mastodon - Link to source
A friend of mine, Beqa Gozalishvili, a very talented developer from Georgia the country, announced an early stage of his #SAPI5 wrapper for the popular #ESpeakNG #TTS engine. bug reports and feature requests are welcome, he says in his Telegram channel. He does speak English. github.com/gozaltech/espeak-ng… #Accessibility #ScreenReader #Windows #JAWS #NVDA

GitHub - gozaltech/espeak-ng-sapi: Sapi5 interface for espeak-ng text-to-speech synthesizer

Sapi5 interface for espeak-ng text-to-speech synthesizer - gozaltech/espeak-ng-sapi
GitHub
#Accessibility #Windows #screenreader #nvda #jaws #tts #espeakng #sapi5

reshared this

mastodon - Link to source
You may have heard that the maintainer of med-mastodon.com, a large, prominent Mastodon server, recently decided to shut down the server without warning, leaving his users with no access to their data.
[EDIT: it's back up! Ref: mastodonapp.uk/@wild1145/11584…]
This could happen to you at any time.
If you care about this, you should be backing up your data regularly.
Here's a post I just wrote about how to do that, and about what you can do with your backed-up data.
#FediTips
blog.kamens.us/2026/01/02/the-…

The why and how of backing up your Mastodon data

Your server or your Mastodon account could go away at any time. If you don’t want to lose your data, you should back it up. Here’s how to do that, and how to restore it later.
Something better to do
#FediTips
This entry was edited (1 week ago)

mastodon - Link to source

Regime change in Afghanistan to remove the Taliban resulted in the return of the Taliban

Regime change in Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein resulted in the rise of Daesh (ISIS)

Regime change in Libya to remove Ghadaffi resulted in chaos and a decade plus of civil war

Each showed images of locals celebrating. Each ended in tragedy.

Violent regime change does not work. It never has. Because it is driven by oil and profit, not people and principles.

mastodon - Link to source

#AWorldWithoutPeople #AI

developers.slashdot.org/story/…

Stack Overflow's monthly question volume has collapsed about 300 -- levels not seen since the site launched in 2009, according to data from the Stack Overflow Data Explorer that tracks the platform's activity over its sixteen-year history. Questions peaked around 2014 at roughly 200,000 per month, then began a gradual decline that accelerated dramatically after ChatGPT's November 2022 launch. By May 2025, monthly questions had fallen to early-2009 levels, and the latest data through early 2026 shows the collapse has only continued -- the line now sits near the bottom of the chart, barely registering. The decline predates LLMs. Questions began dropping around 2014 when Stack Overflow improved moderator efficiency and closed questions more aggressively. In mid-2021, Prosus acquired Stack Overflow for $1.8 billion. The founders, Jeff Atwood and Joel Spolsky, exited before the terminal decline became apparent. ChatGPT accelerated what was already underway. The chatbot answers programming questions faster, draws on Stack Overflow's own corpus for training data, and doesn't close questions for being duplicates.

Stack Overflow Went From 200,000 Monthly Questions To Nearly Zero - Slashdot

Stack Overflow's monthly question volume has collapsed about 300 -- levels not seen since the site launched in 2009, according to data from the Stack Overflow Data Explorer that tracks the platform's activity over its sixteen-year history.
developers.slashdot.org
#AI #aworldwithoutpeople

mastodon - Link to source

Over the weekend I got Pi-hole up and running (first time user), and it sure is eye-opening seeing what your devices are up to.

The screenshot that's all red, for example, is my Samsung smart TV, which is constantly talking to Netflix (and other domains, even when using my PC and not interacting with the "smart hub".) I haven't opened the Netflix app in at least two weeks.

The other one all in green (allowed for now), is my Echo Dot with Alexa. That thing is talking to Amazon constantly...

