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who are these lunatics answering phone calls from unknown numbers and why are we polling them for election opinions?


Not if you delete your fucking account. #OneWeirdTrick press.coop/@Gizmodo/1134213933…


NVDA 2024.4 doesn't seem to read auto-completion info in chrome anymore, anyone have ideas as to what I can do to fix this? I hope it's just a me thing.
in reply to Andre Louis

@twynn Thanks Andre, I can replicate on Gmail's login page - what site are you looking at? I originally tried with the autocomplete suggestions on google.com and that DOES seem to work. I created an issue at: github.com/nvaccess/nvda/issue…

Please do comment on the issue with any extra info there.

in reply to NV Access

@NVAccess @twynn Anything. Everything. From homebridge to PiHole to anything that wants my name/other details. Every single site I've personally tried since 2024.4 has failed. I can't think of one that hasn't.
in reply to Andre Louis

@twynn It does seem to be a change in Chrome - I tried 2024.3 and 2021.3.5 and it worked exactly the same for me.
in reply to NV Access

@NVAccess @twynn I just added a comment on GitHub to this issue confirming the same thing is happening on my system.
in reply to NV Access

@NVAccess @twynn While we're talking about changes in chromium, is anyone else getting the weird thing where cursor movement by caracter in edit fields is just, slow and half the time reports the wrong character now? Especially on DIscord I notice this, with regular text mind you not mentions and fancy embeds.
in reply to x0

@x0 @NVAccess @twynn I've seen this behavior more in Chromium-based UIs (like Slack) if there's a multiline field with multiple lines of text inserted. Depending on which line you are on, I think the cursoring can be offset by one or two positions, which is interesting and I suspect may have to do with the factors of how the line breaks are calculated in relation to the cursoring, but it's just a hunch for me.
in reply to Tamas G

Or text wrapping. That's probably a separate issue though. I know it behaves a bit strangely when you try to focus a user mention in discord but like, it would. It's a button in an edit field.
This entry was edited (4 days ago)
in reply to Andre Louis

@twynn It's really no different to any other site - you need to create an account, but that only requires an email address (and creating a password).

It's just comments here will get lost and people fixing the problem will only look at the issue itself.

in reply to NV Access

@NVAccess @twynn Yeah with respect, that is bullsh**. Reporting an issue on GitHub requires a bunch of extra steps, including:

- Navigating to the right repository;
- Finding the new isue button;
- Picking the correct issue type;
- Figuring out the issue creation interface;
- Filling out the issue template which involves figuring out what bits can be removed and what bits can't be;
- providing logs/other reproduction evidence.

While it is absolutely true that all of this is possible and for a lot of folks not all that hard, it is also true that for a significant amount of users this is way, way more than they want to bother with. I don't have a solution to this, perhaps a UI for users to report issues from within NVDA might lower the entry threshold, but let's not be dismissive about the complexities of filing/interacting with GitHub issues here

in reply to Florian

This explanation is already complicated. With respect, you guys need a simpler way of bug reporting. Especially with the amount of people who use NVDA. Not everyone is going to bother creating a github account. It also goes from the fact that, github is complicated for most people who don't have knowledge of how a lot of things work. Github is complicated even for some of us who know how to report bugs. Let's just be realistic. It might've worked before, but it's not going to work that well nowadays.
in reply to Мира🇧🇬🇭🇺

@tardis @zersiax @NVAccess @twynn yeah, I think the cognative load to use GitHub is quite high if you are not coming from the dev space and know some of it already. I get that this is just a comment on an issue and you are amazing for pre-creating it at 17360, but for someone to go through account creation and profile config just to add a single comment is a bit too much. And yeah, sadly a good solution will probably be harder to implement.
in reply to Florian

@zersiax In fairness, 90% of that is NOT true IN THIS CASE given my suggestion to Andre to look on GitHubt was AFTER I had created an issue with the details he provided, and I included a direct link to the issue.

I'm not arguing that GitHub is the easiest site for everyone to use - but in this case, I did do most of the work.

The reason for encouraging people to use GitHub is that is where the developers are - the ones who fix issues. If they have a question, they won't find you here to ask.

in reply to NV Access

@NVAccess You still need a GitHub account to begin with, which a lot of non-developers quite simply have no use for whatsoever apart from meeting NVDA in the middle, you need to work how the interface works which has like 1000 things in it that the average non-developer isn't going to need/use, find your way to the correct issue which at times is easy if you're given a direct link but at times really isn't, etc.
GitHub's great for developers and open-source enthusiasts. You're not dealing with developers. You're dealing with end users who in no way agreed, nor want, to help you develop a tool they need to get work done. You're dealing with people who are happy they got a free alternative to a 1000-dollar+ product that nevertheless needs to work exactly like they want it to, and that's not a fair hand, but it's the one you're dealt. So yes, you did most of the work, but the remaining work is going to make users not bother because you're asking plumbers to sign up for MIT
in reply to Florian

It's not like reporting bugs against most paid products is any better. Try reporting a bug against an Apple product, for example. Even assuming you manage it, you have the added advantage there that it'll go into a void and you'll never know whether there was any progress on it. Users aren't required to comment on GitHub. They just shouldn't necessarily expect any progress on bugs they report if they don't. There aren't staff paid to spend hours every day making sure comments from 5000 different places end up somewhere they can be actionable.
This entry was edited (3 days ago)
in reply to Florian

