Ben Werdmuller werd.io/profile/benwerd

The four phases

{
    "type": "entry",
    "published": "2024-02-03T22:35:28+00:00",
    "url": "https://werd.io/2024/the-four-phases",
    "name": "The four phases",
    "content": {
        "text": "This post is part of February\u2019s\u00a0IndieWeb Carnival, in which Manuel Moreale prompts us to think about the various facets of digital relationships.\n\nOur relationship to digital technology has been through a few different phases.\n\nOne: the census\n\nIn the first, computers were the realm of government and big business: vast databases that might be about us, but that we could never own or interrogate ourselves. Companies like IBM manufactured room-sized (and then cabinet-sized) machines that took a team of specialized technicians to operate. They were rare and a symbol of top-down power.\n\nPunch cards were invented in the 1880s, and were machine-sortable even then, although not by anything we would recognize as a computer today. In the 1930s, a company called Dehomag, which was a 90%-owned subsidiary of IBM, used its punch card census technology to help the German Nazi party ethnically identify and sort the population. (Thomas Watson, IBM\u2019s CEO at the time, even came to Germany to oversee the operation.)\n\nThe first general-purpose digital computer, ENIAC, was first put to use to determine the feasibility of the H bomb. Other mainframe computers were used by the US Navy for codebreaking, and by the US census bureau. By the sixties and seventies, though, they were commonplace in larger corporate offices and in universities for non-military, non-governmental applications.\n\nTwo: the desk\n\nPersonal computers decentralized computing power and put it in everybody\u2019s hands. There was no overarching, always-on communications network for them to connect to, so every computer had its own copy of software that ran locally on it. There was no phoning home; no surveillance of our data; there were no ad-supported models. If you were lucky enough to have the not-insignificant sum of money needed to buy a computer, you could have one in your home. If you were lucky enough to have money left over for software, you could even do things with it.\n\nThe government and large institutions didn\u2019t have a monopoly on computing power; theoretically, anyone could have it. Anyone could write a program, too, and (if you had yet more money to buy a modem) distribute it on bulletin board systems and online services. Your hardware was yours; your software was yours; once you\u2019d paid your money, your relationship with the vendor was over.\n\nFor a while, you had a few options to connect with other people:Prodigy, an online service operated as a joint venture between CBS, IBM, and Sears\nCompuServe, which was owned and run by H&R Block\nAmerica Online, which was originally a way for Atari 2600 owners to download new games and store high scores\nIndependent bulletin boards, which were usually a single computer connected to a handful of direct phone lines for modems to connect to, run by an enthusiast\n(My first after-school job was as a BBS system operator for Daily Information, a local information and classifieds sheet in my hometown.)\n\nIn 1992, in addition to bulletin board systems and online services, the internet was made commercially available. Whereas BBSes, AOL, etc were distinct walled gardens, any service that was connected to the internet could reach any other service. It changed everything. (In 1995, my BBS job expanded to running what became one of the first classifieds websites.)\n\nBut for a while, the decentralized, private nature of personal computing remained. For most private individuals, connecting to the internet was like visiting a PO box: you\u2019d dial in, would upload and download any email you had pending, browse any websites you needed to, and then log off again. There was no way to constantly monitor people because internet users spent 23 hours of the day disconnected from the network.\n\nThree: the cloud\n\nBroadband, the iPhone, and wifi changed everything. Before the advent of broadband, most people needed to dial in to go online using their phone line. Before the iPhone, cell connections weren\u2019t metered for data, and there was very little bandwidth to go around. Before wifi, a computer needed to physically be connected with a cable to go online.\n\nWith broadband and wifi, computers could be connected to the internet 24/7. With the iPhone, everyone had a computer in their pocket, that was permanently connected and could be constantly sending data back to online services \u2014 including your location and who was in your address book.\n\nIt was incredibly convenient and changed the world in hundreds of ways. The web in particular is a modern marvel; the iPhone is a feat of design and engineering. But what we lost was the decentralized self-ownership of our digital worlds. More than that, we lost an ability to be private that we\u2019d had since the beginning of human civilization. It used to be that nobody needed to know where you were or what you were thinking about; that fundamental truth has gone the way of the dinosaur.\n\nAlmost immediately, our relationship to software changed in a few key ways:We could access all of our data from anywhere, on any device.\nInstead of buying a software package once, we were asked to subscribe to it.\nInstead of downloading or installing software, the main bulk of it could be run in a server farm somewhere.\nEvery facet of our data was stored in one of these server farms.\nMore data was produced about us as we used our devices \u2014 or even as we walked through our cities, shopped at stores, and met with other people \u2014 than we created intentionally ourselves.\nWhile computing became infinitely easier to use and the internet became a force that changed global society in ways that I still believe are a net positive, surveilling us also became infinitely easier. Companies wanted to know exactly what we were likely to buy; politicians wanted to know how we might vote; law enforcement wanted to know if we were dangerous. All paid online services to build profiles about us that could be used to sell advertising, could be mined by the right buyer, and could even be used to influence elections.\n\nFour: the farm\n\nOur relationship is now changing again.\n\nWhereas in the cloud era we were surveilled in order to profile us, our data is now being gathered for another set of reasons. We\u2019re used to online services ingesting our words and actions in order to predict our behaviors and influence us in certain directions. We\u2019re used to Target, for example, wanting to know if we\u2019re pregnant so they can be the first to sell us baby gear. We\u2019re not used to those services ingesting our words and actions in order to learn how to be us.