Table-like dark interface showing repeated timestamped DNS entries (2026-01-04 with times from 21:20:10 to 21:22:16) with columns for a red blocked symbol, record TYPE (A or AAAA), and DOMAIN (logs.netflix.com).
Dark-themed log table showing timestamps, green status icons, record type "A", and domain names (api.amazon.com, various aws.dev diagnostic networking hostnames, cloudfront.net, msh.amazon.com, api.amazonalexa.com).
in reply to Jason Evangelho 🐧🎒

mastodon - Link to source

Jiří Eischmann

Coincidentally I wrote a blog post about AdGuard Home (Pi-hole alternative) yesterday: blog.eischmann.cz/2026/01/04/a… (in Czech, but GT works well on it)
I've also noticed how much the Netflix apps call home. Glad it's blocked now.

Sesivany's blog

2026-01-04 17:16:06

wordpress - Link to source

AdGuard Home: domácí ochrana nejen před reklamou
Jak na blokování reklamy a rodičovskou kontrolu ve vlastní režii? AdGuard Home je na to výborné řešení. Používám ho už půl roku a v článku jsem se podělil o praktické zkušenosti z instalace a provozu, popsal jeho nejdůležitější vlastnosti a taky se trochu věnoval srovnání se známějším Pi-hole.
#Adguard #AdguardHome #blokování #Pihole #reklama #soukromíblog.eischmann.cz/2026/01/04/a…(reakce na tento příspěvek se může zobrazit jako komentář pod článkem)

AdGuard Home: domácí ochrana nejen před reklamou

Sesivany's blog

mastodon - Link to source

Dear #39c3,

since Day 2 on CCCongress i am missing three of these definitively not an IED contraptions, designed to make music and deployed on the towel holders in three toilets, clearly marked with my DECT number and my nickname. If you took them and repurposed them for other shenanigans, i would love to have them back. As of now, i am out roughly 160 euros for replacements and that hurts.

#39c3

mastodon - Link to source
Customizing the Recent Apps Screen on Samsung Phones for a Better TalkBack Experience accessibleandroid.com/customiz…

Customizing the Recent Apps Screen on Samsung Phones for a Better TalkBack Experience - Accessible Android

Samsung screen reader users may have noticed that the TalkBack experience on One UI 7 and 8 can be frustrating when navigating recent apps. On the Recent Apps
John Dyer (Accessible Android)

mastodon - Link to source
Liebe #FediKirche, am Samstag, 21.2.2026 ist online das nächste #GottDigital #Barcamp . Wir wollten ja mal einen #Fediverse Workshop anbieten. Diesmal geht das relativ einfach, indem man sich am Anfang der Veranstaltung meldet. Ich habe bisher Zeit und würde mitmachen. Wer ist noch dabei als Teilgeber?
Weitere Infos: gott.digital/
cc
@alex @sannezc @onlinekirche

Home - gott.digital

15. Oktober19.30 Uhr
Marcus Wehrstein (gott.digital)
#fediverse #fedikirche #barcamp #gottdigital @OnlineKirche @Alexander Müller @Susanne Zeltwanger-Canz

mastodon - Link to source
New post: Is it an evil overlay? How can you tell? joedolson.com/2025/12/is-it-an… #overlays

Is it an evil overlay? How can you tell? - Joe Dolson Web Accessibility

I'm approaching this story from the starting assumption that accessibility overlays are a problem. So I'm not going to spend time on arguments for or
Joe Dolson (Joe Dolson Web Accessibility)
#overlays

mastodon - Link to source
A Quick Primer on Accessible Pagination
afixt.com/a-quick-primer-on-ac…
#a11y #accessibility #UIDesign #uxdesign #webdesign #webdev

A Quick Primer on Accessible Pagination - AFixt

Pagination is a common feature across many websites, from news archives and product listings to blogs and search results.
Karl Groves (AFixt)
#a11y #Accessibility #webdev #webdesign #uidesign #uxdesign

mastodon - Link to source

RE: chaos.social/@delta/1158424466…

extreme coping because of gpg.fail and @soatok's blog post lol :neobot_3c:

gpg.fail

gpg.fail

Delta Chat

2026-01-05 12:17:38

mastodon - Link to source

Don't believe those who loudly claim email can not avoid metadata! They are ignorant of our continuous works on minimizing metadata:

DONE:

- no phone number other identifying data needed
- no cleartext "Subject"
- no cleartext "To"
- randomized "Date"
- no IP addresses
- group/avatar/attachment/etc metadata only contained in encrypted message parts

Upcoming:

- servers to never see cryptographic ID metadata
- remove "threading" and auxilliary headers
- experiment with Sealed Sender


@Soatok Dreamseeker

mastodon - Link to source

So a popular type of subtitle format is called "Advanced SubStation" file, or (I'm not making this up) an ASS file.

