𝕿𝖊𝖈𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖘 Bulletin for Monday, August 21, 2023 ┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅ Generated Tue 22 Aug 03:05:40 BST 2023 Created by Dr. Roy Schestowitz (𝚛𝚘𝚢 (at) 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚣 (dot) 𝚌𝚘𝚖) Full hyperlinks for navigation omitted but are fully available in the originals The corresponding HTML versions are at 𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔.𝒐𝒓𝒈 Latest in 𝒉𝒕𝒕𝒑://𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔.𝒐𝒓𝒈/𝒕𝒙𝒕 and older bulletins can be found at 𝒉𝒕𝒕𝒑://𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔.𝒐𝒓𝒈/𝒕𝒙𝒕-𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 Full IPFS index in 𝒉𝒕𝒕𝒑://𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔.𝒐𝒓𝒈/𝒊𝒑𝒇𝒔 and as plain text in 𝒉𝒕𝒕𝒑://𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔.𝒐𝒓𝒈/𝒊𝒑𝒇𝒔/𝒕𝒙𝒕 Gemini index for the day: gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/ ╒═══════════════════ 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐒 ════════════════════════════════════╕ Previous bulletins in IPFS (past 21 days, in chronological order): QmSERS83Ghpc2tvtjtSx1QuX63sSxDgJ4UDR3Xx4DCBamw QmUE5jyXyq8QeUTZvMZG2nE2AuQzLwVopuJsLSXE8fWgpy Qmf3QVyPA8xsQqXgQeE5Tw2LE7vuKa1Y9spx36dsNNUSsB QmTcZH4zeE6SzC8S3Sqgx1X7NFfYGP2vprisQByQEW5nbx QmeHyPcfAoVduU1xVyTC25qhvMBYeDVfT7bjjzZhGC7E3k QmfXKhYcGYHZGufpdVU71ZTTo1cCovxR9GpF1HuxR4f1VH QmdoTZo8Mevtx6RZCctMfwQ2Y4ffZS4ZQ6SjUZEWNm5pRa QmZ8HUFLDLxvBHLKutyBuQ6a4TTR6hb3ZAFg3gf5MsGv4Z QmdW1PZqQK5LjoM41V2gKL2KqnHaEqwHdd4G1YYxa7JTEz QmYYePurSm8yAKEwRv17i1k4Q7ju7m4SQByFQcLC8HtY7x QmaRubG8aC9J2F4D9dmkGvjTspm5HdnsTMqDuVHGcPc8k5 QmQRTBqrhT8MUXdVEwJShtA9dbvEtZNFjWkf2QjuuactPS QmRvPmuQj51W76zvbu8EJVsufNdff2k6sLwDW4kU1Umw72 QmVsL5SjB4i4sLymC3HBZkhwBhNY5MXy27LZs9QBCDgtZo QmNdfSVvGLKtGutRooKPbAq57B9AZoPeYGGSjhD1a2fVET QmZnEb1NMj8vNm5EXH9jb8unPV3bTrZKvHcvsEczvMfMYS QmPrM5Hu5PNR7zjUmtsvqm8xkZsrE96qx4CaEuQrKFfjFd QmfR8XxBEMVs1Mue6wS1NKXYG8optDVxN7EFcGCzvD1Q9z QmbqCQ6R4NusTRm9E3YjVzj9c1FxCfEvrfqShjAZLaCyQS QmeZFBVX9fk1V5VBuSsZpDpx2dnJBatXxASzUtAm4wrZ26 QmR8687kGyLT5rdVV9a5wwcd599wytXYh8CbSBUtHMqNx6 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐗 ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ ⦿ Microsoft-Funded MIT Site (Also Connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Bill Gates) Wages Another Attack With a Quasi-Hit Piece (Overtly Revisionist Fluff) on Richard Stallman | Techrights ⦿ I Managed to Make Fallout 4 Work in openSUSE Leap. | Techrights ⦿ IRC Proceedings: Sunday, August 20, 2023 | Techrights ⦿ Mozilla Firefox Loses 16 Million More Active Monthly Users Between August 15 2022-2023 | Techrights ⦿ No, I’m Not in Mastodon or in the Fediverse. It’s Fake. | Techrights ⦿ [Meme] Poor-Shaming by Matthew J Garrett Won’t End Well | Techrights ⦿ Mozilla Finishes Sabotaging SeaMonkey. Highlights From IRC and SeaMonkey Meeting Minutes. | Techrights ⦿ Stochastic Parrots vs Intelligence | Techrights ⦿ Why Tor Isn’t Safe | Techrights ⦿ Will Wayland Even Survive the Collapse of IBM? X11 Likely Will. | Techrights ䷼ Bulletin articles (as HTML) to comment on (requires login): http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/another-hatchet-job/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/fallout-4-in-wine/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/irc-log-200823/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/mozilla-firefox-dying/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/not-in-mastodon/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/poor-shaming-by-mjg/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/seamonkey-dumps-azure/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/stochastic-parrots-spun-as-ml/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/tor-is-not-safe/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/wayland-broken-windows-business/#comments ䷞ Followed by Daily Links (assorted news picks curated and categorised): http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/demise-of-robotaxis/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/libreoffice-7-6-is-out/#comments http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/trust-model-online/#comments ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 76 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄 ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ (ℹ) Images, hyperlinks and comments at http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/another-hatchet-job/#comments Gemini version at gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/another-hatchet-job/ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ Microsoft-Funded_MIT_Site_(Also_Connected_to_Jeffrey_Epstein_and_Bill_Gates) Wages_Another_Attack_With_a_Quasi-Hit_Piece_(Overtly_Revisionist_Fluff)_on Richard_Stallman⠀✐ Posted in Bill_Gates, Deception, Free/Libre_Software, GNU/Linux, Microsoft at 1:34 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz Video_download_link | md5sum 437e9f1f5f1020084cc103e79cbfaf7f History of GNU From a Revisionist POV Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 http://techrights.org/videos/rms-and-gnu-40-at-mtr.webm Summary: MIT Technology Review is doing yet another poorly-executed personal attack or revisionism about Free software LESS than a decade ago MIT admitted that it had taken bribes from Bill Gates through Jeffrey Epstein, but people cannot find this information on MIT’s various sites. Instead MIT looked for other people to throw under the bus. One of them was Richard Stallman (RMS), who turned 70 some months ago. His biggest project, GNU, is_about_to_turn_40. The video above shows how one MIT site, which we’ve criticised a lot for taking Microsoft bribes and publishing Microsoft propaganda (a_more_recent_example_can be_found_here), covered GNU’s history a few days ago. We took note of it on the day of publication (critically) and one reader asked, “did you see the hatchet job against RMS in the recent MIT [technology] review? His attackers are still stoking the embers.” “Instead MIT looked for other people to throw under the bus. One of them was Richard Stallman (RMS), who turned 70 some months ago. His biggest project, GNU, is about to turn 40.”Well, remember that this site is funded by Microsoft (MSFT) and Infosys (i.e. Microsoft in India). We showed some_examples_early_in the_year and it is not surprising that MIT cannot write a proper article about GNU, despite GNU starting there. “The MIT Technology Review is actively spreading lies and quoting frauds and imposters,” the reader told us. Here are a pair of examples not fully covered in the video above: 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇Overall,_open-source_participants_are_still_overwhelmingly white,_male,_and_located_in_the_Global_North.⦈_ Nice trolling you got there… 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇Linus_Torvalds,_the_Finnish_engineer_who_in_1991_created_the now_ubiquitous_Unix_alternative_Linux,_didn’t_buy_into_this_dogma._Torvalds_and others,_including_Microsoft’s_Bill_Gates,_believed_that_the_culture_of_open exchange_among_engineers_could_coexist_with_commerce,_and_that_more-restrictive licenses_could_forge_a_path_toward_both_financial_sustainability_and protections_for_software_creators_and_users.⦈_ As a reader put it, the article also parrots the lie about “peaceful coexistence” despite Gates’ ongoing skulduggery. “You may laugh at my expense — I deserve it,” one victim of his said_of_the_“coexistence”. “As a reader put it, the article also parrots the lie about “peaceful coexistence” despite Gates’ ongoing skulduggery.”This article might be worth some more screenshots, but it would take ages to make a complete list because the article is long (length does not imply high quality or accuracy). Those who want to read the article despite the many issues can find it starting with: When Xerox donated a new laser printer to the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab in 1980, the company couldn’t have known that the machine would ignite a revolution. The printer jammed. And according to the 2002 book Free as in Freedom, Richard M. Stallman, then a 27- year-old programmer at MIT, tried to dig into the code… The article’s opening part sounds rather innocuous and becomes more like corporate propaganda as it goes on, repeating lies from Microsoft’s very own site, using Microsoft’s own lies as citations (e.g. count of GitHub users; Microsoft even counts deleted accounts or accounts with nothing in them). █ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⡿⢿⢿⣿⢿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⢿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⡿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣮⣯⣤⣦⣯⣯⣵⣬⣮⣿⣬⣥⣧⣯⣭⣼⣤⣧⣵⣴⣴⣤⣷⣭⣧⣼⣭⣧⣭⣤⣮⣽⣥⣲⣧⣯⣤⣤⣽⣧⣴⣮⣿⣼⣬⣬⣿⣤⣬⣯⣥⣼⣯⣤⣦⣧⣿⣥⣤⣿⣤⣼⣧⣮⣆⣔⣦⣿⣤⣧⣴⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⢻⣟⡟⣛⢿⣿⡛⡟⠋⣻⡟⡻⠙⡛⣻⢹⡿⡋⠻⢛⢿⣿⠛⣿⣏⠟⠛⢹⣟⠛⠛⢻⣿⣻⡛⡛⣻⠛⢛⢻⣿⠏⠛⡻⢿⠛⡟⢛⢻⢛⣟⢛⡻⠹⡿⢛⠛⣿⡟⠛⣿⡋⢻⣿⡏⡙⡻⡛⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⡿⣿⣿⣶⣶⢶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⡶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣾⣵⣅⣾⣤⣬⣥⣦⣿⣸⣵⣟⣀⣬⣢⣨⣼⣷⣅⣸⣿⣎⣗⣺⣧⣸⣡⣇⣧⣼⣆⣬⣮⣃⣀⣴⣿⣄⣵⣷⣦⣧⣞⣅⣶⣩⣮⣾⣗⣵⣷⣧⣨⣺⣷⣵⣭⣥⣶⣸⣼⣤⣦⣽⣮⣕⣧⣷⣤⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⢻⢿⡿⠿⡿⣿⠍⣉⢉⠉⠉⣩⡍⠉⠉⢉⡉⠉⠉⠉⡉⠉⢉⠉⠉⠉⢉⢉⠉⡉⠉⠉⢉⢉⡉⠉⡉⠉⣉⠉⠉⡉⢩⠉⠉⢉⡉⣉⠉⣉⠩⠉⠉⢉⡉⠉⣉⡉⠉⡉⢉⡉⡍⠉⢉⡉⠉⠉⡉⣩⣉⠉⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⠶⠾⠶⠶⠿⠾⠀⠀⠀⠁⠈⠉⠁⠀⠀⠋⠈⠀⠀⠈⠈⠀⠈⠈⠈⠀⠋⠉⠁⠁⣈⣀⣃⣉⣁⣈⣁⣈⣉⣈⣀⣀⣉⣀⣀⣀⣀⣉⣁⣀⣈⣀⣁⣉⣁⣀⣉⣋⣀⣀⣈⣀⣁⣀⣉⣉⣀⣀⣉⣉⣈⣁⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⠰⠀⠀⠇⠁⠀⠀⠂⠦⠢⠀⠠⠖⠀⠸⠂⠀⠀⠀⠧⠂⠀⠀⠀⠐⠄⠀⠂⠐⠆⣷⣮⣙⣝⢉⣍⣍⣏⣟⣝⣹⣝⣇⣙⣽⣯⣋⣍⣍⣅⢩⣇⣩⣧⣈⣽⣽⣉⣩⣩⣫⣿⣈⣝⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣶⣶⣶⡶⣶⣶⡶⡶⣶⣶⣶⡶⣶⣶⣶⣶⢶⣶⣶⢶⢶⣶⢶⣶⢶⡶⢶⡶⣶⣶⢿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⡿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⢿⣿⡿⠿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⡿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣮⣮⣮⣨⣮⣦⣧⣯⣦⣧⣿⣤⣦⣿⣦⣤⣼⣬⣿⣷⣴⣼⣼⣥⣶⣦⣿⣤⣦⣽⣮⣤⣦⣟⣵⣴⣦⣨⣦⣴⣧⣵⣵⣤⣽⣩⣧⣼⣧⣿⣥⣥⣼⣥⣿⣦⣮⣦⣷⣽⣵⣼⣷⣥⣦⣆⣮⣿⣄⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⢻⣟⠿⣿⠿⢿⡛⢻⠿⠿⠿⠟⠟⡿⣿⡟⠻⡿⢿⠛⡛⠿⠿⠟⠿⠻⣿⠿⠿⡿⠟⠿⠿⠿⠿⢿⠿⣟⠿⠿⡟⡿⢿⣻⠛⠟⠛⣿⠿⠿⠿⠿⢻⡿⠟⡿⡟⠿⣿⡿⠿⠿⡿⢿⠿⡻⠟⠿⡿⠟⣿⠿⢿⠿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣾⣾⣾⣷⣶⣾⣷⣾⣶⣷⣷⣶⣶⣿⣶⣷⣾⣷⣾⣾⣿⣾⣿⣶⣶⣾⣿⣶⣶⣵⣴⣾⣶⣶⣶⣿⣾⣾⣷⣶⣷⣷⣾⣿⣷⣷⣷⣿⣶⣾⣶⣶⣾⣶⣶⣷⣷⣶⣾⣿⣶⣾⣶⣿⣤⣭⣤⣴⣥⣤⣭⣤⣤⣬⣽⣿ ⣿⣿⠹⠹⠟⠹⠻⡟⠋⠙⠛⠟⠟⠟⠹⠟⡛⢻⠿⠏⠿⠛⠻⠻⢿⠋⠟⠏⠻⢯⢿⠹⡛⢛⢻⡿⠛⠹⠟⡏⠏⠋⠛⣟⠏⠛⠻⠟⠛⠟⠿⡿⠟⠻⢿⠻⠻⠻⠙⢻⠟⠿⠛⢿⡿⠋⠿⠛⠛⡟⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⢿⣿⡿⢿⣿⣿⣿⢿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⡿⣿⠿⣿⡿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡷⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣶⡾⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣀⣊⣐⣀⣪⣂⣐⣊⠀⣟⣈⣘⣀⣂⣆⣀⣀⣐⣂⣖⣸⣃⣀⣛⣻⣜⣉⣐⣂⣀⣘⣇⣪⣠⣀⣅⣆⣆⣀⣺⣖⣐⣁⣃⣧⣂⣨⣸⣕⣆⣀⣖⣀⣒⣀⣯⣪⣸⣕⡖⣨⣀⣊⣧⣐⣄⣒⣊⣀⣐⡃⢀⣸⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⡿⢿⠿⠿⠿⠿⡿⠿⠿⡿⠿⢿⠿⠿⠿⠟⡿⢻⠉⠉⠉⠉⠉⠉⠉⡿⠿⢻⡟⢿⡿⢿⠿⠿⠿⠿⡿⠿⢿⠿⢿⡿⠿⢿⠟⣿⡟⢿⢿⣿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⣿⠿⡿⣿⡿⠟⠿⠻⠻⠿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣶⣶⣷⣶⣾⣷⣼⣾⣾⣦⣼⣷⣶⣷⣿⣶⣾⣾⣾⣶⣶⣾⣾⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣷⣶⣾⣷⣾⣾⣾⣶⣿⣶⣾⣷⣶⣿⣶⣧⣷⣶⣷⣶⣿⣷⣶⣾⣿⣶⣷⣶⣾⣾⣿⣶⣷⣾⣷⣷⣾⣾⣶⣶⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 200 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄 ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ (ℹ) Images, hyperlinks and comments at http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/fallout-4-in-wine/#comments Gemini version at gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/fallout-4-in-wine/ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ I_Managed_to_Make_Fallout_4_Work_in_openSUSE_Leap.⠀✐ Posted in GNU/Linux, OpenSUSE, Wine at 12:31 am by Guest Editorial Team Reprinted with permission from Ryan_Farmer U gh, this again. So, openSUSE Leap 15.5 being an enterprise-like system with slow moving releases, it’s been something of a chore to set up for a laptop, especially one where I occasionally want to play Windows games. Even after installing the vulkan packages and Wine Stable 8.0, and the media codecs from the “Packman” repository with “opi”, when I launched Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition this time, I ended up with no voices and no soundtracks. When I ran it with wine Fallout4.exe, it complained that it could not find a Windows Media Audio codec for gstreamer. This seemed an awful lot like the problem_I_ran_into_with_Debian_11_in_2021 where Microsoft just bumps old games for no reason except to harass Wine and Steam Play users with new Windows 10 APIs that do something that already existed, only worse and differently. Pointless APIs. Garbage that needs WMA when the thing just opened and played MP3 files before! But…….with the added bonus that the game would run for a minute or two then crash to the desktop after lagging a bit. When I got to looking into it, I noticed that openSUSE Leap also didn’t have the faudio packages installed, but that didn’t fix it either. So I tried installing libavcodec56, nope. Eventually installing libavformat56 and libavformat57 got the sound working, but still crashes. After a while, I found that it works better on KDE on X11. In fact, KWin in general feels faster and more responsive under X11. So, possibly XWayland issues? Older versions of stuff than Fedora had? Who cares, I just want my game to work. Eventually KDE will solve enough of these Wayland issues that I can go ahead and start using that session. It seems they’re pretty close already. Probably by Plasma 6, it’ll be production-machine worthy. Eventually, after turning off antialiasing and anisotropic filtering, textures to high, resolution at 1920×1080, and “God Rays off” whatever those are, those seem to make it crash in Wine too, it worked. I installed vkd3d (the Direct3D to Vulkan stuff). I don’t know if this build of Wine uses them. It only works with Direct3D 12 in any event. Which most Windows games I’m interested in don’t even need. I also realized that the screen will dim and turn off and the screen lock will come on, so I disabled all of these in Power Management and Workspace Behavior/ Screen Locking. While I’m gaming, the thing is obviously plugged in, so I just left power management for when it’s on battery. I’ve had a lot more luck, obviously, with Linux native games, and retro gaming, than getting Windows garbage to work in Wine. Bethesda games were crap code before Microsoft got in and started re-arranging it all and making it depend on newer APIs. This is the company that already broke their games more with patches than when they shipped. In Skyrim, they had a patch that made the dragons fly backwards. I don’t think it’s fair to pin the blame on these binaries on Wine as they’ve always been real “SPECIAL”. 😉 █ ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 309 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄 ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ (ℹ) Images, hyperlinks and comments at http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/irc-log-200823/#comments Gemini version at gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/irc-log-200823/ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ IRC_Proceedings:_Sunday,_August_20,_2023⠀✐ Posted in IRC_Logs at 11:18 am by Needs Sunlight Also available via the Gemini protocol at: * gemini://gemini.techrights.org/irc-gmi/irc-log-techrights-200823.gmi * gemini://gemini.techrights.org/irc-gmi/irc-log-200823.gmi * gemini://gemini.techrights.org/irc-gmi/irc-log-social-200823.gmi * gemini://gemini.techrights.org/irc-gmi/irc-log-techbytes-200823.gmi Over HTTP: 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇H 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇HTML5_logs⦈_ #techrights_log_as_HTML5 #boycottnovell_log_as_HTML5 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇H 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇HTML5_logs⦈_ #boycottnovell-social_log_as_HTML5 #techbytes_log_as_HTML5 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇t 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇text_logs⦈_ #techrights_log_as_text #boycottnovell_log_as_text 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇t 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇text_logs⦈_ #boycottnovell-social_log_as_text #techbytes_log_as_text Enter_the_IRC_channels_now =============================================================================== § IPFS Mirrors⠀➾ CID Description Object type IRC log for  Qmbisimci15VN1Fugvr7a2Qu7n78oeaGWQhL3fDkH9q2H2 #boycottnovell 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇HTML5 logs⦈ (full IRC log as HTML) IRC log for #boycottnovell  QmTDkAYWPyvRkCDt6H2koXBvc7Xs6ZyEXGdQc2BE7jcrAN (full IRC log 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇text logs⦈ as plain/ASCII text) IRC log for #boycottnovell-  QmS2X9TEqagLLvy66ZeSLso9CpbkFsUCPHzC51dCDFdJfu social 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇HTML5 logs⦈ (full IRC log as HTML) IRC log for #boycottnovell-  QmYpkjVjd5ULU4hFiufXgYBwDQ8qbhcryScoCAVF1mXy2M social 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇text logs⦈ (full IRC log as plain/ASCII text) IRC log for  QmQ3Gi4pZswKYMnBropSQh4d1vvsb264yg9xeDPMhiMUPd #techbytes 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇HTML5 logs⦈ (full IRC log as HTML) IRC log for #techbytes  QmRqDUvV3amjnAkj2Nf9XGZ2EcXw3cfNDRLRti49zbTrun (full IRC log 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇text logs⦈ as plain/ASCII text) IRC log for  QmfD4ttxtaiRDVqo6F3UiWKiHHGiWLTNcJz52jnE4oMUFq #techrights 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇HTML5 logs⦈ (full IRC log as HTML) IRC log for #techrights  QmZto3sVv9Pq6LXYwd8Uid7LcAvwkMPf6fZgg6rA16LLpq (full IRC log 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇text logs⦈ as plain/ASCII text) 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇IPFS logo⦈ § Bulletin for Yesterday⠀➾ Local_copy | CID (IPFS): QmR8687kGyLT5rdVV9a5wwcd599wytXYh8CbSBUtHMqNx6 ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 436 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄 ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ (ℹ) Images, hyperlinks and comments at http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/mozilla-firefox-dying/#comments Gemini version at gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/mozilla-firefox-dying/ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ Mozilla_Firefox_Loses_16_Million_More_Active_Monthly_Users_Between_August_15 2022-2023⠀✐ Posted in Free/Libre_Software at 8:19 pm by Guest Editorial Team Reprinted with permission from Ryan_Farmer According to the latest Firefox_Public_Data_Report_statistics, Mozilla has lost about 16 million more Active Monthly Users between August 15th 2022 and August 14th 2023. 