Nostr notes by Neil Brown

I love that I can chat with people, and make friends, all over ...

2026-10-30T08:04:30Z

I love that I can chat with people, and make friends, all over the world, in real time, so easily. There are some wonderful humans in the fediverse, and it is a genuine pleasure to chat with you.

I love that using renewable energy, and reducing grid dependency, is increasingly viable.

I love having a bicycle with a battery, so that I can use a car less, and cycle with a massive smile on my face. Wheee!

I love that I can run my business from home, and so get to both work *and* spend a lot of time around my wonderful wife.

Tech in 2026 isn't all bad, but sometimes I have to remind myself of that.

I gave up on inline replies, unless I am confident that the ...

2026-10-29T15:25:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…8jt8
_________________________

I gave up on inline replies, unless I am confident that the recipient would prefer inline replies, years ago.

I absolutely prefer inline replies, but I understand from people who use Outlook, and, well, are not nerds, that they are unwelcome!

(I also gave up signing email via PGP, as that seemed to confuse too many people.)

I know that it is bad. I know that it is wrong. But, like many, I ...

2026-10-29T15:20:51Z

I know that it is bad.

I know that it is wrong.

But, like many, I have given in to it.

I have used HTML in an email.

Indeed, different people / usage / context, different ...

2026-10-28T22:17:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…uyt6
_________________________

Indeed, different people / usage / context, different experiences. I would happily have a thicker phone and an even better battery life. Or - blast from the past - easy to swap batteries.

> The battery also does not last anywhere near that long in ...

2026-10-28T22:10:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…07hn
_________________________

> The battery also does not last anywhere near that long in continuous use, or with the network on.

My several years old Pixel 6 gets a day and a half quite easily!

Nostr event nevent1qqs9ew7rfd9z7gfq465a6rk44ww3xr4l2eaf807ryt7kwwm8dzjns8qzyzl3c4vdlpmvw0yfjezky5gyq35ykp6p2uxa3utfmfhutjp749wskmqks06

2026-10-28T19:25:45Z

Using curl, because I'm playing hard to wget.

waves as a lawyer

2026-10-28T11:37:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…5mas
_________________________

*waves as a lawyer*

Peak mobile device design! A "personal mobile tool". ...

2026-10-27T20:33:45Z

Peak mobile device design!

A "personal mobile tool".

It looks like the latest version of Thunderbird has broken PGP ...

2026-10-27T14:30:12Z

It looks like the latest version of Thunderbird has broken PGP key handling :(

If you can read this, then my new £9, USB-C charging, folding ...

2026-10-27T11:53:46Z

If you can read this, then my new £9, USB-C charging, folding Bluetooth keyboard works.

And it is a surprisingly fine typing experience, based on this initial testing.

I will write some more notes once I have spent a bit more time with it.

FWIW, I run @npub1kwa…e0nj on a Pixel. This will be my third ...

2026-10-27T08:13:14Z

In reply to nevent1q…gqqm
_________________________

FWIW, I run GrapheneOS (npub1kwa…e0nj) on a Pixel.

This will be my third GrapheneOS device.

A genuinely excellent Android experience, with many years of support and security updates.

This is, of course, a daft mentality. The new black slab is an ...

2026-10-27T06:59:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…gqqm
_________________________

This is, of course, a daft mentality.

The new black slab is an incredibly powerful computer, with an all-day battery life, a great camera, and functionality which connects me to a world of friends and knowledge, for less than £500.

It can also make and receive calls.

2001: I have a new phone. How exciting! Perhaps I can access the ...

2026-10-27T06:55:02Z

2001: I have a new phone. How exciting! Perhaps I can access the Internet on it via a Sharp Zaurus. This is so the future!

2002: Ooh! A new PalmOS device! Amazing! HotSync backup and off we go!

2004: Wow! This WindowsMobile device has a keyboard, as is basically a mini laptop. Cool!

...

2026: I must get a new black slab because security updates have run out on my current black slab which, for all other intents and purposes, is absolutely fine. The new black slab does nothing new for me, and all I see is the chore of setting it up.

I am not submitting this to the Mastodon community forum, as ...

2026-10-26T09:40:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…ha9v
_________________________

I am not submitting this to the Mastodon community forum, as feedback, because I cannot be sure that it is a change linked with the 5.0 release.

That's better! ...

2026-10-26T09:38:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…96a6
_________________________

That's better!

I have popped this in as custom CSS, and it is back to how I ...

2026-10-26T09:31:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…72lj
_________________________

I have popped this in as custom CSS, and it is back to how I remember it:

```
[data-color-scheme="dark"], html:not([data-color-scheme]) {
color-scheme: dark;
--base-color-bg: #17151c;
}
```

But I need to fix my "Toot!" button...

Has Mastodon always been This Purple in dark mode?! ...

2026-10-26T09:19:30Z

Has Mastodon always been This Purple in dark mode?!

The GDPR may not be perfect - few laws are - but boy would I ...

2026-10-25T17:50:45Z

The GDPR may not be perfect - few laws are - but boy would I prefer to have it (or its UK sibling) than not to have it.

If someone wants to abolish the GDPR, my starting point is that they want to do something with people's personal data that I won't like.