\n\nIn our new relationship, software isn\u2019t just set up to surveil us to report on us; it\u2019s also set up to be able to do our work. GitHub Copilot learns from software we write so that it can write software automatically. Midjourney builds stunning illustrations and near-photorealistic images. Facebook is learning from the text and photos we upload so it can create its own text and realistic imagery (unlike many models, from data it actually has the license to). Far more than us being profiled, our modes of human expression are now being farmed for the benefit of people who hope to no longer have to hire us for our unique skills.\n\nIn the first era, technology was here to catalogue us.\n\nIn the second, it was here to empower us.\n\nIn the third, it was here to observe us.\n\nIn the fourth, it is here to replace us.\n\nWe had a very brief window, somewhere between the inception of the homebrew computer club and the introduction of the iPhone, where digital technology heralded distributed empowerment. Even then, empowerment was hardly evenly distributed, and any return to decentralization must be far more equitable than it ever was. But we find ourselves in a world where our true relationship is with power.\n\nOf course, it\u2019s a matter of degrees, and everything is a spectrum: there are plenty of services that don\u2019tuse your data to train generative AI models, and there are plenty that don\u2019t surveil you at all. There are also lots of applications and organizations that are actively designed to protect us from being watched and subjugated. New regulations are being proposed all the time that would guarantee our right to privacy and our right to not be included in training data.\n\nThose might seem like technical decisions, but they\u2019re really about preserving our ownership and autonomy, and returning those things to us when they\u2019ve already been lost. They\u2019re human, democratic decisions that seek to enforce a relationship where we\u2019re in charge. They\u2019re becoming more and more important every day.",
        "html": "<p><img src=\"https://werd.io/file/65bebfa64fe90519e004b292/thumb.jpg\" alt=\"A fictional mainframe\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></p><p><em>This post is part of February\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https://indieweb.org/indieweb-carnival\">IndieWeb Carnival</a>, in which <a href=\"https://manuelmoreale.com/indieweb-carnival-digital-relationships\">Manuel Moreale prompts us to think about the various facets of digital relationships</a>.</em></p><p>Our relationship to digital technology has been through a few different phases.</p><p><strong>One: the census</strong></p><p>In the first, computers were the realm of government and big business: vast databases that might be <em>about</em> us, but that we could never own or interrogate ourselves. Companies like IBM manufactured room-sized (and then cabinet-sized) machines that took a team of specialized technicians to operate. They were rare and a symbol of top-down power.</p><p>Punch cards were invented in the 1880s, and were machine-sortable even then, although not by anything we would recognize as a computer today. In the 1930s, a company called Dehomag, which was a 90%-owned subsidiary of IBM, used its punch card census technology to help the <a href=\"https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/ibm-and-quot-death-s-calculator-quot-2\">German Nazi party ethnically identify and sort the population</a>. (Thomas Watson, IBM\u2019s CEO at the time, even came to Germany to oversee the operation.)</p><p>The first general-purpose digital computer, ENIAC, <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ENIAC\">was first put to use to determine the feasibility of the H bomb</a>. Other mainframe computers were used by the US Navy for codebreaking, and by the US census bureau. By the sixties and seventies, though, they were commonplace in larger corporate offices and in universities for non-military, non-governmental applications.</p><p><strong>Two: the desk</strong></p><p>Personal computers decentralized computing power and put it in everybody\u2019s hands. There was no overarching, always-on communications network for them to connect to, so every computer had its own copy of software that ran locally on it. There was no phoning home; no surveillance of our data; there were no ad-supported models. If you were lucky enough to have the not-insignificant sum of money needed to buy a computer, you could have one in your home. If you were lucky enough to have money left over for software, you could even do things with it.</p><p>The government and large institutions didn\u2019t have a monopoly on computing power; theoretically, anyone could have it. Anyone could <em>write</em> a program, too, and (if you had yet more money to buy a modem) distribute it on bulletin board systems and online services. Your hardware was yours; your software was yours; once you\u2019d paid your money, your relationship with the vendor was over.</p><p>For a while, you had a few options to connect with other people:</p><ul><li>Prodigy, an online service operated as a joint venture between CBS, IBM, and Sears</li>\n<li>CompuServe, which was owned and run by H&amp;R Block</li>\n<li>America Online, which was originally a way for Atari 2600 owners to download new games and store high scores</li>\n<li>Independent bulletin boards, which were usually a single computer connected to a handful of direct phone lines for modems to connect to, run by an enthusiast</li>\n</ul><p>(My first after-school job was as a BBS system operator for <a href=\"https://dailyinfo.co.uk\">Daily Information</a>, a local information and classifieds sheet in my hometown.)</p><p>In 1992, in addition to bulletin board systems and online services, the internet was made commercially available. Whereas BBSes, AOL, etc were distinct walled gardens, any service that was connected to the internet could reach any other service. It changed everything. (In 1995, my BBS job expanded to running what became one of the first classifieds websites.)</p><p>But for a while, the decentralized, private nature of personal computing remained. For most private individuals, connecting to the internet was like visiting a PO box: you\u2019d dial in, would upload and download any email you had pending, browse any websites you needed to, and then log off again. There was no way to constantly monitor people because internet users spent 23 hours of the day disconnected from the network.