Jacob | Five Eye Tea

Christian. Teahead. Writer. Nostalgic computer geek, cybersec nerd, Linux apprentice, priv/acc (privacy accelerationist).

Working on the first of many novels in a grandiose saga spanning all of human history and beyond.

KYC and impractical no-KYC methods made it impossible for me to join up with Bitcoin (or any altcoin, for that matter). What little I get from zaps/donations is basically all I've got. The cultish mentality of some maxis certainly doesn't help matters.

XMR: 87Kr2ArnBdFTKa1F1r4oC7Uxi2CjyWLqcbHw48abDppzZR6kNufwErECHgkmnortmjQmJy9VpaBZXdwsSNK17g7zRV8x9zx

Public Key

npub14zwvjvf0ztfp8hlwzv2hqtpjhaugwrgecrvlwrggq2vj8kdd36tscjmw42

NIP-57 Address

five.eye.tea@minibits.cash

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs238xfxyh395snmlhpx9ts9set77y8p5vupk0hp5yq9xfrmxkca9cpp4mhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mqpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduhsry63h9

Publishing to

nos.lol

relay.damus.io

nostr.bitcoiner.social

Author Public Key

npub14zwvjvf0ztfp8hlwzv2hqtpjhaugwrgecrvlwrggq2vj8kdd36tscjmw42

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Last Notes

2025-04-07 21:32:48

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I'm still firmly against the idea of not being able to delete, at the very least. On a platform where you're supposedly the sole owner of your data, you should have the right to delete that data. Editing can be argued against (still in favor) but I don't believe there's an argument that can strongly support no-delete.

2025-03-21 20:39:35

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As a Protestant who leans Orthodox, I'm still not keen on a few concepts. Confession is one of those. I see the value of coming to a priest and telling them about sins weighing on your heart so he can offer advice and pray for you, but I also still believe that we are only absolved through Christ and confessing to Him is the only sort of confession we absolutely MUST do as Christians.

2025-03-05 22:45:10

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Nice, I don't use Nostr as much as many people do so the current setup works for me, but I do like that we have the ability to freely use any client without migrating anything 😎

2025-03-04 23:54:31

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One of the few disadvantages of decentralized tech, I suppose!

2025-03-04 23:17:22

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I didn't have the issue of receiving, oddly, but I'm using Amethyst on mobile, and I go between Snort and Coracle on my PC. I'm not sure how to fix the issue you're referring to, at least not in Amethyst.

2025-03-04 23:15:10

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Oh, something's going wrong on your end? I received your zap and I appreciate it! 🙌

2025-03-04 01:22:14

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Literally tried everything I can, it just doesn't work for me sadly. No meetups anywhere near me either, which is unfortunate.

2025-01-29 02:31:25

Open Shell and Flow Launcher may just be the two most insanely underrated Windows programs ever created. The latter gives you a customizable search launcher and the former gives you extreme control over your start menu/taskbar.
Better still, both are free and open source.

2025-01-29 02:06:24

Genuinely one of the prettiest albums you'll ever hear. Perfect music to inspire you to dream of distant worlds and voyages among the stars.
#music #ambient #progressivemetal
https://open.spotify.com/album/3c61UyKCZlUmiOm9szr2cZ

2025-01-24 06:51:42

If you're an Android user who loves classical literature, definitely check out the app called Myne by "Pool-Of-Tears". It's a download manager and e-reader for public domain books hosted by Project Gutenberg. It's the easiest way to download those works in EPUB format!
#books #bookchain #literature #ebooks https://image.nostr.build/2e304f6a07d11d942be1ab49a6aefdc8c79eb84c1dfcb702a80465cd6168e946.jpg

2025-01-23 00:39:06

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Maybe, but we need to be careful assigning fiat usage as sin. It's not.
They don't have more data if you're using cash in person and prepaid gift cards online, neither of which are tied to your identity. And as for non-KYC, I've laid it out in other discussions but I'll summarize here: even with non-KYC methods, you still have to KYC with payment processors. BTC ATMs are an option... if you have any near you. The two near me are at least 40 minutes away and charge a criminally high 20% premium. And if there are only two of those within an hour and a half drive, there definitely aren't going to be any substantial meetups nearby either.
I spent the majority of 2024 trying hard to find non-KYC solutions but came up empty-handed, disappointed and extremely disillusioned with the BTC community over how it treated me when I presented these facts.
If you want BTC to succeed, we need to stop treating it with this cult mentality. It has some issues for some people. You can't fix a problem if the problem isn't acknowledged and if you start treating those people like sinners, you'll NEVER see it adopted en masse. You'll just continue to see it treated as a cult-run ponzi... which is a shame, because I do believe it has great potential to fix a lot of economic issues; we just need to address a few issues before we can make that happen.