@zersiax @NVAccess Well put. I wonder how many people want to raise an issue but don't because of dealing with GitHub.
in reply to Kara Goldfinch

@zersiax @KaraLG84 @NVAccess Sure, but those same people will happily figure out (and create accounts for) Facebook, Instagram, some random forum, Reddit, shopping site or whatever which is likely far less accessible. And that's entirely their prerogative. It's all a matter of priorities and that's fine.Some of the process described here is also inaccurate. There's a link to the NVDA GitHub repo in quite a lot of places, so the user doesn't have to find the repository. Users are often provided direct links to the new bug form or the issue they are interested in.
in reply to Jamie Teh

@jcsteh @KaraLG84 @NVAccess I thik forums, shopping sites etc. have far more of a ROI for the regular user, though. Forums have friends on them, reddit is a longterm thing that they can use for a whole bunch of different types of discussion, shopping sites are for buying stuff. Github ... is jsut because some developer doesn't want to meet them halfway and insists on having users make this account for maybe the one specific issue they're wanting to report/weigh in on that they may never ever need again afterwards. Not saying that never happens anywhere else but it does up the friction by a good bit
in reply to Florian

@zersiax @KaraLG84 @NVAccess I totally agree the ROI is likely lower, which is why I said it's all a matter of priorities. Maybe it just doesn't matter enough to the user to have their issue reported, and that's totally fine; that's their choice.
If we were talking about a paid product here, I might agree that it's reasonable for users to be met where they are: email, social media, whatever. If that's important to paying customers, you could have a dedicated person paid to do just that: maintain various support channels and make sure things get to the right place. But we're not talking about a paid product. Part of the expectation when you aren't paying for something should be that you don't get some of these niceties. We still want a way for users to report problems, sure, but they might have to go to just a little more effort to do that if it really matters to them.
in reply to Jamie Teh

@jcsteh @zersiax @KaraLG84 Also worth mentioning that we DO meet users where they are. I did create the issue which started this thread. I recommended the user subscribe to it on GitHub in case there were any follow up questions etc, but I regularly create issues from emailed questions, social media posts etc. Try emailing Google and asking them to file an issue for you on one of their products....
in reply to NV Access

That's true. Every time I mention NVAccess to complain, no matter how frustrated and uncharitable I might be, whoever is behind this account always replies and, if it's something that should be tracked, they make an issue for me and send me the link.
This entry was edited (3 days ago)
in reply to Florian

@zersiax @jcsteh @KaraLG84 Whatever reporting system we used would almost certainly involve the user creating an account. Try reporting an issue against Windows, or Chrome, Firefox, any other piece of software and you generally need to have it create an account on often something which is unique to that product. Ok you may not use GitHub for anything but NVDA, but it's no harder to use than anything else and it IS accessible.
in reply to NV Access

@NVAccess @zersiax @jcsteh @KaraLG84 I'm sorry, but I echo Florian. average user does not care/does not have the technical knowledge to work around github. Hell, I consider myself a fairly technical user, and I find submitting issues on github annoying at best. With things like jaws, all they have to do is send an email. Now, I know that would not work with NVAccess, but something simpler would benifit the screen reader tremendously.
in reply to Yadiel Sotomayor

@NVAccess @zersiax @jcsteh @KaraLG84 A huge reason why JAWS is still very much the default in affluent countries is how technical NVDA and its documentation tends to be. Especially for new users. Every student I have worked with mentions that. There is no doubt NVDA is superior in many ways, but until NVDA becomes more approachable, it will mainly be used by highly technical people, or those who do not have any other choice.
in reply to Yadiel Sotomayor

@ysotomayor @zersiax @jcsteh @KaraLG84 That is feedback I have not heard previously! Our Basic Training for NVDA tends to be highly praised for how readable and well structured it is. We have also recently included a quick start guide in the use guide and as previously mentioned, we will create issues if you email or message us (and I'm engaged in this thread). I'm really not sure what more you want us to do to be approachable and easy to contact? (Genuine question)
in reply to NV Access

@ysotomayor @zersiax @jcsteh @KaraLG84 Yadiel - I am genuinely keen to find out what the problem with our training material you have found is? Please do reply or reach out at info@nvaccess.org. We've only had good feedback on how easy it is to use, so I would love to find out how Basic Training for NVDA is too technical for your users please? (I can't fix it without understanding what is wrong). Thank you very much for sharing!
in reply to NV Access

@NVAccess @zersiax @jcsteh @KaraLG84 wow, what a huge thread this has turned into.

The cool new trend in open source software is private Discord servers. GitHub is public and searchable - you can even add a thumbs up to an issue.

As a developer, I prefer to get bugs handled by a customer service team and feature requests handled by the sales and product teams. I would very much like to not ask my users any questions.

That just goes to show 1. GitHub isn’t ideal for anybody and 2. other systems have their own problems, not the least of which are accessibility and the impact of layers between users and developers.

For what it’s worth, I know I could call NV Access for support at a pretty reasonable rate. If somebody has a problem and talks about it on here, another user may take the initiative and replicate and report it. There are also mailing lists.