</p><p><strong>Three: the cloud</strong></p><p>Broadband, the iPhone, and wifi changed everything. Before the advent of broadband, most people needed to dial in to go online using their phone line. Before the iPhone, cell connections weren\u2019t metered for data, and there was very little bandwidth to go around. Before wifi, a computer needed to physically be connected with a cable to go online.</p><p>With broadband and wifi, computers could be connected to the internet 24/7. With the iPhone, everyone had a computer in their pocket, that was permanently connected and could be constantly sending data back to online services \u2014 including your location and who was in your address book.</p><p>It was incredibly convenient and changed the world in hundreds of ways. The web in particular is a modern marvel; the iPhone is a feat of design and engineering. But what we lost was the decentralized self-ownership of our digital worlds. More than that, we lost an ability to be private that we\u2019d had since the beginning of human civilization. It used to be that nobody needed to know where you were or what you were thinking about; that fundamental truth has gone the way of the dinosaur.</p><p>Almost immediately, our relationship to software changed in a few key ways:</p><ul><li>We could access all of our data from anywhere, on any device.</li>\n<li>Instead of buying a software package once, we were asked to subscribe to it.</li>\n<li>Instead of <em>downloading</em> or <em>installing</em> software, the main bulk of it could be run in a server farm somewhere.</li>\n<li>Every facet of our data was stored in one of these server farms.</li>\n<li>More data was produced <em>about</em> us as we used our devices \u2014 or even as we walked through our cities, shopped at stores, and met with other people \u2014 than we created intentionally ourselves.</li>\n</ul><p>While computing became infinitely easier to use and the internet became a force that changed global society in ways that I still believe are a net positive, surveilling us also became infinitely easier. Companies wanted to know exactly what we were likely to buy; politicians wanted to know how we might vote; law enforcement wanted to know if we were dangerous. All paid online services to build profiles about us that could be used to sell advertising, could be mined by the right buyer, and could even be used to influence elections.</p><p><strong>Four: the farm</strong></p><p>Our relationship is now changing again.</p><p>Whereas in the cloud era we were surveilled in order to profile us, our data is now being gathered for another set of reasons. We\u2019re used to online services ingesting our words and actions in order to predict our behaviors and influence us in certain directions. We\u2019re used to Target, for example, <a href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-target-figured-out-a-teen-girl-was-pregnant-before-her-father-did/\">wanting to know if we\u2019re pregnant so they can be the first to sell us baby gear</a>. We\u2019re <em>not</em> used to those services ingesting our words and actions in order to learn how to <em>be</em> us.</p><p>In our new relationship, software isn\u2019t just set up to surveil us to report on us; it\u2019s also set up to be able to do our work. GitHub Copilot learns from software we write so that it can write software automatically. Midjourney builds stunning illustrations and near-photorealistic images. Facebook is learning from the text and photos we upload so it can create its own text and realistic imagery (unlike many models, from data it actually has the license to). Far more than us being profiled, our modes of human expression are now being farmed for the benefit of people who hope to no longer have to hire us for our unique skills.</p><p>In the first era, technology was here to catalogue us.</p><p>In the second, it was here to empower us.</p><p>In the third, it was here to observe us.</p><p>In the fourth, it is here to replace us.</p><p>We had a very brief window, somewhere between the inception of <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homebrew_Computer_Club\">the homebrew computer club</a> and the introduction of the iPhone, where digital technology heralded distributed empowerment. Even then, empowerment was hardly <em>evenly</em> distributed, and any return to decentralization must be far more equitable than it ever was. But we find ourselves in a world where our true relationship is with power.</p><p>Of course, it\u2019s a matter of degrees, and everything is a spectrum: there are plenty of services that <em>don\u2019t</em>use your data to train generative AI models, and there are plenty that don\u2019t surveil you at all. There are also lots of applications and organizations that are actively designed to protect us from being watched and subjugated. New regulations are being proposed all the time that would guarantee our right to privacy and our right to not be included in training data.</p><p>Those might seem like technical decisions, but they\u2019re really about preserving our ownership and autonomy, and returning those things to us when they\u2019ve already been lost. They\u2019re human, democratic decisions that seek to enforce a relationship where we\u2019re in charge. They\u2019re becoming more and more important every day.</p>"
    },
    "author": {
        "type": "card",
        "name": "Ben Werdmuller",
        "url": "https://werd.io/profile/benwerd",
        "photo": "https://werd.io/file/5d388c5fb16ea14aac640912/thumb.jpg"
    },
    "post-type": "article",
    "_id": "40184734",
    "_source": "191",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@lewiscowles1986",
        "url": "https://phpc.social/@lewiscowles1986",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://phpc.social/@lewiscowles1986/111869767059817481",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>Via <a href=\"https://phpc.social/tags/IndieWeb\">#<span>IndieWeb</span></a> chat.</p><p>Apparently all mastodons (prior to one of the 3.x) are vulnerable.</p><p>Happy hosting<br /><a href=\"https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/security/advisories/GHSA-3fjr-858r-92rw\"><span>https://</span><span>github.com/mastodon/mastodon/s</span><span>ecurity/advisories/GHSA-3fjr-858r-92rw</span></a></p>",
        "text": "Via #IndieWeb chat.\n\nApparently all mastodons (prior to one of the 3.x) are vulnerable.\n\nHappy hosting\nhttps://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/security/advisories/GHSA-3fjr-858r-92rw"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-03T21:52:58+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40182363",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@readbeanicecream",