2025-01-19 15:38:18

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I wouldn't go so far to say as we're "commanded". I'm not being disobedient by not having BTC. On the contrary, I could argue I'm exercising restraint & responsibility by not giving my data to security threats via KYC.
Bitcoin is great and Christians should definitely research it, but I'm not comfortable mixing it in to the practice of our faith. BTC maximalism is cultish enough as it is.

2025-01-19 02:24:40

By and large, I consider myself to be libertarian. Three things challenge that stance, though: weed, porn and the TikTok ban.
Weed is absolutely disgusting and irredeemable, and I am 110% in favor of keeping it illegal.
Porn is proven to be horrible for the consumer, on top of being horrible for the women involved (many of whom were trafficked) and it's also downright despicable. Producers should be jailed, willing actors should be as well, and consumption should be a fineable offense.
And as for this TikTok ban... that platform is utterly worthless and needed to go. People can make up excuses to cope all they want, the concerns over it are legitimate and it contributes literally nothing good to society.
If those three battlegrounds keep me from being a true libertarian, so be it. I don't like big government but unlike some folks, I see it as still having a role, such as in these csses and international matters.

2025-01-09 13:54:01

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OnlyFans is one of the only cancers that's actually worse than TikTok. Absolutely despicable platform. Ban porn, prosecute the producers, get help for the victims (both addicts and the human trafficking victims) and re-educate this whacko feminist society in the ways of modesty and dignity.

2024-12-27 02:27:35

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Honestly, the open border thing is why I can't bring myself to fully call myself libertarian. It's genuinely common sense that you don't let people freely enter other countries without very stringent immigration processes, especially in this day and age.

2024-12-23 14:48:48

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Rumble certainly has its place but this is just another reason why I'm an Odysee fan.

2024-12-23 14:01:42

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I'm dipping my toes in the water, first off. I'm not going to sell a kidney to buy mining hardware, then pay the excessive power bill that it racks up, just to get myself $50 of Bitcoin. It's just not worth it for me.
If I had gotten into this space earlier, it might have been a consideration but the sheer amount of money I'd have to invest in order to have a fighting chance at gaining any rewards from a mining system really wouldn't justify the cost for me, especially not at this point in my life. Right now, I have a lot more important things to worry about than desperately trying to find a way to try something I'm not convinced I'll go deep into.

2024-12-23 13:58:55

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Wonder how you'll feel when Bitcoin's lack of privacy ends up causing issues years down the road.
I like Bitcoin but not every altcoin is a s**tcoin.

2024-12-23 13:56:50

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Definitely fascinating but you couldn't pay me enough to go out on that thing, especially with the water rushing like that. One missed flaw in the supports and every one of those people is gone without a chance of survival.

2024-12-23 13:55:41

I finally got into the self-custody Brave Rewards only to be cheated TWICE out of my monthly rewards. First time was a "false positive". This time they blatantly refuse to give me a reason for why my rewards ID will not be reinstated.
Absolutely shifty behavior. I'm done.
And yes, they straight up REFUSED to tell me why my rewards ID was blocked. I'd possibly able to accept the situation if not for them straight-up telling me, and I quote, "not eligible for a payment due to certain restrictions". What sort of BS is that?
#Brave #privacy #crypto #BAT #BraveRewards #browser

2024-12-21 01:36:47

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No, because everything I've researched indicates it'd be a waste of my time since I don't have hardware that'd be able to pull it off.

2024-12-04 15:42:47

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Said that game was shady from day one and got all sorts of weird looks. The CONCEPT is great but it was obviously more than just a game.

2024-12-04 15:28:32

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Hmm yeah, that's what I was assuming. So, in other words, if someone can't/doesn't want to pack up everything and leave their home for Bitcoin if it becomes actively targeted, they shouldnt bother unless the law protects Bitcoin use, yes?