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇Firefox_users'_activity⦈_ 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇Firefox_users'_activity⦈_ 192,840,300 minus 176,821,100 equals 16,019,200 less users in a single 12 month period. On January 28, 2019, Mozilla had 253,877,800 Active Monthly Firefox Users, so if you subtract 176,821,100, they’ve lost 77,056,700. Yes, over 77 million users lost in 4 years and 7 months. If you average out the loss over this period, then they’ve lost about 1.4 million Firefox users per month, give or take a couple thousand. Per day, that means that over 46,300 people slam Firefox shut and never open it again. Where do they go? Well, from the screenshot it may look like I used Firefox to take that picture, but I actually snapped them using LibreWolf on openSUSE Leap 15.5 KDE. LibreWolf is a fork of Firefox that doesn’t spy on you and is set to privacy- preserving settings from the Tor Uplift Project and to default to not persisting your history or cookies between sessions and to never keep a disk cache. It also comes with ublock-origin, and is fully compatible with WebExtensions from the Firefox Add-Ons, including NoScript and all the other ones you may use. It blocks fingerprinting vectors like Canvas and WebGL (which is a security hazard) and I’ve disabled WASMs (because those too are a hazard that adds more security issues, and I don’t want the Web platform to have it even if I whitelist a domain in NoScript…I want my bank to work, not shove a binary blob down the hatch). I’ve also hidden and disabled the Widevine and EME (DRM stuff). I don’t use Firefox Sync. I enabled (in about:config) password CSV imports and occasionally I just back up my password and bookmarks file to storage I control. Then I go over to SeaMonkey and stomp those with the latest version. It’s some work, but it keeps my information off of Mozilla’s server. Set up this way, LibreWolf doesn’t spy on you like Firefox does. It also doesn’t throw garbage in your face. “Too much garbage in your face? Try_space!“ With Mozilla quickly running out of Firefox users and resorting_to_petty harassment_of_SeaMonkey, it’s anyone’s guess exactly how long before Google totally defunds them. Most people aren’t very intelligent, so I’d imagine that Mozilla is hemorrhaging users to something even nastier, like Chrome or Edge. This does not bode well for the future. At this point I don’t even think Mozilla wants to save themselves. They’ve abandoned_Windows_users_who_could_have_been_a_captive_audience, even though there’s nothing technical in the way of compiling new builds for these versions of the OS, yet. Years later, they still_won’t_fix_embarrassing_“fake_errors” that Microsoft and Google throw Firefox users along with “get our browser instead” spam. In addition to Mitchell Baker firing Gecko developers by the hundreds and hiring Diversity Inclusion People and folks to write adware (which LibreWolf disables, and SeaMonkey has never had), Mozilla has a long history of serving a a line item on someone’s resume before_they_go_work_at_a_GAFAM_company officially. There’s a good reason to switch from Firefox, even if you pick something else that’s basically Firefox. We need to protect ourselves from all of this adware and spyware and these binary-only modules and tell Mitchell that “We’re not gonna take it anymore!”. (My Firefox ESR from openSUSE has had the “profile hardening” applied to it to make it basically like LibreWolf with Firefox branding, but it’s more work than letting someone else maintain it for you.) █ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣭⣏⣿⣯⣉⣏⣏⣏⣿⣯⣍⣻⣉⣋⣯⣭⣿⣭⣝⣭⣏⣋⣝⣯⣽⣿⣿⣿⣹⣉⣏⣽⣙⣻⣯⣽⣿⣫⣿⣹⣉⣯⣯⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣛⣛⣛⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡧⣤⣤⣤⣤⣤⠤⣤⢿⡿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⢿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⣿⡿⡿⣿⣿⡿⡿⡿⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣿⣟⣿⣿⣟⣟⣟⣿⣿⣿⣻⣟⣟⣻⣻⣿⣿⣻⣻⣟⣿⣿⣿⣟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣛⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⢿⣿⠿⣿⣿⡿⢿⢿⣿⢿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣭⣏⣿⣯⣉⣏⣏⣏⣿⣯⣍⣻⣉⣋⣯⣭⣿⣭⣝⣭⣏⣋⣝⣯⣽⣿⣿⣿⣹⣉⣏⣽⣙⣻⣯⣽⣿⣫⣿⣹⣉⣯⣯⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣛⣛⣛⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡧⣤⣤⣤⣤⣤⠤⣤⢿⡿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⢿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⣿⡿⡿⣿⣿⡿⡿⡿⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣿⣟⣿⣿⣟⣟⣟⣿⣿⣿⣻⣟⣟⣻⣻⣿⣿⣻⣻⣟⣿⣿⣿⣟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣛⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⡿⠿⡿⣿⣿⣿⠿⢿⢿⣿⢿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ ⠀⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠛⠀ ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 609 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄 ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ (ℹ) Images, hyperlinks and comments at http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/not-in-mastodon/#comments Gemini version at gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/not-in-mastodon/ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ No,_I’m_Not_in_Mastodon_or_in_the_Fediverse._It’s_Fake.⠀✐ Posted in Site_News at 1:22 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz Video_download_link | md5sum 22782e717497f93d24be83999e1b6cf6 Abuse and Imposters Online Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 http://techrights.org/videos/imposters-fediverse.webm Summary: One major problem with the World Wide Web is a lack of authentication/ verification; even X/Twitter has a pandemic of fake accounts and it’s spinning out of control in Twitter’s alternative (although, to Mastodon’s credit, action was taken swiftly when I reported the forgery) TWENTY YEARS ago I was very busy in USENET, where I probably posted about 100,000 messages altogether. But people kept impersonating me there, saying horrible things using my own name. Over a decade and a half ago a lot of online communication was done through blog comments. There too people impersonated me (posting phony comments using my name, calling people “nazis” and intentionally offending other GNU/Linux advocates). So I formally stopped leaving comments in other people’s sites and said any such comments would likely be fake (impersonation). In more recent years I had the same trouble in Twitter, Diaspora, and now it’s happening in the Fediverse. There were probably over 10 such accounts already. So just to be clear, I post nothing in Social Control Media (old and inactive accounts may still exist there). Any account that is active in Social Control Media account and bears my name is definitely fake. The video above speaks of the latest example of that. It’s not a badge of honour to have fakes online, it is a nuisance and liability. Such accounts might actively promote illegal activity and terrorism, hoping to fool some people into thinking the real person is a dangerous extremist who lost his/her mind. █ ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 671 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄 ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ (ℹ) Images, hyperlinks and comments at http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/poor-shaming-by-mjg/#comments Gemini version at gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/poor-shaming-by-mjg/ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ [Meme]_Poor-Shaming_by_Matthew_J_Garrett_Won’t_End_Well⠀✐ Posted in Deception at 3:15 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴_🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽_⦇Matthew_J_Garrett:_Don't_mock_people_for_eating_tuna_if_all you_have_is_a_treehouse⦈_ Summary: The hypocrisy and projection tactics from Matthew_“gas_the_Jews” Garrett, the Coke_Fly doing bios, won’t age well; turns out that while he mocks everyone for being poor the real poverty is his own ⠀⢀⣀⣀⢀⣠⣀⢀⡀⣀⣀⣀⣀⡀⢀⣀⢀⣀⢀⣀⡀⣀⣀⡀⣀⢀⡀⢀⣀⣀⢀⣀⢀⣠⣀⢀⣀⡀⣀⠀⣀⣀⠀⣀⣀⣀⣄⡸⣛⣛⢿⣿⣛⡻⣛⣛⣛⣛⣛⡻⣛⢟⡻⣛⣟⢿⢀⣀⣀⣛⢛⡻⣛⢟⡿⣛⡻⣿ ⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⡇⣿⢸⣷⣿⠛⢹⣿⠁⢸⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢘⡃⣿⣾⠁⢸⣿⣿⢸⣯⢸⡇⣿⢸⣿⡇⣿⠀⣿⡭⠀⣿⡭⣿⢸⡇⣿⣿⡻⢻⣿⣅⣿⣿⢹⣿⢹⡇⣿⣿⡇⣿⣽⡏⠈⣿⠉⣿⢸⡇⣿⣾⣧⡿⣿⠻ ⠀⠸⠿⠿⠛⠷⠿⠸⠟⠿⠀⠸⠿⠀⠸⠟⠏⠿⠹⠿⠟⠻⠾⠇⠿⠹⠇⠸⠿⠀⠸⠷⠞⠷⠟⠸⠇⠀⠿⠶⠿⠶⠀⠿⠀⠻⠾⠃⠿⠿⠇⠸⠿⠾⠿⠿⠼⠿⠸⠇⠿⠻⠇⠿⠿⠇⠀⠿⠄⠻⠾⠃⠿⠿⠿⠟⠿⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⡀⡙⢷⡢⠇⠁⠯⠺⡟⢿⢿⣯⡁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠣⠘⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠾⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣐⣶⣶⣄⡄⠀⣀⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡀⠀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠠⠿⠿⡿⢿⣿⡟⡿⣿⣏⣤⣶⣾⣿⣿⠿⠿⣿⣿⣶⣿⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢰⡗⣿⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⠉⢹⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠈⠙⠿⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠿⣮⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣥⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠉⠁⠀⠀⠙⠋⠻⣿⣿⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣠⣤⣤⣤⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⢿⣿⣯⣭⣽⣿⣿⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣾⣷⣦⣴⣶⣦⣄⡀⠀⠈⠻⢿⡇⠀⠀⠀⣶⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⡽⠟⠋⠉⠉⠉⠙⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣼⢸⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣼⡿⣿⣏⣿⣿⣿⣷⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣦⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣾⣭⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠛⠛⠛⠛⠉⠉⠉⠙⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣇⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⠛⠛⠛⠟⠛⠛⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⢟⣽⣿⡽⡿⣟⣛⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣀⣘⣿⣿⣯⣭⣭⣍⣭⣽⢶⣶⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠛⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣻⣷⡷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣶⣶⣤⣤⠀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢶⣶⣶⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⠆⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⣶⣾⣷⣶⣄⣀⣶⣶⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣽⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠛⠛⠛⠉⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣪⢓⣛⣿⣿⣛⡻⣟⡿⣟⣻⡿⣃⢀⡀⣀⣀⢀⣀⣀⠀⢀⡀⣀⢀⣀⣀⣀⢀⣀⣀⡀⠀⣀⢀⣀⡀⠀⢀⣀⠀⢀⣀⣀⣉⣉⡛⣛⣛⣁⣀⢀⡀⣀⢀⣀⡀⣀⣀⣀⢀⣀⡀⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⢸⣯⡝⢻⣿⣇⣿⡗⣿⡇⠀⢻⣾⢻⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⠀⢸⣧⣿⢸⣿⡇⣿⣾⣿⣿⡅⠀⣿⠸⣿⡛⠀⣿⢿⡆⠈⣿⡏⣿⣿⡇⣿⣭⣿⣯⢸⣧⣿⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⡃⣿⣭⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⢸⡇⠀⢸⡟⣿⢿⣧⢿⣧⠀⢸⡿⠘⢿⡿⠻⢿⡿⠀⢸⡇⣿⣾⡿⣿⢿⣿⠹⣿⡤⠀⣿⠸⣿⡿⠀⣿⢻⡇⠀⣿⡇⣿⣿⡇⣿⣤⢿⣧⢸⡇⣿⠸⣿⠿⠻⣿⠿⠿⣼⠇⣿⣤⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 726 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄 ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ (ℹ) Images, hyperlinks and comments at http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/seamonkey-dumps-azure/#comments Gemini version at gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/seamonkey-dumps-azure/ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ Mozilla_Finishes_Sabotaging_SeaMonkey._Highlights_From_IRC_and_SeaMonkey Meeting_Minutes.⠀✐ Posted in Protocol, Standard at 12:38 am by Guest Editorial Team Reprinted with permission from Ryan_Farmer F rom IRC and the Meeting Notes for today. First off, Mozilla is “cutting SeaMonkey loose” and not allowing them to use any infrastructure soon. I think they’re just angry that the Suite they threw away in 2006 gets updates and is still cooler than Firefox. Mozilla finally decided to fully cut us loose in Q3. Formally and legally this is all in order. * Source code will probably be removed from comm-central because it seems parts of MZLA and/or the Thunderbird council are eager to do the same. * Fortunately we are mostly independent already and it will not affect the 2.53 line or building releases. o Depending on when this will happen we will have a deplayed release and maybe broken updates for one release too. * If this happens it is unlikely we will pursue upstream fixes for suite any longer and just concentrate on the 2.53 fork * We need to find replacements for bugzilla, translations via Pontoon, add-on and the distribution site. o Reviews for SeaMonkey add-ons seem to no longer be done anyway. We don’t have any access there. –SeaMonkey_Meeting_Minutes_for_August_20,_2023 There were also some disturbing notes about the status of SeaMonkey’s infrastructure: Our infrastructure is using Azure. * ewong has been looking at Kallithea, RhodeCode and other similar tools which are needed later to automate source code management for non mozilla repos (tools, website and others). o Also evaluation of Ansible and Terraform going together with it is done. –SeaMonkey_Meeting_Minutes_for_August_20,_2023 Usage of Azure for anything is troubling, as it’s just_not_possible_to_make Microsoft_products_secure.  According to data from Google Project Zero, Microsoft products have accounted for an aggregate of 42.5% of all zero-days discovered since 2014. Microsoft’s lack of transparency applies to breaches, irresponsible security practices and vulnerabilities, all of which expose their customers to risks they are deliberately kept in the dark about. In March 2023, a member of Tenable’s Research team was investigating Microsoft’s Azure platform and related services. The researcher discovered an issue which would enable an unauthenticated attacker to access cross-tenant applications and sensitive data, such as authentication secrets. To give you an idea of how bad this is, our team very quickly discovered authentication secrets to a bank. They were so concerned about the seriousness and the ethics of the issue that we immediately notified Microsoft. Did Microsoft quickly fix the issue that could effectively lead to the breach of multiple customers’ networks and services? Of course not. They took more than 90 days to implement a partial fix – and only for new applications loaded in the service. That means that as of today, the bank I referenced above is still vulnerable, more than 120 days since we reported the issue, as are all of the other organizations that had launched the service prior to the fix. And, to the best of our knowledge, they still have no idea they are at risk and therefore can’t make an informed decision about compensating controls and other risk-mitigating actions. Microsoft claims that they will fix the issue by the end of September, four months after we notified them. That’s grossly irresponsible, if not blatantly negligent. We know about the issue, Microsoft knows about the issue, and hopefully, threat actors don’t. -Tenable CEO Amit Yoran “Microsoft: The truth Is even worse than you think” It’s good that they’re getting away from Azure for building the binaries from their official Web site (apparently?). Should have never used it. Have no idea what Microsoft might be stuffing in there and there’s no reproducible build data that comes with the binaries, afaik. Unfortunately, they also consider Azure CDN for hosting the binaries themselves. *facepalm* Some Capacity planning to find the best price/performance ratio is carried out. * Other than azure hosting options because of price are also evaluated. * ewong started to look at Azure CDN as a download server. -SeaMonkey_Meeting_Minutes_for_August_20,_2023 Mozilla has “stopped testing” 32-bit Linux builds of Firefox, but SeaMonkey plans to stop providing 32-bit builds on any platform as well, it seems. It affects SeaMonkey even more because it’s single-process and the Web is so bloated and full of trash that 4 GB of RAM is no longer enough to contain all of the shit people are loading in a Web browser. frg proposes to end 32 bit release support in 2024. Main reason is that modern websites are memory hungry and the 32 bit only architecture cause more and more oom crashes and subsequent complaints. Mozilla recently stopped testing Linux x86 releases too. * No consensus reached about it yet. So far building it is possible with gcc 8.3.1 under CentOS 7 and clang under Windows. -SeaMonkey_Meeting_Minutes_for_August_20,_2023 An interesting insight into Mozilla’s Firefox build process. It seems they no longer use shit-ass Windows to create builds for shit-ass Windows. They cross- compile them from Linux in a process that needs Wine? 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇:/⦈ Mozilla switched Windows builds to cross compile on Linux. * This would need backports but is not 100% native (needs Wine). So currently no plans to do this for SeaMonkey. * Discussion for later when setting up jenkins. Even buildbot had some version specific files outside the tree. -SeaMonkey_Meeting_Minutes_for_August_20,_2023 Some talk about wanting to eliminate excessive different compilers. Microsoft compilers are garbage and the way I understand it, since 2019 they shove telemetry crap in your program whether you want it or not. When I was looking at WavPack binaries for 64-bit Windows, I ended up using the MinGW builds that were cross-compiled from Linux because Microsoft’s compiler added bloat, ran slower on the CPU, and also pointlessly dropped Windows XP support (both 32-bit and 64-bit x86) although the MinGW builds were smaller, faster and even run on Windows 2000. To reduce the use of different compilers we are looking into compiling future 2.53 Windows releases with clang 14 or later. * Currently CentOS 7 can not use the mozilla provided compilers because of a downlevel libstdc. VS2022 is supported since 2.53.10b1 pre but building is spotty because of changes in new compiler releases. * The Windows build server will not be switched to it for now and currently compiling with it is broken. -SeaMonkey_Meeting_Minutes_for_August_20,_202 Needs User Agent Hacks, per-site. This tracks with what I’ve experienced. Globally advertising Firefox UA is radically destructive. Currently, I advertise Firefox 102.14 ESR and then set per-site UAs to something else as- needed through about:config. This is advanced user stuff that most people wouldn’t want to do. I mentioned that I do this for GMail in an older blog post so Google’s “Secure Apps” shuts the hell up and gives me my email. Because of bad user agent sniffing we updated the base UA version some time ago from Gecko 68 to 91. * Youtube no longer seems to display correctly for some users only advertizing Firefox in the UA. * Further enhancements are planned for a later release in bug 1737436. * We want to implement overrides for bad web sites like Waterfox does using a json file containing the UA replacements. o The Fedora maintainer already added some of this and we will likely use this in the official release. -SeaMonkey_Meeting_Minutes_for_August_20,_202 Google is being nasty and especially with YouTube. There’s major jank and I usually use it through Piped or Invidious proxies. It’s very helpful that my search engine, Searx Belgium, directs me to Invidious or Piped and also to Old Reddit, as these aren’t rotting bloated trash meant for Google Chrome. I ended up activating Web Components even though it’s not ready because it makes github and gitlab work again. We are looking into adding support for Custom Elements and Shadow DOM in a later release. No ETA yet. * What is there has been activated in the current prerelease for testing. Shadow Dom support is mostly still missing. * Google owned/based websites like youtube are likely to break because of this in the near future. There are already reports of broken functionality on youtube. * Some good progress has been made and sites which do not need shadow dom start to work with dom.webcomponents.customelements.enabled and dom.webcomponents.enabled set to true. -SeaMonkey_Meeting_Minutes_for_August_20,_202 The situation for add-ons is horrible. Fortunately, old versions of