We can, at the same time, recognize that there are constraints that make GitHub the least bad option for NV Access, from a customer support side, and that it’s neither an insurmountable obstacle nor the only option to get support.

in reply to Florian

@zersiax I agree to that. I am a Dev myself but rarely fill Issues on github because i am to worried to do things wrong. Once I tried filling an Issue the Project emediately closed it without a good Explanation, just throwing Keywords at me. @NVAccess @FreakyFwoof @twynn
in reply to Svenja

@svenja NVDA? Or another project? If you can give me a link, a number, your GitHub username or anything I can use to find your issue, I'd be happy to have a look and work out what may have happened?
in reply to NV Access

@NVAccess its another Project, don't worry, I just wanted to say its not that easy. If you are interested I can send you the Link nevertheless :-)
in reply to Svenja

@svenja Ah no problem. You may get grumbled at for an NVDA issue which doesn't follow the template, but usually a genuine issue will be accepted and the issue wording will be fixed up if needed.




#time please boost far and wide, thanks

  • year-round standard time (67%, 867 votes)
  • year-round daylight saving time (22%, 294 votes)
  • keep switching back and forth (9%, 128 votes)
1289 voters. Poll end: 4 days ago

#time


When the world gets a bit too much for you, play more music, listen to more music. Just get lost in that for a while.

reshared this



You know you’ve really messed up the spelling of a word when even spellcheck can’t figure out what you were trying to spell out.


Who will win?

  • the vacuum cleaner (89%, 33 votes)
  • the speakers playing while I vacuum (10%, 4 votes)
37 voters. Poll end: 4 days ago

in reply to Federico Mena Quintero

@nekohayo I tend to pause everything when I use cutting tools. I don't want lose fingers with the table saw.

in reply to SuspiciousDuck

Evidentne rovnaká firma ako to bolo pri falošnom webe o Korčokovi. A evidentne už mali túto doménu pripravenú dosť dlho. Autor sa ale bude určite iba zase vyhovárať, že s tým nič nemá a jeho firma bola zneužitá, rovnako ako to robil ohľadom jeho prvého webu.
This entry was edited (4 days ago)


#Synology #NAS users: If you use Synology’s Photos app, read about this critical vulnerability. infosec.exchange/@kimzetter/11…


apparently toy capsule machines run about $100 🤔
in reply to aeva

i'm tempted to buy one and fill it up with art and weird stuff and set it up in my living room and encourage guests to take a few and play it up like it's a magic capsule machine that periodically refills itself with new and exciting mysteries
in reply to aeva

dumb conceptual art idea

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in reply to victor tsaran

@vick21 You'd still have to charge them up on the regular, so they'd die at random times. Personally wouldn't bother. These are Behringer XM8500 dynamics connected to a Raspberry Pi.
in reply to Andre Louis

I guess, my issue is that I cannot make these mics stationary at the moment, so would love an opportunity to remove / install them at will.


#AndroidAppRain at apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid today brought you 16 updated apps, but also 2 apps were removed:

* DiviDoc contains a self-updater, and its author did not respond to our issue
* URL to PDF was rebranded to WebCapture more than a month ago, so the "old" app was removed

Further, several more apps could be confirmed as #reproducibleBuilds – bringing their total number here up to 315 (or relative: 26.2%).

Enjoy your #free #Android #apps with the #IzzyOnDroid repo :awesome:

in reply to IzzyOnDroid ✅

Re DiviDoc ... You commented on an old closed issue instead of opening a new dedicated one:

github.com/Armand31/Dividoc/is…

Whether or not the author cares I can't say but for most projects that is a good way to go unaddressed. Also for the sake of every other potential user checking out known issues...

in reply to Caleb Maclennan

@alerque Yes, I commented on the issue that introduced this, Caleb. And I've pinged the author explicitly, twice even. Apart from that, the project has not seen any commit since 2/2023, and Armand seems "gone" since June. So chances of this being addressed are rather low to non-existent.

Should it be addressed later, the app can easily be re-established, metadata have been archived and not deleted.



For many the Internet is Google. But Google profits massively from the data you share. The time has come to stop this unlimited data mining. That's why we are building Tuta. We do not track, log or share your information. And the best: No Ads.🥰🥰🥰
in reply to Tuta

you are right . But , unfortunately Big G has a lot of bots inside phones. Google hss stored anything about us . Only mode is a rooted device. Congratulations for last update on Tuta. Mail and Calendar.
in reply to Tuta

(1/?)

@Tutanota
> That's why we are building Tuta. We do not track, log or share your information. And the best: No Ads

Great stuff. Will you be implementing AutoCrypt, so people using Tuta can send encrypted email to people using other email services and apps, which also support the standard?

github.com/tutao/tutanota/issu…

Having to use Tuta's clients to access Tuta mail is pretty much the only thing that's been holding me back from using the service.

@Decentralize



What does one do with a new cotton t-shirt that has a big rectangle of vinyl print on the front... making it unwearable? Straight up cut it into rags?
in reply to Federico Mena Quintero

A) Is vinyl print solid color?
B) Does it have text/images on it?

If "A", take a Pilot marker and handwrite something funny.
If "B", yeah, cut it into rags.

in reply to Federico Mena Quintero

Wash it once or twice. Or just put on that concert t-shirt from 1997 with the print still intact.


Exceptionally frustrated

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in reply to Stephanie Appleby

Exceptionally frustrated

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uspol

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in reply to Blake C. Stacey

uspol

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Spotted on an evening walk on an isolated beach in Aotearoa #NewZealand

A small human (5?) holding up a kite so her older brother can get it in the air. She's an expert holder, picking it up every time it falls on the sand. The patience and optimism that it'll fly eventually seems infinite.