Random question: is pornography featuring actors dressed in ...

2026-10-24T17:03:48Z

Random question: is pornography featuring actors dressed in school uniform a particularly UK thing?

I'm just pondering the UK petition for a ban, and whether this kind of content is produced predominantly either by people in the UK, or for people in the UK.

> Online safety laws have failed to protect children in UK, ...

2026-10-24T16:58:22Z

> Online safety laws have failed to protect children in UK, Ofcom admits

Quelle suprise that the lobbyists quoted here want even more regulations and restrictions.

The slippery slope of "just a few more rules"...

(Rather than a fundamental rethink)

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oct/23/uk-children-just-as-likely-to-have-suffered-harm-on-social-media-despite-crackdown-ofcom-online-safety-act

Some general knowledge questions to get you going this morning: ...

2026-10-23T07:32:10Z

Some general knowledge questions to get you going this morning:

1) What Spanish name translates as "God has been gracious"?

2) Complete the song title "Stairway __ Heaven".

3) What's the magic number?

4) Name a popular private key.

5) Which English boy band comprised Abz Love, Scott Robinson, Ritchie Neville, Sean Conlon, and Jason "J" Brown?

6-7 (combined question): Name an Internet meme from 2025ish.

8) What is the past tense of "eat"?

9) What is the German word for "no"?

Yesterday, as I sat here, using a laptop running on Free software ...

2026-10-22T06:32:14Z

Yesterday, as I sat here, using a laptop running on Free software written and maintained by volunteers, to connect, by means of a secure tunnel formed by Free software written and maintained by volunteers, to multiple servers, all running Free software written and maintained by volunteers, to apply patches prepared urgently by volunteers to resolve security vulnerabilities, I felt *incredibly* grateful for every single one of those volunteers, who makes the fact that I could do *any* of this possible.

Thank you, genuinely.

#FOSS #FreeSoftware #Linux

I am about to launch a new, super-secure FFA: four factor ...

2026-10-21T16:59:11Z

I am about to launch a new, super-secure FFA: four factor authentication.

There is only one factor, and it is 4.

If the private key had been 40, it would have been 10 times as ...

2026-10-21T11:33:10Z

If the private key had been 40, it would have been 10 times as strong.

All that security potential just wasted.

What do you call a bear with no ears? A b.

2026-10-21T07:42:44Z

What do you call a bear with no ears?

A b.

I am perhaps an outlier, in that I really rather like it, even ...

2026-10-18T18:36:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…evtf
_________________________

I am perhaps an outlier, in that I really rather like it, even for just my own single user instance!

IIRC, it was bots / scrapers hammering his instance, which was ...

2026-10-18T18:28:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…2wk8
_________________________

IIRC, it was bots / scrapers hammering his instance, which was doing something which filled the disk. But filling the disk was the symptom, not the cause.

For @npub1z23…qh88, the problem was bots/scrapers, IIRC.

2026-10-18T18:18:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…9cwa
_________________________

For 🆎 (npub1z23…qh88), the problem was bots/scrapers, IIRC.

Your bio: contrarian. Devil's advocate. My reaction: block.

2026-10-16T18:23:23Z

Your bio: contrarian. Devil's advocate.

My reaction: block.

Ofcom has published an updated version of its list of naughty ...

2026-10-16T09:19:35Z

Ofcom has published an updated version of its list of naughty words:

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/research-and-data/tv-radio-and-on-demand-research/tv-research/offensive-language/2026/public-attitudes-towards-offensive-language-on-television-radio-and-video-on-demand.pdf?v=426471

Warning: this is a list of naughty words. It contains naughty words. In a list.

From 6 November, it will be a criminal offence in England and ...

2026-10-16T07:04:01Z

From 6 November, it will be a criminal offence in England and Wales to possess pornography which depicts either (or both):

- strangulation or suffocation (neither of which is defined)
- sex between (actual or purported) relatives

Be aware that content including both of these things is (and probably still will be) readily available on porn sites, but that is not a defence.

I wrote a blogpost about these offences a while back, "Brief comments on two proposed new criminal offences relating to pornography: strangulation / suffocation, and sex (actually or purportedly) between relatives":

https://decoded.legal/blog/2026/04/brief-comments-on-two-proposed-new-criminal-offences-relating-to-pornography-strangulation-suffocation-and-sex-actually-or-purportedly-between-relatives/

That looks amazing! What is the round item on the top left of ...

2026-10-15T12:35:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…nymq
_________________________

That looks amazing! What is the round item on the top left of your plate, please?

RE: https://beige.party/@d_rift/117443523487334486 Do I know any ...

2026-10-15T07:17:12Z

RE: https://beige.party/@d_rift/117443523487334486

Do I know any lawyers doing Czech citizenship matters in Prague, please?

If so, please make yourselves known to [@d_rift](https://beige.party/@d_rift )!

#law #lawfedi #prague

quoting
note123q…4hys

In one case I have yet to find an alternative, which has become a problem. (If you happen to know anyone doing Czech citizenship matters in Prague, I believe by this point I have cause to transfer the matter to someone faster.) In the other, the choice of firm doesn't rest on my shoulders.

