JP

Also known as moddedBear.

I'm a software developer who enjoys the small internet. I dabble in self hosting and some of my hobbies include music and VR.

Owner of lowkey.zone.

Public Key

npub1946d46tzdwlhdlv9k0xjmtw3z6jfl4n94msghtktl8945aq7pz8qxnerdy

NIP-05 Address

jp_at_lowkey.zone@mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsz6ax6a93xh0mklkzm8nfd4hg3dfyl6ej6acyt4m9lnj66ws0q3rsf8awzj

Author Public Key

npub1946d46tzdwlhdlv9k0xjmtw3z6jfl4n94msghtktl8945aq7pz8qxnerdy

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Last Notes

2024-09-18 02:57:37

It's bugs like Windows magnifier opening whenever you turn off your Xbox controller that remind you how much of a tower of duct tape Windows is.

2024-09-11 02:55:01

I have become.
https://modem.io/blog/blog-monetization/

2024-09-10 17:47:51

Going to start writing AI as Al instead because funny.

2024-08-11 02:53:44

I'm a quarter of the way into Heaven's River, the fourth Bobiverse book. It's good, and I'm already liking it a lot better than two and three!

2024-07-31 04:21:39

I deeply regret not discovering Arrested Development before now.

2024-07-24 16:38:16

Had to double check I wasn't reading The Onion.
https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/24/crowdstrike-offers-a-10-apology-gift-card-to-say-sorry-for-outage/

2024-07-21 03:37:31

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@npub1sua…szrk Is that a new case?

2024-07-16 03:49:39

I decided to find out how to sync my podcasts between my devices, and of course Nextcloud came to the rescue.
https://moddedbear.com/how-im-syncing-my-podcasts/

2024-07-02 05:43:56

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@npub1sua…szrk I apologize for not helping you get your Signal usage higher this month.

2024-06-26 13:14:42

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@npub1fm4…f7sx That's really bizarre. I'd definitely love an update if you ever get to the bottom of what happened. Glad it worked out in the end.

2024-06-11 15:25:26

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@npub1sua…szrk It's too much, they're not even worth this much attention!

2024-06-11 15:14:34

I'm enjoying writing that Linux guide I've been talking about, but man I hate writing about everything wrong with Microsoft and Windows and why you should want to switch. I'll probably strip that part down to like a paragraph at most, focus on the positives instead.

2024-05-31 18:31:28

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@npub1sua…szrk I got pretty far in Celeste on PSP but didn't quite finish it. I take it save states are pretty helpful for coming back to it later? I also found some maneuvers tricky with the PSP dpad.

2024-05-31 01:44:24

Honestly half the time I boot into Linux instead of Windows it's just because it's cozier.

2024-05-15 18:31:17

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@npub1sua…szrk It was almost 4 but I held strong.

2024-05-11 02:03:53

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@npub1sua…szrk Not too bad, just had to copy everything over again. The only thing I lost was reading progress and that only took a minute to find again. I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea to backup the database whenever I sync.

2024-05-11 01:58:33

Well that's not great. My Kobo froze and all my books were gone after power cycling it. Good thing I remember where I was in the couple I was reading.
Guessing something went wrong during a book import since this happened right after loading a couple new ones.

2024-05-11 00:35:37

I'm coming up on the part of Dune where the first movie ended. Do I stop reading to watch the second movie or keep reading?

2024-05-10 03:31:14

Came back to Veloren again tonight after a super long break! Here's @npub1cj2…2fze and I scheming before entering a dungeon.
If anyone else wants to join in next time, let me know!
https://cdn.masto.host/lowkeyzone/media_attachments/files/112/414/678/810/146/956/original/57f40a0e75725225.jpg

2024-05-09 21:56:05

I've been thinking about Outer Wilds again. Everyone needs to play it.
https://moddedbear.com/i-cant-stop-thinking-about-outer-wilds/
gemini://moddedbear.xyz/logs/2024-05-09-i-cant-stop-thinking-about-outer-wilds.gmi

2024-05-07 22:19:33

Not long ago I added a "Reply" link to the bottom of every post on my blog. It just links to the same contact page that can be found on the site header, but I'm surprised at how many more messages I've gotten since doing that. Could be a coincidence, but maybe not.