2024-12-04 11:17:29

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Also, I don't feel like that Ben Franklin quote is particularly applicable here. If Bitcoin were outlawed, people who choose family over code aren't choosing safety above freedom, they're choosing to live for their loved ones rather than gamble on buying something that is easily trackable, oj the off chance that hodling will fix the issue in their lifetime.
Honestly, I'm not sure what the argument would be for using Bitcoin over privacy coins in a situation like that. I guess that's one of the main arguments I'm making here, if you boil things down.

2024-12-04 03:34:13

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Well, part of the problem is security (and I don't mean software security). If Bitcoin is to be mass adopted as a primary currency, people need to be able to trust that switching to it will allow them to continue to live life without being considered a criminal and active threat. If it's as simple as preventing people from buying it or spending it on anything other than P2P transactions, that doesn't give security and stability to anyone who isn't a hardcore anarchist maxi.

2024-12-04 02:20:13

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Sure, but most people would fall equally into the can't and don't want categories.

2024-12-02 01:42:27

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I just can't get into games that are overly difficult 😂 I don't mind a challege but that sounds awful, it's part of why I can't even enjoy Elden Ring heh

2024-11-30 03:36:18

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And I will raise issues if I feel like it's something unnecessary and divisive.
The unfortunate part is that I can't easily switch if I disagree with you because your client is the best IMO. That's why I think doing divisive stuff like this is going to do more harm than good. If the outlier wants pronouns, they can put it in their bio.
Like I said, even Mastodon (which is notorious for being populated by a lot of left-wingers) doesn't have this because they realize you're free to add whatever to your bio.

2024-11-30 03:23:10

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They already could. Adding a dedicated field to the profile is unnecessary unless you were trying to make a statement.

2024-11-30 03:22:34

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Classy. Very classy.

2024-11-30 02:32:46

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This is how I feel about it, it was completely unnecessary.

2024-11-30 02:21:35

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I'm against supporting delusion. There was absolutely no reason to add it except to pander to said delusion because very few people on Nostr would ever make use of it.
I love your client and respect your work but it really was a completely unnecessary change and I hope you consider removing it.

2024-11-30 02:15:06

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It wouldn't be a problem except for the fact that Amethyst is such an incredible client with features I make regular usage of, so it's not really as simple as switching clients.

2024-11-30 01:44:37

Since when did #Amethyst add a pronouns menu in your profile settings? 😒 #asknostr

2024-11-30 01:18:42

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Genuine question, can I have the source on the claims about Mullvad and this M247 for further research?

2024-11-28 12:01:26

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I haven't, how does it work?

2024-11-28 12:00:51

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Yeah, I would, but I didn't see that as an option and I'm not exactly sure how you could do that over the internet.

2024-11-28 11:58:53

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PayPal doesn't require KYC for anything I use it for. Thing is, I'm not KYCing with anybody. Whether that's a financial app, a CEX... Anybody. Just not gonna happen.

2024-11-28 11:04:11

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I've tried hard, it just doesn't work for me with existing methods.

2024-11-28 10:49:54

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If I have to drive more than 30 mins to an hour to get to one, it's not worth it for me. The travel alone would cost me more than I can afford to put into BTC at the moment, and that's IF I find anyone I can safely transact with.

2024-11-25 02:37:52

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I'm firmly (and I mean FIRMLY) against the idea of restricting edits or deletion. Sure, taking back something you previously said is alright but if you have a lot of takes in the past that you don't want to keep online, you're going to look really bad.
Plus, it's a major privacy concern. I've made posts in the past that were before I learned the importance of privacy. If I couldn't delete them, I'd be keeping myself open to doxxing, not to mention potential embarrassment. Some posts people make can also damage their reputation. If they made a comment that was written in frustration (or even under the effects of exhaustion or alcohol), their entire reputation could be irreparably damaged if edits and deletion didn't exist. I mean, we see how easily people get canceled for comments they made years ago and forgot about, and society today tends to not accept apologies even when they're legitimate and genuine.
So yeah, no edits/deletion = no use for me. I like Nostr but if a basic function of user control and privacy isn't possible, I will not use it. It's objectively a bad thing and that's a Nostr hill I will die on.

