On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Secrets in the Static https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/04/19/secrets-static.html #freeculture #bookclub
iPhone Fold: New Leak Corroborates Camera Setup on Outer Display
Further details have emerged about the camera system on Apple’s upcoming foldable iPhone, informally dubbed the “iPhone Fold.”
Expected to launch next year, Apple’s book-style foldable is rumored to feature a 7.8-inch crease-free internal display and a 5.5-inch external screen. According to industry analyst [Ming-Chi Kuo](https … ⌘ Read more
Foldable iPhone Resolutions Leak With Under-Screen Camera Tipped
Apple’s upcoming foldable iPhone (or “iPhone Fold”) will feature two screens as part of its book-style design, and a Chinese leaker claims to know the resolutions for both of them.
According to the Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station, the inner display, which is approximately 7.76 i … ⌘ Read more
10 Great Comic Book Castings Wasted on Bad Scripts
Casting comic book characters onto the big (or small) screen is tricky. Unlike regular novels, these superpowered stories come with vivid illustrations of every plot beat. As such, fans have clear pictures of how the characters should look and act. Maybe that’s why they scrutinize these adaptations so closely. It’s painfully apparent when the wrong […]
The post [10 Great Comic Book Castings Wasted on Bad Scripts](https://listverse … ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Nose Ears, part 3 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/04/12/nose-ears-3.html #freeculture #bookclub
This book made me a happier person ⌘ Read more
She didn’t come to read books ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Nose Ears, part 2 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/04/05/nose-ears-2.html #freeculture #bookclub
10 Interesting Stories Behind Famous TV Catchphrases
Catchphrases are common in many TV shows—from Joey asking “How you doin’?” in Friends to McGarrett’s “Book ’em, Danno” in Hawaii Five-O. Some catchphrases have even become so popular that they’ve outlasted the show they originally came from. Being such cultural juggernauts, you might think these catchphrases were expertly crafted for maximum impact. But they’re […]
The post [10 Interesting Stories Behind Famous TV Catchphrases … ⌘ Read more
5 self-help books that changed my life ⌘ Read more
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I have just received the royalties for the last book: 98 euros for the four-month period, about 24 euros a month on average. Not even enough for the gym membership.
If you have to keep some knowledge: don't write for money, the paper (or ebook) industry is in a very bad way, the margins for the author are very small and piracy is devastating.
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well, there is a whole book about piracy, DRM and selling stuff on the internet.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_Doesn%27t_Want_to_Be_Free
So I won’t add much to the topic, what I can say is that this is about being pragmatic. There is some people who’s gonna spend their money on books but it requires publicity (polemic topic) and subsidizing creativity with our own money (another controversial one).
Otherwise it’s a difficult discipline /profession /industry
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I have just received the royalties for the last book: 98 euros for the four-month period, about 24 euros a month on average. Not even enough for the gym membership.
If you have to keep some knowledge: don't write for money, the paper (or ebook) industry is in a very bad way, the margins for the author are very small and piracy is devastating.
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@prologic@twtxt.net @eapl.me@eapl.me I want to highlight another social problem: People don’t read. Paper industry is a bad moment because people don’t pay for books; it does not matter if it is a physical or digital platform. I have this information because I have a good friend who left the industry after publishing a magazine, books and working in an editorial. DRM is a try to give some more money.
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I have just received the royalties for the last book: 98 euros for the four-month period, about 24 euros a month on average. Not even enough for the gym membership.
If you have to keep some knowledge: don't write for money, the paper (or ebook) industry is in a very bad way, the margins for the author are very small and piracy is devastating.
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well, that leads to a long conversation.
Piracy is a difficult topic which is very personal, so I won’t say much about it.
On writing books, I’ve tried along with other digital products such as courses and videogames, and I got to confess that it has been hard for me.
If it helps, I think it all reaches our expectations on the activity and the result. If royalties is the expectation, it’s going to be slow. By 5% of royalties, for a rough example, a huge amount of sales will be required to get a decent “wage”, so I’ve understood of doing it by the side of a normal employment although it has been discouraging and a bit sad.
