Joe Ortiz @joeo10@mastodon.sdf.org

Since it's a new year, a #introductions refresh for those new or want to get a reminder of who I'm about:

Here's some hashtags to what I'm all about. If you relate to any of these, I would love to interact with you all!

#culture
#tech
#coding
#programming
#podcasts
#software
#opensource
#fandom
#diversity
#windows
#linux
#gaming
#retrogaming
#hardware

And more!

BULLETIN: A federal judge has set a tentative trial hearing date of Big Publishing's lawsuit against the Internet Archive on November 2021. http://blog.archive.org/2020/09/03/judge-sets-tentative-trial-date-for-november-2021/

#library #libraries #books #reading #archive #web

Heads up for people living in the United States:

The Senate is moving forward with the EARN IT Act AND have introduced a bill that if passed would in fact plant a nuclear bomb into our privacy, our security, AND our online freedom of expression.

Please pay attention and fight this! #privacy #security #cybersecurity #freespeech #Section230 #internet
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200622/17004044763/terrible-dangerous-earn-it-act-set-to-move-forward-senate-attack-both-encryption-free-speech-online.shtml

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200623/17050744767/senators-launch-full-nuclear-war-against-encryption-bill-will-require-broken-encryption-putting-everyone-risk.shtml

Activists rally to save Internet Archive as a lawsuit from publishers threaten to shut it down https://decrypt.co/31906/activists-rally-save-internet-archive-lawsuit-threatens

If people are smart, it's time to archive the Archive right now. In other words, fork it and turn it unto a decentralized platform. I hope someone out there is working on that.

Plus you have to think libraries need some decentralization as well as this lawsuit could kill libraries as we know them.

#library #libraries #books #reading #archive #decentralization #web

Publishers/authors are trying to officially kill the Internet Archive https://torrentfreak.com/publishers-sue-the-internet-archive-over-its-open-library-declare-it-a-pirate-site-200601/

It's become very clear that these publishers and authors want to kill libraries and it would be a dangerous precedent if they win.

For example: libraries never needed permission to lend books, and these same publishers are trying to change that with this suit. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200519/13244644530/libraries-have-never-needed-permission-to-lend-books-move-to-change-that-is-big-problem.shtml

#library #libraries #books #reading

A one-bit processor explained: reverse-engineering the vintage MC14500B - https://www.righto.com/2021/02/a-one-bit-processor-explained-reverse.html

"The die photo below shows the processor under a microscope. This silicon appears greenish, while the white lines on top are the metal layer that wires the transistors together. The 16 black spots around the edges are the bond wires that connect the chip to its 16 external pins. The MC14500B has roughly 500 transistors, very few for a microprocessor."

#chips #tech #vintage

Sad on what has happened to Fry's Electronics although I saw it coming for years. https://www.geekwire.com/2021/frys-electronics-shutting-stores-ending-36-years-big-box-stop-tech-enthusiasts/

This is a great look at the PlayStation 2's architecture, which is quite awesome to see! - https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/playstation-2/

#games #tech #PS2

I may have to get at least two Criterion films from the flash sale because why not?

Goodyear will buy Cooper Tire for $2.8 billion, combining the two last remaining independent American tire companies. https://reut.rs/3smPLYk

Antitrust continues to be non-existent.

Here's some first sounds of the Perseverance Rover landing on Mars: https://soundcloud.com/nasa/first-sounds-from-mars-filters-out-rover-self-noise/s-rnjGarHQjxB

End of an era. https://variety.com/2021/music/news/daft-punk-have-split-up-publicist-confirms-1234912186/

At least Daft Punk went out with a bang. https://youtu.be/DuDX6wNfjqc

A Soviet 'Enigma' cipher machine has sold for $22,000 at a collapsed museum's auction https://www.theregister.com/2021/02/17/soviet_spy_gadgets_museum_auction/

Just wow I have to say.

Scientists develop transparent wood that is stronger and lighter than glass - https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/scientists-develop-transparent-wood-that-is-stronger-and-lighter-than-glass-1.5902739

This is a very cool development and be interesting to see the evolving result.

Ultima VIII – How to destroy a #gaming franchise in one easy step - https://www.filfre.net/2021/02/ultima-viii-or-how-to-destroy-a-gaming-franchise-in-one-easy-step/

I used to enjoy the Ultima games back in the day and it's a shame on what eventually happened.

Curiosity has been producing scientific data for the past 8 1/2 years (August 2012).

When it landed, Android looked like this:

Quite a nice image...

Touchdown confirmed and the JPL crowd goes NUTS!

And if you want the clean feed, there's one for that too thankfully. https://youtu.be/kPrbJ63qUc4

Here's NASA’s livestream for that Perseverance landing, about 20 minutes plus away! https://youtu.be/gm0b_ijaYMQ

All your base still belong to us, 20 years on. Just still got chills. https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/11940

Krispy Kreme has a limited edition Mars doughnut/donut on Thursday only to celebrate that Perseverance landing: https://www.delish.com/food-news/a35513765/krispy-kreme-mars-donut/#