ublock origin and NoScript work for me, and those are the only really important extension types anyway. SeaMonkey can’t easily handle all of the JavaScript_Garbage anymore considering that it doesn’t just hide the mess on other processor cores like Google Chrome and Firefox do. Without the ads and JavaScript Crap, SeaMonkey normally works fine for me. I route my news and weather to the Gemini resources from gemi.dev over mozz.us’s Web proxy. Then I can get those without the absolute shit show that unfolds in a sad modern browser. There’s a gopher proxy that proxies Reddit to Gopher then mozz.us_proxies_it_back_into_the_Web. My dad always said where there’s a will there’s a way around it. I took it to heart. Of course sometimes I just access this stuff over Lagrange. It’s a browser for Gemini and Gopher, which don’t suck. You can read Reddit on Netscape Communicator 4 through Gopher through the native gopher support. Unfortunately, the images can’t be grabbed unless you have a TLS proxy like Crypto Ancienne. There’s no technical reason why you can’t access information from the Internet except they want to be a big fat goddamn pain in the ass unless you’ve updated your_browser_10_times_this_month and buy_a_new_computer_every_few_years_that you_shouldn’t_need so you can deal_with_fucking_Reddit_again. It’s all spyware and tracking nonsense. It’s basically the only reason you need new computers and the browsers that run on them. If you’re not fighting them, you’re helping them, and Mozilla_isn’t_fighting them. Mozilla claims they have a security app for Linux and can’t_figure_out_what_the root_account_does. (I swear the only reason I write these articles is the opportunity to make some sick burns.) Anyway, * WebExtension support in SeaMonkey is tracked in bug_1320556. o Work on theme or extension support has not started. o Support for Webextension dictionaries and language packs has been added. o Manifest v3 support will be mandatory in 2023. Google will no longer accept new extensions using v2 in 2022. # We do not plan to support this in the near future. * NoScript_Classic_5.x is still available. Currently 5.1.9. * uBlock_Origin is still available. The latest classic version is currently 1.16.4.30. * Session_Manager is still being updated. Latest version is 0.8.1.14 and supports SeaMonkey 2.53.x. * Enigmail is supported again. Big thanks. * The Stylish forks stylem and stylem_df_version work in 2.53.13. * DownThemAll fixed 3.1.2 version for 2.53.10 and up. * Palefill_generic_polyfill can be used for accessing github, gitlab and other broken sites. Latest working version version is 1.23. Later versions are no longer working in SeaMonkey because of the developers decision to not fix some incompatible changes. Please disable updates or uninstall it. * github-wc-polyfill can be used for accessing github and gitlab. Both need Custom Elements support right now. Latest version is 1.2.19. o The add-on is outdated. -SeaMonkey_Meeting_Minutes_for_August_20,_202 Finally, from IRC… I gather that 2.53.18 will be a decent-sized release. 2.53.17 seems to have just cleaned up some build environment garbage and made a few changes to JavaScript and such. More Web platform stuff seems to be on its way. [8/20/23 09:22] Status of the SeaMonkey Source Tree [8/20/23 09:23] All building I think. Need to do some central checkins but was real busy in the last weeks. [8/20/23 09:24] Trying to get SpiderMonkey updated for 2.53. Great progress locally but not yet fully stable with the latest regexp stuff. [8/20/23 09:28] Not much else here from me for source. But updating masters in git and hg is still just a matter of time. patching becomes slow. [8/20/23 09:29] what’s the next big Javascript shiny in the radar? [8/20/23 09:30] * njsg imagines Oracle implementing a JVM on top of Javascript [8/20/23 09:31] tomman bigint and dynamic modules. But I need to fix my local queue first. [8/20/23 09:32] dynamic modules are indeed getting a pest, thankfully the regex stuff seems solid on the .18b1 builds [8/20/23 09:33] tomman yeah crahses pretty fast now in my queue so this needs to work. [8/20/23 09:33] I either need to fix it or put more stuff in so that the original stuff applies clean(er). [8/20/23 09:34] Release Train [8/20/23 09:36] 2.53.17 is done. Wonder if we should do the next beta fast to get the regexp stuff out. Missing support now breaks tons of sites. [8/20/23 09:39] probably [8/20/23 09:40] Let my try to fix my queue and if not we do it next week. [8/20/23 09:41] frg: yes, it would be nice to get your local queue in [8/20/23 09:44] Extensions Tracking [8/20/23 09:45] The pref changes still cause fallout but nothing else I think. Fortunately an easy fixer. ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 1097 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄 ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ (ℹ) Images, hyperlinks and comments at http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/stochastic-parrots-spun-as-ml/#comments Gemini version at gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/stochastic-parrots-spun-as-ml/ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ Stochastic_Parrots_vs_Intelligence⠀✐ Posted in Deception, Marketing at 6:45 am by Guest Editorial Team Original by Alex Oliva, “stochastic_parrots_vs_intelligence” Machine learning is often framed as artificial intelligence. Based on large statistical models, it can learn what is common. That is only vaguely correlated with what is intelligent, let alone with what is good. To figure out what is good, we need to reflect, to weight consequences, to identify benefits and risks to ourselves and to others. The machine learning systems better understood as stochastic parrots don’t do that. They may seem to, when they’re trained on datasets that embody our own collective intelligence. But it’s a lossy process. It’s not just that it doesn’t advance wisdom, it rather dilutes it in noise. As training datasets encompass more and more data produced by such intelligence-diluting processes, the pearls that would advance our collective intelligence will become ever harder for us, the reflecting beings, to identify, select and promote in the sea of stochastic noise generated by the artificial parrots. This vulnerability doesn’t affect only these brute-force algorithms. Humans too are vulnerable to it. Social media filter bubbles, much older propaganda techniques and cults exploit just that: if we’re surrounded by people (or bots) voicing a similar position, we tend to take that position for granted, as a reflection of collectively-selected wisdom. It takes huge effort to overcome peer pressure and maintain and advance the unusual, surprising, even unreasonable positions that progress depends on. Stochastic parrots, with all their computing power, can’t crack us out of these serpent eggs: being unable to reason, they can only further entrap us, reinforcing already common sedimented positions. They won’t figure out that we’ve been fooled and warn us. They won’t find solutions for climate catastrophe, for war, for famine, for inequity, for prejudice, for exploitation. They are artificial parrots made to identify prevalent patterns and to boost them. The prevalent systems of beliefs that they are made to reinforce are the ones that brought us these problems. The pearls we wish and hope for are too rare to catch the stochastic parrots’ algorithms’ attention, and the extra noise the parrots output won’t make the pearls any easier for us intelligent beings to find. So blong… █ =============================================================================== This work is licensed under the Creative Commons License BY-SA (Attribution ShareAlike) 3.0 Unported. To see a copy of this license, visit http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View, California, 94041, USA. ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 1197 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄 ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ (ℹ) Images, hyperlinks and comments at http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/tor-is-not-safe/#comments Gemini version at gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/tor-is-not-safe/ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ Why_Tor_Isn’t_Safe⠀✐ Posted in Free/Libre_Software, Security at 1:40 am by Guest Editorial Team Reprinted with permission from Ryan_Farmer Tor is a project funded by the United States Federal Government. They have hired people affiliated by the Tor Project who know where the weaknesses are, to help them stockpile and weaponize vulnerabilities. It has evencommissioned_malware_attacks_against_the_computer_of_the_Tor_users. Over 27.5% of the Tor Exit Nodes, which lead back to the public Internet, are owned_by_a_single_entity. (As of 2021.) The security researcher who gave that figure says they suspect the same entity has at least 1-3% of the exit nodes on top of the 27.5% figure. This would mean that almost 1 in 3 Tor Exit Nodes are owned by the same entity. As of two years ago, 79%_of_all_Tor_Nodes_(not_just_the_Exit_Nodes)_were_hosted in_a_14_Eyes_Alliance_country. Countries whose intelligence agencies have spy on each other, and then pass around, to bypass domestic surveillance laws and the United States Constitution. The Tor Browser itself is basically a modified version of Firefox. By default, it has all active content (JavaScripts, WASM executable support, media codecs, etc.) available and exposed to the Web, and no ad blocker. They claim this is to make everyone look the same, but in reality it means thousands of security vulnerabilities from a Web browser that has a really lousy track record on that subject. While facilitating a vandal on the TechRights IRC network, who is very clearly an unhinged person, and other crime, Tor doesn’t seem to attract a lot of legitimate usage. But it’s designed as a trap. It’s obviously not “anonymous” and certainly not if you use it like it comes and on top of some spyware OS like Windows or the Mac. I would call the Tor Project itself almost something of a trap to lure users onto a compromised Web browser, and a network that has largely been hijacked at the Entry and Exit points by the same government that funds it. █ ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 1272 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄 ═════════════════════════════════════════════════╕ (ℹ) Images, hyperlinks and comments at http://techrights.org/2023/08/21/wayland-broken-windows-business/#comments Gemini version at gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2023/08/21/wayland-broken-windows-business/ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ Will_Wayland_Even_Survive_the_Collapse_of_IBM?_X11_Likely_Will.⠀✐ Posted in Free/Libre_Software, GNOME, GNU/Linux, IBM, KDE, Red_Hat at 1:58 am by Guest Editorial Team Reprinted with permission from Ryan_Farmer One of IBM’s stated reasons for pulling investments in actually important Linux software is that they need to focus on Wayland. I recently read on the mailing list, one of the Wayland developers basically admitting that they break the APIs and ABI all the time and usually don’t even get much “mileage”, so to speak, out of doing it. This shows, to me, that they rushed it out the door way before it was ready. Developers_tend_to_have_noticed_this. However, IBM doesn’t care. Their goal is to throw their weight around and make everyone use Wayland, even though it’s horribly broken. All of the hideous things that X11 does were either fixed by extensions and patching over the last 39 years or don’t really matter much anymore. In some cases, complaints about how X11 does things that “justified” starting over don’t even happen anymore. For example, one of the Wayland developers (in an article that propagated to Phoronix) used an example of Flash and Java being subwindows of the Web browser. Well, NPAPI (and Chrome’s version, PPAPI) is dead. For better or worse, everything that an NPAPI (PPAPI) plug-in did is handled by the browser and the browser window now, so we no longer run into this problem in the window_that_IBM_Red_Hat_says_is_the_only_one_on_your_screen_that matters. (Because downloading an entire office program into your browser, which needs networking and someone else’s permission to continue running, is cool and modern.) It dawned on me that while I was trying to get Fallout 4 working (in my recent post), almost all of the serious issues with the game that weren’t just some package that didn’t come pre-installed on openSUSE were actually Wayland problems, and not just Wayland problems, XWayland problems. XWayland has its own special problems while running on Wayland that don’t happen when you just run your window manager on X11 directly. Is X11 old? Sure. Does it matter much? Not if you ask me, as a user. I would much rather have SeaMonkey and other X11 applications show up clean, crisp, clear, and scaled right, than smudgy and vaguely reminiscent of “Microsoft Glaucoma-vision”, which is what I refer to as the way Windows 10 and 11 scale things incorrectly and then put “Vaseline on the fonts”. This is just shoddy craftsmanship. If you can believe this shit, Microsoft actually patented that (since expired), and called it a feature. It looked like the original edit of Star Wars where Luke Skywalker was hovering around on his speeder on Tatooine and George Lucas said they hid the wheels under it by smearing a blob of Vaseline on the camera lens. Wine, which is a very important program to me, runs Windows programs. It uses X11. When it runs on XWayland it picks up lag and stability problems and passes them along to the Windows programs and games I want to run. When I double-click on Fallout or something, I want my game to run. Not skip frames and then jitter and die because XWayland doesn’t work properly, STILL. One of the reasons I give to Windows users for why they should switch to Linux is that I’ve had really good luck with Wine. Wine is still not ported over to use Wayland and it’s not clear when or if it will ever be. The openSUSE project avoided so much drama, so many difficult people, and so much political nonsense and technical problems by remaining with KDE and bothering to ship a version of it you can use. One of the reasons IBM Red Hat dropped KDE entirely is that they were hoping to inflict a mortal wound, the same reason IBM supported defamation of an elderly man (Richard Stallman, who is 70.) and then stopped paying for GNU software development, but they still “freeload” off it. Roy Schestowitz tells me he’s rarely seen IBM hiring Germans who have worked on KDE. That’s fine by me if it’s true. That just means that we won’t have the most competent people going to work for IBM, being told to do dumb pointless redundant broken shit with GNOME and Wayland, and hiding under a desk when the Pointy Hair Boss goes by laying people off. If Wayland still isn’t working right after 15 years, if it still behaves like some bugged, crummy, perpetual beta software, when will it work right? I’m actually amused that IBM Red Hat considers it so production ready that it’s been in “Enterprise Linux” for a while. Sure, as a user of an Enterprise Linux clone (or RHEL), you could fight your way like a salmon swimming upstream, using the last of its energy and time on Earth to lay eggs and die, fixing all of the really terrible engineering decisions IBM has made for you. Some of the clones support BtrFS and DTrace (Oracle), and I think KDE is available as unofficial packages, but I think the Enterprise Desktop really deserves better software, and the developers of openSUSE realize that moving crackpot shit like Wayland over to a stable Linux distro just turns it into “Fedora with older packages”. Some distributions, especially Red Hat, have this odd sort of definition of stability. This definition means the software might be full of bugs, it might glitch, but at least it doesn’t change much. To those ends, IBM_even_ignores_security patches. And I guess I can see why you would shove Wayland in a desktop on an enterprise distro, when soon after, you divest from desktop work anyway. It can load Firefox. It’s perfect. Firefox loads Office 365. Firefox and Office 365 are the only two things people should want to use. What? You want to run software? On your computer? Oh… It’s true that maybe in some tortured way, years from now, it will replace most of what X11 can do and, maybe someday Wine will work properly with XWayland. But it’s still not now. Even on Fedora with GNOME I was still running into Wayland problems. I wouldn’t be surprised if X11 outlives Fedora, RHEL, IBM, and on into the next century. It’s become a fixture, like an old refrigerator that never breaks down. KWin running so reliably on X11, mostly at parity with all of the redundant work just needed to get it working at all on Wayland (except that the Wayland version of the code isn’t quite stable), sort of proves that this has all been rather something of a misadventure of negative work that’s gone on for years. IBM has been throwing out a lot of FUD about X11 being “abandoned”, but the mailing_lists tell a story of something that still gets a lot of development attention considering that it’s 39 years old and feature complete, in ways that would only matter if you’re actually running it, and not just XWayland. Even the Direct Rendering Infrastructure and DDX stuff for some video cards from the 90s just got updates last month. And that goes out pretty far from the core code. As Free Software, X11 can live as long as it’s still useful. Nobody can “take it away” or force you to stop using it. Finally… Security! Everyone’s favorite refuge for when they’ve lost all their other arguments. Sure Wayland can stop applications from reading input events from the other ones. At least in theory, it can. Everything can be broken. There’s always bugs. However, I just simply don’t care. This isn’t Windows (where applications can literally just dump dlls into each other and load malware into Firefox, for example). I don’t have “Linux malware” because I haven’t installed any. So to me, this “reason” to have Wayland is another fallacious argument. This same “security feature” is one of the reasons why people have to fall back to X11 to make legitimate software work. So adding “security” that breaks too many real legitimate things is what Linus Torvalds (before they made him go to “therapy” he didn’t need” called “Masturbating Monkeys”). It’s up there with “Secure Boot” and “attestations”. But that’s a whole different story. █ ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 1517 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐃𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒 ═════════════════════════════════════════════╕ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ Leftover_Links_21/08/2023:_Education_Crisis_and_Demise_of_Robotaxis⠀✐ Posted in News_Roundup at 1:09 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇GNOME bluefish⦈ § Contents⠀➾ * Leftovers o Science o Education o Hardware o Health/Nutrition/Agriculture o Proprietary/Artificial_Intelligence_(AI) o Security # Integrity/Availability/Authenticity # Privacy/Surveillance # Confidentiality o Defence/Aggression o Transparency/Investigative_Reporting o Environment # Energy/Transportation # Wildlife/Nature o Finance o AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics o Censorship/Free_Speech o Freedom_of_Information_/_Freedom_of_the_Press o Civil_Rights/Policing o Internet_Policy/Net_Neutrality o Digital_Restrictions_(DRM) o Monopolies # Copyrights * § Leftovers⠀➾ o ⚓ Unix Men ☛ Should_You_Use_Linux_For_Backend_Development_in_2023? [Ed: Linkspam disguised as "linux" article]⠀⇛ With Backend Development, a developer finds thousands of interesting options to develop, deploy and manage these server-side applications. As technology is growing over time, developers also shifted their ways of creating them. One of the significant changes seen in recent trends is people shifting toward Linux for backend development even though Windows is still the top-used Operating System in the market. o ⚓ Vintage Everyday ☛ The_Story_of_Herman_the_Cat,_Who_Became_an Official_Member_of_the_US_Coast_Guard_in_1943_and_Had_His_Own_ID Card⠀⇛ For Herman, getting his identification was no easy matter. Like many defense workers, including some of the foreign-born, he ran into issues over his birth certificate. Nonetheless, Cmdr. C.H. Abel, captain of the Port of Baltimore, signed off, noting regulations at the time said nothing regarding cats. In addition to pursuing vermin, entertainment was listed as one of Herman’s duties. Rare for his kind, he was said to allow everyone to pet him. “That’s it,” said Chief Boatswain A. M. Talbot, who was in charge of Pier 4 in 1943. “He’s an ambassador of good will, a diplomat.” o ⚓ Carlos Becker ☛ A_brief_and_incomplete_history_of_modal_text editors⠀⇛ Later on, I started learning some Linux, and had my first encounter with Vim (or Vi, can’t remember). I had to search on the internet how to use it, and this was at the time where you would ask pretty much anything and someone would RTFM you. I felt really dumb. And that was my first experience with a modal text editor. A modal text editor has multiple modes of operation, and the keys’ functions change depending on which mode it is in. While TurboC and nano aren’t modal text editors, Vi and Vim are. Without further ado, let’s get into the history. o ⚓ New York Times ☛ Monday_Briefing:_A_Tricky_Opportunity_in Indonesia⠀⇛ Also, the nostalgic craft of miniatures in China. o § Science⠀➾ # ⚓ BW Businessworld Media Pvt Ltd ☛ Chandrayaan-3_Landing Date,_Time_Officially_Announced;_Check_Details⠀⇛ “Chandrayaan-3 is set to land on the moon on August 23, 2023, around 18:04 Hrs. IST. Thanks for the wishes and positivity! Let’s continue experiencing the journey together,” ISRO announced on X (formerly Twitter). Live actions will available on ISRO website, its YouTube channel, Facebook, and public broadcaster DD National TV from 17:27 IST on Aug 23, 2023. # ⚓ Science Alert ☛ Moon_Crash:_First_Russian_Lunar_Mission_in Decades_Crashes_Into_Moon⠀⇛ Something big went wrong. o § Education⠀➾ # ⚓ [Repeat] Axios ☛ America’s_empty_classrooms⠀⇛ By the numbers: There are tens of thousands of teacher vacancies in the U.S. — and more than 160,000 jobs are filled by under-qualified teachers, according to research from Tuan Nguyen, a professor at Kansas State University’s College of Education. # ⚓ Omicron Limited ☛ Three_reasons_we_use_graphic_novels_to teach_math_and_physics⠀⇛ In addition to covering a wide range of topics and audiences, graphic novels can explain tough topics without alienating student averse to STEM—science, technology, engineering and math. Even for students who already like math and physics, graphic novels provide a way to dive into topics beyond what is possible in a time-constrained class. In our book “Using Graphic Novels in the STEM Classroom,” we discuss the many reasons why graphic novels have a unique place in math and physics education. Here are three of those reasons: [...] # ⚓ Axios ☛ Why_young_people_can’t_get_enough_of_subtitles⠀⇛ It’s a controversial moment for anyone watching a show or movie together: Subtitles or no subtitles? For most young people, it’s an easy choice. Why it matters:TikTok helped normalize captions for young media consumers, who are turning regularly to subtitles as part of their streaming_habits. =================================================== # More than half of Gen_Z and millennial media consumers prefer subtitles, according to new survey_results_from_YPulse. # While subtitles haven’t always been seen as a first choice, they’ve grown in ubiquity — especially with the rise of online videos that include automatic captioning. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ South_Korea_unveils_5-year_plan_to attract_300,000_foreign_students⠀⇛ South Korea hopes to attract international students to tackle the nation’s rapidly declining school-age population. o § Hardware⠀➾ # ⚓ Hackaday ☛ 2023_Hackaday_Prize:_A_Reusable_Plant_Monitor⠀⇛ [Ovidiu] cares for their house plants, trying to dial in the perfect soil humidity and light levels. However, many cheap monitors tend to rust after a few weeks of sitting in a damp, slightly acidic environment. By creating a custom plant monitor with a removable probe, not only can [Ovidiu] integrate better with their Home Assistant setup, but it will also be less wasteful. # ⚓ Hackaday ☛ Tiny_Spheres_Hiding_In_Your_Display⠀⇛ Liquid crystal and Organic LED displays have revolutionized portable computing. They’re also made of glass. Which presents a problem: How do we get electrical signals from fiberglass circuit boards to the glass displays? The answer is double- sided adhesive tape. But we’re not talking about packing tape here. As [Breakingtaps] explains,  this tape has a trick up its sleeve. # ⚓ Hackaday ☛ Only_8_Chips_Make_A_CPU⠀⇛ We’re no stranger to homemade CPUs on these pages, but we think that [Jiri Stepanovsky]’s 16-bit serial CPU might be a little special. Why? It has an astonishingly low chip count, with only 8 ICs in total. How on earth does he do it? # ⚓ Hackaday ☛ RoboAgent_Gets_Its_MT-ACT_Together⠀⇛ Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have shared a pre-print paper on generalized robot training within a small “practical data budget.” The team developed a system that breaks movement tasks into 12 “skills” (e.g., pick, place, slide, wipe) that can be combined to create new and complex trajectories within at least somewhat novel scenarios, called MT-ACT: Multi-Task Action Chunking Transformer. The authors write: # ⚓ Hackaday ☛ A_Bubble_Machine_Built_From_Scrap⠀⇛ Not every project has to be an AI-powered particle accelerator using lasers. Sometimes simple projects can be very satisfying, and a simple project can be a great gateway to introduce a friend or a child to our hacker ways. That’s why we noticed [Crazy Science’s] bubble machine upcycled from a CD and a water bottle. It isn’t likely to figure in anyone’s Ph.D. dissertation any time soon, but that isn’t the point # ⚓ Tom’s Hardware ☛ Alleged_SK_hynix-Made_NAND_For_Apple Discovered_Hiding_In_Cheap_SSDs⠀⇛ Chinese YouTuber stumbled upon SK hynix-made NAND for Apple when opening a ShineDisk SATA SSD. # ⚓ Ruben Schade ☛ Don’t_wash_your_Commodore_64C_too_hot⠀⇛ This is a cautionary tale as much as a shaggy dog story. But overall is an item of clothing, and I’m happy with how things turned out. § Cory Wong is awesome funk, but this was not⠀➾ I’ve been lucky that most of my second-hand vintage computers didn’t arrive smelling awful. Oftentimes these machines meet ignominious ends for many years, as many of you can attest if you’ve rummaged through your attics. If it’s not mildew or mould, it’s something worse. This streak of luck ended with the 1987 Commodore 64C I bought last December. I downplayed it in my post, but the smell hit me as soon as I opened the shopping box. It was a delightful (cough) concoction of wet cardboard, burnt paper, and mildew. # ⚓ CNX Software ☛ EPIC-ADN9_SBC_features_up_to_four_2.5GbE interfaces,_two_SATA_ports⠀⇛ AAEON EPIC-ADN9 SBC is powered by an Intel Processor N50/N97, Core i3-N305, or Atom x7425E Alder Lake N-series processor and equipped with up to four 2.5GbE networking ports and two SATA III ports for storage. The board also comes with a SO- DIMM slot taking up to 16GB DDR4 memory, mSATA storage, three display interfaces including HDMI and DisplayPort, and two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and offers expansion capabilities via M.2 and mPCIe sockets as well as headers. # ⚓ Tom’s Hardware ☛ 780_Intel_CPUs_Seized_In_$137,000 Smuggling_Operation_Bust⠀⇛ Chinese customs found 780 Intel processors hidden inside a bus engine with an estimated worth of over $137,000. o § Health/Nutrition/Agriculture⠀➾ # ⚓ Deutsche Welle ☛ Paris_Olympics_test_event_canceled_over Seine_pollution⠀⇛ Water quality tests showed higher than acceptable levels of bacteria in the Seine River. It’s the third time this month organizers have been forced to cancel a swimming event in the waterway. # ⚓ Science Alert ☛ Your_Skull_Plays_a_Mysterious_Role_in_Brain Health_We_Never_Knew_About⠀⇛ Scientists have recently discovered pathways from the bone marrow of the skull through the brain’s outermost surface of the protective membranes, the meninges, permitting immune cell movement and challenging the notion that the skull and the brain have no direct interchange. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ North_Korea_abruptly_cancels_first post-Covid_international_commercial_flight⠀⇛ The Air Koryo flight from Pyongyang was initially expected to land at Beijing’s Capital Airport. # ⚓ Hong Kong Free Press ☛ As_more_young_doctors_leave_public hospitals_to_join_private_sector,_Hong_Kong_health_chief raises_concern⠀⇛ More young Hong Kong doctors in their 30s have been leaving the city’s public hospitals to join private health care practices, the Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau has said, exacerbating an existing shortage of medics in the public sector. # ⚓ WhichUK ☛ Going_private:_should_you_pay_to_skip_NHS queues?⠀⇛ We asked people about their experiences of self- funded healthcare, and reveal what to know if you’re considering it # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ Japanese_firms_cut_down_on_remote_work despite_workers’_strong_demand:_Survey⠀⇛ The ratio of workers adopting telework arrangements dropped to 22.2%, the lowest since the Covid-19 outbreak. # ⚓ The Strategist ☛ Getting_the_grain_out_of_Ukraine_is China’s_chance_to_step_in⠀⇛ Thousands of tonnes of grain stored in the Ukrainian port of Odessa were destined for some of the world’s hungriest people. o § Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)⠀➾ # ⚓ IT Wire ☛ iPhone_maker_Foxconn_warns_of_slowing_sales_this year [Ed: Well, "slowing sales" is a euphemism for shrinking, not "slowing"]⠀⇛ Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group has warned that it expects a drop in sales both during the current quarter and for the whole year. # ⚓ IT Jungle ☛ Software_Price_Inflation_Helps_Boost_IT Spending_In_2023 [Ed: Gartner_is_a_paid-for_liar. This isn’t growth, it’s deflation of a currency.]⠀⇛ Datacenter and client device sales are slumping and are expected to be down from spending levels in 2022, according to the latest prognostications for worldwide IT spending from market researcher Gartner. But thanks to exploding budgets for software and services, the market for IT spending across all categories is anticipated to grow at a fairly healthy rate this year – and will do better in 2024, if Gartner is right. # ⚓ New York Times ☛ Cruise_Agrees_to_Reduce_Driverless_Car Fleet_in_San_Francisco_After_Crash⠀⇛ On Friday, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which regulates the safety of the driverless cars, asked Cruise to halve the number of vehicles it was operating in San Francisco. The Cruise vehicle’s collision with a fire truck the day before had injured a passenger in the driverless car. Earlier in the week, another Cruise vehicle got stuck in newly poured concrete on another city street. # ⚓ Anti Software Software Club LLC ☛ hahaha_we_live_in_hell⠀⇛ the lot has three signs hung up with instructions on how to pay, because every single lot in town supports one to five different competing parking lot apps. there’s one sign that says you can use Park Mobile, and gives a lot ID, and then on another wall there’s a sign that says you can use PayByPhone, with a different lot ID, and then there’s a huge sign with a QR code that encourages you to Scan Here To Park, as if it’s the official primary method for doing so. It is not, it’s just another app. # ⚓ Scott Feeney ☛ Bad_incentives_will_make_autonomous_vehicles unsafe⠀⇛ And since so much has been written about the robotaxis at this point, I usually point to an existing explanation of the problems with robotaxis, like Safe Street Rebel’s statement, instead of winging it myself. The SSR statement highlights the labor, surveillance, accessibility, and car-trip-generating aspects of autonomous vehicles, as does the SF Bicycle Coalition’s statement. But there’s a more subtle safety issue I want to draw out. It comes down to incentives and human responsibility. # ⚓ Interesting Engineering ☛ Cruise_agrees_to_halve_its robotaxi_fleet_following_two_crashes⠀⇛ The California Department of Motor Vehicles has asked Cruise, the autonomous vehicle unit of General Motors, to reduce its fleet of driverless cars in San Francisco by 50% after two recent collisions involving its vehicles. Cruise has agreed to comply with the request and will operate no more than 50 robotaxis during the day and 150 at night. # ⚓ Bleeping Computer ☛ Hotmail_email_delivery_fails_after Microsoft_misconfigures_DNS⠀⇛ Hotmail users worldwide have problems sending emails, with messages flagged as spam or not delivered after Microsoft misconfigured the domain’s DNS SPF record. # § Windows TCO⠀➾ # ⚓ Data Breaches ☛ Hackers_threaten_patients_after massive_cyber_attack_on_Israeli_hospital⠀⇛ The attack is the work of the Ragnar_Locker ransomware team, a group that has been around since at least 2020. Ragnar Team has generally not attracted as much media attention as some other groups, and inspection of their leak site does not reveal any other medical entities as victims — or at least as victims who did not pay their ransom demands. o § Security⠀➾ # ⚓ Medical_data_as_blackmail_fodder:_Hackers_threaten_patients after_massive_cyber_attack_on_Israeli_hospital [Ed: Media serves Microsoft criminals by focusing breach articles on the perpetrator (e.g. nation state) rather than the facilitator, which is Microsoft. No facilitator, no cracking possible.]⠀⇛ Cybercriminals who obtained sensitive data regarding patients’ personal health are using the material as blackmail following a crippling cyber attack perpetrated earlier this month against Maayanei HaYeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak. According to an Israel Hayom report, many prominent Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) politicians, including government ministers and MKs, as well as well-known rabbis and scholars, had sensitive data regarding their health stolen in the breach. One of the targets of the blackmail, Minister of Health and Minister of Interior Moshe Arbel (Shas) made a public statement about a medical procedure he recently underwent after he was approached by the hackers. # ⚓ Arab News ☛ North_Korean_hackers_target_US-South_Korea military_drills,_police_say⠀⇛ Suspected North Korean hackers have targeted a joint US-South Korea military exercise being held this week though classified information has not been compromised, South Korean police said on Sunday. South Korean and US forces will on Monday begin 11- day Ulchi Freedom Guardian summer exercises to improve their ability to respond to North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats. […] The hackers were believed to be linked to a North Korean group that researchers call Kimsuky… # ⚓ SANS ☛ SystemBC_Malware_Activity_,_(Sun,_Aug_20th)⠀⇛ This month, my DShield sensor captured for the first time this request: /systembc/password.php. I checked back for the past 6 months and only have noticed this request this 5 times this month from 4 different sources. According to some references, this is likely the SystemBC Remote Access Trojan (RAT), all 4 IPs are part of the Digital Ocean ASN and only one has been reported as likely malicious. # ⚓ Atlantic Council ☛ The_5×5—Cloud_risks_and_critical infrastructure [Ed: Dump "clown" computing, quit coming up with more ridiculous buzzwords for it]⠀⇛ Experts share their perspectives on the challenges facing cloud infrastructure and how policy can encourage better security and risk governance across this critical sector. # ⚓ France24 ☛ Baghdad_advertising_screens_turned_off_after hacker_shows_porn⠀⇛ Iraqi authorities on Sunday ordered the shutdown of LED advertisement screens installed across Baghdad after a hacker managed to show a pornographic film on one, security forces said, announcing the arrest of a suspect. # ⚓ IT Wire ☛ auDA_now_admits_attack,_says_ransomware_group provided_proof⠀⇛ The au Domain Administration, the organisation that administers the Australian domain namespace, now says attackers who claimed they had breached its network have provided evidence of the breach. # § Integrity/Availability/Authenticity⠀➾ # ⚓ Shrikant Sharat Kandula ☛ A_Tale_of_Two_Forwarded Headers⠀⇛ This is the story of how I handled troubleshooting the redirect URL for OAuth2 in Appsmith, which contained the host as localhost instead of the actual domain name when hosted on Google Cloud Run. This is a story of how Forwarded and X-Forwarded- * headers were propagating through multiple reverse proxies and how they can be confused. # ⚓ [Old] NPR ☛ Court_Silences_MIT_Students_Over_Subway Hacking⠀⇛ Three students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology figured out how to hack the fare cards for Boston’s subway system and were set to tell a conference how they did it. But a judge silenced the students. Wired.com’s Kim Zetter says the ruling is a misuse of the anti-hacking law. # ⚓ [Old] Wired ☛ Teens_Hacked_Boston_Subway_Cards_to_Get Infinite_Free_Rides—and_This_Time,_Nobody_Got_Sued⠀⇛ Now, after two years of work, that pair of teens and two fellow hacker friends, Noah Gibson and Scott Campbell, have presented the results of their research at the Defcon hacker conference in Las Vegas. In fact, they not only replicated the MIT hackers’ 2008 tricks, but took them a step further. The 2008 team had hacked Boston’s Charle Ticket magstripe paper cards to copy them, change their value, and get free rides—but those cards went out of commission in 2021. So the four teens extended other research done by the 2008 hacker team to fully reverse engineer the CharlieCard, the RFID touchless smart cards the MBTA uses today. The hackers can now add any amount of money to one of these cards or invisibly designate it a discounted student card, a senior card, or even an MBTA employee card that gives unlimited free rides. “You name it, we can make it,” says Campbell. # ⚓ [Repeat] Bruce Schneier ☛ Bots_Are_Better_than_Humans at_Solving_CAPTCHAs⠀⇛ Interesting research: “An Empirical Study & Evaluation of Modern CAPTCHAs“: [...] # § Privacy/Surveillance⠀➾ # ⚓ Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Doggy_ballgowns,_surveillance tech_and_cloning_services_for_sale_at_China_pet_fair⠀⇛ A shimmering, 1.5-metre-long golden ballgown stood pride of place in a Shanghai exhibition hall Thursday — and for the cool price of US$13,700, your dog could be the lucky animal to leave Pet Fair Asia wearing it. # § Confidentiality⠀➾ # ⚓ Dhole Moments ☛ DEFCON_Quantum_Village_2:_Electric Boogaloo⠀⇛ First, the Quantum Village need more cryptographers; both in attendance and as speakers. This includes aspiring cryptographers and students. You’re likely better at discussing security threats and understanding how cryptography-relevant quantum computers will impact society than you give yourself credit for. Many of you have exactly the knowledge and experience needed to mount an honest opposition to quantum optimism. To make the intermingling of the two villages seamless, I’d like to ask the DEFCON event staff to place the two villages next door to each other in 2024, if possible. o § Defence/Aggression⠀➾ # ⚓ The Gray Zone ☛ I_crashed_an_anti-Syria_lobby_meeting_where they_pushed_for_a_new_Caliphate_and_more_starvation sanctions⠀⇛ # ⚓ Gizmodo ☛ Looks_Like_the_Website_for_Trump’s_Patriot_Legal Defense_Fund_Just_Got_Hacked⠀⇛ The Patriot Legal Defense Fund is a fundraising effort launched about a week ago by high-level members of the Trump team, the stated goal of which is to help pay the legal expenses of Trump’s political allies and staffers. Many of those allies and staffers are currently mired in the numerous, ongoing legal investigations into the former President, and are beset by court-related costs. While the Patriot fund has notably said it won’t be paying the legal bills for Trump or his family, The Daily Beast recently flagged some potential ethics issues involving the group that are probably worth looking into. # ⚓ Atlantic Council ☛ Indian_Ocean_partnerships_are_key_to countering_China’s_maritime_ambitions⠀⇛ The United States must strengthen its ties to Indian Ocean nations to counter China’s maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific. # ⚓ RFA ☛ US,_South_Korea_and_Japan_look_to_‘institutionalize’ ties⠀⇛ Concerns about Trump-like ambivalence, not so much China, have led to Friday’s summit, experts say. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ US_summit_with_South_Korea,_Japan,_will seek_to_lock_in_progress,_says_US_official⠀⇛ August 17, 2023 6:40 AM It is expected to launch joint initiatives on tech and defence, amid concerns about China, N. Korea. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ Australia_to_buy_long-range_missiles from_US⠀⇛ Australia is embarking upon a major military overhaul in an effort to keep would-be foes such as China at arm’s length. # ⚓ RFA ☛ Solomon_Islands_leader_credits_China-aided_Pacific Games_as_economic_lifeline⠀⇛ China has officially handed over the main stadium for the 2023 Pacific Games to the Solomon Islands. # § Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine⠀➾ # ⚓ Meduza ☛ Russian_authorities_report_attempted_drone attacks_on_Moscow_and_Rostov_region_—_Meduza⠀⇛ On the night of August 20, “a drone attempted to fly into Moscow from the south,” reported the city’s mayor Sergey Sobyanin. According to him, Russian air defenses stopped the attack. # ⚓ Meduza ☛ The_Netherlands_to_transfer_42_F-16_fighter jets_to_Ukraine_—_Meduza⠀⇛ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the Netherlands will provide Ukraine with 42 American-made F-16 fighter jets after Ukrainian pilots complete their training. # ⚓ CS Monitor ☛ With_US_approval,_Denmark_and Netherlands_announce_F-16s_for_Ukraine⠀⇛ President Zelenskyy, who traveled to both countries to finalize the deals, says the move will boost Ukraine’s confidence and motivation. He vowed to retaliate for a Russian missile strike on a theater Saturday that killed 7 and wounded scores. # ⚓ AntiWar ☛ Why_the_American_Empire_Was_Expanded_to Ukraine_and_Taiwan⠀⇛ This is part 3 in a series.   Read part 1 here.  Read part 2 here. When the Cold War officially ended suddenly in 1991 Washington had one more chance to pivot back to the pre- 1914 status quo ante. # ⚓ Latvia ☛ Defense_Minister:_closing_Belarus_border must_be_joint_Baltic_decision⠀⇛ The decision to close the border with Belarus must be uniform in all the Baltic States, otherwise, it will be possible to bypass the border, Defense Minister Ināra Murniece (National Alliance) said in an interview with Latvian Television on August 21. o § Transparency/Investigative Reporting⠀➾ # ⚓ France24 ☛ Zelensky_hails_‘historic’_decision_to_give Ukraine_F-16_jets⠀⇛ On a visit to Denmark and the Netherlands on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the decision by the two countries to hand over F-16 planes to help Ukraine battle the Russian invasion as “historic”. # ⚓ JURIST ☛ UN_official_condemns_Russia_missile_strike_that killed_7_people_in_Chernihiv⠀⇛ United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine Denise Brown condemned a Russian missile strike in the city of Chernihiv on Saturday. The Saturday strike on the northern city came as many citizens were leaving church on the Eastern Orthodox holiday of the Transfiguration of the Lord. # ⚓ RFERL ☛ Moscow_Airports_Again_Restrict_Flights_After_Russia Claims_Ukrainian_Drone_Downed⠀⇛ Two major Moscow airports temporarily suspended flight arrivals and departures on August 21 following claims by the Defense Ministry that a Ukrainian drone had been shot down over the Moscow region. # ⚓ RFERL ☛ Russian-Occupied_Crimea_Facing_Gasoline_Shortages After_Ukrainian_Bridge_Strike⠀⇛ Crimea is facing a shortage of gasoline after Ukraine last month bombed the only bridge connecting the Russian-controlled peninsula to Russia. o § Environment⠀➾ # ⚓ Omicron Limited ☛ Illegal_logging_turns_Syria’s_forests into_‘barren_land’⠀⇛ The country has witnessed a “26-percent decrease in tree cover since 2000″, according to data from Global Forest Watch. Ten kilometers (six miles) from Jaabar, the same fate has befallen the trees of Tuwayhina. # ⚓ APNIC ☛ How_Internet_engineers_are_helping_Maui_after_the fires⠀⇛ The first thing to understand is the magnitude of the problem. Hawaii is a volcanic chain of islands, Maui being one of the larger ones, but it is isolated. Maui is 5,800 km from the US mainland, and no closer to Japan, Australia, or New Zealand. Whatever is not held as a spare inside the Hawaiian Islands, or cannot be repurposed from them, must come a long way. So, bringing in technology of any kind becomes about how quickly flights or ships can arrive with the necessary cargo. Telecommunications equipment like routers and switches for a local community are neither cheap nor small. Neither are the reels of fibre and cable required to connect houses in a town, poles, pit liners and pipes, or satellite dishes. There’s a likelihood that ‘spares’ for these things are simply not available in sufficient numbers for a catastrophe like this. # ⚓ Vox ☛ Why_Hurricane_Hilary_is_so_strange_—_and_how_it_could impact_California⠀⇛ Though California has had hurricanes before, it’s extremely rare because cold water flows from Alaska typically make the Pacific coast an unsuitable environment for them. Hurricanes rely on water surface temperatures higher than 26 Celsius to form and grow powerful. Hilary, a Category 4 storm as of Saturday afternoon, is expected to make landfall on Sunday morning, likely in northern Mexico around Baja California, according to the National Hurricane Center. # ⚓ Axios ☛ Tropical_Storm_Hilary_slams_Southern_California with_historic_rainfall⠀⇛ New rainfall records were set across Los Angeles County after Tropical_Storm_Hilary crossed into Southern California near Palm Springs on Sunday evening after earlier making landfall in Mexico. The big picture:It’s rare for a tropical storm to hit the region. The storm is bringing the likelihood of “catastrophic_and_life-threatening flooding” to parts of the U.S. Southwest through Monday, while prompting unprecedented tropical storm warnings for Los Angeles and San Diego. # ⚓ France24 ☛ Tropical_Storm_Hilary_brings_floods_to_Mexico, torrential_rain_to_California⠀⇛ Deadly floodwaters inundated streets across Mexico’s arid Baja California on Sunday as Tropical Storm Hilary moved ashore carrying torrential rain into Southern California, and concerns mounted that flash floods could strike in places as far north as Idaho that rarely get such heavy rain. # § Energy/Transportation⠀➾ # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ How_geopolitics_is_complicating Indonesia’s_move_to_clean_energy⠀⇛ Indonesia has the world’s largest nickel reserves, is increasingly caught in the conflict between the United States and China. # ⚓ Terence Eden ☛ Using_*over*_100%_of_our_solar_battery capacity_in_one_day!⠀⇛ We recently got a 4.8kWh solar battery installed. Batteries are still somewhat complex beasties. In order to prevent damage to the internal structure, a BMS (Battery Management System) ensures that each cell in the battery gets a fair share of wear and tear. One side effect of this is that our battery never dips below 10% charge. # ⚓ Science Alert ☛ Physicists_Identify_a_Strange_New Form_of_Superconductivity⠀⇛ The finding involves what’s known as oscillating superconductivity. Typical superconductor behaviors involve electron partnerships called Cooper pairs moving through materials without losing significant amounts of energy in the form of heat. Cooper pairs in oscillating superconductivity happen to move in a kind of wave-like dance. While rarer than ‘normal’ superconductivity, the oscillations occur at relatively warmer temperatures, making the phenomenon interesting to scientists wanting to make superconductivity happen consistently at room temperature. # § Wildlife/Nature⠀➾ # ⚓ Michigan News ☛ Prehistoric_fish_species_released into_Saginaw_Basin_in_restoration_project⠀⇛ The prehistoric type of fish, which can grow up to 7 feet and 300 pounds, are Federally listed species of concern. They used to be abundant in the Great Lakes. Their runs marked the changing of the seasons for native tribes in Michigan. But through overfishing and habitat loss, the lake sturgeon population in the Saginaw Basin is considered extirpated. In recent years there has been a growing interest in restoring the population to a self-sustaining level because it can indicate ecosystem health and biodiversity, according to Sturgeon for Tomorrow, a nonprofit focused on ensuring the species’ future. # ⚓ Axios ☛ Hawai’i_braces_for_crushing_death_toll_with over_1,000_missing_nearly_2_weeks_on_from_fires⠀⇛ Over 1,000 people remain missing nearly two weeks after Hawai’i’s_historic_wildfires, as state officials warn the death toll will continue to climb while search and recovery efforts continue. # ⚓ Science Alert ☛ ‘Unprecedented’_Storm_Strikes California_as_Emergency_Is_Declared⠀⇛ “This is an unprecedented weather event.” o § Finance⠀➾ # ⚓ Free Press Journal ☛ IIT_Bombay_Placements:_More_Jobs_But Little_Growth_in_Salaries⠀⇛ : The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) witnessed a mixed bag of placements last year. While a record number of students were hired at the premier institute, there was a drop in the proportion of students who got placed. The salaries have largely remained stuck even as the average size of the pay package showed a marginal increase. The institute’s placement report for the academic year 2022-23, which was released this month, shows that a total of 1516 students got jobs – the highest ever in a placement season – including 194 students who accepted pre-placement offers. In 2021-22, the recruiters had hired 1441 students, including 201 who got jobs through the PPO route. However, with more students participating in the placement process, the percentage of students who found employment on campus dropped from last year’s 89% to 82%. # ⚓ Game World Observer ☛ Total_value_of_closed_gaming_deals collapsed_by_90.5%_in_H1,_with_M&A_landscape_down_31x⠀⇛ Market intelligence platform InvestGame has shared a new report on deal activity in the games industry for the first half of 2023. Here are the key findings about the turbulent and generally deteriorating landscape. # ⚓ Axios ☛ How_the_affordable_housing_crunch_is_hitting college_students⠀⇛ The affordable_housing_crunch has not spared students in college towns. Why it matters: Students would need to earn about $72,000 a year to afford rent in America’s most expensive college towns, per a new report from InMyArea. =================================================== # Rent costs range from about $250 per month in some rural towns to more than $1,800 in the priciest California county, the report found. # ⚓ RFERL ☛ Russia_Seeks_To_Seize_Power_Assets_Belonging_To_One Of_Nation’s_Richest_Individuals⠀⇛ Russia’s Prosecutor General has filed a lawsuit to confiscate a power asset belonging to one of the country’s richest men, claiming his purchase of the company five years ago was corrupt, local media reported. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia’s_Anwar_weighs_suing_Goldman Sachs_over_1MDB:_Report⠀⇛ He told CNBC that Malaysians should not be made to pay hefty profits to the investment bank. # ⚓ RFA ☛ Nothing_to_see_here⠀⇛ # ⚓ Quartz ☛ A_major_Chinese_trust_firm_missed_payments,_adding to_Beijing’s_financial_concerns⠀⇛ A trust linked to one of China’s wealth management giants has failed to make payouts on dozens of products in another sign of trouble in the country’s economy. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ WTO_rules_against_China’s_retaliatory tariffs_on_US_imports⠀⇛ Beijing indicated it was studying the ruling. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ China_will_strengthen_policy coordination_to_meet_growth_target:_State_media⠀⇛ The Cabinet meeting was chaired by Premier Li Qiang. # ⚓ RFA ☛ Bribes?_Hand_them_over,_no_questions_asked⠀⇛ Speculation demands to return bribes to China’s health commission are a ‘redistribution’ of ill- gotten gains. # ⚓ Hong Kong Free Press ☛ In_Pictures:_Singapore_seizes US$736m_in_assets_in_anti-laundering_raids,_Chinese_nationals among_arrested⠀⇛ Singapore authorities have seized assets worth nearly US$750 million in sweeping raids against a suspected international money laundering ring, police said Wednesday. During the operation, which targeted locations across the city-state on Tuesday, the police arrested 10 foreign nationals — from China, Turkey, Cambodia, Cyprus and Vanuatu. # ⚓ Scheerpost ☛ No_Longer_the_‘Lone’_Superpower⠀⇛ Coming to Terms with China. # ⚓ RFA ☛ Chinese_cargo_vessels_lie_empty_in_port_amid_economic downturn:_ship_owners⠀⇛ Marine tracking sites show a number of apparently static vessels in major trading ports # ⚓ Helsinki Times ☛ YLE:_Finnish_government_considers_cutting labour_market_subsidy_for_those_without_Finnish_or_Swedish skills⠀⇛ THE SINGLE LARGEST immigration-related spending cut in the government programme is not found under immigration but under social security, reports YLE. Although the section on immigration lays out direct spending cuts worth around 250 million euros, including halving the refugee quota and adopting stricter criteria for residence permits, the largest savings related to immigration are expected to arise from introducing a language requirement to the labour market subsidy. # ⚓ New York Times ☛ China_Central_Bank_Cuts_Key_Interest_Rate on_Bank_Lending⠀⇛ The action by the People’s Bank of China, the central bank, the latest in a series of steps to try to spur lending, was more modest than expected. # ⚓ Delivery_work_not_permanent_career_choice,_gig_staffing segment_sees_half-yearly_churn:_experts [Ed: Microsoft does not do "studies"; this is marketing and propaganda dressed up as "studies", for the sole purposes of making money]⠀⇛ A Zinnov and Microsoft study in March noted that gig workers will play an instrumental role in India’s USD 5 trillion economy, with the current 77 lakh gig workforce set to triple to 2.3 crore by 2030, generating USD 250 billion. # ⚓ SDx Central ☛ Is_the_data_center_construction_boom_coming to_an_end? [Ed: Demand for clown computing (outsourcing) has fallen. The hype is dying.]⠀⇛ The data center construction business has never been healthier. Despite inhibiting factors such as power availability and demands to reduce the carbon footprint, data center growth is fierce and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. According to Synergy Research Group, public cloud providers spent $120 billion on building, leasing and equipping data center infrastructure in 2022, up 13% from the previous year. Hyperscalers Microsoft, Google and Amazon Web Services (AWS) all experienced almost 30% revenue growth in their platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and infrastructure-as- a-service (IaaS) offerings. Their combined data center numbers grew by 15% in 2022, raising their overall data center capacity by 18%. o § AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics⠀➾ # ⚓ New York Times ☛ Ecuador_Elections_Move_to_Runoff⠀⇛ Luisa González and Daniel Noboa were poised to be the top candidates of Sunday’s election in a country where declining security has been the leading issue for most voters. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ Pakistan’s_President_refuses_to_sign new_national_security_laws⠀⇛ The Bills would give authorities more power to prosecute people for acts against state and military. # ⚓ RFA ☛ China_slams_UK_fast-track_visa_for_Hong_Kongers_as ‘interference’_in_its_affairs⠀⇛ Immigrants are ‘deluded’ and have ‘hard life’ on arrival, Chinese Embassy official says. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ Taipei_mayor_to_visit_China_as_tensions simmer_with_Taiwan⠀⇛ Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an will lead a delegation to an annual forum held in Shanghai. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ Xi_Jinping_to_attend_Brics_leaders’ meeting,_visit_South_Africa⠀⇛ Expansion is expected to be high on the agenda at the meeting of the five-nation grouping. # ⚓ CS Monitor ☛ For_US,_new_challenge_from_China_has unexpected_source⠀⇛ U.S. officials worry that head winds at home could drive China to be doubly keen to project strength abroad, and to see a U.S.