I have reflected about it in Spanish here: https://sembrandojuegos.substack.com/p/sobre-expectativas-al-crear-juegos
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I have just received the royalties for the last book: 98 euros for the four-month period, about 24 euros a month on average. Not even enough for the gym membership.
If you have to keep some knowledge: don't write for money, the paper (or ebook) industry is in a very bad way, the margins for the author are very small and piracy is devastating.
⤋ Read More
@prologic@twtxt.net Fully agreed. I’m far more likely to buy such mediums when DRM-free. I never go near Amazon eBooks etc because of their lock-in, and I have a Kobo eReader which needs to have the books side loaded unless directly from the Kobo store. I prefer DRM-free files every time.
(#cs6lodq) @andros@andros That’s a shame. But here’s the thing about piracy. If I could download a PDF or MP3/OGG of a Book I’d happil …
@andros @twtxt.andros.dev That’s a shame. But here’s the thing about piracy. If I could download a PDF or MP3/OGG of a Book I’d happily pay for this. If I could download an MP3/OGG of some Music I would pay for this. If I could download an MP4 of a Movie I would pay for this.
The reason piracy exists at all is economic … ⌘ Read more
I have just received the royalties for the last book: 98 euros for the four-month period, about 24 euros a month on average. Not even enough for the gym membership.
If you have to keep some knowledge: don’t write for money, the paper (or ebook) industry is in a very bad way, the margins for the author are very small and piracy is devastating.
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Nose Ears, part 1 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/03/29/nose-ears-1.html #freeculture #bookclub
iPhone Foldable Display Said to Feature iPad-Style 4:3 Aspect Ratio
Apple’s upcoming “iPhone Fold” will feature a foldable screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, according to a Chinese leaker who previously leaked the book-style device’s display dimensions.
The Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station claims that Apple will adopt a “roughly” 4:3 aspe … ⌘ Read more
‘iPhone Fold’ to Feature Metallic Glass Hinge That Resists Deformation
Last week, we covered a report claiming that Apple’s book-style foldable iPhone (or “iPhone Fold,” as we are provisionally calling it here) will use liquid metal hinges to improve durability and help minimize screen creasing. Today, a Chinese leaker provided more details on the properties of this hinge material that help to clarify why Apple chose it for its first foldable device.
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Wow, phishing is just around the corner 👀
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@eapl.me@eapl.me Interesting! Two points stood right out to me:
Why the hell are e-mail newsletters considered a valid option in the first place? Just offer an Atom feed and be done with it! Especially for a blog of this very type. This doesn’t even involve a third party service. Although, in addition he also links to Feedburner, what the fuck!? No e-mail address or the like is needed and subject to being disclosed.
When these spam mailers want to prevent resubscribing, then for fuck’s sake, why don’t they use a hash of the e-mail address (I saw that in yarnd) for that purpose? Storing the e-mail address in clear text after unsubscribing is illegal in my book.
10 Real-Life Crimes Inspired by Fiction
Fictional stories are meant to entertain, provoke thought, or even inspire—but sometimes, they inspire people in the worst way possible. Throughout history, there have been disturbing cases where individuals committed real-life crimes after being influenced by movies, books, TV shows, or even video games. Whether driven by delusions, obsession, or a desire to mimic their […]
The post [10 Real-Life Crimes Inspired by Fiction](https://listverse.com/2025/ … ⌘ Read more
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i really wanna learn golang it looks fun and capable and i can read it kind of but every time i try it i'm immediately stuck on basic concepts like "what the fuck is a pointer" (this has been explained to me and i still don't get it). i did have types explained to me as like notes on code which makes sense a bit but i'm mostly lost on basic code concepts
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@kat@yarn.girlonthemoon.xyz Pointers can be a bit tricky. I know it took me also quite some time to wrap my head around them. Let my try to explain. It’s a pretty simple, yet very powerful concept with many facets to it.