Because this word is also a mild English profanity, naturally it's almost impossible to search the web for implementation details.

"Does YouTube take ASS subtitles" doesn't yield a good result. As such, I have a hard time using it.

Remember kids, names matter. Naming your project something funny isn't always a great way to speed adoption. Even when it kicks ass!

reshared this

mastodon - Link to source

🚨 NEW VIDEO: The Windows Exodus Has Begun.

2025 was the breaking point. Forced hardware retirement and intrusive AI have sparked a mass migration to GNU/Linux. In this video, I explore:

📈 The data behind the 3.20% Steam high.

🇪🇺 How the EU is saving millions by ditching Microsoft.

🛡️ Why 2026 is the year of Digital Sovereignty.

Stop fighting your OS. Start owning it.

🔴 Full Video: youtube.com/watch?v=dLzdTgCXyR…

#TerminalTilt #WindowsExodus #Windows10 #Windows11 #Microsoft #WindowsEOL #Recall #Copilot #DigitalSovereignty #Privacy #DigitalPrivacy #NoAI #HumanMade #DeGoogle #EthicalTech #Autonomy #DataSovereignty #AntiSpyware #Telemetry #SurveillanceCapitalism #RightToPrivacy #Encryption #SoftwareFreedom #ExitWindows #Migration #LinuxGaming #GamingOnLinux #SteamDeck #Valve #Proton #Bazzite #SteamOS #HandheldGaming #PCGaming #ROGAlly #LegionGo #GamingCommunity #SteamHardwareSurvey #EWaste #Sustainability #RightToRepair #PlannedObsolescence #CircularEconomy #GreenTech #SaveThePC #Hardware #Environment #EUtech #PublicMoneyPublicCode #OpenStandards #SchleswigHolstein #GermanyTech #GovernmentIT #DigitalRights #Linux #GNUlinux #Debian #Trixie #FOSS #FLOSS #OpenSource #LibreOffice #Thunderbird #Nextcloud #SelfHosted #HomeLab #CLI #CommandLine #Terminal #Bash #FishShell #Dotfiles #SysAdmin #QueerTech #TransInTech #DisabledInTech #Accessibility #Queer #LGBTQIA #LGBT #HumanContent #ContentCreator #SmallYouTuber #SmallStreamer #YouTube #IndieCreator #SupportIndependent #LinuxUser #Tech #TechNews #OperatingSystems


The Windows Exodus Has Begun. (And the Data Proves It)

For decades, “The Year of the Linux Desktop” was treated as a tech world punchline. But as we enter 2026, the data shows the laughter has stopped. Between th...
YouTube
#Accessibility #linux #foss #opensource #privacy #debian #floss #encryption #sustainability #nextcloud #Windows11 #libreoffice #youtube #thunderbird #microsoft #bash #softwarefreedom #surveillancecapitalism #publicmoneypubliccode #homelab #tech #lgbt #lgbtqia #queer #environment #hardware #terminal #CLI #selfhosted #righttorepair #digitalsovereignty #degoogle #openstandards #Autonomy #fishshell #linuxgaming #digitalrights #proton #copilot #SteamDeck #dotfiles #migration #sysadmin #plannedobsolescence #windows10 #technews #trixie #contentcreator #noAI #eWaste #valve #steamos #commandline #digitalprivacy #humanmade #gnulinux #bazzite #recall #pcgaming #datasovereignty #schleswigholstein #eutech #greentech #ethicaltech #gamingonlinux #operatingsystems #terminaltilt #windowsexodus #windowseol #antispyware #telemetry #righttoprivacy #exitwindows #handheldgaming #rogally #legiongo #gamingcommunity #steamhardwaresurvey #CircularEconomy #savethepc #germanytech #governmentit #queertech #transintech #disabledintech #humancontent #smallyoutuber #smallstreamer #indiecreator #supportindependent #linuxuser
This entry was edited (1 week ago)
in reply to André Polykanine

mastodon - Link to source

Terminal Tilt

@menelion

Are you asking for proof of my disability? That is a deeply personal and invasive question. I do not share the specifics of my medical history or my personal assistive setup to qualify my lived experience or my work. Accessibility is a broad field, and my use of the tag stands on the standards I maintain for my content and the economic accessibility I advocate for.