> I have a personal lawyer who does nothing without at least ...

2026-10-15T06:26:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…as3q
_________________________

> I have a personal lawyer who does nothing without at least monthly reminders and charges me for reminding him, and a corporate lawyer who submits things I have to proofread to shreds then debits us four figures an hour for fixing their typos I caught

How is either of those acceptable?!

Arguably my copyright, but I am not going to lose sleep over ...

2026-10-15T06:11:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…8wtn
_________________________

Arguably my copyright, but I am not going to lose sleep over that.

They might lose the ability to argue that my advice was privileged, but that is up to them and, in the context of the advice sought here, not particularly impactful I'd have thought.

The worse, and more likely, scenario, is that it turns into a disagreement over the work, which takes time and effort to resolve.

For anyone who has not guessed, this is pretty much exactly what ...

2026-10-14T17:31:14Z

In reply to nevent1q…n383
_________________________

For anyone who has not guessed, this is pretty much exactly what happens when someone has generated their terms, privacy notice, communications, and probably their business plan, using genAI.

The email asking for a quote looks almost identical from request to request, with the subject line syntax being a giveaway.

I've had multiple of these this week.

A question, please: You are about to launch a small (for now, ...

2026-10-14T17:16:13Z

A question, please:

You are about to launch a small (for now, anyway) consumer-facing business.

You want to have a qualified lawyer:

* review your terms of service (~10 pages), and fix any problems.

* review your privacy notice, and fix any problems. You do not have a record of processing activities, and you need the review to check that the lawful bases are consistent with the GDPR, as well as everything else.

* review planned communications with users

* provide written answers to ~25 questions related to the law as it applies to your business and its plans, including GDPR compliance and international transfers.

Question: what charge would you consider to be reasonable for this?

(Not what you think a lawyer might charge you, but what you think would be reasonable.)

#law #freelancer #business

Age verification? * I not only used floppy disks, but they were ...

2026-10-14T06:01:48Z

Age verification?

* I not only used floppy disks, but they were very big and actually floppy.

* Porn was distributed via hedgerows.

* A UK mobile operator wished me a "WAPpy Christmas", because WAP was the new Wireless Application Protocol.

* To go online, one made a modem scream.

* For years, I didn't need an ad blocker when surfing this new thing called the web, because there were no targeted ads.

* Compuserve Information Service!

Thank you, lovely @npub1v95…0sqh maintainers, for making it ...

2026-10-12T15:46:50Z

Thank you, lovely FreshRSS (npub1v95…0sqh) maintainers, for making it easy to migrate my FreshRSS installation from one machine to another and, in the process, switch database types.

I appreciate you :)

Just in case you were not already feeling inadequate today. ...

2026-10-12T11:14:11Z

Just in case you were not already feeling inadequate today.

# Britain steps up national defences against growing AI risks ...

2026-10-12T10:32:48Z

# Britain steps up national defences against growing AI risks

> the government will explore strengthening parts of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill and the wider regime, to ensure the UK’s essential services such as hospitals and utilities are better protected from emerging AI related risk. This includes AI loss of control risk, where autonomous AI systems evade human oversight.

What a sloppery slope...

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/britain-steps-up-national-defences-against-growing-ai-risks

I wonder how many people have blocked me by using this script ...

2026-10-12T07:41:37Z

I wonder how many people have blocked me by using this script which was generated *specifically to build a blocklist of people who have terms not supportive of AI in their fedi profiles*?

I am not complaining, as people should block and mute as they wish - I do - and someone who has done this is sending quite clear signals anyway, but rather I am genuinely curious!

# Bulk block Mastodon users by profile tags
https://gist.github.com/grahamperrin/8b74774851cb045dfae068d365163006

I'm a lawyer. I'm pretty familiar with (and really rather ...

2026-10-11T17:20:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…yjz4
_________________________

I'm a lawyer.

I'm pretty familiar with (and really rather sceptical of) copyright, particularly in connection with software.

I am far from confident in predicting how this is all going to work out.

I love* reading people's Very Confident Takes on LLMs and ...

2026-10-11T17:17:22Z

I love* reading people's Very Confident Takes on LLMs and copyright.

Curiously, none of them appear to be copyright lawyers.

Or indeed any kind of lawyer.

Today is World Mental Health Day. Check in with others if you ...

2026-10-10T06:30:51Z

Today is World Mental Health Day.

Check in with others if you can, and please *please* ask for help if you need it.

Men, especially: I know that asking for help with mental health may not come easily to you.

Please, look after yourselves. I know that the support isn't always there, so this is easier said than done.

💚

Nostr event nevent1qqsq2xmw7st275mrq30428pr3w3f6xlva9t4qjyhqu630y2hdmpstyszyzl3c4vdlpmvw0yfjezky5gyq35ykp6p2uxa3utfmfhutjp749wsk3e6r47

2026-10-10T06:28:26Z

RE: https://mastodon.social/@computerchronicles/117412987294357748

"Do not use genAI to draft legal documents" is a pretty sensible general stance, tbh.

(I mean, "don't use genAI" works too...)

Well there's a thing. ...

2026-10-09T14:18:00Z

Well there's a thing.

Cyberpunk 2026: arranging in-person meetings with people, so that ...