-China thaw as a sign of weakness. # ⚓ The Straits Times ☛ China_investigates_citizen_accused_of spying_for_the_CIA:_Security_ministry⠀⇛ The 39-year-old Chinese national was a cadre at a ministry and had gone to Japan for studies. # ⚓ Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China_government_employee_accused_of spying_for_US_in_latest_alleged_espionage_case⠀⇛ China on Monday accused a government employee of spying for the United States, the second incident of espionage it has announced in a month. Beijing implemented a revised anti-espionage law last month that gives authorities more power than ever to punish what they deem to be threats to national security. # ⚓ Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Sister-in-law_of_self-exiled activist_Nathan_Law_questioned_by_Hong_Kong_nat._security police_–_reports⠀⇛ Hong Kong national security police have taken away the sister-in-law of wanted activist Nathan Law for questioning, according to local media outlets citing sources. It is the latest move involving family members of the eight overseas pro-democracy figures, who are facing arrest warrants and HK$1 million bounties. # ⚓ NL Times ☛ Schiphol:_over_500,000_passengers_booked_a_time slot_for_security⠀⇛ Since March 2, passengers have been able to reserve a time slot where they can decide at what moment they want to pass through security checkpoints. Due to this, Schiphol has a clearer view of the passenger flows and has been able to avoid long queues at the checkpoints. # ⚓ New York Times ☛ BRICS_Debates_Adding_New_Members⠀⇛ Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will consider at their summit this week whether to admit more countries to their bloc. China wants to expand it, to challenge the West, but the members’ conflicting interests may get in the way. # ⚓ Axios ☛ Mark_Meadows,_Trump’s_ex-chief_of_staff,_told_DOJ he_can’t_recall_him_declassifying_docs:_report⠀⇛ Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadowstold prosecutors he doesn’t recall former_President Trump“ordering, or even discussing, declassifying broad sets of classified materials before leaving the White House,” ABC_News reported Sunday. Why it matters:Meadows’ account contradicts Trump’s biggest defense in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case. # ⚓ AntiWar ☛ Pakistan_Events_Confirm_that_Washington_Prefers Compliant_Autocrats_Over_Feisty_Democrats⠀⇛ All signs indicated that Prime Minister Imran Khan was the most popular political leader in Pakistan.  Yet the country’s military worked behind the scenes to remove him from power through a cash-lubricated parliamentary vote.  # ⚓ Silicon Angle ☛ Meta_reportedly_set_to_launch_a_web_version of_Threads_this_week [Ed: Lipstick on dead pork]⠀⇛ Meta Platforms Inc. is planning to launch a web version of its Threads microblogging platform early in the coming week, according to a Wall Street Journal report today. Despite its limited features, Threads has regularly been referred to as a competitor to X Inc., formerly known as Twitter. # § Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda⠀➾ # ⚓ RFA ☛ To_the_Chinese_diaspora_in_New_Zealand,_China mutes_critics_and_feeds_talking_points⠀⇛ A steady stream of government and media reports about China’s influence and information operations in Western countries has shed light on covert Chinese police stations in major cities, harassment of places that host dissidents and media disinformation campaigns. The reports on China’s influence machine – confirmed to Radio Free Asia’s Asia Fact Check Lab by multiple Chinese media figures in New Zealand – show how Beijing deploys cash, aggressive diplomats and boycotts to produce China-friendly press coverage and deter critical reporting. The effort largely targets growing Chinese diaspora communities in Western democracies, and comes as the United States and allies are reassessing their economic ties to China over security concerns. # ⚓ [Repeat] YLE ☛ Niinistö:_Russian_propaganda_against Finland_increasing⠀⇛ “We are now possibly starting to see all kinds of activity. Not military operations, but other kinds of operations. Our consulate in St Petersburg has been closed this autumn. Some people, like the Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu, have recently hardened their language and accused us of all sorts of things. There is constantly more propaganda against Finland from the Russian side, Sauli Niinistö said in the radio programme. Russia was expected to increase its hostility already after Finland’s [NATO] application. Niinistö said he believes that Russia did not have time to react then, but that it is only reacting now. “Fortunately, Finland is prepared for this. We have gone through these risks,” Niinistö said. o § Censorship/Free Speech⠀➾ # ⚓ The Hindu ☛ Website,_social_media_handles_blocked_in_India, says_Srinagar-based_news_portal⠀⇛ It said the organisation was not aware of the specifics of why its website has been blocked in India; why its Facebook page has been removed; and why its Twitter account has been withheld. “We have not been served any notice nor is there any official order regarding these actions that is in the public domain so far,” it said. It said this opaque censorship is “gut-wrenching”. “There isn’t a lot left for us to say anymore. Since 2011, The Kashmir Walla has strived to remain an independent, credible, and courageous voice of the region in the face of unimaginable pressure from the authorities while we watched our being ripped apart, bit by bit,” it added. # ⚓ RFERL ☛ Supporters_Mark_Third_Anniversary_Of_Navalny Poisoning_With_Demonstrations⠀⇛ OVD-Info, which monitors repression in Russia, reported that two people were detained in Moscow carrying signs calling for the release of political prisoners. It was not clear if those incidents were related to the Navalny protests. # ⚓ RFERL ☛ Kremlin_Critics_Piontkovsky,_Illarionov_Among Latest_Additions_To_Russia’s_Foreign_Agent_List⠀⇛ The Russian Justice Ministry on August 18 added seven more individuals to its foreign agents list, including prominent Kremlin critics Andrei Piontkovsky, Andrei Ilarionov, and Linor Goralik. Since 2012, Russia has used the so-called foreign agent law to label and punish critics of government policies. It also has been increasingly used to shut down civil society and media groups in Russia since the Kremlin launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February last year. # ⚓ IT Wire ☛ Fires_force_Canadian_minister_to_ask_Meta_to_stop blocking_news_feeds⠀⇛ A Canadian minister has repeated calls for Meta to end a ban on news content from the country’s outlets being hosted on Facebook and Instagram as wildfires devastate the country and people flee. # ⚓ Digital Music News ☛ The_1975_Attorneys_Quietly_Negotiating with_Malaysia’s_Good_Vibes_Festival⠀⇛ Attorneys for The 1975 have been working with organizers of Malaysia’s Good Vibes Festival. Future Sound Asia (FSA) organized the festival, which was abruptly cancelled by the Malaysian government after frontman Matty Healy kissed the band’s drummer on-stage. Malaysia has strict laws against homosexuality, which Healy addressed on stage before the kiss. # ⚓ AntiWar ☛ When_the_First_Amendment_Dies⠀⇛ When the freedom of speech and of the press die, it will happen by a thousand small cuts. Last Friday night, in the sleepy 1,900-person town of Marion, Kansas, all five police officers in the town were summoned to work because of an urgent need. # ⚓ JURIST ☛ Hong_Kong_police_detain_and_question_sister-in-law of_pro-democracy_activist⠀⇛ Hong Kong’s national security police reportedly detained and questioned the sister-in-law of Hong Kong fugitive pro-democracy activist Nathan Law- Kwun-Chung on Saturday, according to Hong Kong’s public broadcaster and local media. The wife of Law’s older brother was taken away by the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force after a home raid. o § Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press⠀➾ # ⚓ Scheerpost ☛ Chris_Hedges:_The_Crucifixion_of_Julian Assange⠀⇛ This is a sermon I gave on Sunday Aug. 20 in Oslo, Norway at Kulturkirken Jakob (St. James Church of Culture). Actor and film director Liv Ullmann read the scripture passages. # ⚓ Kansas Reflector ☛ ‘Completely_unjustified’:_Affidavits point_to_abuse_of_power_in_raid_on_Kansas_newspaper⠀⇛ Affidavits signed by a police chief and magistrate to warrant the raid on the Marion County Record were supposed to provide evidence that a reporter committed a crime. Instead, they serve as evidence that the local officials abused their power. Police Chief Gideon Cody received approval from Magistrate Judge Laura Viar to conduct the Aug. 11 raids on the newspaper office, the publisher’s home, and the home of a city councilwoman after small-town drama erupted over a restaurant owner’s quest for a liquor license. Officers hauled away computers, hard drives and reporters’ personal cellphones during the newsroom raid — inviting worldwide condemnation for the brazen attack on press freedom. # ⚓ ABC ☛ Egyptian_journalist_detained_following_mysterious plane_coverage,_his_employer_says⠀⇛ Egypt is one the world’s top jailers of journalists, along with Turkey and China, according to media watchdogs. Authorities have for years targeted journalists as part of a wide-scale crackdown on dissent and government critics. # ⚓ Kansas Reflector ☛ Kansas_newspaper_raid_draws_plenty_of attention,_but_journalists_defy_threats_across_U.S.⠀⇛ We still need answers and consequences in the case itself. More broadly, the egregious overreach in Marion and the good faith of journalists at the Record made this a perfect national story. Few would think that authorities got this one right. The problem — as journalists across the States Newsroom network told us — is that attacks on a free and fair press are not rare at all. Indeed, such attacks have become distressingly commonplace. When powerful people go after journalists and news outlets, they go after everyone. They go after publications’ readers. They go after voters who use information reported to make decisions. They go after other politicians who may have opposing messages or interests. # ⚓ Kansas Reflector ☛ Inside_Marion_County_Record,_sting_of loss_—_and_a_warning_for_American_journalism_—_remains⠀⇛ In the five days since the raid, the 4,000- circulation paper had become an unlikely symbol of the clash between free speech and creeping authoritarianism, a conflict drawn all the sharper because of its unexpected location: a small town in the rolling Flint Hills of Kansas. Things reached a boil after the paper’s 98-year-old co-owner, Joan (pronounced Jo-Anne) Meyer, whose home had also been searched by police, collapsed and died a day after the raid. # ⚓ [Old] RCFP ☛ Media_coalition_condemns_police_raid_on_Marion County_Record⠀⇛ “Your department’s seizure of this equipment has substantially interfered with the Record’s First Amendment-protected newsgathering in this instance, and the department’s actions risk chilling the free flow of information in the public interest more broadly, including by dissuading sources from speaking to the Record and other Kansas news media in the future,” the media coalition’s letter states. o § Civil Rights/Policing⠀➾ # ⚓ JURIST ☛ EU_annual_report_says_rights_in_Hong_Kong_waning⠀⇛ The European Union (EU) claimed on Friday that Hong Kong experienced declines in autonomy, democracy, and fundamental freedoms in its 2022 report on Hong Kong . The EU also cast doubt on China’s commitment to its  ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle. # ⚓ ABC ☛ American_Airlines_sues_a_travel_site_to_crack_down_on consumers_who_use_this_trick_to_save_money⠀⇛ American sued Skiplagged Inc. in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas, this week, accusing the website of deception. It threatened to cancel every ticket that Skiplagged has sold. In a practice called skiplagging and hidden-city ticketing, travelers book a flight that includes at least one stop, but they leave the plane during a layover. Generally skiplagging is not illegal, but airlines claim that it violates their policies. # ⚓ Deutsche Welle ☛ Tajik_women_turn_to_polygamy_for survival⠀⇛ This is one reason why many divorced Tajik women apear to support the right of men to marry multiple times: polygamous marriages are mainly sought by high- and middle-income men and many women see this as their only way to secure financial security for themselves and their children. Though the state does not recognize polygamous marriages, Sharia law allows Muslim men to have multiple wives. These unions are consecrated by a mullah without the marriage being officially registered with the state. # ⚓ India Times ☛ ‘Punish_blasphemers’:_Why_Muslim_mobs_burned churches,_destroyed_Christian_homes_in_Pakistan⠀⇛ Father Gulshan Barkat, who teaches church history at the National Catholic Institute of Theology in Karachi, described the blasphemy allegations as a “false accusation” and said the local mosques were also to blame because loudspeakers erected on minarets had earlier in the day called on Muslims to gather and “attack the churches and Christian community.” “The emotion of our Muslim brethren flares up very quickly, even at hearsay,” he said. # ⚓ NPR ☛ A_mob_in_Pakistan_burned_a_church_and_Christian_homes after_blasphemy_accusations⠀⇛ Videos and photos posted on social media show an angry mob descending upon a church, throwing pieces of bricks and burning it. In another video, two other churches are attacked, their windows broken as attackers throw furniture out and set it on fire. In the videos, several policemen are seen watching the situation without intervening to stop the vandalism. # ⚓ BBC ☛ Pakistan:_More_than_100_arrested_after_churches burned⠀⇛ Around 96% of Pakistan’s population is Muslim. Other countries, including Iran, Brunei, and Mauritania also impose capital punishment for insulting religion [sic]. # ⚓ BBC ☛ Pakistan:_Mob_burns_churches_over_blasphemy_claims⠀⇛ Even though Pakistan has yet to sentence anyone to death for blasphemy, a mere accusation can result in widespread riots, causing lynchings and killings # ⚓ CNN ☛ Eight_churches_set_ablaze_in_Pakistan’s_Punjab province_after_accusations_of_blasphemy⠀⇛ Pakistan is among the countries where blasphemy is a crime punishable by the death sentence. # ⚓ uni Michigan ☛ U-M_presents_last,_best_and_final_contract offer_to_GEO⠀⇛ In collective bargaining, a “last, best and final offer” is a formal proposal that one side presents to the other and includes all benefits and compromises. This is usually done to allow union members to vote to accept or reject an employer’s best-case proposal. It is the culmination of the collective bargaining process and indicates that no further negotiation will be undertaken. # ⚓ uni Michigan ☛ University_offers_‘last,_best_and_final’ contract_to_GEO⠀⇛ The offer makes concessions on a variety of issues, many of which were brought up in GEO’s original bargaining platform. The offer includes offering birthing parent graduate students up to 12 weeks of paid leave, lower out-of-pocket maximums on mental health care and physical therapy copays, expanded gender-affirming benefits and the creation of a $20,000 per year International Graduate Workers Assistance Fund. # ⚓ uni Michigan ☛ U-M_presents_last,_best_and_final_contract offer_to_graduate_workers⠀⇛ The offer comes after nine months of contentious negotiations between the university and the union. The dispute reached a critical point when GEO members walked off the job in late March and remained on strike through the remainder of the winter term. # ⚓ Digital Music News ☛ Michael_Jackson_Cases_Alleging_Sexual Assault_Revived_by_Appeals_Court_Judge⠀⇛ Cases alleging sexual assault from Michael Jackson can now pursue further litigation against his companies rules a US appeals court judge. A Californian appeals court ruled that lawsuits from two men who allege that Michael Jackson molested them as children are free to pursue litigation against companies owned by the singer, who died in 2009. o § Internet Policy/Net Neutrality⠀➾ # ⚓ Zimbabwe ☛ AMN_using_Starlink_to_expand_mobile_networks_in underserved_parts_of_Africa⠀⇛ In a traditional mobile network, you have a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) but you are familiar with it being referred to as a base station. This is what your device with a sim card connects to for mobile internet, calls, or sms. This BTS connects to a Base Sation Controller (BSC) which manages multiple BTSs so in essence the BTS is a slave of the BSC. The BSCs then report to the Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) which then routes traffic into and out of the network, so an MSC will facilitate the exchange of traffic between 2 different networks, for example, traffic between Econet and NetOne. # ⚓ Low Tech Mag ☛ Thematic_Book_Series:_How_to_Build_a_Low- tech_Internet?⠀⇛ We have launched a new series of books opening up Low-tech Magazine’s archive by theme. The first volume collects all articles on digital technology and is available in our bookstore. We were told that the internet would dematerialize society and decrease energy use. Contrary to this projection, it has become a massive infrastructure and a rapidly growing energy consumer. In this series of articles, Low-tech Magazine examines the reasons behind the ever-expanding resource use of digital communication and what we can do about it. The internet isn’t an autonomous being. Its growing energy use results from decisions made by software developers, web designers, marketeers, publishers, and internet users. By placing communications in a historical context and with the development of its lightweight, off-the-grid, and solar powered website, Low-tech Magazine challenges our high-tech approach to sustainability and highlights the possibilities of alternative solutions. # ⚓ IT Wire ☛ Optus_tops_list_of_most_distrusted_brands, research_firm_Roy_Morgan_finds⠀⇛ Telco Singtel Optus is the most distrusted brand in Australia for the last 12-month period, the market research firm Roy Morgan says, adding that this was the first time any company had taken the top spot from Facebook/Meta since it started issuing the measure of trust and distrust in 2018. In a statement, Roy Morgan said Facebook/Meta, Telstra, News Corp and Amazon rounded off the top five distrusted companies. The research firm said the change in the top rank occurred after the Optus data brach in September 2022, at which time there was an immediate and sharp increase in distrust for the brand. o § Digital Restrictions (DRM)⠀➾ # ⚓ Loup Vaillant ☛ Fixing_the_TPM:_Hardware_Security_Modules Done_Right⠀⇛ Yet, the specs span hundreds of pages. The public API of the TPM2 Software stack comprises close to 1200 functions and required 80K lines of code to implement. o § Monopolies⠀➾ # § Copyrights⠀➾ # ⚓ Torrent Freak ☛ Libraries_Scold_Rightsholders’ Attempt_to_Tweak_South_Africa’s_Copyright_Bill⠀⇛ Two of the largest U.S. library associations representing over 100,000 libraries are protesting efforts by large copyright holders to influence foreign copyright law. Specifically, the associations oppose ongoing critique of South Africa’s proposed copyright legislation, labeling it bizarre, condescending, and Orwellian. # ⚓ Digital Music News ☛ Bored_Ape_Litigation_Against Justin_Bieber,_Snoop_Dogg,_Post_Malone,_Madonna_Expands to_Include_Sotheby’s⠀⇛ Class action Bored Ape NFT lawsuit against Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, Post Malone, and Madonna expands to include Sotheby’s. A lawsuit filed by investors who regret their purchase of a Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT… ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 3522 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐃𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒 ═════════════════════════════════════════════╕ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ Links_21/08/2023:_Bodhi_Linux_7.0_Released_and_LibreOffice_7.6⠀✐ Posted in News_Roundup at 1:19 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇GNOME bluefish⦈ § Contents⠀➾ * GNU/Linux o Server o Audiocasts/Shows o Kernel_Space o Graphics_Stack o Applications o Instructionals/Technical o Games o Desktop_Environments/WMs # K_Desktop_Environment/KDE_SC/Qt # GNOME_Desktop/GTK * Distributions_and_Operating_Systems o Reviews o New_Releases o BSD o Gentoo_Family o SUSE/OpenSUSE o Fedora_Family_/_IBM o Devuan_Family o Canonical/Ubuntu_Family o Open_Hardware/Modding o Mobile_Systems/Mobile_Applications * Free,_Libre,_and_Open_Source_Software o SaaS/Back_End/Databases o Productivity_Software/LibreOffice/Calligra o Licensing_/_Legal o Programming/Development # Python * § GNU/Linux⠀➾ o ⚓ 9to5Linux ☛ 9to5Linux_Weekly_Roundup:_August_20th,_2023⠀⇛ This week we celebrated Debian’s 30th anniversary, enjoyed new OpenMandriva Lx and Devuan GNU+Linux releases, and updated our systems to the latest GNOME, KDE, and Budgie releases. On top of that, we took a first look at the new features coming to the OBS Studio 30 app. Below, you can read this week’s hottest news and access all the distro and package downloads in 9to5Linux’s Linux weekly roundup for August 20th, 2023. o § Server⠀➾ # ⚓ Kubernetes Blog ☛ Kubernetes_1.28:_Improved_failure handling_for_Jobs⠀⇛ This blog discusses two new features in Kubernetes 1.28 to improve Jobs for batch users: Pod replacement policy and Backoff limit per index. These features continue the effort started by the Pod failure policy to improve the handling of Pod failures in a Job. o § Audiocasts/Shows⠀➾ # ⚓ Open Source Security (Audio Show) ☛ Open_Source_Security_ (Audio_Show)_Episode_389_–_What_would_HashiCorp do?