2024-05-06 01:09:49

A quick update on starting to read again.
https://moddedbear.com/im-reading-again/
gemini://moddedbear.xyz/logs/2024-05-05-im-reading-again.gmi

2024-05-02 04:45:45

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@npub1sua…szrk I notice we're getting closer to having Signal overtake WhatsApp...

2024-04-30 01:02:08

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@npub183n…tahh Not another poor little startup bankrupted!

2024-04-25 03:59:48

Been going down a game dev rabbit hole the past couple days. Started getting a feel for Godot.
It's tricky because I lack both skills and creativity which is like the two things you really need in game dev. At least one of those can come with practice.
I've got some ideas floating in my head for a general vibe I want to explore but not much else.

2024-04-21 22:54:09

Turns out my site's Hugo config has been slightly broken since the middle of last year. Thanks TOML.

2024-04-17 04:28:29

Apparently there's people upset at MKBHD for giving that stupid AI pin a negative review? Just because it'll have a negative impact on the poor little AI startup?
Funny, I thought he let them off easy in his review. The thing's a piece of crap. Expensive e-waste. The most useful it'll be to anyone is as a paperweight. It embodies everything wrong with the industry right now and needs to be made an example of.

2024-04-13 04:55:49

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@npub1sua…szrk You CC me then warn me of spoilers before you know I've read the book 😢
Looking forward to reading the review eventually!

2024-04-10 15:36:02

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@npub1sua…szrk Glad I made it to second circle but I need to step up my game.

2024-03-08 20:26:37

Watching one of the world's richest companies throw a months long temper tantrum is at least making for a pretty good laugh.

2024-02-28 05:11:10

Dang can't believe I forgot about this guy --> :lilnessie:

2024-02-27 15:58:45

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@npub1sua…szrk Hmm maybe you'll get lucky then.
Leave it to banks though to block custom ROMs while still only offering SMS as the only 2FA option.

2024-02-27 15:56:40

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@npub1sua…szrk Are you rooted?

2024-02-24 01:57:35

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@npub1sua…szrk The pacing of a lot of shows seems kinda off since streaming TV took off.
Would it be a good watch for someone who watched the original when it aired but never finished it?

2024-02-17 16:40:44

Had a couple spam accounts opened here overnight. Thanks to anyone who reported them.
I've switched on approvals for registrations, at least until the current spam wave dies down.

2024-02-14 06:25:02

It'd be fun to dip my toes in some game dev, maybe some jams. I just get the feeling it takes slightly more creativity than what I've got.
In any case I need some sort of new project to work on. The tech world has really been getting on my nerves again lately which is how I know it's time.

2024-02-09 20:23:30

Please tell me I'm not the only one who types less instead of ls.

2024-01-25 04:51:56

I wish more sites would use local OS font stacks. As someone who uses all three major desktop OSes daily it's fun seeing the sites that do adapt to whatever OS I'm on at the time.

2024-01-24 22:02:15

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#MyFirstDistro was Ubuntu Gnome if we're going by distros you chose and installed yourself, but the first one I ever used was very likely Red Hat at some point during the late 90s or early 00s. My dad had a machine running Linux and I still vaguely remember some of the software on it. Maybe I should try tracking it down.

2024-01-24 20:14:40

If these Pixel 9 renders end up being accurate then the Pixel design peaked with 7/8.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/01/googles-pixel-9-gets-its-first-leaked-render-looks-a-lot-like-an-iphone/

2024-01-24 20:01:13

#MyFirstDistro was Ubuntu Gnome, back when Unity was the default Ubuntu desktop. I had seen it shown off in a video and, to me as a Windows-only user, Gnome had a lot of cool tricks and new-to-me ideas. The emphasis on workspaces was a major one.
I hopped around between several other popular distros after that. Arch was the one I stayed with the longest during my last couple years of school. Since then, I've been enjoying Fedora and Gnome feels better than ever.

