graze is defining the next era of a decentralized, open social attention economy.
graze.leaflet.pub
November 7, 2025 at 12:17 AM
This is huge: graze.leaflet.pub/3m4yjmbnyec2c
Journalists are organizers – like political organizers – but of information, knowledge, and culture.
In my most humble opinion, I think journalists _need_ to be using tools like this, on their own terms. It's scary, but so is being a socialist in NYC.
Journalists are organizers – like political organizers – but of information, knowledge, and culture.
In my most humble opinion, I think journalists _need_ to be using tools like this, on their own terms. It's scary, but so is being a socialist in NYC.
Reposted by Olivier Forget
Write code to make being human easier. Rip code out if it makes being human harder. Write code to make caring for each other easier. Rip it out if it makes caring for each other harder.
Empathy driven development has literally never failed me. It’s done me better than everything else combined
Empathy driven development has literally never failed me. It’s done me better than everything else combined
October 21, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Write code to make being human easier. Rip code out if it makes being human harder. Write code to make caring for each other easier. Rip it out if it makes caring for each other harder.
Empathy driven development has literally never failed me. It’s done me better than everything else combined
Empathy driven development has literally never failed me. It’s done me better than everything else combined
Reposted by Olivier Forget
Truly personal AI will require credible exit for agent memory. The alternative is gacha game girlfriend AI. Credible exit helps reduce the principle-agent problem by letting you pick up and leave.
November 6, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Truly personal AI will require credible exit for agent memory. The alternative is gacha game girlfriend AI. Credible exit helps reduce the principle-agent problem by letting you pick up and leave.