To lose $80 billion is careless, to lose $160 billion is careless!

To lose $80 billion is careless, to lose $160 billion is careless!
https://finance.nine.com.au/2018/07/27/07/39/facebook-suffers-biggest-one-day-loss-in-us-stock-market-history?ocid=edm-nine.com.au-ninedaily--180727&mktg_scr=edm-ninedaily

It's been two weeks since I logged out of Facebook, and haven't logged back in.

It's been two weeks since I logged out of Facebook, and haven't logged back in.

I've thought about logging in every day since, but I haven't done so, apart from discovering I was still logged on in OPERA and logging out. In that time I seem to have been a bit more productive. There may be no correlation, but I might just try going for another week away from it. If nothing else, I've been less upset then when use Facebook daily. Less memes about US politics shoved in my face perhaps?
#Facebook

[Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade!]

[Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade!]
I recently changed the setting on my RecRoom monitor to 3840x2160 to see how it'd go. Great on an Opensimulator view, provided you were careful with your UI scaling, not so great on Firefox (I had to use the hack at http://kb.mozillazine.org/Pane_and_menu_fonts to make the UI readable), and Photoshop, because it's CS6 (and not CC) was an issue, as the full size screenshot shows below.

A quick search of Adobe forums found that people either misunderstood the questions advising to use Edit .> Preferences > Interface settings, which only seem to affect drop down menus. The other main response was It's 5 versions old and UPGRADE TO PHOTOSHOP CC! Now the second response might actually be the simplest, but I've never done that because it involves an ongoing commitment to paying Adobe a monthly fee. I bought the studend edition while I was doing my Masters. It was a one time payment which I could budget and save for, but the subscription model seems more like life insurance in how it works, and problematic for someone on a fixed income.

As per this article at https://www.crn.com.au/news/adobe-blames-us-exchange-rate-as-it-hikes-australian-prices-460815 from last year, living in Australia I'd have to pay an exchange rate making it far higher in $A. The last time I remember the $A being worth more than the $US was the 70s! The cheapest plan for me to use Ps CC is a photography plan (as I'm no longer an active student) at A$14.29/mo3. My CS6 pack cost me about $A350 and I got a whole collection of apps, not just two. At the subscription rate it's cost that in 2 years, just for Photoshop and Lightroom! Any monthly subscription computes with my utility costs, so this is why I haven't upgraded to anything CC, and probably won't.
#photoshop #UI #Adoboe #subscription

Ren'Py is a visual novel engine – used by thousands of creators from around the world – that helps you use words,...

Ren'Py is a visual novel engine – used by thousands of creators from around the world – that helps you use words, images, and sounds to tell interactive stories that run on computers and mobile devices. These can be both visual novels and life simulation games. The easy to learn script language allows anyone to efficiently write large visual novels, while its Python scripting is enough for complex simulation games.

You too can create a visual novel with this software. Of course it might not look like manga, it might just look like whatever artist draws for the novel.
#opensource #android #chrome #linux #windows #MacOS #IOS
https://renpy.org/

I haven't used a lot of 3rd party plugins lately, but if you want free ones (including for programs that can use...

I haven't used a lot of 3rd party plugins lately, but if you want free ones (including for programs that can use Photoshop compatible plugins) this is the site.
https://www.thepluginsite.com/resources/freeps.htm

[Why you seldom see extention names longer than 3 characters]

[Why you seldom see extention names longer than 3 characters]

And the answer is - all sorts of reasons!
https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/126350/long-filename-extensions-why-not

Yesterday I needed to send a software dick to a friend in Victoria.

Yesterday I needed to send a software dick to a friend in Victoria. I wanted to create an autorun menu to help them with installing the software (GIMP, Krita, MyPaint and XNView), because they don't use their PC that much.

Well, after a brief search and review I used this. It's dated and simple, and it only gives you 10 buttons + Exit (and a background image), but it works on Windows 10 and its simplicity made it very easy to use. You can load/run a file, view a folder, or load a webpage.

Everything else I found was either needlessly complex or a trail version.
#Windows #AutoRun
http://www.hamradiousa.net/compactautorunner.html

If you can draw stuff like this in GIMP, it's a LOT better than it used to be.

If you can draw stuff like this in GIMP, it's a LOT better than it used to be.
https://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Parametric_Brush/

What I like about this photo, is the non-interest of the students in the background. Seen it before maybe?