2024-11-20 04:01:47

Ranger file manager is an absolute game changer when it comes to using Linux at the command line. While I do know how to navigate the file system with default commands, Ranger makes it a lot easier to see where you're at and carry out tasks all within the terminal.
#Linux #opensource #FOSS #commandline #CLI

2024-11-17 05:36:47

A solid article that goes over the core reasons why you should switch to open source software whenever possible. It really is just *better* in so many ways! #FOSS #opensource #freedom #privacy
https://www.xda-developers.com/5-ways-open-source-software-is-better/

2024-11-16 02:26:55

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Alright, well, I see some fair argument to be had there, but whether it's a company or a government agency, you're going to have conflicts of interest. In fact, before we federalized everything, things were done through companies mostly. The important part when implementing a technology like this is to make sure that it's an open and verifiable standard. I mean, that's why the whole free and open source movement exists in the first place, so you don't have to trust any entities if you don't want to.

2024-11-15 15:50:15

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I fail to see how making elections impossible to rig via some sort of blockchain implementation is "cronyism".

2024-11-15 02:45:33

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I fail to see how this is a bad thing? Are y'all seriously such cultists that you're against using blockchain to further protect the electoral system? Good grief...

2024-11-11 14:57:31

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True, I just hope that I don't get any more grief from some of the Bitcoin maxis (not you) that act as if I'm making excuses for not being able to use it. It definitely does suck, though, that I have to continue using the fiat system because of all their nonsense regulations which keep us locked in.

2024-11-11 14:55:20

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Well, I guess it's really out because I don't plan on moving out of my town and if I do, I don't know if I'm necessarily going to find my way to countries that are more friendly towards Bitcoin. 😬

2024-11-11 02:39:19

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Maybe but I'm not at all holding my breath. I'm not moving out of my town at any point in the foreseeable future and like I mentioned prior, I'm in a relatively low-tech small town. Shoot, I took a look at BTC Map and the nearest ANYTHING on it was a single Bitcoin ATM over 30 minutes away and after that, it'd be close to an hour drive before anything else showed up. Goes to show how my town and area is old school.
Fortunately for privacy, this also does mean that most people still use (and accept) cash above payment apps and cards.

2024-11-10 17:42:10

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Like 90% of existing offers asked for either altcoins or for some KYCed third party apl. Not sure what happened with the offer either but it legitimately would not let me place it.
I appreciate all the attempts people have made to try to help me with the whole process but like I said, unless something changes or a better solution appears, I'm done even trying.

2024-11-10 16:49:18

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Sadly not feasible when you live and work in a generally low-tech small town.

2024-11-10 16:48:07

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Unfortunately not. Couldn't even get an offer set up when I tried.

2024-11-10 16:29:33

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Yep, didn't work because of either absurd minimum purchases or payment methods that won't work for me.

2024-11-10 16:26:39

I'm done. I've literally tried every means and method of buying Bitcoin without providing identifying documents, a selfie, my left kidney and firstborn child. Not one of them has worked. I've attempted to be patient, to try all the suggestions for no-KYC Bitcoin that I've received, but again, none of them has worked. Not ONE.
I've had it up to here with this nonsense. This year-long attempt to get into Bitcoin has been a MASSIVE waste of my time. People can put their info at risk so they can buy and hodl all they want, I'm not having it. If I refuse to KYC, and can't get it via the no-KYC methods, then I have no reason to keep trying because it's a currently hopeless endeavor.
Bitcoin is some really awesome technology with some truly great potential to fix many problems, but so long as KYC exists (or, at the very least, remains this strict), people like myself will never be able to get on board.
So yeah, I'm done. Glad y'all are having fun with it but I'm not wasting any more of my time on absurd and hopeless scenarios. I don't need that kind of BS stress in my life.
#Bitcoin #KYC #DEX #stress

2024-11-10 03:11:36

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I do want a Silmarillion movie (or rather, movies) but they need to be by independent producers not under Hollywood's control.

2024-11-10 01:47:55

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It's not that I think I won't like it, I'm just concerned something weird will happen, whether in their TOS or something like that, especially since everyone's moving to eSIM.

2024-11-10 01:46:37

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A master class in trolling, good grief 😂

2024-11-08 18:10:43

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Good to know for whenever I upgrade, thanks. Just concerned about effectively ruining the phone if it ends up NOT working with Tracfone regardless.

