like
· · to read
Judd Legum (@juddlegum@journa.host) (Mastodon)
More predictions from the guy who said Elon Musk would save Twitter RT @jack@twitter.com There are only three truly censorship resistant technologies at scale today: tor, bitcoin, and nostr. All are currently niche…showing most of the world doesn’t actually care about censorship. Granted, these technologies aren’t yet accessible or easy to use. But…they will be! 🐦🔗: /jack/status/1666076985242836993
repost
· · to read
Brian C. Keegan (@bkeegan@hci.social) (🌱 hci.social)
Since some consequences of climate change have trickled up to the bigwigs concentrated in a narrow stretch between DC and Boston, there’s an approximately 48-hour window to remind them that this is only a preview of coming attractions unless we immediately invest in alternatives to the status quo. At the end of the 48 hours, these arguments will return to their default state of being fringe ideas promoted by woke leftists unmoored from real world concerns like preserving the status quo.
repost
· · to read

The “#a11y is not accessible” discussion wants to get back to the early 2010s.

It’s a signifier, for some users (for example who are dyslexic) it’s easier to type, you need some explanation, like any in-group language. Even accessibility needs explanation.

It’s not a big deal and the energy is better used elsewhere.

https://www.a11yproject.com/posts/a11y-and-other-numeronyms/

#accessibility

(Edit: LOL mistyped accessibility in the hashtag…)

—@yatil

repost
· · to read

You never see time travelers use salt in get-rich schemes, but for a few bucks at the supermarket you can have salt of quality and quantity rarely seen in the ancient world. Show up to feasts and just hand the salt around. Make it rain salt. You’d be able to get plenty of shiny rocks for that.

But no, time travelers always bring gold. Never salt. Despite the fact that “salary” literally comes from the Roman word for salt.

Basically, go back in time, bring salt, exchange salt for worthless trinkets, return to future, make a killing on the antiquities market.

For that matter, show up with some stainless steel. Or what about aluminum? The ancient world would go apeshit over aluminum.

And that’s saying nothing of going back in time and being a wizard because you remember a little calculus from high school. Hell, the concept of zero and Arabic numerals would blow their minds when used at the right time.

What about going back in time and bringing refined sugar? You could print your own money.

But no, they always do the boring thing.

—@intransitivelie

like
· · to read
Dave Rahardja (@drahardja@sfba.social) (SFBA.social)
The ultimate grift of #longtermism, of course, is that its proponents want you to focus on some abstract future *waves hands* grand problem/grand solution, and ignore the ones right in front of us today, because they are profiting handsomely by exacerbating today’s problems. Some religious organizations also work this way. They are all grifts as well. #TESCREAL
repost
· · to read

It’s amazing to me that we’ve built a system where you’re punished for trying to do the right thing and rewarded for fucking things up.

Want to build a better web? Sure, man. Sounds great. How about you toil under financial insecurity and spend inordinate amounts of time worrying about keeping a roof over your head? That should be fun.

By the way, why isn’t it ready yet? Look at what those billionaires are achieving. What’ve they got that you don’t?

Hmm, let me think about that for a second…

—@aral

repost
· · to read

I don’t know who needs to hear this but abandoning that open source project that is burning you out is not a personal failure.

You can just mark it as unmaintained and walk away.

Maybe someone else will pick it up.

Maybe they won’t.

It’s not a child. You don’t have to raise it to adulthood.

—@dreid