        "url": "https://mastodon.social/@readbeanicecream",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://mastodon.social/@readbeanicecream/111868452520702047",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>How to delete your Instagram account</p><p>This step-by step guide will help you deactivate or delete your Instagram account through the mobile app or a web browser.</p><p><a href=\"https://www.engadget.com/how-to-delete-your-instagram-account-130017501.html\"><span>https://www.</span><span>engadget.com/how-to-delete-you</span><span>r-instagram-account-130017501.html</span></a></p><p><a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/technology\">#<span>technology</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/tech\">#<span>tech</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/web\">#<span>web</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/socialmedia\">#<span>socialmedia</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/meta\">#<span>meta</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/instagram\">#<span>instagram</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/smallweb\">#<span>smallweb</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/fediverse\">#<span>fediverse</span></a></p>",
        "text": "How to delete your Instagram account\n\nThis step-by step guide will help you deactivate or delete your Instagram account through the mobile app or a web browser.\n\nhttps://www.engadget.com/how-to-delete-your-instagram-account-130017501.html\n\n#technology #tech #web #socialmedia #meta #instagram #indieweb #smallweb #fediverse"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-03T16:18:39+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40180093",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@accordionpolar",
        "url": "https://indieweb.social/@accordionpolar",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://indieweb.social/@accordionpolar/111868421324153265",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p><a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a> carnival january 2024 roundup! \ud83c\udf86 </p><p><a href=\"https://foreverliketh.is/blog/indieweb-carnival-january-2024-roundup/\"><span>https://</span><span>foreverliketh.is/blog/indieweb</span><span>-carnival-january-2024-roundup/</span></a></p><p><a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/smallweb\">#<span>smallweb</span></a> <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/writing\">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/blog\">#<span>blog</span></a> <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/psychology\">#<span>psychology</span></a> <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/love\">#<span>love</span></a> <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/happy\">#<span>happy</span></a> <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/memory\">#<span>memory</span></a></p>",
        "text": "#indieweb carnival january 2024 roundup! \ud83c\udf86 \n\nhttps://foreverliketh.is/blog/indieweb-carnival-january-2024-roundup/\n\n#smallweb #writing #blog #psychology #love #happy #memory"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-03T16:10:43+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40179733",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@maphew",
        "url": "https://indieweb.social/@maphew",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://indieweb.social/@maphew/111868414863188824",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>The indieweb is for everyone<br /><a href=\"https://werd.io/2024/the-indieweb-is-for-everyone\"><span>https://</span><span>werd.io/2024/the-indieweb-is-f</span><span>or-everyone</span></a><br />A nice booster piece, outlining some history I didn't know of, and ending with a sentiment I share: I'm glad you exist <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a></p>",
        "text": "The indieweb is for everyone\nhttps://werd.io/2024/the-indieweb-is-for-everyone\nA nice booster piece, outlining some history I didn't know of, and ending with a sentiment I share: I'm glad you exist #indieweb"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-03T16:09:05+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40179734",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@thran",
        "url": "https://mastodon.me.uk/@thran",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://mastodon.me.uk/@thran/111867931982806578",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>New on <a href=\"https://mastodon.me.uk/tags/WellMadeWeb\">#<span>WellMadeWeb</span></a>: Graphite Galaxy.</p><p>The web presence of a devoted amateur astronomer from Hungary. He has  been searching the heavens for the furthest celestial bodies, pushing  the limits of optics to deliver them to his website.</p><p>See more: <a href=\"https://wmw.thran.uk/dowdy/index.html#graphiteg\"><span>https://</span><span>wmw.thran.uk/dowdy/index.html#</span><span>graphiteg</span></a></p><p><a href=\"https://mastodon.me.uk/tags/oldweb\">#<span>oldweb</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.me.uk/tags/webdiscovery\">#<span>webdiscovery</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.me.uk/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a></p>",
        "text": "New on #WellMadeWeb: Graphite Galaxy.The web presence of a devoted amateur astronomer from Hungary. He has  been searching the heavens for the furthest celestial bodies, pushing  the limits of optics to deliver them to his website.See more: https://wmw.thran.uk/dowdy/index.html#graphiteg#oldweb #webdiscovery #indieweb"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-03T14:06:16+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40178746",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": true
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@kaveinthran",
        "url": "https://disabled.social/@kaveinthran",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://disabled.social/@kaveinthran/111865626065572383",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p><a href=\"https://disabled.social/tags/openWeb\">#<span>openWeb</span></a> and <a href=\"https://disabled.social/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a> is a great source of wisdom, the line between books and web are blurring, and it will get more interesting as time goes.</p>",
        "text": "#openWeb and #indieweb is a great source of wisdom, the line between books and web are blurring, and it will get more interesting as time goes."