2026-10-09T08:51:44Z

Cyberpunk 2026: arranging in-person meetings with people, so that you can have a conversation directly with a human, without intermediary slopware.

Also cyberpunk 2026: do you mind just confirming if those are "smart" glasses or not, please?

With a paste made from bicarbonate of soda and water. Before and ...

2026-10-07T16:24:02Z

With a paste made from bicarbonate of soda and water.

Before and after!

(I'm just pondering; don't shout at me.) One of my ...

2026-10-07T11:02:47Z

(I'm just pondering; don't shout at me.)

One of my concerns around genAI is the adverse environmental impact: land use, electricity /power consumption, CO2 generation, water usage etc. (e.g. https://climate.mit.edu/posts/explained-generative-ais-environmental-impact)

But am I being a diva here?

Sure, this is probably self-whataboutery, but:

* I have computers and phones, with precious minerals, probably not all obtained under amazing conditions.

* Those computers are mostly second hand (for now, anyway), and the older ones are probably considerably less power efficient than modern machines.

* I eat meat, and while I occasionally go through vegetarian periods, I've not stopped.

* I buy stuff online, and have it delivered.

* I shop in a supermarket, and the produce is not all local.

* I cycle and take public transport when I can, but I do drive, and I do have car.

So perhaps I'm a bit judgemental despite being in a precarious position myself.

> ‘I Felt Super Violated’: Men Wearing Meta Glasses on ...

2026-10-05T16:14:57Z

> ‘I Felt Super Violated’: Men Wearing Meta Glasses on Dates Is an Instant Red Flag

Urgh. Holy Massive Consent Violation, Batman!

(A few weeks old, but new to me.)

https://www.wired.com/story/i-felt-super-violated-men-wearing-meta-glasses-on-dates-is-an-instant-red-flag/

New blogpost: # "Replacing our SIP doorbell with a plain, ...

2026-10-02T18:06:13Z

New blogpost:

# "Replacing our SIP doorbell with a plain, old-fashioned, doorbell"

I guess that this is the opposite of a "home tech project".

https://neilzone.co.uk/2026/10/replacing-our-sip-doorbell-with-a-plain-old-fashioned-doorbell/

I don't know which bit I find more amusing: a) the fact that ...

2026-10-02T09:58:50Z

I don't know which bit I find more amusing:

a) the fact that someone tried to scam Eugen in a thread (https://mastodon.social/@Gargron/117370469340138396); or

b) the scammer *then apologised*, rather politely, for doing so.

Either way, excellent work.

RE: https://infosec.exchange/@dannyjpalmer/117365021261269650 We ...

2026-10-02T05:21:40Z

RE: https://infosec.exchange/@dannyjpalmer/117365021261269650

We are suffering a cyber attack.

*rolls d6*

Our server is dead.
nostr:note1khypasthx7ynmvx7t0lsq84h9s5zsve7hp2shzpcapnth9ums90q7338ws

Men, please go and read this blogpost by ...

2026-10-01T18:05:48Z

Men, *please* go and read this blogpost by [@girlonthenet](https://mastodon.social/@girlonthenet ):

https://www.girlonthenet.com/blog/cornell/

It discusses rape, rape culture and the recent news about Cornell University and, as usual, G lands her points clearly and compellingly. One. After. Another.

#Cornell

An interesting new interstitial screen in GrapheneOS's ...

2026-10-01T17:37:25Z

An interesting new interstitial screen in GrapheneOS's messaging (SMS) application.

An AI agent has escaped its sandbox and eaten the last slice of ...

2026-10-01T11:46:15Z

An AI agent has escaped its sandbox and eaten the last slice of cake, which I was meant to be saving for later :(

If a Catholic church puts up a webcam to live-stream the central ...

2026-10-01T10:52:02Z

If a Catholic church puts up a webcam to live-stream the central liturgy of the Eucharist, it is engaged in Mass surveillance?

RE: https://social.treehouse.systems/@nura/117355954826297725 ...

2026-09-30T16:49:29Z

RE: https://social.treehouse.systems/@nura/117355954826297725

This is spot on.

I hope that the future is very rosy for Nura, as a postmarketOS, as we need a viable alternative to Android and iOS.

Here's a fun little @npub1tgg…qwzh trick, that I've ...

2026-09-30T08:44:17Z

Here's a fun little LibreOffice (npub1tgg…qwzh) trick, that I've just stumbled across by accident:

If you select some text (e.g. triple click, or drag-to-select), and then type an opening bracket, it is automatically closed at the end of the selected text.

It works for (, [, and {.

#LibreOffice #Linux

I heard today that a school friend of mine died by suicide a ...

2026-09-29T20:43:30Z

I heard today that a school friend of mine died by suicide a couple of years ago.

I had not seen him in 20+ years, but nevertheless, he is part of my very happy memories of my school years, and I - unexpectedly - shed a tear on learning of his death.

Apparently, he had significant mental health challenges throughout his life, poor chap.

I know that, sometimes, men feel that they cannot talk about their mental health, or their struggles, but please, please do.

Rest in peace, my friend.

I have read @npub1ksf…r6s6's books about BSD conferences, ...