What I like about this photo, is the non-interest of the students in the background. Seen it before maybe?
http://news.mit.edu/2018/blind-cheetah-robot-climb-stairs-obstacles-disaster-zones-0705

Er, spot the DESIGN FLAW

Er, spot the DESIGN FLAW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5Ukh2bUK5s&feature=share

But, there's MORE!!!

But, there's MORE!!!
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/09/a-brief-history-of-mechanical-horses/262942/

But, how did it work?!

But, how did it work?!
http://cyberneticzoo.com/walking-machines/1933-mechanical-horse-d-g-alzetta-italian/

With the end of of the Home Group, I've been using Libraries a lot more.

With the end of of the Home Group, I've been using Libraries a lot more. The libraries are still in Windows, but their visibility is set to "off" by default. It's easier to create a library with some location like \\LAS-WIN-MEDIA\NETWORKED\ and look it up when you need it. You can give the library a less abstract and more relevant name.

Networked drives on the other hand, are handier for old applications that were assumed to be working on a single PC. I like Win 10 - more convenient than Win 7!
#Windows10 #Libraries #HomeNetwork
https://windowsreport.com/enable-libraries-windows-10-file-explorer/

Finally getting around to setting up net drives on the NAS.

Finally getting around to setting up net drives on the NAS. And next will be a set s of backups for each PC and for Seconds. First though it wants to update its operating system.
#Windows10 #Synology #NAS

Though I thought the film was only mildy entertaining.

Though I thought the film was only mildy entertaining.
http://www.wisdompills.com/2017/03/12/12802/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium&utm_source

How to Find and Delete duplicate files in Windows 10 - Compare Gadgets

https://www.comparegadgets.net/how-to/how-to-find-and-delete-duplicate-files-in-windows-10/

I thought this was a nifty idea, but, um, who does this?

I thought this was a nifty idea, but, um, who does this?

Originally shared by OSTechNix

MapSCII – The World Map In Your Terminal #MapSCII #worldmap #ascii-art #vector-tiles #braille #console #openstreetmap #nodejs #npm
https://www.ostechnix.com/mapscii-world-map-terminal/

This could make a bit of a difference.

This could make a bit of a difference.

Originally shared by AlternativeTo

YouTube is rolling out a tool to allow users to remove unauthorized reuploads and mirrors of their content from the site.
https://altrn.tv/2JinZVQ

So, I got a bit triggered by this meme on Facebook yesterday.

So, I got a bit triggered by this meme on Facebook yesterday. It prompted me to take a break from facebook for a couple of weeks.

So why? A couple of reasons. I had a tough childhood with few friends and lots of illnesses. Can't identify with this image at all. This never happened* when I was a child. But the second reason is that it's a bit of a WANK. Doesn't say WHAT technology, just leaves it blank, so that the reader can fill in their own nostalgic period. And the nature of nostalgia is that in general, you'll remember things as being better than they were. And similar to that you might feel threatened for how technology has changed from those times, regardless of what the reality was back then!

So, when DID "technology take over"? Was it the 2000s, the 1990s, the 1980s, earlier? Well "technology" is a pretty loose term, but I'd say after the start of the Industrial Revolution. Yep, that far back.

Consider that until the invention of the steam engine, force (as in f=ma^2) came from "natural means" such as wind, water, sun, animals and humans. There was a with what you could do with these sources and you either had to learn a skill (like sailing) to make that force into power which does work (e.g. moving a boat on the water). And to a degree most of these power sources could be scaled up to give bigger results. Building the pyramids didn't need aliens - just skill, clever planning, and lots of grunt work from volunteers.

But after steam and other engines were developed, improved, and came into wide spread use, things changed. The skills acquired to handle the natural sources of power became superseded by the skills to handle the engine powered machinery. It was only a matter of time before the bulk of manual labour (in industrialised countries) became less economic than having less workers with more machines. And that's when "technology took over", because technology became a priority for governments and the economy. The last time something like that happened, hunter gatherers start doing agriculture instead. And after that change became increasingly rapid.

Trains meant that you could travel faster than a horse or boat and carry more; improvements in printing made large circulation newspapers and magazines possible, and books increased in popularity and available for the masses; the telegraph (the "original Internet") meant that communications that had taken days or months before could now take hours or minutes, and a whole "telegraph culture" (complete with emoticon and LOL equivalents) grew up around it; telephones improved on that, because whereas before you'd have to go somewhere in particular to send a telegram, now you could contact them from your own home; audio recordings (including radio) meant that people could here how other people spoke without having to visit another part of the country or go to another, so that accents and dialects became more fixed and more standard, photography and motion pictures did the same for how people and places looked; television did much the same, but like telephones to telegraphs, you can now see it all without going to a particular place. Bicycles, then automobiles and motorcycles, finally superseded the horse (or horse and cart) fort getting from A to B locally; people became way more mobile.

