theregister.co.uk
People are greedy. That's why we can't have nice things. Here’s more about why this is horrible from the EFF: Nonprofit Community Stands Together to Protect .ORG.
internet
theregister.co.uk
github.comI recently wanted to set up some "internet free" time for certain devices on my wifi (sorry kids) and this python library did the trick. I used it to set up a script that blocks or unblocks devices by mac address and I run it on a regular schedule with cron. Netgear should offer a consistent, well-documented API for its routers. Until then, pyNetgear can help automate a few tasks. Which is nice.
scholarship.law.duke.eduCory Doctorow on the legacy of Internet pioneer John Perry Barlow: “...treat the internet with the gravitas that it is due, as a system that could be a force for great human flourishing, but only if we ensure that it isn’t used to snuff out human dignity and agency.”
the-camera-in-the-mirror.tumblr.comGoogle Maps has had indoor street view for seven or eight years now. This site collects images of the Google Maps robot caught in the mirrors of those interiors. The juxtaposition of lavish preserved 18th century decor with the utilitarian machine eye feels like something out of a Kubrik movie. And the lack of humans in most pictures makes it look like a post-depopulation survey.
The AtlanticI'm not sure how to link to this because it's not a newsletter or a podcast. But if you're interested in Internet culture you should read everything Taylor Lorenz writes for The Atlantic. If you use a newsreader you can subscribe to her author page RSS feed (while they still offer it) or use IFTTT and the feed to email new articles to you—then it would be a newsletter. You could also make a friend read them out loud to you—then it would be a podcast. It's worth the extra effort to make sure these work their way into your media diet.
Gizmodo
I never get tired of these stories where people change their digital habits. This piece by Kashmir Hill is an extreme example, but also a good illustration of how ubiquitous the major tech companies are. Understanding the often hidden architecture of our tech environment helps us make mindful decisions. A couple other posts in this genre I've enjoyed lately: Bye, Bye, Google by Bogdan Popa and Pulling the plug on Facebook by Drupal founder Dries Buytaert.
tomblachford.com
"...somehow you have been transported to a parallel future where everything is more alien than familiar." I love his limited palette here. They remind me of Masashi Wakui's night photos of Tokyo that I stumbled across on Flickr years ago.
the1959project.comThis looks like another great day-by-day project to follow in 2019. This is my favorite year in jazz music and it's already fascinating a few days in. [via kottke] I mean look at these albums! Don't like jazz? That's jazz!
Really looking forward to following along with Darius Kazemi's year-long dive into tech history via RFCs. He kicked things off today with his look at RFC-1 about how host servers should communicate. (Also my first look at Write.as which looks like a nice blogging platform with fediverse support.)
mnftiu.ccNothing, to me, says end-of-the-year like a numeric list. And no one lists things like David Rees. Join him for the 10th year of rounding up the best of the year(s). Who can forget the most unforgettable things of 2018? (Not David Rees.)
crawshaw.ioThis post resonated on many levels, especially: "Today you have to choke your way through the money-making miasma to find the joy." I agree that a separate search engine would be nice but automatically differentiating indie content from sponsored content seems like an impossible task. Maybe more human curation of the web is the answer. (Said by a human who likes to curate the web.)
On the Records
My dad has an encyclopedic knowledge of classic rock and he just started a classic rock blog called On the Records. He's writing brief but dense artist summaries that are easier to digest than a wikipedia entry. He's also adding personal stories about his relationship with music. His post From Records to Playlists reminded me just how far music technology has progressed in a short period of time. Blogs! They're still neat. If you like music that was mostly delivered via vinyl you should meet my dad.