2024-01-08 02:46:23

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 Don't they? I thought they were a great gift, plus these ones are pretty hard to kill.

2024-01-08 02:42:48

Just finished building the Lego succulent kit I was given for Christmas. Now to find places for all of them.
https://cdn.masto.host/lowkeyzone/media_attachments/files/111/718/024/136/555/497/original/ca807d1e9ac884b6.jpg

2024-01-05 00:27:54

Slightly late, but here's my look back at 2023.
https://moddedbear.com/the-best-year-in-a-while/
gemini://moddedbear.xyz/logs/2024-01-04-the-best-year-in-a-while.gmi

2023-12-03 04:10:54

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@npub1h56…ch5t Nice, I probably would have looked into Tailscale if I had known about it when I set mine up.

2023-12-03 03:53:53

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@npub1h56…ch5t @npub10d6…h95g Not OwnCast, but I'm hosting my Nextcloud locally and making it accessible via a Digital Ocean droplet with wireguard. I wrote a bit about it here. Setup for OwnCast I'm guessing would be very similar.
https://moddedbear.com/using-wireguard-to-self-host-around-a-carrier-grade-nat/

2023-11-28 02:32:45

Something oddly satisfying about setting up a fresh server.

2023-11-08 01:13:19

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 Yeah I've been checking some out and a lot of them set a really high bar. Let me know if you've got any favorites I should try.

2023-11-08 01:07:05

Started prototyping a #pico8 game. Excited to see what it might turn into.

2023-10-23 04:55:59

Where's everyone getting their desktop wallpapers from? I accidentally nuked my wallpaper collection the last time I distro hopped (not a huge loss). It would be neat if there was somewhere that compiled stock wallpapers from a bunch of different OSes.

2023-10-20 13:15:32

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 Yeah you wouldn't think so. My best guess is the hub where the cable splits to PC and power has some logic to detect the power level of the headset since it seems like it tries to limit it to 70%. Maybe it can get thrown off and not give the power it should. I double checked the store page and it actually lists an order they want you to plug everything in, and it seemed to work after following that. 🤷‍♂️
I could be completely wrong and it could just be ghosts.

2023-10-20 05:22:41

Spent a good chunk of the night figuring out why my Quest headset wouldn't charge when connected to my PC. I think I solved it though? Seems like the cables are just picky about which order they're plugged in. Odd.

2023-10-19 14:56:49

What's the best alternative YouTube frontend to self host? Piped? I've heard Invidious is a bit of a pain. Asking for future reference...

2023-10-10 17:17:29

If you're going to enforce return to office, consider making sure you actually have desk space for everyone.

2023-10-07 04:11:35

The PC build is complete! Or at least the hardware part is. Everything looks good from the BIOS so now it's just time for an OS install.

2023-10-06 03:53:41

Being freezing cold already but choosing to eat ice cream anyway.

2023-10-05 18:21:10

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 True. "I use Linux for almost everything" is still true.

2023-10-05 16:38:22

I'm unfortunately planning on a Windows dual boot on the new PC build. I'm going to miss being able to just tell people "sorry I don't use Windows" when they try to ask me for tech support.

2023-09-28 22:45:10

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 That second one is the one I was using. I'll have to give the other a try. Thanks!

2023-09-28 22:27:20

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 I think the culprit may have been a spell checker addon... I disabled it and it seems better so far.

2023-09-28 22:01:34

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 Yeah exactly. I've never seen it before either. I'm running VS Code in a container so I wonder if that could be related.

2023-09-28 21:45:10

Is there a reason VS Code is always missing a bunch of my keystrokes? It's been like this ever since switching to Fedora and it's killing me.