    },
    "published": "2024-02-03T04:19:51+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40176159",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": true
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@weirdwriter",
        "url": "https://tweesecake.social/@weirdwriter",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://tweesecake.social/@weirdwriter/111865546500629854",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>Welp, looks like I can remove this blog platform as a resource for <a href=\"https://tweesecake.social/tags/IndieWeb\">#<span>IndieWeb</span></a> folks. Make no mistake, he has not mentioned anything about infusing AI into the platform, but I know these people just can\u2019t help themselves. Even though he hasn\u2019t said anything yet, I predict that it\u2019s gonna start off with just a little experiment bro, and then it\u2019s going to blossom into a feature! eventually there\u2019s two main things that trouble me about this. It\u2019s not the fact they\u2019re using chat robots as a way to aid tutoring, it\u2019s the fact that he actively caused them AI instead of what they actually are. Also, this line in particular made me especially roll my eyes!</p><p>&gt; I don't believe in AI's ability to feel (yet). However, it's the spirit of the thing that bothered me, and it obviously wasn't good from a learning standpoint. Screenshot</p><p> AI tutoring; what works? <a href=\"https://herman.bearblog.dev/ai-tutoring-what-works/\"><span>https://</span><span>herman.bearblog.dev/ai-tutorin</span><span>g-what-works/</span></a> <a href=\"https://tweesecake.social/tags/AI\">#<span>AI</span></a> <a href=\"https://tweesecake.social/tags/SmallWeb\">#<span>SmallWeb</span></a></p>",
        "text": "Welp, looks like I can remove this blog platform as a resource for #IndieWeb folks. Make no mistake, he has not mentioned anything about infusing AI into the platform, but I know these people just can\u2019t help themselves. Even though he hasn\u2019t said anything yet, I predict that it\u2019s gonna start off with just a little experiment bro, and then it\u2019s going to blossom into a feature! eventually there\u2019s two main things that trouble me about this. It\u2019s not the fact they\u2019re using chat robots as a way to aid tutoring, it\u2019s the fact that he actively caused them AI instead of what they actually are. Also, this line in particular made me especially roll my eyes!> I don't believe in AI's ability to feel (yet). However, it's the spirit of the thing that bothered me, and it obviously wasn't good from a learning standpoint. Screenshot AI tutoring; what works? https://herman.bearblog.dev/ai-tutoring-what-works/ #AI #SmallWeb"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-03T03:59:37+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40176078",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": true
}

Tantek Çelik tantek.com

{
    "type": "entry",
    "published": "2024-02-02 13:49-0800",
    "url": "http://tantek.com/2024/033/t1/earthquake-sanfrancisco-shifted",
    "category": [
        "earthquake",
        "SanFrancisco",
        "earthquakes",
        "Twitter",
        "fediverse",
        "federated",
        "IndieWeb",
        "socialMedia",
        "100PostsOfIndieWeb",
        "100Posts"
    ],
    "content": {
        "text": "I felt the #earthquake here in #SanFrancisco. A single quick sharp jolt with rapid decay, duration less than 2s, meaning it was relatively nearby and small in magnitude\n\nI was about to say, perhaps #earthquakes are the last use-case for #Twitter because yes I reflexively checked it and did see posts about it from folks, including a few friends.\n\nThen I checked https://indieweb.social/tags/earthquake and it has plenty of recent #fediverse posts about the earthquake, several @sfba.social.\n\nFeels like something big has shifted. \n\nThe #federated #IndieWeb has replaced another #socialMedia silo use-case.\n\nThis is post 7 of #100PostsOfIndieWeb. #100Posts\n\n\u2190 https://tantek.com/2024/027/t1/indieweb-ideals-systems-swappable\n\u2192 \ud83d\udd2e\n\n\nPost glossary:\n\nsilo\n\u00a0 https://indieweb.org/silo\nsocial media\n\u00a0 https://indieweb.org/social_media\nuse-case\n\u00a0 https://indieweb.org/use_case",
        "html": "I felt the #<span class=\"p-category\">earthquake</span> here in #<span class=\"p-category\">SanFrancisco</span>. A single quick sharp jolt with rapid decay, duration less than 2s, meaning it was relatively nearby and small in magnitude<br /><br />I was about to say, perhaps #<span class=\"p-category\">earthquakes</span> are the last use-case for #<span class=\"p-category\">Twitter</span> because yes I reflexively checked it and did see posts about it from folks, including a few friends.<br /><br />Then I checked <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/earthquake\">https://indieweb.social/tags/earthquake</a> and it has plenty of recent #<span class=\"p-category\">fediverse</span> posts about the earthquake, several <a href=\"https://sfba.social\">@sfba.social</a>.<br /><br />Feels like something big has shifted. <br /><br />The #<span class=\"p-category\">federated</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">IndieWeb</span> has replaced another #<span class=\"p-category\">socialMedia</span> silo use-case.<br /><br />This is post 7 of #<span class=\"p-category\">100PostsOfIndieWeb</span>. #<span class=\"p-category\">100Posts</span><br /><br />\u2190 <a href=\"https://tantek.com/2024/027/t1/indieweb-ideals-systems-swappable\">https://tantek.com/2024/027/t1/indieweb-ideals-systems-swappable</a><br />\u2192 \ud83d\udd2e<br /><br /><br />Post glossary:<br /><br />silo<br />\u00a0 <a href=\"https://indieweb.org/silo\">https://indieweb.org/silo</a><br />social media<br />\u00a0 <a href=\"https://indieweb.org/social_media\">https://indieweb.org/social_media</a><br />use-case<br />\u00a0 <a href=\"https://indieweb.org/use_case\">https://indieweb.org/use_case</a>"
    },
    "author": {
        "type": "card",
        "name": "Tantek \u00c7elik",
        "url": "http://tantek.com/",