A man (30s?) with a thoughtful aspect pushing a wheelbarrow down to the water line. He's got all the gear for a perfect few hours fishing. A while later he's spotted in a deck chair next to a low table with a picnic on it while waiting for a catch.

A small group of young humans directed by a man (40s?) in setting up a sand-drawn rugby pitch. He's wearing a bucket hat and has the air of a dad on a mighty mission. Within minutes he has teams sorted and is running up and down the sand umpiring. This is serious business

Two grey haired naturists walking along the treeline on a quiet patch of the beach. From a distance they look like two tranquil, rather pink wild creatures happily holding hands as one of them points out different cloud formations crossing the skyline.

A couple of women (20s?) smooching while standing in ankle deep water. They pause to take a selfie and then one abruptly stoops and splashes the other. Shrieking, chasing and more smooching to follow.

Any typos spotted in this post are lost after being locked in overnight after the sunset gates were closed at this beach. If spotted give them a drink of water and a ride to the nearest town. They will appreciate breakfast.



Hey #openstreetmap people, i need your help again.
I'm using Overpass Turbo for the first time and struggling with a query that should be simple.
I've checked various help files but can't find anything.
I just want to show roads that have no speed limit. (So i know to go and fix that).

Something like:
nwr["highway"]["maxspeed"=null]

in reply to Simon Hobeck

thus should do the trick as well openstreetmap.org/user/Branko%…
in reply to Joost Schouppe

@joost_schouppe thanks, this is useful and essentially what I was looking for with Overpass.
I currently prefer MapComplete simply because I can quickly fix any missing values rather than jump between browser tabs.
Once I've completed the gaps, maybe then I can review older inputs.

in reply to Marián Kyral

taky mam vzdycky "radost", kdyz vidim update tohohle molochu. Bohuzel mam jednu appku, kde to nejde vypnout a zatim sem byl linej ten -9999 ebuild poradne prozkoumat, jestli bych to nevypl nebo je to nak vic zadratovany. Naivne sem si myslel (tak pred pul rokem), ze zkusim prepnout par balicku na binarni, ale ono to nejde (zatim?) uplne mixovat. Jen pokud existuje -bin alternativa separe, i u LO sem musel prejit na kompilaci, protoze -bin je zoufale stara a dle bugzilly to moc nevypada.
in reply to mahdi

@mahdi No je to na …

Firefox 30 minut, libreoffice cca 1 hodina, qtwebengine 2 hodiny 🤷‍♂️

in reply to Marián Kyral

@Marián Kyral @mahdi Já mám Firefox a Thunderbird binární, protože tam jsou updaty hodně časté, Libreoffice kompiluju na svých třech strojích pod hodinu (jsou to děla), na čas Qtwebengine se mi nechce vzpomínat.

Zkoušel jsem binpkg gcc, protože mi chvíli zlobila jeho kompilace, ale jinak té binpkg větvi Gentoo rozumím tak, že je spíš pro případ, kdy člověk spravuje síť a nechce kompilovat na každém PC.

in reply to Jiří Pavlík

@jiri @mahdi

Ta binární větev je pro všechny, kdo využívají nejčastější kombinaci USE flagů. Pokud člověk moc nedivočí, tak se použije binární balík. Jinak se kompiluje.

Bohužel čím větší balík, tím více USE flagů a tím větší šance, že se bude muset kompilovat. Nebylo by špatné, mít nějaký nástroj, který by mi řekl, kterými USE flagy se liším.

in reply to Marián Kyral

@Marián Kyral @mahdi Je to teda tak, že se portage sám rozhodne, že bude ignorovat option --getbinpkg nebo podobnou?
in reply to Marián Kyral

byvalo i hur :) kdyz sem s gentoo zacinal, tak muj 6kg notas s P4 daval OO.org ~24h :-P (nastesti pomerne rychle byl pak i binarni) ... btw firefox ma udrzovanej www-client/firefox-bin (esr i nejnovejsi), takze tady du cestou nejmensiho odporu.
in reply to mahdi

@mahdi Ten FF mě vůbec netrápí. Ani LO. Zato Chromium byl jiný příběh. Tam bin balíček byl, ale zrušili ho, kompilovat to nechci, tak jsem skončil u FlatPacku. Občas v něm potřebuji něco otestovat a na to mi flatpack stačí.
in reply to Marián Kyral

taky pouziju Chromium zridka, jen kdyz chci neco otestovat, existuje github.com/PF4Public/gentoo-ov… odkud beru
in reply to mahdi

@mahdi 😀😀😀 to jsou pro mě zprávy z jiného vesmíru. Se divim, že vás to baví.😀😀


Fairphone 4 and sensors

Full post here. rene.seindal.dk/2024/11/03/fai…

I bought a Fairphone 4 as a part of my project of de-googling my life.

Playing with different operating systems, I somehow ended up with a phone where most of the sensors didn't work, even if they did when I got the phone.

#EOS #DeGoogling #FairPhone4 #FP4 #MurenaOS #UbuntuTouch



What's the rule about changing the clocks? Spring forward, fall into a pit of despair?


Listening to @FreakyFwoof latest episode and this gets me thinking about interdependence care. Ever since I was young, it was stressed to me, even to the degree of harm because I developed unhealthy pride and got into some very unsafe situations because my pride lead me to creating a toxic environment of internalized ableism for myself, that independence was the only way to go, but blind people when I was growing up did not want me to practice interdependence care. I was to be fully independent, at all times. I was never to ask for help, from anybody, and while I don't want to explain all the lonely situations that put me in, I'd like to illustrate how interdependence care can be beneficial.

