mastodon - Link to source

Thursday.

Bertie's first train trip today. He behaved admirably; a touch grouchy and tired on the way home, but nothing I'd consider untoward for fellow passengers. He only slept about an hour total of the 12 hour day out so is unsurprisingly out-for-the-count while I enjoy my Buffalo Fried Chicken Burger, Halloumi Fries, Jalapeno and Cream Cheese Bites, and a portion of Teriyaki Boneless Chicken Strips.

Mrs R had a work thing. I always get a kick out of going to the Pocklington Hub in London, I enjoy playing spot the blind person. 1 guide dog, 2 canes and a VoiceOver today.
Also got to go for a ride on the electric travel assistance buggies again, which is always fun. A cheap upgrade to first class for the return leg of the journey meant I had leg room to spare, too.

For all that there is much strife and discord at home at the moment with a lot going on, the day out with the baby at 16 weeks was a right success.

I’m sitting on a train with Mrs Randall and Bertie. I am on the right, smiling and wearing a dark striped jumper, while Mrs Randall is rocking her reddish-brown hair and white wired Apple earbuds. Bertie is looking directly at the camera with his big dark eyes. He is dressed in a cozy light grey sweatshirt with a matching sage green bib over the top, and you can see a dummy clip made of light wooden beads attached to his outfit. I am supporting Bertie securely around his middle with both hands, and my wedding ring is clearly visible on my finger as I hold him. Behind us, the bright interior of the train carriage, with its green accents and window, provides a blurred backdrop to our family moment.

mastodon - Link to source
@doubletap I'm listening to today's episode ("The Best NVDA Add-ons and Keyboard Tricks You Need") and really enjoyed the discussion around #NVDA workflows and keyboard customisation. I smiled when one of you mentioned struggling to remap an Applications key on a Keychron, because I ran into exactly the same issue after buying my Keychron shortly after Christmas.
What finally worked for me was not using the Menu / Applications keycode directly at all. Even though it's exposed in the Keychron Launcher, it didn't actually do anything reliably on Windows with NVDA.
Instead, I created a macro for Shift+F10, which is the standard Windows keyboard equivalent for the context menu and is very screen-reader friendly. In the Keychron Launcher, I went to Macro, selected a macro slot, chose Start Recording, pressed Shift+F10, stopped recording, and then assigned that macro to the key I wanted.
One important gotcha I ran into: the launcher shows what look like “duplicate” key entries in the macro (for example multiple F10s or Shift appearing twice). Those aren't mistakes. They're the key-down and key-up events. If you delete them, you can end up with Shift getting stuck. Leaving the macro exactly as recorded solved that for me.
Once I did this, the key worked reliably everywhere I’ve tried it, like File Explorer, browsers, and with NVDA, and it's honestly been more dependable than trying to use the Applications key directly. Thought I'd share in case it helps others listening to this episode or experimenting with Keychron keyboards.
#ScreenReader #Accessibility #Blind #keyboard @mastoblind @main
#Accessibility #blind #screenreader #nvda #keyboard @Double Tap @Blind Main @Group 4 Blind & VI people

mastodon - Link to source

I'll believe it when I see it.

Microsoft is focusing on fixing the core issues of Windows 11 over the coming months after persistent bugs, ads, and bloatware eroded user trust.

theverge.com/tech/870045/micro…


Microsoft is working to rebuild trust in Windows

Microsoft is going to spend 2026 improving Windows 11. It comes after Windows update quality issues and complaints about the operating system.
Tom Warren (The Verge)

reshared this

mastodon - Link to source

The US administration have held meetings with members of the Alberta Prosperity Project, a separatist group that is pushing for the western province to become independent.

The group is openly seeking a $500B US line of credit from the US Treasury to help bankroll the new country, if they come out victorious in a referendum.

DO WE NOT HAVE LAWS PREVENTING THIS AND/OR PUNISH THIS?!?!? cbc.ca/news/politics/eby-alber… #cdnpoli #polcan #treason

#cdnpoli #polcan #treason

mastodon - Link to source

If you're a Python developer, definitely make your voice heard here: pyfound.blogspot.com/2026/01/y…

I filled it out. I feel like it was briefer than previous years? And obviously there are a bunch of questions about genAI junk, which I suspect will end up showing up as very widely used, so I hope some of you skeptics will also fill it out and at least we might be legible as a meaningful minority


Your Python. Your Voice. Join the Python Developers Survey 2026!