2023-09-22 23:25:11

Just found this feed reader for Gnome and it seems pretty sweet! It integrates perfectly with my FreshRSS instance.
https://gitlab.com/news-flash/news_flash_gtk

2023-09-19 18:48:47

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 So far I like it for calls at least. Feels more natural. Good way to stretch and wake up too.

2023-09-19 18:33:59

Literally just noticed that my work desk has automatic height adjustment. Time to try standing for a bit I guess.

2023-09-14 04:18:20

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 True, by the time you install a full fat DE on it it's not so lightweight anymore. I'll have to consider it for lightweight servers in the future!

2023-09-14 04:13:59

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 I haven't tried Alpine but it looks interesting. It seems more lightweight than Silverblue which probably helps it achieve a lot of the same things even though I don't see anything about immutability.

2023-09-14 03:35:32

I switched from Arch to Fedora Silverblue. Here's some initial thoughts on what it's like running an immutable OS.
https://moddedbear.com/distrohopping-to-fedora-silverblue/
gemini://moddedbear.xyz/logs/2023-09-13-distrohopping-to-fedora-silverblue.gmi

2023-09-14 03:28:18

Fun fact: Don't use an NTFS partition to back up files if the file permissions matter.
Actually just don't use NTFS if you can help it.
I need to format my old laptop HDD sometime so I stop using it as a file backup solution.

2023-09-08 04:57:24

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 Hmm time to start saving up

2023-09-08 04:27:53

Don't minesweep when tired.

2023-09-07 22:59:23

I wonder if it'd be a good idea to reinstall the laptop I used for school. There's a lot of stuff on here I don't use any more and it might be fun to take Gnome for a quick spin again.

2023-09-01 19:31:33

I think I hit the last straw with one of the news shows I've been following. Anyone have any that they like to listen to that I can use to replace it? My biggest requirement is that it can't be corporate backed.

2023-08-25 23:46:37

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@npub1l3g…vu48 Nice, what OS?

2023-08-25 04:55:29

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 I can't really speak to that part of it yet but I don't doubt it. I think things look bright for all the hobbyists out there though.

2023-08-25 03:44:23

Lukewarm take of the night: I think computers, programming, tinkering are more fun and accessible now than ever. We (or at least I) just tend to forget that from time to time due to the occasional bad news that's easy to get distracted by. It's a good time to be into tech.

2023-08-20 06:01:35

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@npub1q5l…ywp3 Thanks. I'm still planning on writing at my usual pace just without worrying about a strict schedule.
I can see myself giving it another go once I get more organized like you mention in your reflection and I get more set in my schedule. It's been a pretty crazy past couple of months leaving school and starting a job and it'll probably stay that way for a couple months more. But hey, maybe that'll give me a lot to write about.

2023-08-20 00:19:15

I'm deciding to drop out of the #100DaysToOffload challenge btw. I've been a bit behind for a while and don't think I'd enjoy the pace I'd have to keep to catch up.
When I started the challenge in January part of the reasoning was that the satisfaction of goalkeeping would help me generally with motivation and productivity in other things like schoolwork during my last semester. In that way I still see the challenge as a partial success!

2023-08-11 23:54:05

I wrote up a bit about setting up a PSP for homebrew and emulation, as well a couple games I've tried so far.
#100DaysToOffload Day 47
https://moddedbear.com/discovering-the-psp-in-2023/
gemini://moddedbear.xyz/logs/2023-08-11-discovering-the-psp-in-2023.gmi

2023-08-07 19:37:58

I think the back of my Pixel 4 XL is coming off even worse lately. I'm starting to be able to see inside the phone at some angles.
It's frustrating that this is a known widespread issue and Google refused to do anything about it since it's "cOsMeTiC".

2023-08-06 22:08:53

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@npub1l3g…vu48 Interesting grouping. I'm not sure which categories would be strongest for me. I started with Linux around 2016, love Arch but am far from elitist, love that I can game on Linux but don't actually do much of it, and use Linux for more pragmatic reasons than idealistic.
Maybe something like "g0 b0 u0 a2 s2 r2 n2" would describe me. #LinuxGeekCode