A pointer is an indirection. At a lower level, when you have some chunk of memory, you can have some actual values sitting in there, ready for direct use. A pointer, on the other hand, points to some other location where to look for the values one’s actually after. Following that pointer is also called dereferencing the pointer.
I can’t come up with a good real-world example, so this poor comparison has to do. It’s a bit like you have a book (the real value that is being pointed to) and an ISBN referencing that book (the pointer). So, instead of sending you all these many pages from that book, I could give you just a small tag containing the ISBN. With that small piece of information, you’re able to locate the book. Probably a copy of that book and that’s where this analogy falls apart.
In contrast to that flawed comparision, it’s actually the other way around. Many different pointers can point to the same value. But there are many books (values) and just one ISBN (pointer).
The pointer’s target might actually be another pointer. You typically then would follow both of them. There are no limits on how long your pointer chains can become.
One important property of pointers is that they can also point into nothingness, signalling a dead end. This is typically called a null pointer. Following such a null pointer calls for big trouble, it typically crashes your program. Hence, you must never follow any null pointer.
Pointers are important for example in linked lists, trees or graphs. Let’s look at a doubly linked list. One entry could be a triple consisting of (actual value, pointer to next entry, pointer to previous entry).
_______________________
/ ________\_______________
↓ ↓ | \
+---+---+---+ +---+---+-|-+ +---+---+-|-+
| 7 | n | x | | 23| n | p | | 42| x | p |
+---+-|-+---+ +---+-|-+---+ +---+---+---+
| ↑ | ↑
\_______/ \_______/
The “x” indicates a null pointer. So, the first element of the doubly linked list with value 7 does not have any reference to a previous element. The same is true for the next element pointer in the last element with value 42.
In the middle element with value 23, both pointers to the next (labeled “n”) and previous (labeled “p”) elements are pointing to the respective elements.
You can also see that the middle element is pointed to by two pointers. By the “next” pointer in the first element and the “previous” pointer in the last element.
That’s it for now. There are heaps ;-) more things to tell about pointers. But it might help you a tiny bit.
(#xnhs6rq) @andros@andros Is this a book republished as a Markdown doc on GitHub or written that way?
@andros @twtxt.andros.dev Is this a book republished as a Markdown doc on GitHub or written that way? ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Sulphur Nimbus https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/03/22/sulphur-nimbus.html #freeculture #bookclub
The Compressed Book Edition
Image: The Compressed Book Edition. Image by Marie Verdeil and Hugo Lopez.
_The Compressed Edition is available in our bookshop as a [paperback](https://www.lulu.com/shop/kris-de-decker/low-tech-magazine-2007-2021-the-compressed-edition/paperback/product-jeqeevm.html?page=1&page … ⌘ Read more
** A day off **
I didn’t go to work today. Six month ago I took the day off when I made my kids a dentist appointment. So, this morning I took them to the dentist where we played Mario Kart in the waiting room on the Nintendo the dentist keeps set up there.
After that, I dropped them each at school and picked up my dad and took him to Costco and to the Chinese takeaway place. While he gossiped with the folks at the takeaway I started Sally Rooney’s Normal People. I’m late to this book, but enjoying it right away.
After all th … ⌘ Read more
@prologic@twtxt.net I created a script for your book. i have only done the first two chapters. have to do some adjustments to the text so it sounds ok and that takes time..
@prologic@twtxt.net I created a script for your book. i have only done the first two chapters. have to do some adjustments to the text so it sounds ok and that takes time..
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — electric (yang) https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/03/15/electric-yang.html #freeculture #bookclub
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — acoustic (yin) https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/03/08/acoustic-yin.html #freeculture #bookclub
Kuo: Apple’s First Foldable iPhone to Feature Book-Style Design, Sell for Over $2,000
Apple’s first foldable iPhone should arrive around the end of 2026 or early 2027 with a book-style design and a premium price tag of over $2,000, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a report today, Kuo outlines his expectations for the device, noting that it will have an approximately 7.8-inch “crease-free” inner d … ⌘ Read more
New Phippy Book Guidelines: Enhancing Community Access & Engagement
Phippy and Friends have long been a beloved part of the cloud native ecosystem, making complex technologies more approachable through storytelling. As interest in these books grows, CNCF is introducing new guidelines to better support, distribute,… ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Stories by Matthew DeBlock https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/03/01/deblock.html #freeculture #bookclub
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I read a lot about Clean Code, SOLID, TDD, DDD... now I'm discovering «A Philosophy of Software Design»... but nobody talks about the importance of the project architecture. Do we depend on the framework to do the work for us?