        "photo": "https://aperture-media.p3k.io/tantek.com/acfddd7d8b2c8cf8aa163651432cc1ec7eb8ec2f881942dca963d305eeaaa6b8.jpg"
    },
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40175835",
    "_source": "1",
    "_is_read": true
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@fromjason",
        "url": "https://mastodon.social/@fromjason",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://mastodon.social/@fromjason/111864724109458608",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>When did Threads become Liberal?</p><p>Like Republicans with <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/twitter\">#<span>twitter</span></a>, there's now this growing liberal-endorsing sentiment for and across <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/Meta\">#<span>Meta</span></a>'s <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/Threads\">#<span>Threads</span></a>. It's a baffling star to hitch your wagon to.</p><p>What was once algorithmic patricians that kept our ideologies in their respective corners, is now a sort of platform-nationalism\u2014 each side slinging mud at the other's ruler.</p><p>What's to be gained? And who claims the spoils? <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/socialweb\">#<span>socialweb</span></a></p>",
        "text": "When did Threads become Liberal?Like Republicans with #twitter, there's now this growing liberal-endorsing sentiment for and across #Meta's #Threads. It's a baffling star to hitch your wagon to.What was once algorithmic patricians that kept our ideologies in their respective corners, is now a sort of platform-nationalism\u2014 each side slinging mud at the other's ruler.What's to be gained? And who claims the spoils? #indieweb #socialweb"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-03T00:30:28+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40175084",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": true
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@surfscape",
        "url": "https://fosstodon.org/@surfscape",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://fosstodon.org/@surfscape/111864643926002194",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>The new redesigned SurfScape web portal just released!</p><p>Portal: <a href=\"https://surfscape.neocities.org/\"><span>https://</span><span>surfscape.neocities.org/</span><span></span></a><br />Announcement: <a href=\"https://surfscape.neocities.org/news/alpha-release-announcement/\"><span>https://</span><span>surfscape.neocities.org/news/a</span><span>lpha-release-announcement/</span></a></p><p><a href=\"https://fosstodon.org/tags/OpenSource\">#<span>OpenSource</span></a> <a href=\"https://fosstodon.org/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a> <a href=\"https://fosstodon.org/tags/WebDev\">#<span>WebDev</span></a> <a href=\"https://fosstodon.org/tags/WebDesign\">#<span>WebDesign</span></a> <a href=\"https://fosstodon.org/tags/OldSchool\">#<span>OldSchool</span></a></p>",
        "text": "The new redesigned SurfScape web portal just released!Portal: https://surfscape.neocities.org/\nAnnouncement: https://surfscape.neocities.org/news/alpha-release-announcement/#OpenSource #indieweb #WebDev #WebDesign #OldSchool"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-03T00:10:05+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40174998",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": true
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "#indieweb",
        "url": "https://mastodon.social/tags/indieweb",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://tantek.com/2024/033/t1/earthquake-sanfrancisco-shifted",
    "content": {
        "html": "I felt the <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/earthquake\">#<span class=\"p-category\">earthquake</span></a> here in <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/SanFrancisco\">#<span class=\"p-category\">SanFrancisco</span></a>. A single quick sharp jolt with rapid decay, duration less than 2s, meaning it was relatively nearby and small in magnitude<br /><br />I was about to say, perhaps <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/earthquakes\">#<span class=\"p-category\">earthquakes</span></a> are the last use-case for <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/Twitter\">#<span class=\"p-category\">Twitter</span></a> because yes I reflexively checked it and did see posts about it from folks, including a few friends.<br /><br />Then I checked <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/earthquake\">https://indieweb.social/tags/earthquake</a> and it has plenty of recent <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/fediverse\">#<span class=\"p-category\">fediverse</span></a> posts about the earthquake, several <a href=\"https://sfba.social\">@sfba.social</a>.<br /><br />Feels like something big has shifted. <br /><br />The <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/federated\">#<span class=\"p-category\">federated</span></a> <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/IndieWeb\">#<span class=\"p-category\">IndieWeb</span></a> has replaced another <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/socialMedia\">#<span class=\"p-category\">socialMedia</span></a> silo use-case.<br /><br />This is post 7 of <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/100PostsOfIndieWeb\">#<span class=\"p-category\">100PostsOfIndieWeb</span></a>. <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/100Posts\">#<span class=\"p-category\">100Posts</span></a><br /><br />\u2190 <a href=\"https://tantek.com/2024/027/t1/indieweb-ideals-systems-swappable\">https://tantek.com/2024/027/t1/indieweb-ideals-systems-swappable</a><br />\u2192 \ud83d\udd2e<br /><br /><br />Post glossary:<br /><br />silo<br />\u00a0 <a href=\"https://indieweb.org/silo\">https://indieweb.org/silo</a><br />social media<br />\u00a0 <a href=\"https://indieweb.org/social_media\">https://indieweb.org/social_media</a><br />use-case<br />\u00a0 <a href=\"https://indieweb.org/use_case\">https://indieweb.org/use_case</a>\n<a class=\"u-mention\" href=\"https://sfba.social\"></a>",
