The USA v Google lawsuit is going to result in a massive shakeup for Web Browsers and Search Engines. Also: Will Google be forced to sell off Android (when they sell off Chrome)? We'll know next August.

A code change for new bcachefs features is being blocked not for technical reasons... but a CoC dispute. Seriously.

Kent Overstreet's blog post:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/116412665

Sanctions Hit Linux Kernel, Russian Programmers Banned:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/6263331/sanctions-hit-linux-kernel-russian-programmers-banned

70% of companies on the Linux Foundation Board are GPL violators:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/5116049/70-of-companies-on-the-linux-foundation-board-are-gpl-violators

Python Bans Prominent Dev for Enjoying the Wrong Old SNL Sketch:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/5985667/python-bans-prominent-dev-for-enjoying-the-wrong-old-snl-sketch

NixOS commits "purge" of "Nazi" contributors, forces abdication of founder
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/5821513/nixos-commits-purge-of-nazi-contributors-forces-abdication-of-founder

Pokemon Go using your phone camera to build a CIA-backed 3D Map AI system.

It sounds like an insane movie plot. But it's real.

In 2016, this was "Lunduke's crazy conspiracy theory about Pokemon Go being used to spy on everyone, backed by the CIA". Now, in 2024, Niantic Labs (the makers of Pokemon Go), proudly brags about using Pokemon Go to spy on you... and using that covertly obtained information to build a massive, 3D artificial intelligence mapping system of private spaces.

"We receive about 1 million fresh scans each week, each containing hundreds of discrete images."

In other words: Lunduke was right.

The CIA, NSA, and Pokémon Go:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/5756204/the-cia-nsa-and-pok-mon-go

Building a Large Geospatial Model to Achieve Spatial Intelligence:
https://nianticlabs.com/news/largegeospatialmodel

Ads are filling the entirety of the Web -- websites, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc. -- at an increasing rate. Prices for those ad placements are plummeting. Consumers are desperate to use ad-blockers to make the web palatable. Google (and others) are desperate to break and block ad-blockers. All of which results in... more ads and lower pay for creators.

It's a fascinatingly annoying cycle. And there's only one viable way out of it.

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Those in power with openSUSE make it clear they will not allow me anywhere near anything related to the openSUSE project. Ever. For any reason.

Well, that settles that, then! Guess I won't be contributing to openSUSE! 🤣

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Taco Bell has started using AI* in it's drive thru. I ordered, "A LUX cravings box with a Baja blast to drink", which any human could have easily parsed. This AI, nope, asked me "What do you want to drink?" My response, "As I already stated a Baja blast!" Next thing I knew a human was available to finish my order (which was nothing). This AI craze needs to slow down, 'everyone' is trying to write AI with some doing a poor job. I, as a programmer, knowing I'd be bad at it will not even attempt AI coding.

*I don't think that ordering system, should be called "AI". "Speech recognition software", a much older term, is a better fit but they called it AI.

I feel a rant coming on about labeling everything AI that once had a different nomenclature, therefore: "End of post."

First impression of Ubuntu after running only Windows 10/11 the last few years is that it looks kinda "clunky". For some reason the look and feel of Windows felt more crisp and clear. Everything including fonts, icons, windows and dialog boxes. I don't mind but it is very noticeable. I am just running everything default and haven't played around with any config.

Maybe the default workflow and organization of stuff is better in Ubuntu but even though I have been running Windows since 1990 I got used to just press the windows key and search for whatever option or app that I need. I guess that started with Windows 7 or 8. Same now in Ubuntu. Windows became so unorganized and packed with stuff over time that I can hardly find anything anymore by clicking "Control panel" (if that even exists anymore) and then keep clicking to find what I need. In the old days I knew exactly where to find everything in Windows.