You know I'm a big fan of Clean Architecture, but I feel alone when I share my thoughts on social media or at work.
You have to think outside the framework.
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@xuu@txt.sour.is What books do you have?
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I read a lot about Clean Code, SOLID, TDD, DDD... now I'm discovering «A Philosophy of Software Design»... but nobody talks about the importance of the project architecture. Do we depend on the framework to do the work for us?
You know I'm a big fan of Clean Architecture, but I feel alone when I share my thoughts on social media or at work.
You have to think outside the framework.
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I agree. finding good writings on architecture is hard to find. I used to read architecture reviews over on the high scalability blog. i suspect the reason why is that the arch is how the big tech companies can build moats around their bases. I know in AWS world it only goes as far as how to nickle and dime you to death.
I have the books but they don’t grow much more past interview level.
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I read a lot about Clean Code, SOLID, TDD, DDD... now I'm discovering «A Philosophy of Software Design»... but nobody talks about the importance of the project architecture. Do we depend on the framework to do the work for us?
You know I'm a big fan of Clean Architecture, but I feel alone when I share my thoughts on social media or at work.
You have to think outside the framework.
⤋ Read More
I agree. finding good writings on architecture is hard to find. I used to read architecture reviews over on the high scalability blog. i suspect the reason why is that the arch is how the big tech companies can build moats around their bases. I know in AWS world it only goes as far as how to nickle and dime you to death.
I have the books but they don’t grow much more past interview level.
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Cairn Wardens Guide, part 2 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/02/22/cairn-3.html #freeculture #bookclub
Alleged Display Sizes Leaked for Apple’s Book-Style Foldable iPhone
Another week, another alleged leak regarding Apple’s fabled foldable iPhone. We’ve been hearing rumors about an iPhone that folds in half for over eight years now. While they have lacked consistency, they do suggest that Apple has tested various prototypes, with the hinge seemingly the biggest challenge Apple has been trying to overcome. Apple wants to el … ⌘ Read more
World’s Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches in Europe and Asia
Oppo has launched the Find N5, the world’s thinnest foldable phone yet. When closed, the book-style foldable measures 8.93mm. That’s less than a millimeter thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro, and thinner than the Honor Magic V3, which was the previous record holder.
The device is barely thicker than it … ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Cairn Wardens Guide, part 1 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/02/15/cairn-2.html #freeculture #bookclub
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Cairn Players Guide and Background https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/02/08/cairn-1.html #freeculture #bookclub
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That was a super interesting talk, I can recommend it: https://media.ccc.de/v/38c3-microbes-vs-mars-a-hacker-s-guide-to-finding-alien-life
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@lyse@lyse.isobeef.org Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed it. The beginning part about the history of life on Earth was fun to watch having just read Dawkin’s old book The Selfish Geene, and now I want to read more about archaea. The end of the talk about what might be going on on Mars made me a bit hopeful someone will find some good evidence.
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — The Man Behind the Machine https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/02/01/man-machine.html #freeculture #bookclub
Just leaving this book here for no reason 🤫
Just leaving this book here for no reason 🤫
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... Still reverse proxying an Nginx web server tho 😅
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Skill Issues of course, but that's going away next as soon as I get my php-fpm shi_ together.