        "text": "I felt the #earthquake here in #SanFrancisco. A single quick sharp jolt with rapid decay, duration less than 2s, meaning it was relatively nearby and small in magnitude\n\nI was about to say, perhaps #earthquakes are the last use-case for #Twitter because yes I reflexively checked it and did see posts about it from folks, including a few friends.\n\nThen I checked https://indieweb.social/tags/earthquake and it has plenty of recent #fediverse posts about the earthquake, several @sfba.social.\n\nFeels like something big has shifted. \n\nThe #federated #IndieWeb has replaced another #socialMedia silo use-case.\n\nThis is post 7 of #100PostsOfIndieWeb. #100Posts\n\n\u2190 https://tantek.com/2024/027/t1/indieweb-ideals-systems-swappable\n\u2192 \ud83d\udd2e\n\n\nPost glossary:\n\nsilo\n\u00a0 https://indieweb.org/silo\nsocial media\n\u00a0 https://indieweb.org/social_media\nuse-case\n\u00a0 https://indieweb.org/use_case"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-02T21:49:00+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40174162",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": true
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "#indieweb",
        "url": "https://mastodon.social/tags/indieweb",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://hol.ogra.ph/notes/9p8qnyiblwutfn1g",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p><span>What should I name my static </span><a href=\"https://hol.ogra.ph/tags/webring\">#webring</a><span> system written in </span><a href=\"https://hol.ogra.ph/tags/rust\">#rust</a><span>? <br /><br />It works by generating </span><a href=\"https://hol.ogra.ph/tags/HTML\">#HTML</a><span> files containing sequential redirects. So there's 0 serverside </span><a href=\"https://hol.ogra.ph/tags/code\">#code</a><span>, meaning it can be hosted darn near anywhere. BUT you have to regenerate any time you make a change.  <br /><br />(I like to name stuff after rocks/minerals, or Dark Souls references)<br /><br /></span><a href=\"https://hol.ogra.ph/tags/coding\">#coding</a><span> </span><a href=\"https://hol.ogra.ph/tags/software\">#software</a><span> </span><a href=\"https://hol.ogra.ph/tags/indieweb\">#indieweb</a><span> </span><a href=\"https://hol.ogra.ph/tags/smallweb\">#smallweb</a><span> </span><a href=\"https://hol.ogra.ph/tags/poll\">#poll</a></p><p>RustRing / RusticRing<br />RustedIronRing<br />WoodgrainRing<br />WitchesRing / OldWitchesRing<br />KeRing<br />QuartzRing / other gemstone<br />...other???</p>",
        "text": "What should I name my static #webring system written in #rust? \n\nIt works by generating #HTML files containing sequential redirects. So there's 0 serverside #code, meaning it can be hosted darn near anywhere. BUT you have to regenerate any time you make a change.  \n\n(I like to name stuff after rocks/minerals, or Dark Souls references)\n\n#coding #software #indieweb #smallweb #pollRustRing / RusticRing\nRustedIronRing\nWoodgrainRing\nWitchesRing / OldWitchesRing\nKeRing\nQuartzRing / other gemstone\n...other???"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-02T21:45:52+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40174016",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": true
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@teleclimber",
        "url": "https://social.tchncs.de/@teleclimber",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://social.tchncs.de/@teleclimber/111863436811874364",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p><a href=\"https://social.tchncs.de/tags/blog\">#<span>blog</span></a> post: <a href=\"https://social.tchncs.de/tags/Dropserver\">#<span>Dropserver</span></a> Progress Report for January. I talk about the 0.13 release, the general direction I'm heading in, and some other ideas I'm exploring.</p><p><a href=\"https://olivierforget.net/blog/2024/dropserver-progress-january-2024/\"><span>https://</span><span>olivierforget.net/blog/2024/dr</span><span>opserver-progress-january-2024/</span></a></p><p><a href=\"https://social.tchncs.de/tags/selfhosted\">#<span>selfhosted</span></a> <a href=\"https://social.tchncs.de/tags/FOSSfriday\">#<span>FOSSfriday</span></a> <a href=\"https://social.tchncs.de/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a></p>",
        "text": "#blog post: #Dropserver Progress Report for January. I talk about the 0.13 release, the general direction I'm heading in, and some other ideas I'm exploring.https://olivierforget.net/blog/2024/dropserver-progress-january-2024/#selfhosted #FOSSfriday #indieweb"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-02T19:03:06+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40172408",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@jcrabapple",
        "url": "https://dmv.community/@jcrabapple",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://dmv.community/@jcrabapple/111863393729812679",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>Added a \"Uses\" page to my blog.</p><p><a href=\"https://cool-as-heck.blog/pages/uses\"><span>https://</span><span>cool-as-heck.blog/pages/uses</span><span></span></a></p><p><a href=\"https://dmv.community/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a> <a href=\"https://dmv.community/tags/blogging\">#<span>blogging</span></a> <a href=\"https://dmv.community/tags/uses\">#<span>uses</span></a></p>",
        "text": "Added a \"Uses\" page to my blog.https://cool-as-heck.blog/pages/uses#indieweb #blogging #uses"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-02T18:52:08+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40172337",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@vhbelvadi",
