Dave Lane @lightweight@mastodon.social

So - it turns out @microsoft@twitter.com is using outdated security protocols on this volume licensing page - and that’s why it needs IE5 “or above” to work properly. https://twitter.com/donkey/status/1149144568048132096

PSA: You should get all your music on Bandcamp if possible. High-quality, DRM-free downloads, where a purchase is actually a purchase, and in unless something is truly off (actual scam), your money is going to reach the artist more or less directly.

Caught again. '#Google has confessed that it gives workers access to some audio recordings from its Google Home smart speakers.' https://metro.co.uk/2019/07/11/google-admits-workers-listen-recordings-home-smart-speakers-10182073/

Dear whoever invented the 'scroll down from the bottom of a news story and suddenly you are reading a completely unrelated one' thing on websites:

Please invent a time machine so you can go back and tell your younger self that this was a terrible idea.

Gov't IT decision makers desperately need to learn about the stuff described in Chapter 3 of this rather interesting document from the UK's NHS... https://openuk.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/An-Open-Digital-Approach-for-the-NHS-Part-one-Policies-Principles-Practices-1.0-PUBLISHED.pdf

Yowsers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vljy3lKIN-0

If you're not one of the 0.001% of the population who truly get Git (I'm not), you should watch this if you want your mind gently bent in (not always) pleasant ways: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ffBJ4sVUb4 If nothing else, this offers an amazing metaphor for how the universe can achieve such amazing complexity, beauty, and depravity from a few simple, remarkably elegant rules (and nothing else) :)

Oops - should be OStatus, not OSocial - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OStatus And other references: fediverse - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fediverse, ActivityPub - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActivityPub, and Matrix - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrix_(communication_protocol), and, of course Mastodon (on which I'm publishing this post, regardless of where you see it): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastodon_(software) - if you're curious, join this Mastodon instance: https://mastodon.nzoss.nz - I maintain it here in NZ & https://catalystcloud.nz generously provides sponsored #FOSS cloud hosting.

Did you know #openstreetmaps allows you to download volunteer GPS activity anywhere in the world? This means architects, urban planners, and you can analyse urban behaviour to make better decisions for the built environment! Read more in my latest article here:

https://thinkmoult.com/worldwide-gps-tracks-openstreetmaps-urban-design-analysis/

#opensource #map #gps #gis

Tempted to issue an NZOSS press release recommending that the Gov't adopt a "commission open source software development" approach for all gov't agency software procurement henceforth. Given the string of utter failures (latest is a $100 million project for the DHBs written off - http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/360927/counties-manukau-dhb-with-rotting-buildings-prioritised-millions-for-it-overhaul), it couldn't possibly be worse than the status quo.

This is worth watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeBdfv2QTqo Thanks for not candy-coating the truth, @aral

The litmus test for gov't putting taxpayer funds into business incentives or subsidies should include "does this only benefit NZers if we assume Trickle Down Economics is valid?" If the answer is yes, kill it immediately.

Just published this new Docker-based Limesurvey howto: https://tech.oeru.org/installing-limesurvey-docker-ubuntu-1604-nginx-and-mariadb
Limesurvey is a superb #FOSS replacement for SurveyMonkey and Google Forms). If you want a mature full-featured solution, to manage your own data/questions & protect both your survey designers' and respondents' privacy, I highly recommend it.

If you're familiar with #Drupal and have never heard of #Grav, then this is what you need to read: https://www.mikecr.it/ramblings/grav-cms-for-drupal-developers/ This old Drupal nerd is both impressed and intrigued... my first Grav projects are already underway.

Google tries to patent something (a) they don’t own (well, that’s not new for Google) and (b) which the creator already released into the public domain. #evilasfuck http://techrights.org/2018/06/10/stop-swpats-google/

Hat tip to @schestowitz.

I /really/ need to add http://n-gate.com to my rss reader because it’s *so good*. This is the best description I’ve ever seen of the Microsoft acquisition of Github.