⠀⇛ Josh and Kurt talk about the HashiCorp license change and copyright problems in open source. This isn’t the first and won’t be the last time we see this, but it’s very likely open source developers and communities will view any project that has a contributor license agreement as a problem moving forward. # ⚓ Tux Digital ☛ This_Week_in_Linux_230:_Debian_Turns_30,_Win Framework_Laptop_from_KDE,_New_Linux_Tablet_&_more_Linux news!⠀⇛ On this episode of This Week in Linux (230), want to win a Framework laptop? Well if you have some wallpaper making skills then KDE would like to have a word with you. We’ve got a lot of distro news this week from Debian, OpenMandriva, Devuan and more. # ⚓ Jupiter Broadcasting ☛ How_Our_Server_Got_It’s_Groove_Back |_LINUX_Unplugged_524⠀⇛ Can we build an indestructible server that stands up to the test of giving out root login to the Internet? # ⚓ GNU World Order (Audio Show) ☛ GNU_World_Order_526⠀⇛ **gobject-introspection** , **grantlee** , **graphene** , **graphite2** , and **gsettings-desktop-schemas** from the **l** software series of Slackware.. shasum - a256=4c673667d17a597d3b68d3674ad10f1d5d9fb0d3632002ab4ad3c8dc010e8d03 o § Kernel Space⠀➾ # ⚓ LWN ☛ Linux_6.5-rc7_released_[LWN.net]⠀⇛ Linus Torvalds has released the 6.5-rc7 kernel prepatch, which looks to be the final release candidate before the likely release of Linux 6.5 next Sunday. o § Graphics Stack⠀➾ # ⚓ TechSpot ☛ Modder_converts_$95_AMD_APU_into_a_16GB_Linux_AI workhorse⠀⇛ Forward-looking: The AI boom has companies scrambling for Nvidia’s H100 and A100 GPUs, which are in short supply and cost tens of thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, a modder has discovered and shared a method of performing AI tasks on hardware available for less than one percent of that price. A modder recently published instructions for coaxing AMD APUs that cost around $100 into running AI tasks usually associated with far more expensive graphics cards. If it catches on, the method could significantly expand the number of people who can at least experiment with AI. The most prominent players in AI today operate tools like large language models using H100 and A100 graphics cards that Nvidia sells for $25,000 to $30,000 (reportedly a 1,000% profit margin for the GPU manufacturer), and they can’t get enough of them. Meanwhile, smaller-scale AI operations on consumer hardware typically involve high-end cards costing at least several hundred dollars. o § Applications⠀➾ # ⚓ Medevel ☛ 19_Open-source_Free_English_Dictionary_Apps⠀⇛ English dictionary apps are useful for anyone who needs to look up the definition of a word quickly and conveniently. Some advantages of using dictionary apps include: [...] o § Instructionals/Technical⠀➾ # ⚓ Own HowTo ☛ Share_files_via_Internet_on_Ubuntu_with_Warp⠀⇛ Warp is a Gnome app that allows you to share files on Ubuntu. # ⚓ How_to_Install_and_Use_Perl_on_Linux⠀⇛ Perl, a high-level programming language renowned for its flexibility and robust text manipulation capabilities, was developed by Larry Wall and introduced in 1987. Upon its release, this tool gained widespread popularity across various domains, notably in scripting, text processing, system administration, web development, and beyond. # ⚓ Red Hat ☛ How_to_use_Ansible_Automation_Platform_from_GCP Marketplace⠀⇛ In this article, you will learn how to use the Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform from the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Marketplace to automatically provision GCP resources. # ⚓ Linux Hint ☛ How_to_Use_Query_Elasticsearch_with_SQL?⠀⇛ To use SQL in Elasticsearch, use the “XPOST” API, and pass the Elasticsearch URL and “_sql” document. Now, use SQL query in JSON format as a value of “query”. # ⚓ Mastering_the_Basics:_Exploring_the_Syntax_of_the_cat Command_in_Linux⠀⇛ cat command would be on your fingers without any restriction or hesitation if you are going to be a Linux user… # ⚓ Step-by-Step_Password_Aging:_Using_chage_Command_in_Linux for_Beginners⠀⇛ The chage command stands for ‘Change Age’. # ⚓ Exploring_the_Basics:_A_Complete_Guide_to_Using_the_ls Command_in_Linux⠀⇛ The ls command is one of the basic and most used commands that any Linux user/you should know… # ⚓ Linux_clear_restrictions_of_a_user’s_password⠀⇛ $ chage -E -1 -m 0 -M -1 -W -1 user01 Command that clears the expiration restrictions of a user’s password ⚓ TecAdmin ☛ What_is_a_Transparent_Proxy_Server?⠀⇛ A transparent proxy server, often simply referred to as a “transparent proxy”, is a proxy server that intercepts the network traffic without requiring any configuration or action on the client’s end. It’s “transparent” in the sense that the client is often unaware of its presence. ⚓ Jeff Geerling ☛ My_own_magic-wormhole_relay,_for_zippier_transfers⠀⇛ I first attempted to do this over SSH using scp and rsync, but for some reason (even though both computers could get 940 Mbps up and down to speedtest or Cloudflare), that maxed out around 312 Mbps (about 39 MB/s). I even tunneled iperf3 through SSH and could only get a maximum around 400 Mbps. I’m not sure if it was something on the ISP level (either Bell Canada or AT&T throttling non-HTTP traffic?), but the CPU on both machines was only hitting 10-13% max, so I don’t think it was an inherent limitation of SSH encryption. ⚓ Matt Rickard ☛ De_Facto_Ports⠀⇛ Most applications communicate over a TCP or UDP port. Ports 0-1023 are usually privileged and require administrator or superuser access to bind a network socket to an IP with the corresponding port. But anything over 1024 is up for grabs. IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) can “reserve” ports for specific applications — but this is only a formality; users and applications are free to use whatever port they wish. ⚓ University of Toronto ☛ Unix_is_both_a_technology_and_an_idea⠀⇛ The ideas of Unix are not just about how things work; they’re also about how people should interact with the system. For example, consider Rob Pike’s thread about the Unix file model over on the Fediverse, which is at its core all about how people interact with ‘files’, rather than how the technology works. The ideas of Unix admit a wide variety of ways to interact with Unix, not necessarily through a command line, but the ideas tend to shine through all of them; see, for example, Russ Cox’s “A Tour of Acme” (YT). I suspect you can readily see various Unix ideas in GUI form in Acme, although it’s a GUI program. ⚓ TecMint ☛ 50+_Commonly_Used_Kubectl_Commands_for_Managing_Kubernetes Clusters⠀⇛ Kubectl is a command-line utility in Kubernetes used to run commands against Kubernetes clusters. You can use it to perform a wide range of tasks, including deploying applications/microservices, viewing and managing resources, inspecting log files, and so much more. In this tutorial, we feature commonly used kubectl commands for managing a Kubernetes (K8S) cluster. § Games⠀➾ * ⚓ Tom’s Hardware ☛ New_Emulator_Lets_Some_x86-64_Games_Run_on_RISC-V_Dev Board⠀⇛ The most important addition to the Box64 version 0.2.4 is that Dynarec now works on RISC-V. This facilitates faster operations of x86_64 Linux software on RISC-V 64-bit system and makes simplistic games, such as Stardew Valley, playable on Vision Five 2-based devices. Additionally, the new version introduces several fixes for Steam, enhanced multi-threading capabilities, and broader improvements for emulation across various CPU architectures. * ⚓ DaemonFC (Ryan Farmer) ☛ I_Managed_to_Make_Fallout_4_Work_in_openSUSE Leap.⠀⇛ After a while, I found that it works better on KDE on X11. In fact, KWin in general feels faster and more responsive under X11. So, possibly XWayland issues? Older versions of stuff than Fedora had? Who cares, I just want my game to work. * ⚓ GamingOnLinux ☛ Wine_8.14_is_out_now_and_here’s_what’s_new⠀⇛ The open source compatibility layer Wine has a brand new development release available. Here’s what’s new and changed in Wine 8.14. We’re over half-way through the year now, so in around another ~5 months we’re likely to see the stable Wine 9.0 release. * ⚓ GamingOnLinux ☛ Steam_Deck_recently_had_two_Beta_releases,_here’s what’s_changed⠀⇛ Valve has rolled out two updates for the Beta Branch of the Steam Deck within two days, August 17th and August 19th. The August 17th update addresses General, Library, and Desktop mode issues. While the August 19th update addresses Desktop Mode and Steam Input issues. Full list of changes will be added below, separated by day with links to each list. § Desktop Environments/WMs⠀➾ * ⚓ Linuxiac ☛ UbuntuDDE_Remix_23.04_Released,_Here’s_What’s_New⠀⇛ The Deepin Desktop Environment (DDE), developed by the Deepin project, aims to provide an elegant, user-friendly, and visually appealing computing experience. Its modern design, smooth animations, and attention to detail in aesthetics and functionality characterize it. At the same time, the desktop environment is one of the few not presented as an official Ubuntu flavor. Although an unofficial release, UbuntuDDE Remix fills this gap, pleasing lovers of aesthetics. More than a year after its previous 22.04 release, the wait is over as the latest iteration of this Linux distribution hits the scene, blending the power of Ubuntu with the elegance of the Deepin Desktop Environment. * § K Desktop Environment/KDE SC/Qt⠀➾ o ⚓ OMG! Linux ☛ KDE_Goes_and_Does_It_(Double-Click_By_Default,_That Is)⠀⇛ KDE Plasma 6 will require users to double-click on files and folders to open them (by default; the setting is configurable). Controversial change? * § GNOME Desktop/GTK⠀➾ o ⚓ HowTo Geek ☛ Gnome_45_Now_in_Beta,_With_New_Camera_and_Image Apps⠀⇛ GNOME is one of the most popular desktop environments for Linux, and it’s used in Ubuntu, Fedora, and other desktop distributions. The next major release, GNOME 45, is now officially in beta testing ahead of its inclusion in Ubuntu 23.10 and other operating systems. GNOME 44 was released in March of this year, with a reorganized Settings app, updates to the Files app, a GTK4 overhaul for the default web browser, and other helpful changes. GNOME 45 is following up on that with a few changes to the core applications. The Loupe app developed by Christopher Davis and Sophie Herold is the new default image viewer in GNOME, replacing the Eye of GNOME viewer that has been included for years. The new app will still be called “Image Viewer” in the desktop environment to avoid confusion. There’s also a new camera app replacing the long-running Cheese tool: Snapshot, developed by Maximiliano Sandoval and Jamie Murphy, which will be branded as “Camera.” § Distributions and Operating Systems⠀➾ * ⚓ [Repeat] HaikuOS ☛ [GSoC_2023]_VPN_Support_Project_Update_#6⠀⇛ So last time I posted I was able to say that I got the client side for OpenVPN on Haiku working but not the server but I am proud to say that now both the server and client work extremely well now on Haiku 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇:)⦈ I was able to get the server from not working to working and was able to get the latency for the entire VPN operation down from 1000ms average to anywhere between 2ms to 9ms (that’s a caveat as that is without blocking which will be discussed later). I had a check in my tun_read() function wrong where I wanted any side that is non-blocking to send a signal to the other side’s condition variable that something is now in their queue but had it backwards with a not statement in there. The simplest mistakes slip the mind huh :p Anyway, the server also follows suit with the faster latency so now that the read and write functions are basically complete, lets get on with what I was dealing with for the past 2ish weeks. * § Reviews⠀➾ o ⚓ Distro Watch ☛ Review:_MiniOS_20230606⠀⇛ MiniOS seems to do what it sets out to accomplish, being a live desktop distribution with a variety of editions in different sizes. It provides a portable, desktop flavour of Debian which can be quite minimal or fairly robust. While I found MiniOS wasn’t able to boot on my laptop, it did a fine job in a virtual machine and offered a smooth experience with no surprises. With this in mind, it’s tempting to declare “mission accomplished” and give MiniOS a gold star. On the other hand, MiniOS’s website says the project has been around for over a decade (in one form or another) and, to date, there is very little in the way of useful documentation or infrastructure. There is almost no documentation on the distribution’s concept of modules or setting up a configuration file. There is very little in terms of explaining what these optional modules are or why we would want to use them compared to other package/ service formats. The discussion forum is almost empty, which feels weird for a project claiming over a decade of experience. The current release (at the time of writing) is still based on Debian 11 which means the most up to date software in MiniOS is about three years old. This might not be a problem, exactly, but it does make the distribution look dated compared to some other live desktop distributions. None of these concerns I mentioned is a critical problem, the distribution still accomplishes its core goal. However, it feels like there are some pieces missing – user support, documentation, newer hardware support – which could make running the distribution go from merely usable to a powerful, customized experience. I’d also like to acknowledge that it seems the project quietly publishes new ISO files semi-regularly. There have been a few updates in the week I’ve been writing this overview of the project. So it looks like development is quite active. It’s not always clear if the new snapshots are offering complete new versions of the distribution or minor fixes as there do not appear to be any release notes. However, I am hoping this activity indicates there were be more improvements and refreshed documentation in the future. * § New Releases⠀➾ o ⚓ IPFire Official Blog ☛ IPFire_2.27_–_Core_Update_179_is_available for_testing⠀⇛ Just after releasing Core Update 178 which was added into our release cycle to address Intel’s and AMD’s latest CPU vulnerabilities, we are back on track with our regular schedule. This release features Indirect Branch Tracking for user space, a completely rewritten ExtraHD amongst a large number of package updates and the usual bunch of bug fixes. This technology uses a CPU extension which (if available) will check if a program returns from a function or jump correctly. If not, for example in case of injected code, an exception is being raised and the program is being terminated. o ⚓ DebugPoint ☛ Elegance_Meets_Performance:_Introducing_Bodhi_Linux 7.0⠀⇛ We’re thrilled to announce the arrival of Bodhi Linux 7.0, a culmination of months of dedicated development by a small team of developers. From performance enhancements to cutting-edge updates, let’s dive into what makes this release a must-have for users who want a lightweight Linux desktop experience. Learn what’s new. o ⚓ 9to5Linux ☛ Bodhi_Linux_7.0_Released_with_Linux_Kernel_6.4,_Based on_Ubuntu_22.04_LTS⠀⇛ Bodhi Linux 7.0 comes more than 2 years after Bodhi Linux 6.0 and introduces a new flavor called “s76” that features a more recent kernel, namely Linux 6.4, packaged by System76 for those who want cutting-edge performance. The standard ISO image is powered by the long-term supported Linux 5.15 LTS kernel series for those looking for stability. Both ISOs are based on the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish) operating system series with support for Ubuntu backports in the sources list. This major release also enables kernel updates by default. o ⚓ Beta News ☛ Bodhi_Linux_7.0_challenges_Microsoft_Windows_11⠀⇛ The long-awaited Bodhi Linux 7.0 release has finally arrived, and it should make big waves in the open-source community. Built on the solid foundation of Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish), Bodhi 7.0 represents a significant evolution in the realm of Linux distributions. With a strong emphasis on improving user experience, performance, and maintaining its core values of minimalism and customization, this release aims to redefine what Linux can offer to its users. In a world dominated by proprietary operating systems like Microsoft Windows, Bodhi Linux 7.0 emerges as a breath of fresh air, presenting itself as a compelling alternative. The release boasts an impressive array of enhancements and changes that cater to both newcomers and seasoned Linux enthusiasts. * § BSD⠀➾ o ⚓ John Grafton ☛ BSDcan_2023_Trip_Report⠀⇛ The smartest thing I did all trip was attend the ’new to BSDcan’ intro meeting run by Michael W. Lucas on Thursday evening. Michael described BSDcan traditions and expectations and gave a general sense of how the conference usually plays out. Toward the end of the meeting, Michael facilitated attaching newbies to veteran BSDcan attendees. I was fortunate to be assigned to Peter Hansteen (Book of pf fame) who showed me the ropes and made introductions for me at the pub. I am pleased to report that the conference itself was very enjoyable. The conference takes place in multiple locations. All of which were an easy walk from my hotel. * § Gentoo Family⠀➾ o ⚓ Gentoo ☛ Week_11+12_Report,_Automated_Gentoo_System_Updater⠀⇛ This article is a summary of all the changes made on Automated_Gentoo_System_Updater project during weeks 11 and 12 of GSoC. Project is hosted on GitHub ( gentoo_update and mobile app). * § SUSE/OpenSUSE⠀➾ o ⚓ Linux Magazine ☛ SUSE_is_Going_Private_(Again)⠀⇛ Marcel holds 79% of the SUSE shares, and EQT Private Equity has announced that it will launch a voluntary public purchase offer to the remaining shareholders prior to the delisting. The offering price for those shares is EUR 16.00. Both the SUSE Management and Supervisory boards support this move as it will allow the company to shift its focus to its operation priorities and long-term strategies. SUSE’s CEO, Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen, said of the move, “I believe in the strategic opportunity of taking the company private – it gives us the right setting to grow the business and deliver on our strategy with the new leadership team in place.” He continued, “EQT Private Equity’s and SUSE’s partnership in a private setting has been fruitful before and we are excited about the long- term potential of the company and our continued collaboration”. * § Fedora Family / IBM⠀➾ o ⚓ DaemonFC (Ryan Farmer) ☛ IBM’s_New_Pejorative_for_People_Who_Use Fedora_or_an_Enterprise_Linux_Clone_Is_“Freeloader,”_and_They_Don’t Want_to_Know_About_Security_Holes.