2024-11-08 03:44:03

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No worries, I appreciate your input. I might go this route someday but I'm not giving up Tracfone for it lol, so if I do go for Graphene, it'll only be if I can confirm with them that Graphene works with their service.

2024-11-08 03:42:42

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I'll see if it works for me. Not getting my hopes up though. I'm sick of having failures in this space.

2024-11-07 14:10:47

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But what about the escrow thing? From what I heard, most DEXes use that and I have no idea how the technicalities work for the person making the offer.

2024-11-07 03:17:52

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I've seen and held Pixels, they're butt ugly and don't really feel good in the hand, IMO. I'm not able to afford a new phone as it is, even on sale, so I'm just stuck for now (as unfortunate as it may be).

2024-11-07 03:13:24

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I'm not sure how to set up that sort of offer, and I'm unsure if it's a good idea for a first-timer, is it?

2024-11-05 15:42:07

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If the sim isn't KYC'd, the plan will be. That's why I stick with Tracfone, you just buy the phone, add time and go.
I'd love to go for a custom ROM like Graphene but Tracfone tends to favor Samsungs (and I have to say I vastly prefer their hardware to Pixels). I figure for now, my solution of using Canta to get rid of a lot of the spyware, while replacing as much as possible with FOSS alternatives is the best avenue for me. If I could afford to have a second phone, I'd just get a separate one for privacy purposes but I can't afford to even upgrade my phone (which is technically EoL) let alone buy a second phone.

2024-11-05 00:04:27

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Tracfone seems to only sell phones, not SIMs. I haven't tried transferring my existing SIM card but most new phones have eSIM only nowz do they not?

2024-11-04 14:58:48

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Agreed, it's also good for preventing accidentally bricking the phone, since they have experience doing it.
That said, I'm not trying to play devil's advocate but if you use something like Tracfone (no KYC and pay-as-you-go, two things I refuse to give up), I'm pretty sure getting a fully degoogled phone isn't viable. I could be wrong but from what I read, it doesn't seem possible. The next best option is to download Shizuku and use it to run Canta, which lets you strip out a lot more of the spyware and bloat than normal.

2024-11-04 14:51:07

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There are a couple reasons why I can't get a fully degoogled phone (next-best thing is to run Shizuku and use Canta to strip out as much as you safely can) but that's a great offer for people who can!

2024-11-04 01:44:18

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Bandcamp is phenomenal! I still try to buy physical but Bandcamp is the next best thing and buying on Bandcamp Friday helps really support artists we like.

2024-11-03 16:07:50

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Purchase albums (preferably physical), make digital backups, then store those files on the device or host from a NAS. Way better for both the listener and the artist!

2024-10-30 20:01:16

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I've never actually tried it myself, but everything I know about it makes me not want to use it. It's why I've decided that after Windows 10 dies next October I'm just moving over to Linux for good. The main problem for me now is deciding which distro I want to use. On my main PC, I definitely do not want to be distro hopping.

2024-10-30 11:56:21

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Tried non-KYC methods as well, they just don't work unless you're able to exchange like $150 and able to afford the risk. I've tried just about every single method of obtaining it and they always fell apart for one reason or another.
I'm planning to try Bisq a second time to see if I have better luck, but I haven't gotten around to it and frankly, I'm in no rush. Every time I try a new method and it inevitably falls through, I get more frustrated and angry with the whole process, and I don't particularly want to deal with that again, especially right now where I have a lot of stress and things on my mind.

2024-10-30 00:10:06

To all of the people that are comfortable using KYC exchanges who tell me to just buy and not worry about it, THIS is why I refuse to use them. THIS is what keeps me from being able to buy #Bitcoin.
https://x.com/stealthmole_int/status/1850850635769647234

2024-10-29 14:41:54

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Jokes aside, I know that there are a lot of people who are legitimately addicted to coffee. It basically is a drug. Personally, I just treat it like a once in a while indulgence and this makes it a lot more enjoyable to me due to that scarcity. Tea is my daily go-to, as I'm sure you could gather from my name here 🤔

2024-10-29 14:21:19

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I really hope that we someday see some real competitors rise up so that we don't all have to intentionally allow ourselves to be screwed over by these car manufacturers. I don't need a smart car. I just want a regular car.
All I need it to do is to allow me to get from one place to another. I don't need it up to have all of these other features built in. If I want that, I can build something for myself.