You are gatekeeping a hashtag (which is silly) because you believe I am not disabled enough. That is wrong. I will not be replying to you again.

@André Polykanine

mastodon - Link to source

Getting very grumpy with people ghosting me over several #Accessibility fails I gave feedback for over the last month or so.

Emailed Winchester Christmas Market organisers because despite the event being listed as fully accessible, there was no way for a wheelchair user to actually approach 95% of the stalls there because they were up a step. Got an auto-mail stating the inbox was regularly monitored and they aim to respond to everything within 1-2 business days. No response. 3 weeks and waiting.

Emailed Showcase cinema because of poor quality viewing despite paying extra for fancy seats, the wheelchair accessible ones were right at the front and the image was warped and weird and the audio was atrocious. Plus one of the seats was broken and wouldn't recline.
One response from a manager asking if the staff member we'd spoken to about the broken seat offered us anything (they didn't), no response since. 2 weeks and waiting.

#Accessibility

mastodon - Link to source
Moin aus Schleswig, wir sind #neuhier und verbinden die #Jahreslosung2026 "Siehe, ich mache alles neu!" mit dem #DID. Uns kennenlernen könnt Ihr über www.efg-schleswig.de (schon länger Wordpress), (noch) youtube.com/@evangelisch-freik… (wer empfiehlt uns einen PeerTube-Server?), Instagram instagram.com/baptisten.schles… (PixelFed kommt!) und facebook.com/BaptistenSchleswi… (eher Friendica oder Hubzilla?).
#fedikirche #schleswig #didit

EFG Schleswig - Baptisten | Schleswig

EFG Schleswig - Baptisten, Schleswig. 216 To se mi líbí · Mluví o tom (4) · Byli tady (14). Willkommen, wer auch immer Du bist!
www.facebook.com
#neuhier #did #fedikirche #didit #schleswig #jahreslosung2026
This entry was edited (2 weeks ago)

mastodon - Link to source

Hey Guys, gals, people and pets, Satya Nadella is getting tired of people calling AI Slop output AI Slop. If everyone can stop that's be great as it is upsetting Microslops share holders.

Don't start calling Microslop Microslop or use the #microslop tag as it might burst the AI bubble and then Microslop might have to take SlopPilot out of Windows. As you know, that would be terrible.

windowscentral.com/artificial-…

#microslop #microsoft #copilot #sloppilot #AI #genAI #AISlop #AIBubble

The Microsoft four coloured squares logo next to the Microslop name.
#microsoft #AI #copilot #genai #aislop #aibubble #microslop #sloppilot
This entry was edited (2 weeks ago)
in reply to Halfy!

gotosocial - Link to source

MTRNord

feels very relatable. I have half of my migration script done so I got the data at least local but since I want to either build my own custom forge software or cgit+mailinglist (less preferred option) its stuck. Wither on building the software or on me setting up all the lists in mailman...

(I don't want forgejo mainly because it 2 times self destructed on me to a point of impossible to recover. So I gave up on it for now. Codeberg I dont want since I dont want to land in another forge out of my control. I may set up codeberg mirrors for my more recent projects though)

mastodon - Link to source
1/2 Because I'm hearing a lot to the opposite effect and the discussion of it happens of course entirely in German and thereby without input from non German speakers:
If you want the international community to engage with you and your topic, it is highly appreciated by many if you hold your talk in English. Be the live translation as good as it may, it does not invite to interact with you and your topic if your talk is in German. #39c3
#39c3

