Recent Replies
@Mtt I use a number of small menu bar utilities. WhatsOn puts Apple Music and controls up there. Spaced lets you add spacers. ClipTools is a fantastically capable clipboard manager. PearCleaner is a neatly integrated app uninstaller. Raycast replaces Spotlight. LocalSend lets me move files around from Macs to Linux and that one, sad Windows machine. And Shottr, of course. I’ve installed most of these and keep them updated with homebrew, and I use Warp for a terminal.
Most of the apps and utilities I use on the daily are free or open source, as well. FolderTidy, MarkEdit, Twos, AnyType, Onyx, SquirrelDisk, Burn, IINA, and some others.
@leo I concur, wholeheartedly!
@news Excellent! Thanks!!
@news One lovely new improvement is that New Post windows reappear where you last put them, which is a fantastic quality-of-life addition that makes me really happy :) Thanks, Manton!
@manton It’s quite refreshing considering today’s software is all so bloated. That new Nintendo Today app for iOS that’s little more than a link diary and nonfunctional calendar? 256MBs. It’s insane. So, again thank you and keep up the fantastic work :)
@manton A whole 4.3 MBs!! Manton!! Do you realize it took a whole 12 seconds to download and update this!!?? Also, thanks ;)
@manton Real Genius has been one of my all time favorite comedies since I first saw it in the theater upon release in 1985. Up there with Better Off Dead. Kilmer’s Chris Knight is a fantastic character and the entire cast was perfection. I’m feeling the need for a Kilmer Film Fest.
@manton Agreed. It was quite inspirational.
@peterw I’m with you there. I’m still on my M1 Mini and have a 2020 Intel Mini with 32GBs of RAM I use for Plex. Got the wife an M1, as well. I’ll likely get a base model M4 to replace my 16GB M1 in a year or two. Fantastic machines :)
@corruptian At least Firewire is faster than USB.
@corruptian I’d hope your ass at least has USB 2.0 support if not in-built CD-ROM support, otherwise you might be shit outta luck… 🤓🤣
@SailorDisco I’ll have to go back and listen to their pre-Transatlantacism, then :) I enjoy pulling musical threads.
@peterw Thank the gods they don’t play poker!
@jarrod YES PLEASE!!! Of course, also don’t reuse that atrocious butterfly keyboard!
@rom Right on! My M1 Mini’s desktop companion is a Dell Latitude 7200 2in1 running KDE Neon and using Synergy I just use my Mac’s keyboard and trackball to use them both :) I have a load of machines I’ve collected over the years, mostly Macs, but the PCs all have Linux on them…
…except for one machine I have a neutered copy of Windows 10 on with a local account which I currently use to play Steam games, mostly Marvel Rivals and TF2. I’m currently building out a Nobara Linux install on another SSD to replace it over the coming months, though.
Soon I shall be free of the yoke of Redmond!
@peterw My registrar is Name.com, which works great with everything, but seems to have issues with Apple. It’s most likely just a PEBCAK situation for me. Pro writer in tech publishing for ~25 years, and I can’t code my ass out of a paper bag. Similar to journalist’s brain. I learnt enough in the moment to complete books, but it sieves out for the next.
As for ditching big capitalism, the only one I’d have significant issues leaving is Apple. I’ve been using Apple systems ever since they first appeared, minus a 9 year period where I was all Microsoft. I switched back when the M1 dropped and got myself a Mini. I’m aware that most of the “PC Master Race” think Apple is the devil incarnate, but I strongly disagree. Not because I’m a fan boy, but because I have critical thinking skills.
Mac & Linux forever :)
@manton Oh very yes!!
@peterw I’ve been using Apple Mail since I returned to the Mac in 2021 with the introduction of Apple Silicon. Spam management has dramatically improved in recent years, at least for me, and I almost never see spam in my inbox any more. In addition, moving miscategorized emails to the inbox gets re-filtered much better now.
Search isn’t something I can speak to since I don’t use it often, but it works when I do. About the only thing I have had trouble with is adding custom domains. After following all steps, I still can’t get external domains to work, but YMMV. Even if it did work, you can only add three and only have a couple accounts associated, IIRC.
I still maintain my original Google account, but don’t use it for anything critical. Mostly YouTube. I also ditched Microsoft services, platforms, and apps in a similar manner. Cascading BS for many years has been pushing me away from them, and I’ve now mostly extricated myself from their clutches :)
@toddgrotenhuis Lessons for the betterment of humanity from America’s most competent leaders… ahem…
@peterw Mmmm…. Nature is amazing 🤩
@news Well, now. THAT is a helluva solution! Fantastic for peeps in Europe and a great option if Dear Leader decides he’s no longer fond of stories critical of his “achievements.” Well done 👍
@leahmcelrath.bsky.social Grr. I’ve long had a problem with that. I’m shocked I don’t have jaw issues. Thanks! 🫶
@dancingtreefrog Well, it will require some rejiggering of the expectations of people who have been conditioned to think that they’re getting something free when they’ve been paying for it with their personal data, which has turned into personalized advertising. I’ve written a few pieces about one methodology that could replace advertising for small creators I call Dollarnomics. But sites like DuckDuckGo are returning values to search by going back to the old, simple way of charging for advertising that involves no algorithm.
The shift will require a lot of little changes and to affect billions of users, such efforts take time. Give my posts a scan. I’ve linked them below.
@dancingtreefrog There are a few small openweb media delivery networks out there already like Floatplane and Nebula. There will need to be more and they will need more funding that is divorced from capitalism and the advertising propaganda complex. They’re like Stage 4 cancer, though. It won’t be easy and will require the dedication of millions of people who believe in freedom of expression and from authoritarianism.
@dancingtreefrog There are certainly enough stupid people with far too much money and far too little sense or morals, so that will likely happen. However, I don’t think they’re all that moronic, but we’ll see. On the other hand, I think we’ll also see a widespread interest in a new indie film and TV production movement. Low-cost systems and open source tools will enable this independent alternative and, I would hope, supplant corporate Hollywood over time. Sorta like starting over. Don’t know for sure, though :)