@prologic@twtxt.net I’d stumbled upon #FrankenPHP while reading through #Caddy stuff and thought maybe it’s bit overkill for what i need it for but then again, it will be just a “One container in for two out”, that’s win in my book 😆
10 Forgotten Laws Still Technically on the Books
Laws are meant to provide order and structure to society, but over time, some statutes outlive their relevance. While many outdated laws are repealed or forgotten, others remain technically enforceable, lying dormant in legal archives. From quirky restrictions on behavior to hyper-specific regulations tied to bygone eras, these forgotten laws offer a fascinating glimpse into […]
The post [10 Forgotten Laws Still Technically on the Boo … ⌘ Read more
Trump’s neofascism is here now. Here are 10 things you can do to resist
Robert Reich, Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies. - The Guardian (U.K.)
_Stephan: Robert Reich offers some very good counsel in this essay. I detailed in my book [The 8 Laws of Change](https://www.amazon.com/Laws-Change-Individual-Planetary-Wellbeing-ebook/dp/B0932JHXXC/ref … ⌘ Read more
Dava Sobel’s Religious Experience While Writing Her Book! ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Blood of the Ancient Star, part 3 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/01/25/bloodstar-3.html #freeculture #bookclub
Lowkey planning out a book (anthology. Maybe) of just playscripts in my Greek myth yuriverse. Thank u lord
Apple Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Apple has updated the home page of its website to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today. The page highlights some of King’s most impactful quotes, and invites people to explore his legacy further through the Apple Books and Apple News apps.
Apple CEO Tim Cook also honored King in a social media post … ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Blood of the Ancient Star, part 2 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/01/18/bloodstar-2.html #freeculture #bookclub
** Bullshit Jobs **
Having one of those days where I am regretting having read that book, Bullshit Jobs. 🫠 ⌘ Read more
** Sirens & Muses **
I finished reading Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress.
It left me gutted, but like in a good way. It leaves so much unsaid, which I found pleasant and sorrowful and so yawningly, humongously open that it left me feeling a little claustrophobic.
A few years ago everyone, everyone, everyone I spoke to about books told me again and again and again to read Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. I found it to be totally and completely lacking in joy and any sort of human warmth, and, I think th … ⌘ Read more
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@johanbove Way to go! ✊ what will you be reading? Got anything planned?
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@aelaraji@aelaraji.com Reading “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak
Cancelled Mastodon because the time spent on it could have been used for reading books instead and the level of interaction is not enough to keep me interested.
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Blood of the Ancient Star, part 1 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/01/11/bloodstar-1.html #freeculture #bookclub
** Not what I was expecting **
A while ago I was talking with someone about books. I mentioned that I like to read capital R romance novels, and like 19th century literary realism.
This person excitedly recommended Victor LaValle’s The Changeling. Knowing nothing about it, and because I pretty much say“yes” to any book recommendation I get from a real live person that I can find at the library, I’ve been reading it.
My dude. What the fuck!? This is just horror. 🥲😨 ⌘ Read more
10 Book Adaptations You Forgot About
Books are an excellent source of inspiration for filmmakers. If they take a literary classic and adapt it to the screen, they practically guarantee the project’s success. After all, the story already works on the page, so all the screenwriters have to do is translate it. Doing so will put the movie, TV show, or […]
The post 10 Book Adaptations You Forgot About appeared first on [Listvers … ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Trans Girl Project, part 2 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2025/01/04/trans-girl-2.html #freeculture #bookclub
[WTS] [0.005 XMR] Zen Mind - Shunryu Suzuki Digital Scans
I’ve scanned this book. There are 68 pics (138 pages). These scans are double-paged (2 pages scanned at same time). (47MB) Download link is a Tor/Onion link, using the OnionShare program. You will need the Tor browser to download. After purchasing, you will automatically receive the download link.
Link: https://xmrbazaar.com/listing/Qbby/
themaker117@conversations.im (XMPP) ⌘ Read more
Bible Back in Texas Schools After Being Pulled for Sexual Content
Elizabeth Nolan Brown , Staff Writer - reason
Stephan: This is how weird book censorship is getting in the Red States. Did you ever think of the Bible as being too sexually explicit to be read by a minor?