mastodon - Link to source
📣 Do-It-Blind (DIB) online Besprechung am Montag, 5. Jänner, um 19:00 Uhr. Du bist eingeladen! bbb.metalab.at/rooms/joh-szv-o… Wöchentlich am Montag besprechen wir neue Formen der digitalen und inklusiven Zusammenarbeit. Mach mit! 🛠️ #make #blind #inklusion
Mobile Braille-Tastatur Metabraille mit 8 Tasten auf der Vorderseite und zwei seitlich sichtbare Tasten auf der Oberseite. Das Gehäuse ist 3D-gedruckt, rot mit hellen Streifen und die Tasten sind weiß. Das Gehäuse ist ungefähr fünfeckig. Ein Rechteck wird an der Breitseite durch ein Trapez erweitert. Die Form ähnelt einem Haus mit Fenstern in der Mitte. Die Tastatur zeigt mit der Oberseite nach rechts unten und liegt auf einer Holzplatte.

Do-It-Blind (DIB) Besprechung

Learn using BigBlueButton, the trusted open-source web conferencing solution that enables seamless virtual collaboration and online learning experiences.
bbb.metalab.at
#blind #inklusion #make

mastodon - Link to source

Good morning everyone. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday.

This is the first science post of 2026, and hopefully I will be able to do more this year.
The Holidays were great and very awesome.

Always remember, you matter and to always be kind.

Today we are gonna be talking about The Integrated Circuit.

An integrated circuit (IC) is a miniature electronic circuit in which thousands to billions of electronic components such as transistors, resistors, capacitors, and diodes-are fabricated onto a single small piece of semiconductor material, usually silicon. Instead of building circuits with separate components, an IC combines them into a single, compact, and efficient unit. Because everything is built onto a single chip, ICs are smaller, faster, more reliable, and more energy-efficient than circuits made from discrete components.

mastodon - Link to source
Wir freuen uns über das gelungene Interview "Hilfsmittel gemeinsam entwickeln – das Open-Source-Projekt OSKAR" von Christian Stahlberg vom Sightviews Podcast. Die Folge bietet eine gute Vorstellung und Überblick unserer Tätigkeiten. sightviews.de/316-oskar #make #blind #inklusion

Hilfsmittel gemeinsam entwickeln - das Open-Source-Projekt OSKAR

OSKAR ist ein Open-Source-Projekt, das Hilfsmittel für blinde Menschen gemeinsam entwickelt und frei zugänglich macht. Baupläne, Software und Anleitungen stehen offen zur Verfügung und können angepasst und weiterentwickelt werden.
Sightviews
#blind #inklusion #make
This entry was edited (1 week ago)

Paweł Masarczyk reshared this.

mastodon - Link to source
For a while, I have had to turn off VoiceOver speech on my phone at night, because VoiceOver shouts "100% charged" every few minutes once the battery is full. Since iOs 2026.2, I have to turn VoiceOver off completely, because under yet to be determined conditions, VoiceOver falls into a restart loop, turning on its speech, and reading out loud the screen contents. Apparently it briefly disables screen curtain as well, which doesn't bother me, but very much so my wife. Glad that Apple has such a swift track record in fixing accessibility bugs. /s

Jonathan reshared this.

mastodon - Link to source

Don't believe those who loudly claim email can not avoid metadata! They are ignorant of our continuous works on minimizing metadata:

DONE:

- no phone number other identifying data needed
- no cleartext "Subject"
- no cleartext "To"
- randomized "Date"
- no IP addresses
- group/avatar/attachment/etc metadata only contained in encrypted message parts

Upcoming:

- servers to never see cryptographic ID metadata
- remove "threading" and auxilliary headers
- experiment with Sealed Sender

reshared this

in reply to Delta Chat

mastodon - Link to source

Adam Katz

thoughts from an anti-spam professional:

If the unencrypted Date header is more than a few hours off, it is likely to be blocked as spam. Randomly skewing it by up to 1800 seconds in either direction should be safe. Changing the time zone to grossly mismatch the geoIP is probably unwise, though +0000 is fine.

I suspect you're trying to make your headers super generic with all the important and identifiable aspects (and metadata) in the encrypted body. That's a good move, just be careful about spam filters.

⇧