Month: December 2021

One Foot Tsunami: Who Would Do This, AT&T?

One Foot Tsunami: Who Would Do This, AT&T?:

Oh. Wow. They took the time to rather ludicrously assure me that this is voluntary. They made sure to note that I won’t get upsold. They even urged me to act fast on this not-exciting-in-the-least offer, so I can get my answers in before the survey closes. Finally, they thanked me in advance, with a few hollow words. What they didn’t do was offer any compensation, nor even a reason for why I would spend 20 minutes completing this survey for them.

As you can no doubt guess, I didn’t. Instead, I took that time to write this post mocking AT&T. It helpfully provides feedback about their survey request, and they’re welcome to read it for free. What can I say? I’m a giver.

As far as the information on why I switched providers though? For that, they’ll have to pony up. AT&T, I encourage a prompt response, as the cost of my time is only going up.

[I don’t get it either… but that’s BigCo thinking.]

Broadband & Internet is Growing Everywhere

Broadband & Internet is Growing Everywhere:

What’s not such good news is the cost of broadband in the United States. According to The Cost of Connectivity, a research report from the Open Technology Institute, the average cost of broadband in the US is about $68.38. That is higher than average prices in large parts of the world.

Blame it on lack of any real competition — cable and phone guys are our only broadband option. And they hate competition, especially from independent or municipal networks. Incumbents do their best to thwart progress.

[And lots of folks still cannot get broadband no matter how loosely defined. But it’s nice to see some progress on connectedness, even if the power structure continues to prevent coompetition.]

Source: On my Om

Does it make you enjoy?

Does it make you enjoy?

Making you happy is too high a bar for anything. It’s unfair to ask that of anyone or anything — it’s something you can really only ask yourself, or bring yourself.

But enjoying something? That’s possible! It’s very much within reach.

So I said, will you enjoy the car? Could you see yourself enjoying the car? Will you enjoy the drive?

And that’s a much easier question to answer. And an expectation that’s easier to accept.

Objects (and experiences) don’t make you anything, you have to enjoy them.

Enjoying something is plenty.

I think he’s going to buy one.

[Happiness is a choice.]

Source: Jason Fried

Sparkle 2.0

Sparkle 2.0:

Sparkle:

Sparkle 2 adds support for application sandboxing, custom user interfaces, updating external bundles, and a more modern architecture which includes faster and more reliable installs.

This has been many years in the making.

Release notes:

Moves extraction, validation, and installation into a submitted launchd agent/daemon with XPC communication

[…]

Adoption of improved atomic-safe updates leveraging APFS

[Lots of work in there…]

Source: Michael Tsai

Where Is Webb? NASA/Webb

Where Is Webb? NASA/Webb:

The Aft Unitized Pallet Structure (UPS)

Nominal Event Time: Launch + 3 days
The UPS supports and carries the five folded sunshield membranes. Prior to this, the spacecraft will have been maneuvered to provide warmer temperatures on the forward UPS and various heaters have been activitated to warm key deployment components. Key release devices have been activated. Various electronics and software have also been configured prior to support the UPS motions, which are driven by a motor.

[Follow along!]

Please don’t use Discord for FOSS projects

Please don’t use Discord for FOSS projects:

You are making an investment when you choose to use one service over another. When you choose Discord, you are legitimizing their platform and divesting from FOSS platforms. Even if you think they have a bigger reach and a bigger audience,2 choosing them is a short-term, individualist play which signals a lack of faith in and support for the long-term goals of the FOSS ecosystem as a whole. The FOSS ecosystem needs your investment. FOSS platforms generally don’t have access to venture capital or large marketing budgets, and are less willing to use dark patterns and predatory tactics to secure their market segment. They need your support to succeed, and you need theirs. Why should someone choose to use your FOSS project when you refused to choose theirs? Solidarity and mutual support is the key to success.

[ A difficult issue for sure…]

Source: Dave Winer’s Twitter