Is the Bible too “sexually explicit” for minors? The Canyon Independent School Dis … ⌘ Read more
10 Events from 2024 That’ll Be in History Textbooks One Day
We’re not entirely sure if they still have history books in school or if they just teach kids these days using TikTok videos and Instagram reels to account for their short and fractured attention spans. Okay, we’re kidding about that little quip… we hope. We’re pretty certain that textbooks are still a thing, whether in […]
The post [10 Events from 2024 That’ll Be in History Textbooks One Day](https://listverse.com/ … ⌘ Read more
** Bouncing off of books **
After playing a few hours in Fields of Mistria I decided to put it down for a bit. I’m really really enjoying it. The farming is low key, and feels more like grinding for resources so far (positive), the relationship sim stuff is fun and the quests and tasks are really approachable (and there is, my favorite thing in the world, an in-game quest log!). All in all it’s a supremely, deliciously, snackable game. If I had to level critique against it, it’d be that the day/nigh … ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Trans Girl Project, part 1 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/12/28/trans-girl-1.html #freeculture #bookclub
10 Adaptions of “A Christmas Carol” That Missed the Mark
Since the book’s release in 1843, Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol has been adapted over 300 times. With that many versions to choose from, there’s a tale that suits everyone’s needs. Whether you want your Scrooge to be a duck or a puppet, a cartoon or a human, a woman or a man, the list […]
The post [10 Adaptions of “A Christmas Carol” That Missed the Mark](https://listverse.com/2024/12/24/10-adaptions-of-a-christmas-c … ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Speciare Lunar Research Facility https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/12/21/speciare.html #freeculture #bookclub
[ANN] Phantom Circuit: Introduction
Phantom Circuit is a fictional short story generated entirely by AI. It was inspired by a Darknet Diaries podcast episode [..] I also managed to work in some mention of Monero…
Link: https://cyberspace.dad/book/
j@cyberspace.dad (XMPP) ⌘ Read more
An inspiring book on making a life around IT security
Troy Hunt: “Pwned”, The Book, Is Now Available for Free
https://www.troyhunt.com/pwned-the-book-is-now-available-for-free/
The web server in Calibre is pretty cool. Love how the UI was designed and made. Feels intuitive, yet powerful. Now i do need to organise the book collection a bit better.
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — 2048, Enkidu, and Plastic https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/12/07/enkidu.html #freeculture #bookclub
How to Instantly Write a Business Plan with AI on Mac, iPhone, iPad
While there are plenty of paid options to get a business plan, from business plan software, to books, to working with a consultant, or even outsourcing the entire thing, another option is available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users, and it uses the magic of Apple Intelligence features and ChatGPT to instantly create a business … Read More ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Ancient Fire https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/11/30/ancient-fire.html #freeculture #bookclub
(#vriijuq) @xuu I mean by the time you’ve read this book you’ll have completed all of Advent of Code 🤣
@xuu @txt.sour.is I mean by the time you’ve read this book you’ll have completed all of Advent of Code 🤣 ⌘ Read more
From earbuds to e-books: the best tech gifts for holidays 2024
Here are some of our favourite gift ideas for the tech-obsessed, or those who could do with a few more gadgets. ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Fully Automated! part 2 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/11/23/fully-automated-2.html #freeculture #bookclub
If all Orange Face Elefant party voters would take them on their words and make them actually do whatever insane world they invented, then perhaps people will realize the grave mistake that was made today. Many people have to feel consequences before they believe it. I hope there will still be history books in the future to disclose the insanity for future generations. But whatever happens, the World will keep spinning…
Inversion by Aric McBay was another random library pick. Like The Fall of Io, it’s the most recent in a series, though I think this series is pretty loosely connected. In contrast, the villain in this book is simple and cartoonishly evil. The book presents a design for utopia which was interesting but a little cloying. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to want to live there, but I don’t think I do. I enjoyed the book as easy reading, and might try the others in the series some time. (4/4)
I read Starter Villain by John Scalzi. Enjoyable, like his other books that I’ve read. Somewhat sillier. (¾)
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Restoration Day, part 3 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/10/26/restoration-day-3.html #freeculture #bookclub
Billions wiped off WiseTech’s books as crisis engulfs CEO
Investors have punished WiseTech after this masthead exposed serious allegations of inappropriate behaviour by its billionaire CEO Richard White. ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Restoration Day, part 2 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/10/19/restoration-day-2.html #freeculture #bookclub
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Restoration Day, part 1 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/10/12/restoration-day-1.html #freeculture #bookclub
One book created panic about social media. But what if it’s bunkum?