2024-10-28 01:17:22

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This is my concern with VR. I won't consider buying a headset unless I can test with another person's gear. I have motion sickness issues in cars so I'm not willing to risk several hundred on something I might not be able to use.

2024-10-27 14:05:50

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Little bit of a late reply but this is a game I've been meaning to get one of these days. In general, I want to try Quantic Dream's games, they seem very unique.

2024-10-26 14:22:50

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Seems I got it working, sweet! Thanks again!

2024-10-24 00:53:02

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Where do I go to add it to my profile? I can't seem to find it haha

2024-10-23 10:04:06

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Nice, thanks for the clarification!

2024-10-23 00:43:43

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Thanks but what is a badge on Nostr? First I've heard of them!

2024-10-23 00:42:51

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No thanks. Religion has produced far more value to civilization than secular philosophy ever has.

2024-10-16 01:27:20

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The problem with fasting is that some diabetics have hypoglycemia. I'm not hypoglycemic myself but I struggle to fast more than a single meal in a day, and even that is stretching it on some days. It's weird, some days I can go a long time without eating but then other days, I struggle even if my meals are delayed.
That's my issue with a lot of diets, I've tried a few but can't seem to stick with them (and not just because I disliked it).

2024-10-15 23:25:20

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What do I do for people who really like their pastas and breads? That includes me 😅

2024-10-15 13:46:10

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What IS the solution? I'm not diabetic myself but I have many family members that are.

2024-10-15 03:25:13

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Okay, first off, yes: they can get loads of metadata from secret chats on Telegram. As far as I'm aware, nothing but the messages themselves are encrypted on Telegram secret chats; this is a similar flaw to Matrix. Sure, keeping the messages encrypted is supremely important, and yes, I think both Telegram and Matrix have plenty of valid use cases. However, metadata is very important as well, and Telegram doesn't encrypt much of it (if any). Signal encrypts pretty much everything they can possibly encrypt. Moreover, Telegram's encryption standard is widely panned by cryptographers and security experts due to various flaws; there's literally zero reason for an app to not use the Signal protocol or a fork of it. Durov just wanted to be different, as his recent slander of Signal proves.
Regarding SimpleX, I'm not discrediting it. I'm simply expressing valid concerns over it. I'm not against it, I use it too (though not much, because it's slow and janky at this point). I'm just not sold on this idea that it's somehow the perfect, maximum privacy encrypted messenger. Signal is almost universally accepted by security pros and cryptographers as the best, or at least one of the best options for secure messaging. Again, if the most wanted man by the three-letter agencies of the United States (Edward Snowden) feels comfortable using Signal for his messaging, then random, average joes on Nostr have no excuse for hating on it because none of you are even remotely as important to intelligence agencies as whistleblowers like him. Preference is fine, don't get me wrong: you're 100% free to use what messenger you like best and I think that's great! However pretending like Signal is some honeypot or heavily flawed because you think you know better than the people who study these topics as a career it really does make y'all look like you're talking out of your backsides. Now, on to the individual points.
1) Signal verifies with a phone number, usernames make it so you never even have to reveal that number to anyone. This is the same as Telegram except, unlike Telegram, Signal actually keeps all of that metadata encrypted. SimpleX does have unique IDs for each conversation, which is nice for privacy, but it can also easily lead to abuse on the network. Session, which has cryptographic IDs, proves this is more than a possibility; earlier this year, Session's open groups were unusable and the entire network slowed to a crawl, all because some dork in his mommy's basement ran a massive DDoS attack mass-spamming ads for a group that he claimed was a CSAM group. Signal having phone number verification means that you don't see quite that level of abuse on the network or its bandwidth. Decentralization is great and all, but if you're combining decentralization with unlimited user IDs, that's a recipe for disaster, and a messenger that is incredibly slow and non-responsive is not useful in any way.
2) I'll give you this much: I do wish Signal was decentralized or, at the very least, offered a hybrid decentralization (basically, running off of volunteer nodes unless the network is overwhelmed, during which it'd hop to cloud providers). However, I also can't blame them for not doing that since it'd likely require a total rewrite of the code and really, all the decentralization gives to an encrypted messenger is that you have less likelihood of downtime.
SimpleX decentralization is a thing, but it's only "decentralized" in the sense that it has various nodes, a majority of which are run by -- you guessed it -- the corporation developing SimpleX.
3) The only metadata Signal "leaks" is the same kind that other messengers leak. If a hostile force obtained the servers that SimpleX is routing messages through, they can still get that metadata. You can't stop this, the only way to get around it is to use a VPN or Tor. In fact, if you're using an "anonymous" messaging app without a VPN or Tor (one or the other; don't mix for a single user ID), you're essentially putting all your eggs in one basket.
4) I mean, disappearing messages are pretty important. The fact that the "ultimate privacy messenger" doesn't have a very basic feature of private messaging is questionable at best. That said, can't individual groups set a timeout for messages on SimpleX?
5) Self-hosting is a great concept but in practicality, very few people can or even want to self-host. Moreover, the fact remains that the overwhelming majority of SimpleX nodes are hosted by the company, not volunteers.
6) Security by obscurity is important. If only a handful of people use SimpleX, then you're not as private or anonymous as you would believe, because as I said, metadata like your IP is still present. If you're not using a VPN/Tor, anyone watching the network can see you're using Signal... OR SimpleX. The difference is that Signal is massively popular, meaning you blend in with millions of other users around the world, whereas SimpleX is newer and less populated meaning you have risk of being singled out by ISPs or government snoops.
Not sure why you felt the need to go with an AI-generated reply but I figured I'd address the things you're trying to present as alleged issues with Signal, regardless of the AI reply.