This year marks the ninth iteration of the official Python Developers Survey. We intentionally launched the survey in January (later than ye...
Python Software Foundation Blog
in reply to Uriel Fanelli

mastodon - Link to source

ArcaneChat

> Is literally a server of your property.

buddy, what is wrong with your choice of words??? "proprietary" is used to mean that the source code of the server component is not available, of course every server out there has an owner and is "proprietary" according to your definition 🤦🤦🤦

> And the default onboarding points to your servers.

as said, this will change in the future, for now we do what is easier for users

> You had ONE job. One.

you just want to complain 👎

This entry was edited (17 hours ago)

mastodon - Link to source

Habt ihr es auch gesehen? Die Doku des ZDF über so genannte #Christfluencer und ihre Verbindungen nach extrem rechts? Falls nicht. Hier in der Mediathek:
zdf.de/video/reportagen/die-sp…

#Evangelikalismus und #Freikirchen sind teilweise anfällig für rechte Ambitionen in Richtung #AfD und US-Rechte.
Und die christlichen Kirchen, was unternehmen die dagegen? Ich nehme nichts wahr.

Influencer im Namen Gottes: Gibt es Verbindungen zur AfD? // ZDF-Doku über Christfluencer

Spurensuche im digitalen Glaubensraum: Was steckt hinter dem Content von Christfluencern wie Jasmin Friesen und Leonard Jäger?
ZDF
#afd #christfluencer #freikirchen #Evangelikalismus

mastodon - Link to source

#BookReview They Came to Slay, the Queer Culture of DnD - by Thom James Carter

You may have guessed it, but I bought the book because it's purple, and who could resist a title like that? 💜

For anyone who's played #DnD for a while, like myself, there wasn't much new in the book. A little bit predictable. But a fun one to have in my collection regardless, and inspired me to experiment with characters of other genders in future TTRPG sessions.

#Bookstodon

a purple book with a sword the cover title: They came to slay - the queer culture of DnD author: Thom James Carter
#dnd #bookstodon #bookreview
This entry was edited (3 days ago)

mastodon - Link to source
Well well well, if it isn't exactly what privacy nerds have been warning about forever! theregister.com/2026/01/27/ice…

ICE knocks on ad tech’s data door to see what it knows about you

: Agency looks to understand the extent of identifying information available to its masked agents
Thomas Claburn (The Register)

mastodon - Link to source

RE: mastodon.social/@kottke/115979…

Wow, another one. An acquisition by Bending Spoons is really Il bacio della morte, to use the language of Bending Spoons' origin.

kottke.org

2026-01-29 16:06:02

mastodon - Link to source

Vimeo was recently acquired by a private equity firm and you know what comes next: Vimeo Lays Off ‘Most’ of Its Staff, Allegedly Includes ‘the Entire Video Team’. gizmodo.com/vimeo-lays-off-mos…


Vimeo Lays Off 'Most' of Its Staff, Allegedly Includes 'the Entire Video Team'

Employees reported major job cuts this week, just months after the video hosting site was bought by Bending Spoons.
Bruce Gil (Gizmodo)
in reply to ondrosik

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source

ondrosik

Huh, I managed it
- Open heaviocity portal and don't change focus
- ocr nvda+r
- finally I see here the whole screen where is the library and that install button
- then choose location button
- Now I selected the folder using standard windows dialog
- clicked next unlabelled button
Now it is downloading, NVDA is reporting progress.
I should definitelly read #NVDASR manual again to understand how to OCR whole screen.
#nvdasr

mastodon - Link to source
Hello @RogueAmoeba I am trying to use Soundsource latest version and find it difficult to interact with the application entries in the table with VoiceOver. For example, I navigate to the "applications" table, then use up and down arrows to select the entry, then VO+interact with the entry. At this point when I try navigating through different parameters of the entry with VO+left and VO+right, my focus jumps out at some point. I am practically not able to get to effects, etc. (1/2)
@Rogue Amoeba

mastodon - Link to source
"In a single call, #Tesla announced it’s killing the Model S and Model X, has no plans for new mass-market models, and is pivoting entirely to 'transportation as a service.' The company that revolutionized the auto industry is walking away from it, not because it failed, but because #ElonMusk got bored and found new toys."
electrek.co/2026/01/29/tesla-c…