Labor will push age-limit legislation for social media through despite the fact scientists and experts have said it won’t work. ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Ancient Beast https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/10/05/ancient-beast.html #freeculture #bookclub
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Did Apple Just Kill Social Apps?
Apple's iOS 18 update has introduced changes to contact sharing that could significantly impact social app developers. The new feature allows users to selectively share contacts with apps, rather than granting access to their entire address book. While Apple touts this as a privacy enhancement, developers warn it may hinder the growth of new social platforms. Nikita Bier, a start-up founder, called it "the en ... ⌘ Read more
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Lol, this is actually a good thing by Apple. Doesn’t kill social apps at all, just prevents some harvesting of your entire address book by abusive apps like WhatsApp.
Did Apple Just Kill Social Apps?
Apple’s iOS 18 update has introduced changes to contact sharing that could significantly impact social app developers. The new feature allows users to selectively share contacts with apps, rather than granting access to their entire address book. While Apple touts this as a privacy enhancement, developers warn it may hinder the growth of new social platforms. Nikita Bier, a start-up founder, called it “the en … ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Aumyr, part 4 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/09/28/aumyr-4.html #freeculture #bookclub
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Aumyr, part 4 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/09/28/aumyr-4.html #freeculture #bookclub
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Recent #fiction #scifi #reading:
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@bender@twtxt.net It’s the experience of an ordinary person in a strange place where memories are disappearing with the help of the Memory Police. The setting feels contemporary (to the book’s 1994 publication date) rather than futuristic, except for some unexplained stuff about memories.
Recent #fiction #scifi #reading:
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa. Lovely writing. Very understated; reminded me of Kazuo Ishiguro. Sort of like Nineteen Eighty-Four but not. (I first heard it recommended in comparison to that work.)
Subcutanean by Aaron Reed; https://subcutanean.textories.com/ . Every copy of the book is different, which is a cool idea. I read two of them (one from the library, actually not different from the other printed copies, and one personalized e-book). I don’t read much horror so managed to be a little creeped out by it, which was fun.
The Wind from Nowhere, a 1962 novel by J. G. Ballard. A random pick from the sci-fi section; I think I picked it up because it made me imagine some weird 4-dimensional effect (“from nowhere” meaning not in a normal direction) but actually (spoiler) it was just about a lot of wind for no reason. The book was moderately entertaining but there was nothing special about it.
Currently reading Scale by Greg Egan and Inversion by Aric McBay.
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Aumyr, part 3 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/09/21/aumyr-3.html #freeculture #bookclub
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Aumyr, part 2 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/09/14/aumyr-2.html #freeculture #bookclub
Internet Archive Takes Another Step Towards Death
Archive.org loses appeal in book copyright case with the Sony / Universal Music lawsuit still looming on the horizon. ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Aumyr, part 1 https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/09/07/aumyr-1.html #freeculture #bookclub
** September summer **
I finished reading Robin Sloan’s Moonbound today. It was fun, and light. The blurb likens it to Narnia, and, while a bold claim, I think that was a correct assertion, but more about the intended audience than the book’s subject matter. If a sequel is ever written I’d most certainly give it a look. It seems like a great gift book for a kid between like 8 and 15…or you know, perhaps, anyone who likes fun stories that aren’t scared of bein … ⌘ Read more
On my blog: Free Culture Book Club — Geiko Eien Ni https://john.colagioia.net/blog/2024/08/31/geiko-eien-ni.html #freeculture #bookclub