        "url": "https://indieweb.social/@vhbelvadi",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://indieweb.social/@vhbelvadi/111863100981362172",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>For this month\u2019s IndieWeb Carnival hosted by Manu Moreale, I explore what science has to say about comparing our digital and physical relationships:</p><p><a href=\"https://vhbelvadi.com/digital-relationships\"><span>https://</span><span>vhbelvadi.com/digital-relation</span><span>ships</span></a></p><p><span class=\"h-card\"><a class=\"u-url\" href=\"https://indieweb.social/@thisweekinIndieweb\">@<span>thisweekinIndieweb</span></a></span> <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/IndieWeb\">#<span>IndieWeb</span></a> <a href=\"https://indieweb.social/tags/IndieWebCarnival\">#<span>IndieWebCarnival</span></a></p>\n<a class=\"u-mention\" href=\"https://indieweb.social/@thisweekinIndieweb\"></a>",
        "text": "For this month\u2019s IndieWeb Carnival hosted by Manu Moreale, I explore what science has to say about comparing our digital and physical relationships:https://vhbelvadi.com/digital-relationships@thisweekinIndieweb #IndieWeb #IndieWebCarnival"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-02T17:37:41+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40171848",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@TheBoxFactory",
        "url": "https://mastodon.social/@TheBoxFactory",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://mastodon.social/@TheBoxFactory/111863037183209800",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>If the web was like the modern retail landscape, it feels like the malls are stagnant or dying, but the indie stores and stalls in the back streets, are showing fascinating signs of renewal <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/web\">#<span>web</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/open\">#<span>open</span></a>-web <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/html\">#<span>html</span></a></p>",
        "text": "If the web was like the modern retail landscape, it feels like the malls are stagnant or dying, but the indie stores and stalls in the back streets, are showing fascinating signs of renewal #web #indieweb #open-web #html"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-02T17:21:28+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40171652",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@raf",
        "url": "https://mastodon.cloud/@raf",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://mastodon.cloud/@raf/111862822968732218",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p><a href=\"https://mastodon.cloud/tags/untested\">#<span>untested</span></a> 093: Weekly Update</p><p>Creature Feature!</p><p>- Sandspiel<br />- Alchemy<br />- Local multimodal LLMs<br />- Square Peg // Round Checkbox</p><p><a href=\"https://untested.sonnet.io/TIL/weekly/54\"><span>https://</span><span>untested.sonnet.io/TIL/weekly/</span><span>54</span></a></p><p><a href=\"https://mastodon.cloud/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.cloud/tags/design\">#<span>design</span></a></p>",
        "text": "#untested 093: Weekly UpdateCreature Feature!- Sandspiel\n- Alchemy\n- Local multimodal LLMs\n- Square Peg // Round Checkboxhttps://untested.sonnet.io/TIL/weekly/54#indieweb #design"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-02T16:26:59+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40170945",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@BjornW",
        "url": "https://mastodon.social/@BjornW",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://mastodon.social/@BjornW/111862375336186199",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>Is it just me, or are more &amp; more people migrating away from <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/WordPress\">#<span>WordPress</span></a>? </p><p>People I've asked, tell me they did this because WordPress has become too complex &amp; requires too much maintenance / update attention. They use it mostly as a simple personal website, small company website or blog. </p><p>Personally I've more or less stopped working on WordPress around 2022, but I still find it kinda sad to see WordPress losing these people as those were it's main audience back in the day.</p><p><a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/Webdev\">#<span>Webdev</span></a> <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/tags/Indieweb\">#<span>Indieweb</span></a></p>",
        "text": "Is it just me, or are more & more people migrating away from #WordPress? People I've asked, tell me they did this because WordPress has become too complex & requires too much maintenance / update attention. They use it mostly as a simple personal website, small company website or blog. Personally I've more or less stopped working on WordPress around 2022, but I still find it kinda sad to see WordPress losing these people as those were it's main audience back in the day.#Webdev #Indieweb"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-02T14:33:09+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40170075",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}

{
    "type": "entry",
    "author": {
        "name": "@links",
        "url": "https://social.bacardi55.io/@links",
        "photo": null
    },
    "url": "https://social.bacardi55.io/@links/statuses/01HNN269MYTAH2Q7Z0TZXYR3JJ",
    "content": {
        "html": "<p>[New Shared Link] - Add Webmention support to your website in ten minutes<br /><br /><a href=\"https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/setup-webmention.html\">https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/setup-webmention.html</a><br /><a href=\"https://social.bacardi55.io/tags/indieweb\">#<span>indieweb</span></a><br /><a href=\"https://social.bacardi55.io/tags/webmention\">#<span>webmention</span></a><br /><br />cc <span class=\"h-card\"><a class=\"u-url\" href=\"https://social.bacardi55.io/@bacardi55\">@<span>bacardi55</span></a></span></p>\n<a class=\"u-mention\" href=\"https://social.bacardi55.io/@bacardi55\"></a>",
        "text": "[New Shared Link] - Add Webmention support to your website in ten minutes\n\nhttps://www.ctrl.blog/entry/setup-webmention.html\n#indieweb\n#webmention\n\ncc @bacardi55"
    },
    "published": "2024-02-02T14:05:05+00:00",
    "post-type": "note",
    "_id": "40169818",
    "_source": "8007",
    "_is_read": false
}