2024-10-12 00:29:53

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My concern is that anyone can spin up a set of keys. Session had a massive DDoS attack on their open groups earlier in the year and that was because there was no limit to how many Session IDs can be spun up. We also saw Nostr get hit with the ReplyGuy spam recently as well, due to similar issues.
People love to criticize Signal for its phone number requirement but that requirement helps keep the spam and attacks on the network at a minimum. To me, the issue isn't the metadata, it's whether or not that metadata is properly encrypted and obfuscated. Signal does both thanks to features like sealed sender (which makes it virtually impossible to determine where a message came from, making it way harder to conduct any sort of MITM snooping).
I'm purple pilled but I think we have to recognize that Nostr isn't the solution to every problem, just as Bitcoin isn't the solution to every problem. Both are phenomenally powerful and important to our future, but they're not the only things we'll need to secure our digital freedom going forward, and there's no reason we need to stretch their capacity when other tech already offers the functionality we're looking for. I mean, Session itself offers all of the functionality we're talking about here, the only downside is the lack of zaps (but really, who needs zaps for private messaging?).
That being said, I DO agree that Signal having a centralized server infrastructure isn't ideal. It'd be cool if they'd open it up to volunteers hosting nodes similar to Session and SimpleX. Volunteers can already run Signal proxies so why not let them host nodes and gradually move things over to a decentralized framework? There's no reason Signal Foundation couldn't rent out cloud space during times that the network is overwhelmed, especially since being decentralized would cut down on a huge chunk of their operating costs.
Finally, I also do agree that it'd be nice if Nostr would at least set up E2EE for DMs, considering the fact that Nostr has a bit of a permanence effect on notes shared via the relays.

2024-10-10 00:51:48

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I definitely get the appeal but I don't think it's for me at this point in time haha. I'm still reasonably new to Linux, my main PC still uses Windows, so building an Arch system is probably not the best idea for me at this point in time 😅

2024-10-09 01:24:25

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I've been using VMs and Ventoy to test distros but it hasn't helped because there are many distros that I really like, and none of them fit 100% to my use case haha

2024-10-08 03:13:45

As a Christian, I consider AndBible to be a crucial app. I still read my physical Bibles and find them to be the superior way to read the Bible, but AndBible is a phenomenal app.
It's insanely feature-rich, it's ad-free, it's open source and it's protected against persecution. No, really, it has a feature inside of it designed to help keep it hidden from hostile regimes so Christians can still read the Bible without constant fear of police looking at their phone and finding a Bible app.
It's absolutely excellent. You can't download certain translations due to copyright (which is absolutely absurd, but not their fault), but you can keep multiple translations on hand with study resources, from concordances to maps to English-Hebrew/Greek dictionaries and more.
Definitely check it out if you're a Christian!
https://youtu.be/mJKrPEPG_Qo
#ChristianFaith #Bible #FOSS #freedom #FreedomToRead