I was at a disabled persons house the other day with a group of disabled people. They knew carrying things was going to be problematic for me, with my cane, and the plate stacked with food, so they asked me if they could carry the food while I helped someone else pour a drink they asked assistance for and couldn't physically do. I said yes, and soon, we all were helping each other out and no agency was removed from anybody. Interdependence care looks different from the traditional care model because agency isn't taken away from anybody. It allows us to get to know each other and our bodies, which is a very intimate space. But by allowing other people into that very intimate space, a whole new kind of person centric care can emerge. It allows me to utilize words without qualifiers because when I speak of spoons, these loved ones instantly know where I'm coming from because we all practiced interdependence care, which is a type of love that I haven't seen much. There's only care, and no judgment, and it's far less lonely than being independent.

#Care #Disability



Once Linux’s Biggest Enemy: Darl McBride Dies and Nobody Notices lxer.com/module/newswire/ext_l…


Voy a relatar extensamente mi experiencia personal de la #dana viviendo en Picanya, pueblo que está separado de Paiporta por el maldito barranco:

Dia 1: A las 19h nos quedamos sin luz, agua y gas. Metro y medio de agua en la calle. Avisan de que no salgamos de casa, ¡a las 20:15! (Una hora después) Damos por perdidos los coches del garaje. Nos salvamos porque vivmos en el primer piso. No dormimos.

Dia 2: Salimos y vamos a ver la casa de mis suegros como podemos, esquivando coches amontonados. Tienen el garaje inundado y sin puerta. Nos dirigimos al centro del pueblo a preguntar si nos pueden cargar el movil para estar informados y en pleno paseo suena la alarma. Pavor entre los vecinos, parece ser que han soltado una presa para que no se rompa y viene otra ola. Al final nada, pero nos hemos tenido qie volver a casa corriendo. Finalmente pasamos la tarde (limpiando) y noche en casa de mis suegros porque estan saqueando casas y no tienen puerta.

Dia 3: Pasan muchos helicópteros pero nadie a pie. Nos pasamos la mañana limpiando. Consigo cargar el móvil utilizando el portátil del trabajo que tenía batería. No tenemos casi comida, así que me dirijo al punto donde todo el mundo viene con bolsas de compra. Resulta que es el mercadona, está la puerta forzada y todos cogen lo que quieren. Cojo estrictamente lo que necesitamos y vuelvo a casa. A mediodía el garaje sigue casi igual y la rampa medio despejada. Los vecinos nos miramos las caras con desesperación. Llega un grupo de chavales y nos ofrecen ayuda pero les decimos que ayuden al lado por que son mayores.

Dia 4: Empiezan a llegar decenas de personas a ayudar. Es el día que más avanzamos, dejando el garaje prácticamente vacío con solo algo de barro. En todo el día no ha aparecido ni un militar. Vuelve la luz a casa de mis suegros y podemos ducharnos por primera vez. En mi casa no hay luz ni gas, el garaje sigue inundado.

Día 5: Llegan los militares y oh... ya no los necesitamos...

#dana



in reply to Stephanie Appleby

sounds like a headset mic to my untrained ear, but successful test, if without any description on the audio. :)
in reply to Sean Randall

@cachondo Yeah it's a USB headset microphone that actually works! Yeah no description on it! If I tried longer voice messages and since I'm using the startrek soundpack it says: "Unable to comply!" and it drives me absolutely bonkers!


Well I can't say I've ever seen a Vroom error before.

'{"error":{"code":"unauthenticated","message":"Exception of type 'Microsoft.Vroom.Exceptions.UnauthenticatedVroomException' was thrown."}}'

in reply to Andre Louis

The first result for Microsoft Vroom has this to say: "This protocol enables a protocol client to send an HTTPS request to a protocol server using common web technologies to access data and perform operations." I trust that has sufficiently cleared up the matter?
in reply to James Scholes

@jscholes I asked Google gemma 2 what it thinks it is, and got this. Whether it's true or not is a different matter. Though it sounds vaguely plausible I have my doubts.

Microsoft VROOM (Virtual Reality Optimization and Orchestration Manager) is an open-source tool designed to simplify the deployment and management of virtual reality (VR) experiences on Azure cloud infrastructure.

It automates tasks like provisioning VMs, configuring VR software, and managing user access. VROOM aims to reduce the complexity and cost associated with building and running VR applications in the cloud.

in reply to Andre Louis

@jscholes there's also VROOM (Virtual Robot Overlay for Online Meetings) is an experimental system for exploring the social experience of robotic telepresence ...


The world has turned into avoiding scams and trying to make shit work all the damn time. I just want something to go right. Somewhere where I'm not worrying about accessability or being taken advantage of, or having to do my due diligence about every god damn job I apply for. I'm so discouraged. I really don't want to do any of this anymore.

They say that being taken for a ride and being refused over and over gets easier. It doesn't. You just get numb to it after a while and you wonder what the damn point is.