The overall effect of all these changes was that by the time mobile and later smart phones became popular, there was already an audience primed for something like an Internet, sharing popular culture and by shear weight of numbers extending its dominance.

So yes, "technology took over" a long time ago. The kids in this image are riding bikes for shit's sake - what do they think those are, but technology?

[Facebook Sabbatical]

[Facebook Sabbatical]
I decided to take a fortnight's break from Facebook. I didn't do anything "drastic", I merely told a couple of friends and just logged out. No I MUST DESTROY MY FACEBOOK ACCOUNT bullshit drama, because partly, I know from experience no one in my friends list even sees stuff like that usually.

Nah, it was just making me stressed out and cranky. Too many posts about Trump and memes that I'd pick a fight over. When Facebook makes me cranky and becoming a bit OCD, it's time to take a break. Of course I also deleted Facebook from my history, trying to delete the icon from Firefox's start page, but no big.
:
:
:
Google+ on the other hand, seldom upsets me so much as Facebook does. I think there's a difference in culture between Facebook and Google+. Most of G+ (for me) is about groups that I share interests with, and the friends I've made along the way. Over in FB groups (and posts in general) are problematic because Facebook are constantly changing their algorithms to show you what they think you want. And for some reason they thought that as an Australian, I'd want to to see a bazillion Trump memes! Not that there's anything immediately wrong with memes, but if they form 90% of your posts (often with no comment at all) that means less actual content about you and your interests; more NOISE less SIGNAL.

I'll see what it's like in 14 days.

Big changes coming down the line.

Big changes coming down the line.
https://www.deviantart.com/heidi/journal/Upcoming-Site-Changes-and-Your-Involvement-752774759

I bought a copy of this.

I bought a copy of this. There's a whole bunch mini articles in this about various topics, like genes, gender, life, time, entropy and Scientific Truth.
https://www.newscientist.com/issue/3184

Wow, some of these look like designs that would appear Gerry Anderson supermarionation show!!

Wow, some of these look like designs that would appear Gerry Anderson supermarionation show!!
https://avjetnews.wordpress.com/2015/10/31/extravagant-designs-by-luigi-colani/

A Kamov Ka-22 (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamov_Ka-22). And it actually worked!

A Kamov Ka-22 (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamov_Ka-22). And it actually worked!

This looks like something that would appear on Captain Scarlet. What exactly are the antenna for?

This looks like something that would appear on Captain Scarlet. What exactly are the antenna for?

When colour coding goes too far.

This lo0oks very late 80s, but I'm not so sure about Next Generation.

This lo0oks very late 80s, but I'm not so sure about Next Generation.
https://www.extremetech.com/computing/272931-building-a-mechanical-keyboard-homage-to-star-trek-the-next-generation

Ver.1.7.8 released.

Ver.1.7.8 released.
https://www.clipstudio.net/en/dl/

I watched a discussion on THE DRUM about the ethics of autonomous cars taking action to avoid accidents and minimise...

I watched a discussion on THE DRUM about the ethics of autonomous cars taking action to avoid accidents and minimise deaths.

Apparently German standards for AI cars are that in case of accidents the car should take action to reduce the total number of deaths, regardless of age, medical condition or status of those who might die. This leads to all sorts of ethical dilemmas and conflicts. Would you travel in a car that might drive you off a bridge to save three drunk jaywalkers? Some manufacturers claim that their cars will always prioritise the well being of their passengers, but would you buy and use one if they didn't?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-05/driverless-cars-ethical-debate-you-decide/9836786

We've just released GIMP 2.10.4 with bugfixes, simplified horizon straightening, async fonts loading on startup,...

Originally shared by GIMP

We've just released GIMP 2.10.4 with bugfixes, simplified horizon straightening, async fonts loading on startup, fonts tagging, and more. Windows build to follow, macOS build highly probable now.
https://www.gimp.org/news/2018/07/04/gimp-2-10-4-released

How to check if third-party apps are reading your Gmail

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-04/google-admits-it-allows-external-apps-to-access-user-data/9938556?sf193121335=1&smid=Page:+ABC+Science-Facebook_Organic&WT.tsrc=Facebook_Organic

The Diskstation showing the innards. Not much there, but it works!