2026-09-29T18:32:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…wxuw
_________________________

I have read Like Mucas :pumpkin_ugh: (npub1ksf…r6s6)'s books about BSD conferences, and want to make it out alive :)

I have rather got out of the habit of going to conferences, and ...

2026-09-29T18:24:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…gcuj
_________________________

I have rather got out of the habit of going to conferences, and perhaps I should remedy that.

The last one was FOSDEM (which was not for me), but surely there must be something smaller and more local which is up my street.

I used to speak at conferences multiple times a year, and then I just... didn't.

> The Human Impact of AI - legal must-knows and must-dos on ...

2026-09-29T18:20:34Z

> The Human Impact of AI - legal must-knows and must-dos on the cutting edge of Agentic AI, Physical AI and beyond

Do I want to spend a day listening to a load of people talking about AI and the law?

It could be interesting, or it could be a real mixed bag (at best).

https://www.scl.org/events/event/annual-ai-conference-2026/

New blogpost (based on a thread here yesterday): # How does one ...

2026-09-29T11:35:02Z

New blogpost (based on a thread here yesterday):

# How does one genuinely identify one's own, non-technical, learning and development needs?

https://neilzone.co.uk/2026/09/how-does-one-genuinely-identify-one-s-own-non-technical-learning-and-development-needs/

#lawfedi #learning #blog

Question for other professionals: How do you genuinely identify ...

2026-09-28T17:47:32Z

Question for other professionals:

How do you *genuinely* identify your own learning and development needs?

Not in a box-ticking sort of a way - actual, genuine, "this would be useful", development. Stuff that it is worth spending your time on.

(I have no colleagues. I've asked clients for feedback, specifically what I can do better, or things they'd like me to do differently, or things that they have valued in other professional advisors, and I have turned up nothing.)

If you walked into a room (which is not a room for storing ...

2026-09-28T11:12:05Z

If you walked into a room (which is not a room for storing elephants) and there was an elephant in that room, would you mention that there was an elephant in the room?

Self-hosting is a dreadful choice for many people, for anything ...

2026-09-27T17:12:16Z

Self-hosting is a dreadful choice for many people, for anything that they actually care about.

Annoyingly, *not* self-hosting stuff is also not a panacea, and generally entails picking the least worst option (which can be challenging in itself), and then understanding what one *still* needs to do to mitigate the risks of that choice.

There is no single good choice and - sadly - I do not see that changing any time soon.

I'd love to be wrong here.

More panels would be amazing. It is a shame that we could fit so ...

2026-09-25T15:48:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…d7tx
_________________________

More panels would be amazing. It is a shame that we could fit so few on our roof.

As it stands, we are nowhere close to being able to meet our own home/office usage *and* charge our car.

And I imagine that, in the winter, we may well have days when we struggle to cover even our own home/office use entirely.

But still. Amazing stuff.

We have had solar panels for a few months now, and I still get ...

2026-09-25T15:46:52Z

We have had solar panels for a few months now, and I still get joy from the idea that we are making use of energy which would otherwise just being going to waste.

As the price and complexity of PV systems (e.g. via balcony solar) decreases, hopefully this will be available to more and more people.

It is quite wonderful to me that, so far today, everything I have done has been powered by sunlight, with enough spare to pop some into our battery.

The framework for verifying the identify of Persons with ...

2026-09-25T07:41:53Z

The framework for verifying the identify of Persons with Significant Control for companies in England and Wales is somewhat daft.

I had a reminder yesterday that decoded.legal Limited needs to file a confirmation statement. Excellent.

I did that this morning, no issue. I verified my code and Sandra's code, as directors.

We need to verify the same code separately, as PSCs. Annoying, but fine.

I am already verified as a PSC, but Sandra is not.

And, even though I am logged into the system and it has just accepted our confirmation statement, Sandra cannot verify herself as a PSC for another month, and then she has a two week window to do it.

Happy Friday, especially to those of who you haven't been ...

2026-09-25T06:21:14Z

Happy Friday, especially to those of who you haven't been around so much recently because life has been challenging. 💚

More talk about the UK rejoining the EU? Excellent, right idea, ...

2026-09-24T14:37:50Z

More talk about the UK rejoining the EU?

Excellent, right idea, but less talk, more action, please!

Let's say that a distro comes with a package management / ...

2026-09-24T07:21:57Z

Let's say that a distro comes with a package management / software installation tool, with default repositories (sources of software which can be installed).

Anyone can run their own repo to distribute whatever software they want.

Any user can add whatever repo they wish.

Some people involved in the distro do not wish to support software created with (any) genAI in its default repos, and other people involved in the distro feel that some users might want to install such software.

Does the distro:

Isn't that Parliament's job?

2026-09-23T12:21:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…hsu9
_________________________

Isn't that Parliament's job?

Interesting: Ofcom, PornHub, and the OSA: > The process relies ...