This entry was edited (5 days ago)
in reply to Estelle

I assume they're kidding themselves. I can't get behind the attitude that blindness sucks 100% of the time"and everything sucks, but I'd never tell anyone it gets easier. Maybe when it's one thing again and again, like dog refusals, you get used to dealing with it and have a plan in place, but even then, it's still stressful and hard to deal with.
in reply to Simon Jaeger (Procrastodon)

The three habits of highly successful blind people: be born in the right country, marry a sighted person, and do nothing.
in reply to James Scholes

@jscholes @simon It's understated how true this is. So many blind people outright dismiss each other by saying "Well, there's this work-around for [task that should be a 30 second ordeal], surely we have more things to worry about!" As someone that struggles with diagnosed ADHD that already makes it hard to do things, blindness cuts my energy in half on most days. The cumulative blind tax, comprised of all of the micro-inaccessibilities of life, adds up after a while.
in reply to Tristan

@jscholes @simon The harsh reality: blindness *is* a barrier, and the world literally isn't built for you. It doesn't ruin everything, but it is something that is part of the calculus that goes into whether an activity in life is doable or enjoyable. Pretending that it isn't is just fooling yourself and setting a bad example for those that might look up to you. (I should really find an instance with better character limits.)
This entry was edited (5 days ago)
in reply to Tristan

Sadly, that's true, and I agree. Also, I went over my crazy anxieties today to ask for help. Lot of the blind people wouldn't be happy. But I met an awesome student and we shared a meal soo. There are nice people, after all. Because of quote try to always be independent quote thing, a lot of people think it's good to look down on others who don't mind help. Also, inaccessibility is way too real. None of us should struggle alone. Letting ourselves be helped isn't a crime, sharing isn't a crime. And if a phone call is easy for person A, it's an absolute anxiety attack cause for person B. We are different, and the sad reality is that what works for one, doesn't work for all. Your 3 second task can turn into a 30 minute task for someone else. And no one should be made to feel bad about it. People should be encouraged for trying, not stepped on because they are struggling. Also, the world is broken for real. And not only from the Reddit posts, but I have seen it live and yeah. The world is the shit that hit the fan right now. Also, to all humans who struggle with ADHD and autism, or anything really, good luck, may you get more energy, and my double thumbs up for not giving up. Because I know the other end of things when people have given up and it's grim. Soo, keep on fighting, and lots of patience. And it's totally alright to feel tired and vent it out.
in reply to James Scholes

@jscholes @cachondo @simon Heally. That's downright awful and negative. I have a sightedperson and yes, I was born in America. But I am a court reporter who busted her butt to get where she is. I have also traveled over the country by myself, lived on my own since I was 16 so I would not get beat anymorwh. So that do nothing part just ticks me off honestly.
in reply to Eden Linnea

I don't want to be evil, but I believe 0% of what you just said. Just by. The writing. Also, different people, different lives, different cultures, different struggles. Just saying. I have difficulty, really, reading what you wrote. And I hope the comment I am about to send won't be rude. Because I really struggled, and I still do not make sense of what you wrote.
in reply to Eden Linnea

@EdenLinnea I didn't take @jscholes comment to be against those who work for a living. The do nothing part to me said that there are people who are lucky enough to be born into a country that will support them financially, meet a sighted person to do all the things they can't or won't learn to adapt their way around, and then don't work or even attempt to.

Just my interpretation

in reply to Sean Randall

@cachondo @jscholes I was led to understand might have been sarcasm involved. Unfortunately, that doesn't always come through intexts. AllI saw was really the one comment and I" just stunned that someone would say that a blind person successful would be those three things. I was not raised around many blind people, so I think my stances can sometimes be harcore. I had to be tough and beearned to be from an early age. I know not everyone's experience is mine. I have a hardheadedness a lot of people don't have and have often used that to get where I needed to be. Sometimes my bluntness doesn't make me a lot of friends, but x'sn intentional.
in reply to Eden Linnea

@EdenLinnea @jscholes It's a bit of a stereotype, perhaps, but I know a lot of working-age blind people here in the UK who live off the benefits system. They've told the government they are incapable of work, which means they receive money each month without having to do anything for it.

Now I'm not against disability money or anything, but just as an example, one person I know is receiving roughly £26,000 a year in state benefits. I know that this person hasn't got the best qualifications or experience, but equally if they can spend all day cultivating followers on twitch, it's wrong, in my mind, to then claim they can't use technology to look for work or improve themselves.
That 26k is more than a sighted adult can earn on a full-time job at minimum wage, by the way, just as a point of comparison.

Conversely, I know people who have such complex medical needs that there's no chance they should ever be forced to re-train or look for work. They are truly and indisputably disabled to the point where we should, as a society, provide for them.

I guess the problem is some people might think that about young blind people with nothing else wrong with them. Until you've lived it, you can't always see the possibilities.

in reply to Sean Randall

@cachondo I'm less concerned about the morality of capable blind people claiming benefits. I'm far more dismayed at the number of people refused government assistance who truly, very evidently cannot work, the gaps in or complete lack of employment history those blind people will have to present if they decide to apply for a position they actually want one day, and the possibility of the government assistance being withdrawn at any time leaving them with nothing.

Those last two certainly gave me a lot of anxiety before I found work, although some people don't seem concerned or aware. Either that, or they're putting on a show of not being worried about it. The more benefits you save for a rainy day, the less you get given. @EdenLinnea

in reply to James Scholes

@jscholes @EdenLinnea I don't know if they just aren't aware or just accept it under a sort of fatalistic, this is what I have now and i'll make the most of it sort of ideology.

