Audible just gave me a status upgrade to "nibbler.' I don't know who designs these things, but did they think that I, a sentient human being of 65 years and many accomplishments would appreciate being labeled as such by a fucking algorithm? This is right up there with Heroku telling me (again via algorithm) that I am a "hobbyist" developer. Excuse me. I have a MS in Computer Science from a fine school. I have won awards for my software, and invented many things, probably as many as anyone at your fine company, so please keep your opinion of my programming ability to your robot self. Sincerely, Dave Winer, a master of science. #Highly recommend the Maddow interview with Stacey Abrams last night, esp her evaluation of Kemp and Raffensperger. It's almost accidental that they ended up on the right side of Trump's attempt to steal the election, the same way a broken clock is right twice a day.#
Dan MacTough: "My eyes (and head) been killing me this morning. Had the idea to change the 'picture mode' on my external monitor (warmer color, less bright) and instantly felt me entire face relax. Like I had been squinting to keep the sun out of my eyes or something."#
I had a conversation with a friend yesterday about why I go for connecting big things to other big things. It's not for money or fame, it's about power -- for the users of the open web. Which is what got me back into software development with a passion in the early 90s. I had already lived through a couple of generations of wide open "blue sky" that was later foreclosed on by the bankers. I felt that the technology of the web, as with the personal computer before it, could be used to enhance communication, and that could be used to solve problems, the ones we're still grappling with today. That's why it's not enough to make cool software, though I admit I love doing that -- it's for the power it gives to people to solve our problems. I still believe in that, as I did when I first got into software development in the 1970s. #
Every year Mark Zuckerberg takes on a personal challenge, running 365 miles, reading 25 books. In 2018 he focused on "fixing important issues." I suggested one. "Stop killing the open web. Never mind fancy tech, support the features the web has had since inception. Linking, first and foremost, then simple styling, titles for posts and podcasting. Then take a vacation and kick back. We don't need boy genius heroics, just trust the decentralization you say you believe in." This is still on his todo list as far as I'm concerned. Be kind to the web that created your opportunity to create Facebook. #