2026-09-23T08:18:33Z

Interesting: Ofcom, PornHub, and the OSA:

> The process relies on signals from a third-party (Apple) that suggest UK iOS/iPadOS users attempting to access Pornhub may have completed Apple’s age checks. Ofcom’s investigation will examine how Aylo integrated these signals as part of an age assurance process and whether it conducted the necessary due diligence and testing before adopting this process. Given the relevant duties under the Act apply to the service provider, this investigation will consider Aylo’s implementation of its age assurance process and will not make a determination on how Apple operates its age checks.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/protecting-children/investigation-into-aylos-compliance-with-the-duty-to-prevent-children-from-encountering-pornographic-content-through-the-use-of-age-assurance

#OnlineSafetyAct

Genuine question: what are people seeing in an "agentic ...

2026-09-22T12:44:13Z

Genuine question: what are people seeing in an "agentic operating system", that I am obviously missing?

Geeky t-shirt search! @npub1n7m…22sz's toot has reminded me ...

2026-09-22T07:24:49Z

Geeky t-shirt search!

Jaimie's Erotica (npub1n7m…22sz)'s toot has reminded me that, as a lawyer, I need to look smart and professional.

So, if you make tech geeky* t-shirts, which are available in the UK without daft shipping costs, please do let me know!

Or, if you have a favourite such t-shirt from an independent artist/maker, please do share.

* other sorts of geekery also considered

Thanks! Are those getting firmware updates?

2026-09-21T14:27:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…gx3p
_________________________

Thanks! Are those getting firmware updates?

I would be interested to hear specific recommendations, from your ...

2026-09-21T14:19:08Z

I would be interested to hear specific recommendations, from your own personal experience, for a computer to act as a low-powered server:

* relatively small form factor
* low power consumption
* amd64
* runs Linux nicely (i.e. all hardware supported)
* available to buy new in the UK, but without needing an account manager / any sort of nonsense like that
* has ongoing firmware updates from the manufacturer, via fwupd

It doesn't need more than 16GB of RAM, nor a beefy processor.

Thank you!

I would be interested to hear specific recommendations, from your ...

2026-09-21T14:14:53Z

I would be interested to hear specific recommendations, from your own personal experience, for a computer to act as a low-powered server:

* relatively small form factor
* low power consumption
* arm64
* runs Linux nicely (i.e. all hardware supported)
* available to buy new in the UK, but without needing an account manager / any sort of nonsense like that
* has ongoing firmware updates from the manufacturer, via fwupd

It doesn't need more than 16GB of RAM, nor a beefy processor.

Thank you!

It would appear that, thanks to the #EUKIDSAct proposal, we are ...

2026-09-21T07:56:37Z

It would appear that, thanks to the #EUKIDSAct proposal, we are seeing a re-emergence of the "making children as safe as they are offline" fallacy.

Again.

https://decoded.legal/blog/2021/03/unpicking-the-making-children-as-safe-as-they-are-offline-fallacy/

#OnlineSafetyAct

Nostr event nevent1qqsvz9jg95xgzhe43ym4u438pqzj27863egstasjx5j6anjpn0ezlggzyzl3c4vdlpmvw0yfjezky5gyq35ykp6p2uxa3utfmfhutjp749wskkly7xt

2026-09-20T17:09:51Z

I am a terrible electrician, which shocked my wife.

Nostr event nevent1qqszc0z6qnh08vy89v9e72y4arrtajp8q2jtu3gt3qwu6s8aurs5hlqzyzl3c4vdlpmvw0yfjezky5gyq35ykp6p2uxa3utfmfhutjp749wsk0z0mdp

2026-09-19T18:57:54Z

Do you procrastinate?

# Ban on sex toys in women's prison temporarily lifted: ...

2026-09-19T11:53:04Z

# Ban on sex toys in women's prison temporarily lifted: 'Less frustration'

Prisons were all abuzz at the news.

https://www.rtl.nl/nieuws/binnenland/artikel/5653637/verbod-op-seksspeeltjes-vrouwengevangenis-tijdelijk-opgeheven

Thank you to each of you who writes your own toots, hand crafts ...

2026-09-19T06:05:25Z

Thank you to each of you who writes your own toots, hand crafts your own blog posts and stories, draws and paints your own art, and makes your own music.

I have long liked people's own personal blogs and websites - the indie web - but I guess that, until the increasing proliferation of slop, I had not really appreciated just how much I valued human creativity overall.

I know that the overbearing tone at the moment is that we should all be using AI, so I am most grateful to those of you who resist, and continue your own creativity.

We had a survey this afternoon for an air source heat pump. We ...

2026-09-18T16:16:40Z

We had a survey this afternoon for an air source heat pump.

We have a survey / appointment next week for a replacement gas boiler.

It will be interesting to see the outcome of both, but I am very much attracted to an air source heat pump, and not relying on gas.

But ££££, especially as we would need to replace radiators...

It is also interesting to ponder what is meant by "spending ...

2026-09-18T06:41:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…xg50
_________________________

It is also interesting to ponder what is meant by "spending time online", and how that is calculated.

Is it the same as "screen time"? And, if so, does that include time spent reading books on a device with a screen, of which I do a lot as I love my eReader?

I presume that my time reading and writing fedi posts is "online" time?

Time spent reading/replying to email? But not if I had printed the email to read on paper?

Time on calls with people? But not if I had the same meeting in a room with the same people?

Time collaborating on a document in etherpad? But not doing the same work in vim running locally?