2024-10-08 01:24:12

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I'm still not sure what I want to use on my PC but Mint is a strong consideration. I've heard Manjaro is great despite the developers being lazy on some stuff outside of the distro.
In general, I hope I can settle on a distro for my main PC by next year; I can't afford to be down and out for a week every time I distro hop haha

2024-10-08 00:20:36

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Nice! Mint and Zorin are both great for reviving old hardware like that! It's hard to pick my preference between those two haha

2024-10-07 09:06:50

If you're in the US and you were using Kaspersky, make sure it didn't install this on your PC and if it did, thank our federal government for the ban. 🙄
https://youtu.be/GEKr0LWRnqI
#cybersec #antivirus #Kaspersky

2024-10-07 08:34:58

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I almost never get spam calls because I'm somewhat protective of where I put my phone number, but I do occasionally get a wrong number that could also just be a scam attempt.
In general, if a number isn't in my contacts, I don't answer. If it's important, they can text me.

2024-10-06 02:08:50

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I *want* to leave Facebook because it's trash, but unfortunately no matter how hard I try, I can't get my friends and family to use private messengers like Signal, or even alternative social media like MeWe, the Fediverse and Nostr. To be fair, it'd be pretty difficult to get the average person to sign up for Nostr, at least as long as the overwhelming majority is BTC/XMR content. Don't get me wrong, that's part of why I'm here, but we need more creators posting average-day content here. It's part of why I chat about subjects I enjoy, from IT/cybersec to tea to music and games.
I mean, if I can't even get my family members to do a quick switch to Signal, or go through the quick and uncomplicated process of signing up for a MeWe account, I really don't think they're going to take the time to learn how Nostr keys work, only so they can log in and see post after post about Bitcoin.
As for X, I still use it because I have a nice community of folks that I talk with there. I'm generally able to avoid the politics and drama with that circle of friends, we usually just chat about tech, tea, Japan and so forth.
At the end of the day, I'm purple pilled in the sense that I see Nostr as very important, but I also don't think we necessarily have to be Nostr-exclusive. Removing people from big tech networks is good, but we also have social tech that's still really good for privacy and freedom. MeWe recently decentralized using the Frequency blockchain as its means of handling authentication and signing of actions. The Fediverse is fantastic for the fact that it lets you find a community you like and curate what federated posts you see.
Nostr is great, it has a lot of potential, but I don't think it could ever possibly reach mainstream heights even with new features simply because the key system and the lack of content variety make it hard for people who don't care about Bitcoin, libertarian politics and so forth.

2024-10-04 23:43:41

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They only really work in practicality. If you have big rooms with a lot of people sending messages constantly and you're away for more than a day, your app will be catching up for 30 minutes before it is fully caught up and that is absolutely not a good experience.

2024-10-04 14:13:10

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Coffee isn't bad in moderation but I always prefer to see people drinking tea (particularly loose leaf).

2024-10-04 14:10:37

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I support ANYBODY who tries to rid themselves of skunk smoke or liver rot (alcohol). Keep at it!

2024-10-04 10:12:49

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The best part is that if we had more robust domestic production and shipping, we wouldn't have to worry too much about these kind of things, but unfortunately we are way too reliant on external countries for virtually everything.

2024-10-04 10:10:43

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I could have sworn I read somewhere that it was based on Arch, but I could be completely wrong. Unless we're talking about a difference between the OS on Steam Machines versus the Steam Deck, I did hear that there is a significant difference between SteamOS versions on both of those.

2024-10-04 08:29:38

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I would agree with you on about 85% of jobs, but there are jobs that have a heavy impact on other people. If these individuals want to take a job in that field, they should likewise have to take up the responsibility that position has.
Their jobs aren't just important to ME, they're important to everyone in the country. Not only would their strike have decimated our already tattered economy, it would have prevented much-needed aid from arriving to the hurricane victims, and it'd sink so many families who are struggling to pay for groceries... all for them to receive a 77% pay increase from, as I said, their already considerable wages.
Combining the lack of need for that high of a wage increase, and the fact that their job directly and severely impacts everyone else in the country, I cannot and will not be sympathetic to them in this case. Period.