⠀⇛ In IBM Red Hat’s book, anyone who isn’t currently coughing up a subscription fee to use RHEL is “Freeloading”. Basically, they see you as a parasite. This word doesn’t just apply to a person who grabs Fedora and uses it on their laptop and never files bug reports or anything. It applies more broadly to organizations that deploy a free Enterprise Linux clone to their business because they think they can self-support. * § Devuan Family⠀➾ o ⚓ The Register UK ☛ Version_5_of_systemd-free_Debian_remix_Devuan is_here⠀⇛ Devuan 5.0 “Daedalus” is derived from Debian 12 “Bookworm”, but with the controversial systemd init replaced by the user’s choice of sysvinit, openrc or runit. The latest release of the distro, codenamed Daedalus, came out at the start of the week, just shortly before Debian’s 30th birthday. Being based off Debian 12 “Bookworm”, released in June, its many components inherit the versions included in that version: for instance, it uses Linux kernel 6.1, which for now is the newest long- term support kernel version. * § Canonical/Ubuntu Family⠀➾ o ⚓ Ubuntu ☛ What_is_a_hypervisor?_A_beginners’_guide.⠀⇛ In the realm of virtualisation and cloud computing, the hypervisor is a critical component that enables the seamless operation of multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single host. While virtualisation is a technology, the hypervisor is its actual implementation. In this beginner’s guide, we will explore the fundamentals of hypervisors, their types, and how they differ from container runtimes. We will also review some of the leading hypervisors available today. * § Open Hardware/Modding⠀➾ o ⚓ Hackaday ☛ Open_Source_Waterwheel⠀⇛ Here in the West, power going out is an unusual event. But in more remote regions like the Himalayas, reliable electricity isn’t a given. A group of local craftspeople, researchers, and operators in Nepal have worked together to devise a modular waterwheel system. o ⚓ Tom’s Hardware ☛ Lichee_Pi_4A_RISC-V_Desktop_Gets_Unboxed,_Offers Strong_Linux_Performance⠀⇛ Christopher Barnatt with ExplainingComputers gives us an up close look at the new Lichee Pi 4A RISC-V computer. o ⚓ Jeff Geerling ☛ Soundproofing_my_studio:_what’s_in_a_wall?⠀⇛ And every sound has it’s own characteristics. Like the train tracks that run outside my office: they transmit sound through the earth, meaning if I wanted to soundproof my room from that, I’d need to spend thousands of dollars isolating the floor entirely. o ⚓ CNX Software ☛ MediaPipe_for_Raspberry_Pi_released_–_No-code/low- code_on-device_machine_learning_solutions⠀⇛ Google has just released MediaPipe Solutions for no-code/ low-code on-device machine learning for the Raspberry Pi (and an iOS SDK) following the official release in May for Android, web, and Python, but it’s been years in the making as we first wrote about the MediaPipe project back in December 2019. The Raspberry Pi port is an update to the Python SDK and supports audio classification, face landmark detection, object detection, and various natural language processing tasks. MediaPipe Solutions consists of three components: MediaPipe Tasks (low-code) to create and deploy custom end-to-end ML solution pipelines using cross-platform APIs and libraries MediaPipe Model Maker (low-code) to create custom ML models MediaPipe Studio (no-code) webpage to create, evaluate, debug, benchmark, prototype, and deploy production-level solutions. * § Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications⠀➾ o ⚓ 9to5Google ☛ Android_lays_the_foundation_for_eSIM_transfer_tool_ [Gallery]⠀⇛ o ⚓ XDA ☛ This_is_how_Android’s_eSIM_transfer_feature_will_work⠀⇛ o ⚓ Indian Express ☛ Android_apps_from_third-party_stores_sneak malware_into_your_phone:_Study_|_Technology_News_–_The_Indian Express⠀⇛ o ⚓ Tom’s Guide ☛ Navigating_Android_14_is_much_easier_if_you_enable this_new_feature_|_Tom’s_Guide⠀⇛ o ⚓ Android Police ☛ Health_Connect_migration_for_Android_14_has begun,_breaks_syncing_with_some_apps⠀⇛ o ⚓ Gadget Bridge ☛ How_To_Highlight,_Draw_And_Write_On_a_Screenshot on_an_Android_Smartphone?⠀⇛ o ⚓ Samsung ☛ With_New_‘Try_Galaxy’_App_Update,_Non-Android_Users_Can Experience_Samsung_Galaxy_Z_Flip5_&_Z_Fold5_–_Samsung_Global Newsroom⠀⇛ o ⚓ Phone Arena ☛ Google_will_soon_make_it_easier_for_Android_users to_find_their_lost_phones:_here’s_how_–_PhoneArena⠀⇛ o ⚓ Tom’s Guide ☛ How_to_stop_your_Android_phone_from_listening_to you_|_Tom’s_Guide⠀⇛ o ⚓ CNX Software ☛ EPIC-ADN9_SBC_features_up_to_four_2.5GbE interfaces,_two_SATA_ports_–_CNX_Software⠀⇛ o ⚓ Android Authority ☛ This_is_how_Google’s_upcoming_eSIM_transfer tool_will_work_on_Android_-⠀⇛ o ⚓ SamMobile ☛ All_the_Samsung_Galaxy_devices_getting_One_UI_6_ (Android_14)_beta_–_SamMobile⠀⇛ o ⚓ Android Police ☛ Arms_(and_lugs)_up_for_the_Pixel_Watch_2_and_the Android_Police_podcast⠀⇛ o ⚓ Good E Reader ☛ First_Look_at_the_TCL_Nxtpaper_12_PRO_Android Tablet_–_Good_e-Reader⠀⇛ o ⚓ SlashGear ☛ What_You_Need_To_Use_Android_Auto,_And_How_To_Get Started⠀⇛ § Free, Libre, and Open Source Software⠀➾ * § SaaS/Back End/Databases⠀➾ o ⚓ PostgreSQL ☛ pgBadger_v12.2_published⠀⇛ Antananarivo, Madagascar – August 20th, 2023 ✐ pgBadger⠀✐ pgBadger is a PostgreSQL performance analyzer, built for speed with fully detailed reports based on your PostgreSQL log files. pgBadger 12.2 was released today, this release of pgBadger fixes some issues reported by users since last release and adds two new features: [...] * § Productivity Software/LibreOffice/Calligra⠀➾ o ⚓ 9to5Linux ☛ LibreOffice_7.6_Open-Source_Office_Suite_Officially Released,_This_Is_What’s_New⠀⇛ Highlights of LibreOffice 7.6 include support for zoom gestures on touchpads in the main view, support for document themes, along with the ability to import and export theme definitions for ODF and OOXML documents, as well as many improvements to font handling, especially for right-to-left scripts, CJK, and Asian alphabets. For LibreOffice Writer, this release introduces a new Page Number Wizard in the Insert menu to easily insert page numbers in the header or footer, an updated Paragraph Style dropdown in the Formatting toolbar that now displays a list of styles used in the document, and highlighting of used paragraph and character styles, as well as of direct formatting in text. o ⚓ Announcement_of_LibreOffice_7.6_Community⠀⇛ LibreOffice 7.6 Community, the new major release of the volunteer-supported free office suite for desktop productivity, and the last based on the historical release numbering scheme (first digit for release cycle, second digit for major release), is immediately available from www.libreoffice.org/download for Windows (Intel/AMD and ARM processors), macOS (Apple and Intel processors), and Linux. Starting from 2024, TDF will adopt calendar based-release numbering, so the next major release will be LibreOffice 2024.02 in February 2024. o ⚓ HowTo Geek ☛ LibreOffice_7.6_is_Now_Available:_Here’s_What’s New⠀⇛ LibreOffice is a popular open-source software suite, serving as a replacement for Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other applications. It’s a great option if you want to edit documents and spreadsheets without paying a subscription for Microsoft 365, especially since LibreOffice has more features and supports more file formats than many other free alternatives. The Document Foundation has now released LibreOffice 7.6 across all platforms, making the office suite even better. LibreOffice 7.6 isn’t a groundbreaking update, so if you were hoping for more interface options or wild new online features, you won’t find them here. The Document Foundation said in its announcement, “After twelve years and five release cycles – code cleaning, code refactoring, polishing the user interface, extending to new hardware and software platforms, and optimizing interoperability with OOXML to support users – it is increasingly difficult to develop entirely new features, so most of them are refinements or improvements of existing ones.” However, document themes are now supported across all applications, and there are more fixes for opening Microsoft Office documents. o ⚓ OMG Ubuntu ☛ LibreOffice_7.6_Released,_This_is_What’s_New⠀⇛ This update lands exactly on schedule, some 6 months after the LibreOffice 7.5 release (which included visual tweaks, major PDF export enhancements, and other changes). LibreOffice 7.6 sees its devs build out further to deliver fixes, finesse, and a decent drop of new features. Keen to learn more? I know you are, so let’s dive in! o ⚓ Linuxiac ☛ LibreOffice_7.6_Is_Here,_Bringing_Improvements_Across All_Its_Apps⠀⇛ LibreOffice, maintained by The Document Foundation, is a comprehensive open-source office suite of productivity software applications encompassing word processing, spreadsheet creation, presentation design, drawing, and database management. With each new release, it continues to enhance its suite of applications, striving to provide users with a comprehensive and efficient platform for all their document-related needs. * § Licensing / Legal⠀➾ o ⚓ University of Toronto ☛ Contributor_License_Agreements_(CLAs) impede_modest_contributions⠀⇛ However, as far as I know (and I did look), my university has no blanket policy on employees signing individual CLAs to contribute work they did on university time. Obtaining permission from the university would likely take multiple people each spending some time on this. Many of them are busy people, and beyond that you might as well think of this as a meeting where all of us are sitting around a table for perhaps half an hour, and we all know how much meetings cost once you multiply the cost of each person’s time out. Universities may feel that staff time is often almost free, but that isn’t universal and there are limits. o ⚓ University of Toronto ☛ CLAs_create_different_issues_than_making_ (small)_open_source_contributions⠀⇛ I’ve seen a view expressed that Contributor License Agreements are only a small extra piece of formality over contributing bugfixes and other open source changes. I think this is wrong. Often, the decisions that are made over whether or not to contribute changes to open source projects are significantly different than the decisions that must be made over CLAs, such that my university and similar institutions have little to lose from the former and a great deal to lose from the latter. * § Programming/Development⠀➾ o ⚓ Ruben Schade ☛ Getting_back_into_GUI_development⠀⇛ I haven’t written a graphical desktop program for many years. Most of mine were done in Visual Basic 6 back in the day, but Borland Delphi and Java Swing were probably the last ones. But I’ve decided to give a new one a try. o ⚓ Dirk Eddelbuettel ☛ Dirk_Eddelbuettel:_RcppRedis_0.2.4_on_CRAN: Maintenance⠀⇛ Another minor release, now at 0.2.4, of our RcppRedis package arrived on CRAN yesterday. RcppRedis is one of several packages connecting R to the fabulous Redis in- memory datastructure store (and much more). RcppRedis does not pretend to be feature complete, but it may do some things faster than the other interfaces, and also offers an optional coupling with MessagePack binary (de)serialization via RcppMsgPack. The package has carried production loads on a trading floor for several years. It also supports pub/sub dissemination of streaming market data as per this_earlier_example. o § Python⠀➾ # ⚓ Seth Michael Larson ☛ Security_Developer-in-Residence_– Weekly_Report_#7⠀⇛ The biggest news in the open source security space right now is the Request for Information (RFI) titled “Request for Information on Open Source Software Security: Areas of Long-Term Focus and Prioritization”. This announcement means that the US Government is soliciting ideas from the broader community on where to focus and what to do to improve the security of open source software. ䷩ 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 4584 ╒═══════════════════ 𝐃𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒 ═════════════════════════════════════════════╕ ⠀⌧ █▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ 08.21.23⠀▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█ ⌧ Gemini_version_available_♊︎ ✐ Gemini_Links_21/08/2023:_Trust_Model_Online_and_Gemini_Radio⠀✐ Posted in News_Roundup at 12:55 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz 🄸🄼🄰🄶🄴 🄳🄴🅂🄲🅁🄸🄿🅃🄸🄾🄽 ⦇GNOME bluefish⦈ § Contents⠀➾ * Gemini*_and_Gopher o Personal/Opinions o Photos o Technology_and_Free_Software # Internet/Gemini * § Gemini* and Gopher⠀➾ o § Personal/Opinions⠀➾ # ⚓ One_Meal⠀⇛ One meal per day is pretty tricky; you probably don’t want to drop from three or more to one directly. Maybe start with two per day, say around 09:00 and another 16:00 or so, and keep at that for a week before going to one. Another good idea is lots of fibre—sugar wafers or whatever are not going to tide you over the hours like a good bowl of brown rice and lentils or beans and brown rice or brown rice with tofu. Variety! A lot of modern food is somewhat lacking in fiber, though, or if there is fiber it comes with, like, 7000% of the daily salt requirement. 7000% salt was probably okay if you were working in a foundry and sweated out that much, but maybe not for keypushers. # ⚓ 🔤SpellBinding:_CEKLURN_Wordo:_STIRS⠀⇛ # ⚓ Summer_storm/apple_tree⠀⇛ We are having the biggest storm in 80 years pass through today/tonight (it is just befor 8pm local time) where I live (Southern California Mountains). It mostly just rained all day like most other rainy days. But I guess the accumulated water caused my soil structure to weaken deep enough that one of our two apple trees (the one that produces more apples) collapsed onto my driveway a bit ago, just narowly missing my car (which I have moved back out of the way of the other apple tree). We’ve been getting around .33″ of rain an hour, but it is about to bump up to 1.4″ of rain an hour for a few hours with 50ish mph winds. We are hoping none of the other trees around us, particularly the large evergreen trees, fall. We’ve moved my daughter’s bed away from windows and toward the low center of the house out of an abundance of caution. # ⚓ Venn_diagram_of_improbability_⭕⭕⠀⇛ I have a colleague who likes to play the banjo. He’s an enthusiast for this rather niche instrument, which he’s been playing for some years now. Recently the company moved to a new online meeting tool, and there have been teething troubles. Today the same colleague was in a meeting with someone and they had issues with screen sharing. Everyone in the room was trying to ignore the half of the meeting we could hear, but we were all as surprised as he was when said “When I accepted the screen share, you heard BANJO MUSIC?!!” # ⚓ Thoughts_on_Oppenheimer_(2023)⠀⇛ I just saw Oppenheimer. What a film! It was probably the first film that I’ve gotten really immersed in. Some people disliked how quick the cuts are, but I loved it. I finally felt like I’d seen a film with a pace matching the speed of thought. I didn’t feel patronized by the movie, and I was easily able to follow the different scenes as the film jumped between time periods. Oppenheimer was so optimistic about how nuclear bombs would be thought about. I won’t spoil the movie (thô you can read what he thought from many sources), but I will say it reminds me of the finvenkismo of the early Esperantistoj, who thought that Esperanto would solve war and promote cross- cultural acceptance instead of chauvinism. Evidente, la tuta mondo post Esperanto ne eniris denove al milito. o § Photos⠀➾ # ⚓ 2023_Week_31/32/33:_Photos⠀⇛ Photo of the week (week 31)… o § Technology and Free Software⠀➾ # ⚓ Re:_Dark_mode/light_mode⠀⇛ The good news is that Lagrange is already fully equipped for this because it has been implemented for macOS and iOS. The bad news is that supporting this on further platforms requires specialized code for each platform. There’s already a feature request open on GitHub about adding support for this on Windows, for instance. I understand you’re talking about GNOME, though. Since Lagrange uses none of the GNOME libraries, it cannot easily access the system-wide setting for dark mode. At a glance it seems at least D-Bus is required, and Lagrange does not use that (directly) either. D-Bus would be a pretty useful addition for Linux desktop environments for a few other reasons, though. # ⚓ Retro_Mail_Call_(New_pickup!)⠀⇛ Every now and then I get nostalgic, get online and order some of the gadgets that I craved for back in the day. I am a Palm OS enthusiast, former dev and these devices will always have a soft spot in my heart. In todays mail bag, we get a Palm Tungsten T3! It’s one of the more “modern” Palm devices that sport Bluetooth (which can be handy for setting up a internet connection, routing it through your phone or computer). Only appropriately that I would take a picture of it using my Palm Zire 71, hence the slightly blurry pictures. # § Internet/Gemini⠀➾ # ⚓ Thoughs_on_trust,_SSL_and_Gemini⠀⇛ People criticize Gemini for standardizing trust-of-first-use policy of TLS certificate verification (FAQ:4.5.5), discussing security and scaling. Here is my take on these issues. [...] Whenever you connect to a server you never connected before and have no a-priory reason to trust, it doesn’t really matter whether it has a self-signed certificate or a certificate signed by CA. Well, there is a little difference — you will know if your DNS response was spoofed in case of CA-signed certificate. But you still has no reason to trust the content server sends to you. Now suppose this server happens to publish source code of some useful program. You download the source, audit it diligently and deem non-malicious and useful. Server publishes new version of the software, and another one, and you eventually develop trust into the server and its certificate. # ⚓ Gemini_Radio_–_Episode_54⠀⇛ =============================================================================== * Gemini_(Primer) links can be opened using Gemini_software. It’s like the World Wide Web but a lot lighter. ╘══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╛ ¶ Lines in total: 4807 ➮ Generation completed at 03:07, i.e. 133 seconds to (re)generate ⟲