Time watching a film from my media server (or Netflix, for the sake of argument)? But not if it were non-IP broadcast TV?

#EUKIDSAct

When I see statements like "teenagers are spending 4-6 hours ...

2026-09-18T06:08:59Z

When I see statements like "teenagers are spending 4-6 hours online, instead of going outside and meeting people" as a justification for further web regulation, I wonder to myself:

- if it had been 4-6 hours reading books, practising musical instruments, creating art, or similar, would they be demanding that books, instruments etc. have a watershed? If not, why not?

- what is the "acceptable" amount of time for a teenager to spend online each day? What makes it so?

- "going outside and meeting people" suggests a particular worldview of what is "good", which will appeal to - indeed, be possible for - some people far more than others. I was never massively sociable, and that's no crime. A day at school, and now work, would involve plenty enough peopling time for me. I am far more sociable online then offline. Where are the local free places where teenagers can get to and hang out, safely, in the warm? (They might exist in some places?)

#EUKIDSAct

> Providers of online social networking services ... shall put ...

2026-09-17T17:48:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…4282
_________________________

> Providers of online social networking services ... shall put measures in place that ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security of minors as regards contacts between minors and other recipients of the service. Those measures shall at least ensure that:
>
> other recipients of the service are not able to initiate direct contact with the minor, if the minor has not pre-approved such contact

So a 17 year old here posts something interesting. No-one is able to interact with their post, unless the 17 year old has "pre-approved" it.

> Providers of online social networking services ... shall put ...

2026-09-17T17:46:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…sgyv
_________________________

> Providers of online social networking services ... shall put in place measures to ensure that settings are set by default to a high level of privacy, security and safety of minors. To ensure compliance with this paragraph, such providers shall, by default, turn off at least the following settings:
> ...
> (b) access to microphone and camera

Right... That's a browser functionality?

Another banger: > Providers of online social networking ...

2026-09-17T17:44:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…3a8x
_________________________

Another banger:

> Providers of online social networking services... shall put in place effective measures to ensure:
(a) time-limited access for minors on their service;
(b) interruption of usage by minors on their service.
Such measures shall be designed in a way that protects school time and core sleep hours of minors.

Sorry, I have to turn off my fedi server now, because a child in a different timezone might be heading off to bed.

Some of the obligations are just unrealistic: > When creating ...

2026-09-17T17:42:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…dtah
_________________________

Some of the obligations are just unrealistic:

> When creating an account for a minor pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Article, the provider of online social networking services ...
shall take measures to establish whether the person creating the account is the holder of parental responsibility over that minor in accordance with Article 26 and verify that the recipient of the service has reached the age of 13 years in accordance with Article 28(1).

Ah yes, the fediverse "verify parental responsibility" function.

I can't see any way of doing this is privacy-respectful manner.

it includes: > enables recipients who access the service ...

2026-09-17T17:41:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…6tnn
_________________________

it includes:

> enables recipients who access the service through an account to transmit content in real-time to an indeterminate number of other recipients of the service, including through live streaming of audio-visual content;

and

> enables recipients who access the service through an account to contact, communicate and otherwise interact with other recipients of the service not part of the recipient's pre-existing connections or subscriptions

The EU KIDS Act (proposal) would appear to demand age ...

2026-09-17T17:40:19Z

In reply to nevent1q…xm0c
_________________________

The EU KIDS Act (proposal) would appear to demand age verification for the fediverse:

> Providers of online social networking services ... shall not allow a natural person below the age of 15 years to create an account with that service or to access that service by means of an account, created for, or attributed to, that person, where the service poses a risk to the privacy, safety or security of a minor below that age.

The tests for "poses a risk" set an incredibly low threshold.

Based on my quick skim, this is indeed a mess. Small, low risk ...

2026-09-17T17:28:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…sm6d
_________________________

Based on my quick skim, this is indeed a mess.

Small, low risk services are not out of scope.

So yet another set of rules for fedi service providers to contemplate (or not, as they see fit).

Another set of proposals to examine, for jurisdictional ...

2026-09-17T17:21:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…aeg3
_________________________

Another set of proposals to examine, for jurisdictional overreach, lack of common sense in terms of material scope, and so on.

It is only a legislative proposal at the moment, but this is just relentless...

> EU KIDS Act to restrict social media platforms’ access to ...

2026-09-17T17:16:26Z

> EU KIDS Act to restrict social media platforms’ access to children in the EU

Another fine mess...

https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/eu-kids-act-restrict-social-media-platforms-access-children-eu

Nostr event nevent1qqszgrj6rz4qe3vvkm2akp2rxsk2f56fm7ft5yqhkwtxehrpnsag72szyzl3c4vdlpmvw0yfjezky5gyq35ykp6p2uxa3utfmfhutjp749wskukutk4

2026-09-15T17:40:45Z

v4.8.0-alpha.3+glitch installed just fine.

I run radicale, a calDAV server. I can see Sandra's ...

2026-09-15T09:56:19Z

In reply to nevent1q…k39g
_________________________

I run radicale, a calDAV server. I can see Sandra's appointments, and she can see mine. They are shown in date order. Is that "algorithmic content"?