Tesla is committing automotive suicide

Tesla's Q4 2025 earnings call made one thing painfully clear: the company is no longer interested in being an automaker.
Fred Lambert (Electrek)
#elonmusk #tesla

reshared this

mastodon - Link to source

Also, I may have put myself in a situation where my Mastodon life and my work life collide in a way I never intended.

This is largely because the reaction to "I spoke to blind people and this is what they said" is being treated like either a revolutionary stroke of genius or a heretical breach of protocol, depending on who I speak to.

in reply to Brett Sheffield (he/him)

mastodon - Link to source

T_X

that now makes me wonder why this ticket was closed without any comment: gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-…
If it were possible to do cross-instance forks and PRs then I'd be all-in for #Gitlab.

implement cross-instance fork (#423228) · Issues · GitLab.org / GitLab · GitLab

Problem to solve This task comes after the implementation of ActivityPub for social features, implementing cross-instance search, implementing visualizing cross-instance projects,...
GitLab
#gitlab
This entry was edited (5 days ago)
in reply to T_X

mastodon - Link to source

David Culley

FYI: GitLab happily collaborates with ICE.

Here's what GitLab's CEO, Sid Sijbrandij, himself committed:
gitlab.com/gitlab-com/www-gitl…

> vetting customers is time consuming and potentially distracting.

GitLab employees are forbidden to discuss politics at work or raise concerns about GitLab's customers.

Even when it's perfectly clear that a customer is evil, they want to "do business with customers with values that are incompatible with our own values".

They "welcome everyone […] to be customers of GitLab" as they "do not currently exclude anyone from being a customer based on moral/value grounds."

Here's a news article:

theregister.co.uk/2019/10/16/g…


Blood money is fine with us, says GitLab: Vetting non-evil customers is 'time consuming, potentially distracting'

Code-hosting biz also bans staff from talking politics at work
Thomas Claburn (The Register)

mastodon - Link to source

I just (re-)discovered the Playdate play.date/ and it looks really cool but also really expensive. Is there way to buy a used one easily in France/Europe?

#playdate #gaming


Playdate. Order now!

It’s yellow. It fits in your pocket. There’s a crank. It comes with 24 free games to get you started. Say hi to Playdate from Panic.
play.date
#gaming #playdate

mastodon - Link to source

Just learned about FediSky, a project by @msonnberger that adds an ActivityPub instance sidecar to a PDS.

Think Bridgy Fed except hosted by the PDS owner or Wafrn except reversed.

Still in early dev, but keeping an eye on this space 👀

github.com/bluesky-social/atpr…


Interoperability with Mastodon/ActivityPub · bluesky-social atproto · Discussion #1716

What are the current plans from BlueSky (the company) for interoperability with Mastodon/ActivityPub? We currently have two emerging alternatives to X that deserve to be taken seriously: the fedive...
GitHub
@msonnberger

gotosocial - Link to source
talking about cisgender men on fedi (and the internet as a whole)

This is gonna sound like a call out post, and... No, it really isn't. I'm not calling out anyone in particular. I've just seen it one too many times. The straw, the camel's back, yadiyada.

My cis dudes. I love you. I really do. But I'm tired of you going under women's post expressing their grievances about men, to explain how ashamed you are of other men. It's... It's tiring. Like, it's really fucking tiring. Because you don't realize that every time we make such a post there is at least one or two of you. Every time.

We don't care about you being not like the other guys. Yes, sure, are one of the good ones, whatever. Good boy and all that. But when you do this, not only do you not contribute anything to the discussion, you're actually adding to the problem. It's adding emotional labour to the women trying to explain themselves when really you should just stay quiet and listen.

Give a like. Boost the post, even. But you don't need to say anything, not to us. Call out other men in the responses that are probably trying to argue and ending up exactly proving her point. Do better, instead of saying that you already are.

#fedi #men #women

#fedi #women #men
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