All the time i was looking for work I was constantly stressed that I'd lose the benefits I did have. Nobody was interested in me proving I was looking for work, which begged the question as to why I got the benefits in the first place.

in reply to Sean Randall

@cachondo @EdenLinnea @jscholes You do know it’s 90% of work engaged blind people are unemployed? I don’t think they all told the government they were incapable. Maybe the government told them?
in reply to The Blind AI

@Lottie @EdenLinnea @jscholes I know in theory those are the stats.
I also know just how many of my peer group of blind but otherwise able-bodied adults have gotten themselves in the 'I can't work mindset, and that's sad
in reply to Sean Randall

@cachondo @EdenLinnea @jscholes I honestly think those people have decided they can’t get a job not that they can’t do a job. No matter how hard it is for people to work it’s harder for blind people to get work that’s the truth. I do think learn helplessness is playing a large part of this.
in reply to James Scholes

@jscholes @simon can definitely not agree. Look at the social media of the Kantari institute. Yo'll find a lot of exemples prooving you wrong.
in reply to Fanny Bui

@Brailly615 @jscholes @simon A lot of examples of blind people who don't have any of these 3 things?

1. i think this was sarcasm, so I primarily think people are taking this comment too seriously.

2. The people who don't fit these steriotypes are few and far between. Privilege plays a massive role in how much access people have, and the reality is that people who don't have these privileges (because that's what they are) struggle vastly more than people who do.

3. I looked up the institute you mentioned, and - unless there are 2 institutes by the same name - this isn't even exclusively for blind/VI people, so finding the examples you speak of would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

in reply to Estelle

I really love the "look at social media of this and that." No, that is an unreal example. I can tell you that much. I have been in some social media boost the school's reputation around here, and it's all made up. Honestly, it saddens me when even blind people fall for that when we see the actual reality. Looking at the surface is not what makes the world tick. the surface is deceiving. The depths are the real deal. I am glad that I personally know what it means to live and not live with priveleges, to work and not to work, and to fight and not to. and trust me, the surface is simple, for me. But it's deep down that matters. and that matters for all. Because life isn't a fairytale of made up social media posts.
in reply to Мира🇧🇬🇭🇺

@tardis @jscholes @simon No! what I'm talking about is real. I only recommended to visit the social media accounts of Kantari, because it's not so easy just to get to Trivandrum, Nepal, Hungaria, Kenia, Uganda or whereever. In the Kantari institute people from all over the world, especially from "not right" places, can apply for a course for social change makers. And many of the applicants are blind for the founder is blind herself. I personally know blind people from Uganda, from india, from Nepal, and i definitely know from one in Simbabwe, one in Gambia... They all applied for this Course by themselves and now run social Changing projects. I don't know the private situation of all of them, but I know for sure, that far not all of them have sighted partners. On the other hand I'm one of those born in one of the right Countries, and I know lots of blind folks here who are far away from such successes — I'd even include myself. I have a sighted partner, I'm lucky to have a good job. But I'm far not as successful as those people I told you about. In my opinion one of the very Important things for success in life, not only for Blind is, if you could keep your prilemal trust and get self confidence as a child. If this is the case, courrage, resilience, and social competence can be developed and a trustful basic attitude to life and the own abilities. No Question: being born in the right Country and having a sighted partner makes life a lot more easy and comfortable. But it's neither a nessecity, nor a guaranty for success in life!
in reply to Fanny Bui

It's not that simple. also, it's Hungary, and also, don't forget we all process information differently. this might've worked for you, or the people you mentioned, but it won't work for everyone. Life screws us enough that we don't have an equal chance. You've had luck, not many of us have had that luck, environment, family, etc. We don't choose it. so, we can be supportive of each other and try to have understanding towards each other, rather than saying, do this and do that. Because I know someone from your country who thinks absolutely the same, dismisses people's issues with a wave, until they understood that these issues can pile up on them too. and then, it kind of becomes hard when you're not prepared to deal with them. Nobody chooses their parents, their family, their environment or the way they learn, process information, or perceive the world. What we can do the best, though, is show support. Because I used to think the same way you do, except I was not born in a lucky family, or the right country. But with change, discovery and knowledge, come different experiences and views. I am glad it worked out for you, but please show some understanding and consideration for those who did not have the same luck as you. There are options, we just have to sometimes wander through all the obstacles to find them. But I believe it'll be better, eventually, and these days of frustration, tiredness, and sometimes, even hopelessness will be worth it when one looks back at them as a memory. Still, living in the present is the way that's most optimal. In any case, the conclusion is, that we each grew up with different circumstances which we could not choose. Being entitled, arrogant, prideful... that won't help, one can just as easily be all of these one day, and the next have nothing. So seeing things with an open mind, and a shoulder of support is really the better option, even when there aren't other options, people must remember that there'll be support. At times, support is the only thing that keeps us going.
in reply to Simon Jaeger (Procrastodon)

@simon It's not just the blind, though, is it?
half the posts on one of the big UK subreddits are now anxiety posts. Young people who've never caught a bus, mailed a letter, filled a proscription, paid a bill. Literally, paid a bill. A bill comes with an amount and about a dozen ways to pay in black and white and rather than sit and read it, they turn to the net because they're anxious about what to do next.