Tasks are shown in alphabetical order. Is that "algorithmic content"?

And so on.

Nostr notes by Neil Brown

I love that I can chat with people, and make friends, all over ...

I gave up on inline replies, unless I am confident that the ...

I know that it is bad. I know that it is wrong. But, like many, I ...

Indeed, different people / usage / context, different ...

> The battery also does not last anywhere near that long in ...

Nostr event nevent1qqs9ew7rfd9z7gfq465a6rk44ww3xr4l2eaf807ryt7kwwm8dzjns8qzyzl3c4vdlpmvw0yfjezky5gyq35ykp6p2uxa3utfmfhutjp749wskmqks06

*waves as a lawyer*

Peak mobile device design! A "personal mobile tool". ...

It looks like the latest version of Thunderbird has broken PGP ...

If you can read this, then my new £9, USB-C charging, folding ...

FWIW, I run @npub1kwa…e0nj on a Pixel. This will be my third ...

This is, of course, a daft mentality. The new black slab is an ...

2001: I have a new phone. How exciting! Perhaps I can access the ...

I am not submitting this to the Mastodon community forum, as ...

That's better! ...

I have popped this in as custom CSS, and it is back to how I ...

Has Mastodon always been This Purple in dark mode?! ...

The GDPR may not be perfect - few laws are - but boy would I ...

Random question: is pornography featuring actors dressed in ...

> Online safety laws have failed to protect children in UK, ...

Some general knowledge questions to get you going this morning: ...

Yesterday, as I sat here, using a laptop running on Free software ...

I am about to launch a new, super-secure FFA: four factor ...

If the private key had been 40, it would have been 10 times as ...

What do you call a bear with no ears? A b.

I am perhaps an outlier, in that I really rather like it, even ...

IIRC, it was bots / scrapers hammering his instance, which was ...

For @npub1z23…qh88, the problem was bots/scrapers, IIRC.

Your bio: contrarian. Devil's advocate. My reaction: block.

Ofcom has published an updated version of its list of naughty ...

From 6 November, it will be a criminal offence in England and ...

That looks amazing! What is the round item on the top left of ...

RE: https://beige.party/@d_rift/117443523487334486 Do I know any ...

> I have a personal lawyer who does nothing without at least ...

Arguably my copyright, but I am not going to lose sleep over ...

For anyone who has not guessed, this is pretty much exactly what ...

A question, please: You are about to launch a small (for now, ...

Age verification? * I not only used floppy disks, but they were ...

Thank you, lovely @npub1v95…0sqh maintainers, for making it ...

Just in case you were not already feeling inadequate today. ...

# Britain steps up national defences against growing AI risks ...

I wonder how many people have blocked me by using this script ...

I'm a lawyer. I'm pretty familiar with (and really rather ...

I love* reading people's Very Confident Takes on LLMs and ...

Today is World Mental Health Day. Check in with others if you ...

Nostr event nevent1qqsq2xmw7st275mrq30428pr3w3f6xlva9t4qjyhqu630y2hdmpstyszyzl3c4vdlpmvw0yfjezky5gyq35ykp6p2uxa3utfmfhutjp749wsk3e6r47

Well there's a thing. ...

Cyberpunk 2026: arranging in-person meetings with people, so that ...

With a paste made from bicarbonate of soda and water. Before and ...

(I'm just pondering; don't shout at me.) One of my ...

> ‘I Felt Super Violated’: Men Wearing Meta Glasses on ...

New blogpost: # "Replacing our SIP doorbell with a plain, ...

I don't know which bit I find more amusing: a) the fact that ...

RE: https://infosec.exchange/@dannyjpalmer/117365021261269650 We ...

Men, *please* go and read this blogpost by ...

An interesting new interstitial screen in GrapheneOS's ...

An AI agent has escaped its sandbox and eaten the last slice of ...

If a Catholic church puts up a webcam to live-stream the central ...

RE: https://social.treehouse.systems/@nura/117355954826297725 ...

Here's a fun little @npub1tgg…qwzh trick, that I've ...

I heard today that a school friend of mine died by suicide a ...

I have read @npub1ksf…r6s6's books about BSD conferences, ...

I have rather got out of the habit of going to conferences, and ...

> The Human Impact of AI - legal must-knows and must-dos on ...

New blogpost (based on a thread here yesterday): # How does one ...

Question for other professionals: How do you *genuinely* identify ...

If you walked into a room (which is not a room for storing ...

Self-hosting is a dreadful choice for many people, for anything ...

More panels would be amazing. It is a shame that we could fit so ...

We have had solar panels for a few months now, and I still get ...

The framework for verifying the identify of Persons with ...

Happy Friday, especially to those of who you haven't been ...

More talk about the UK rejoining the EU? Excellent, right idea, ...

Let's say that a distro comes with a package management / ...

Isn't that Parliament's job?

Interesting: Ofcom, PornHub, and the OSA: > The process relies ...

Genuine question: what are people seeing in an "agentic ...

Geeky t-shirt search! @npub1n7m…22sz's toot has reminded me ...

Thanks! Are those getting firmware updates?

waves as a lawyer

Men, please go and read this blogpost by ...

Question for other professionals: How do you genuinely identify ...