The Diskstation showing the innards. Not much there, but it works!

Ooh, you get a cute desktop to play with.

Ooh, you get a cute desktop to play with. I can see I could have hours of misery fun ahead of me! I have 4TB of hard drives in the station at the moment, so it's probably automatically "cross threading" (is that the right term?) for more reliable storage. Cool. :D

I have some other stuff to do this afternoon, like getting DreamGrid working, but I wanted to get this up first, so that theoretically I could backup DreamGrid. I might see as well if I can setup a network drive using this. Some programs are happy to run off network locations like \\Las-win-media\incoming\WebPages, and others need a network drive location like N:\!!IMPORTANT!!\Linux Webpages to work.

I had to rearrange my modem and switch for the Disk Station.

I had to rearrange my modem and switch for the Disk Station. It seems I have more LAN devices than I'd thought. The new arrangement looks like:

MODEM: NUC PC, Media PC, RecRoom PC, Switch Box;

SWITCH BOX: Modem, DiskStation, Spare Studio LAN, Spare RecRoom PC, Lounge PVR, Aerialbox PVR, and Laser PVR.

The PVRs mostly need the net for updates, and perhaps program guides. I only record programs on the Lounge and Aerialbox PVRs; I use the Laser for watching live TV in bed, and watching media files off an external hard drive. I did try using KODI for that but I found it simpler and more convenient to use the built in Movie App.

I've spent a bit of time building up this tech, saving for and replacing different components. At the risk of invoking hubris, I'm quite happy with what I have now. With less face-to-face social contact, I spend a bit more time watching TV series and films. But, at the same time I'm very selective about what I watch.

Installing my DiskStation Software.

Installing my DiskStation Software. I had an initial stumbling block when the unit wouldn't turn on. I was about to put a support ticket in, when I realised that plug to the power supply wasn't properly connected - D'OH!

I'm fiddling with my new DiskStation today.

I'm fiddling with my new DiskStation today. I'm installing 2x1TB drives and a 1x2TB drive in it. It has another slot in it, but for now 4TB should be enough, and that allows for a BIG addition. Have already signed up on the Synology website and added the DS418j.

It's funny, but in a way the "final death" of the Studio PC paved the way to get this, as I now have these spare drives just sitting about. It would have been more expensive to get the DiskStation AND extra drives.
#Windows #Synology #Network

That moment when you decide to upgrade your Raspberry Pi's heatsink for only 6 cents...

Originally shared by How-To Geek

That moment when you decide to upgrade your Raspberry Pi's heatsink for only 6 cents...
https://buff.ly/2yVKmR7

I bought a 4-Bay Synology DiskStation DS418j today.

I bought a 4-Bay Synology DiskStation DS418j today. I've been saving up for it (well for a NAS) for several months. This is a home network station where you can plug in hard drives to make backups and other functions. Backing up has clearly been an issue for a while. Had I done so properly, I wouldn't have had those issues retrieving the graphic novel.

Lots of expenses lately, but I should be still able to get Huey's teeth done.

If things are exactly as the South China Morning Post reported, the country’s frenemies won’t take things sitting...

If things are exactly as the South China Morning Post reported, the country’s frenemies won’t take things sitting down. There is already a mounting argument between the US and China over the latter’s use of laser-based weapons, especially on vehicles disguised as “non-lethal” boats. This rifle definitely gives them an edge when it comes to stealth and power.

Originally shared by SlashGear

Lasers, by their very nature, have the potential for harm but most of the dangerous applications of the technology has been limited to science fiction until recently. But while companies like Lockheed Martin are scrambling to weaponize lasers, their…
http://www.slashgear.com/chinese-laser-rifle-makes-science-fiction-frighteningly-real-02536285/

I found this yesterday while looking for an open-source project manager.

I found this yesterday while looking for an open-source project manager. It looks more like a personal wiki than a project manager, but interesting all the same.
https://wekan.github.io/

Happy summer!

Originally shared by OpenShot Video Editor

Happy summer! Version 2.4.2, the latest and greatest OpenShot Video Editor is now available (after a long wait), and we have lots of great improvements to share! We have exciting new effects, tons of bug fixes, and more stability and performance enhancements! Check it out!
https://www.openshot.org/blog/2018/06/30/openshot-242-released-more-effects-more-stable-more-fun/