The world has gone utterly off the rails.

in reply to Sean Randall

wait huh? I mean you're definitely right. anxiety is skyrocketing and a lot! of folks need a kick up the fundament. But I do think we're on another level in terms of the battles we end up fighting, and anxiety maybe is somewhat natural in such circumstances?
This entry was edited (5 days ago)
in reply to Matthew J

@bermudianbrit @simon oh yes, I won't argue that much of the crap we get saddled with as blind folk is a level above. But I just wanted to point out that there are people in their late teens who, when they get a perfectly simple thing they were expecting (i.e. a bill), call it trauma or anxiety inducing and turn to the web for 'Advice'.

Nella Rose is a 27 year old youtuber/influencer and made a conscious choice to go onto a TV gameshow last year, which had been airing for over 20 years before this, and spoke direct to camera about how surprised she was at having to participate in the 'traumatising' events.
I just can't fathom the mindsets of some of these people, yet there's sometimes more accommodations for them than for genuine barriers thrown up due to disability.

in reply to Sean Randall

@cachondo @simon yep. This is something I do agree with. Its a difficult ballencing act sometimes I think, not to be resentful of shit like that or the people who perpetuate it. complicated issues. Where does mental health end and just fucking get on with it begin? not simple.
in reply to Matthew J

@bermudianbrit @simon the problem is, as soon as you trot out the 'just fuckin' get on with it' concept, we're told that the trauma was always there and people just talk about it more now, so stop being such an asshole.
in reply to Sean Randall

@bermudianbrit @simon and that's hard. I know people, trans people in the main, who feel that only now is it safe to express how they've always felt. And I'm incredibly aware of how liberating that is for them.
I narrowly avoided being sent to an 'institute for the enfeebled' rather than plain old 'school' at the start of the 1990's. I was that close to being labeled mentally unfit for public society. I still got called retarded and many other vulgar terms people wouldn't feel it appropriate to use today.

I'm out of education now, but some of the things we weren't allowed to discuss, or even make our youth think about in the last few years of being a teacher is incredible.

in reply to Sean Randall

@cachondo @simon elaborate? on things you're not allowed to discuss as a teacher? And do you think that fuels anxiety because then you're faced with them as an adult?
in reply to Matthew J

@bermudianbrit @simon I think so.
We got told not to speak to a particular student while they were walking the corridors once, because of the distraction factor. Not to reduce what we said, or avoid long encounters or limit it to the essentials, literally stop completely.

Then one year a student hadn't been accepted into the guide dog programme, so there was a blanket ban on mentioning dogs in range of them hearing, including in their shared classes.

Little things like that, it all added up to a wrapping in cotton wool attitude that never sat well with me.

in reply to Sean Randall

@cachondo @bermudianbrit @simon I'm looking for work and really fucking struggling. But I have never asked my partner not to talk about jobs, never asked an employed person who is also job-seeking to please be quiet. My shit is *my* shit.
in reply to Estelle

@bermudianbrit @simon shared shit is the shit, no shit.
A problem shared, and all that. I'd never suggest not talking about it.
But to imply you can rewrite the world to erase these issues is an absolute disservice to anyone suffering anything, I think.



The first batch of videos from the recent #LibreOffice Conference 2024 are now online! (Apologies for the slight video stutter in places – beyond our control.) This is just the beginning, and there are many more to come (and PeerTube)...
youtube.com/watch?v=RGJDbdG1Bv…

LibreOffice reshared this.



Redox OS now boots on real ARM hardware, and RISC-V can boot to a GUI in QEMU!

See the many other changes as detailed in our news post here:

redox-os.org/news/this-month-2…

in reply to Jeremy Soller 🦀

Congrats on getting it booting on the Pi 4! Looking forward to more updates on that.


My birthday is late November. I always ask for Amazon vouchers. Easily get enough to cover everyone's Christmas presents. It's shallow, but I can't help the convenience.


Thats a new one. Post on one's Wordpress blog (RSS) to link to a post they just wrote on medium. Why not putting the post here in the blog?

Friends don't let friends post on Medium.




You're on a ship hurtling through space and your crew's best engineers report that critical sub-systems - from water filtration, through to HVAC and food pods - are all failing. Evidence of sabotage. What do you do?

World's governments:

"Governments failed to reach a consensus [...] Many were forced to leave the talks early to catch flights, and negotiations were suspended at 8.30am when fewer than half of the countries were present"

theguardian.com/environment/20…

#biodiversity



@mikedoise hi. I enjoyed listening to the Unmute show yesterday where you were helping to answer questions. You said something which I found absolutely fascinating that I have observed as a technology instructor and friend. Some of my friends and students struggle with mobility skills and technology. You mentioned there was a correlation. I would love to chat more with you about this because I have noticed it too. I do not struggle with mobility and absolutely love technology which is quite the opposite of some of my friends' situations. Any chance you could give me more information if there is any, about this correlation? again, great job on the show yesterday!
in reply to Chris Cooke

I too find this interesting because I know some who are good with tech but not so good with mobility or rather more specifically spatial relationships. Still others I know do ok with mobility within the defined parameters of buildings but not as good with out-door travel but are still good with technology. This is a fascinating topic indeed. Do share what you discover with all of us please.
in reply to Chris Cooke

I can imagine a plausible connection between the skills associated with navigating physical spaces and navigating graphical user interfaces, although it's still a conceptual stretch. I would expect understanding command line syntax to be unrelated to either, though, as it would seem more strongly connected with language and reasoning skills.


I’ve just dropped a new router on my megabits and it certainly gigahertz.