Alan Langford

Canadian, occupying land resulting from bad faith deals with indigenous peoples, between Toronto and Ottawa. @ 314.8 PPM CO²
Tags: #3dprinting #AI #art #artist #CAD #cnc #climate #FOSS #FreeCAD #fusedGlass #glass #glassArt #Neurodivergent #php #photography #science #software #woodworking #writer #writing
#fedi22

I am not a polymath, I just play one on social media. I'm aphantasic. Instead I process abstractions. Abstract algebra is intuitive to me.

Public Key

npub1ejq999zn44a2fhspapy56q3jkhp26ktah7gg74wu9y069zrqrczqga2k0m

NIP-05 Address

alan_at_mindly.social@mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsveqzjj3f6674ymcq7sj2dqgetts4dt97mlyy02hwzj8az3pspupqpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0wd68ytnsw43qz9thwden5te0v35hgar09ec82c30wfjkccte5e6f7d

Publishing to

relay.mostr.pub

ditto.pub/relay

Author Public Key

npub1ejq999zn44a2fhspapy56q3jkhp26ktah7gg74wu9y069zrqrczqga2k0m

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Last Notes

2024-08-04 01:46:03

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@npub10zv…nz7m Interestingly, Google's street view has just one pedestrian on it as well, so you should start a myth about how due to an engineering error, the bridge is limited to one pedestrian at a time...

2024-08-01 15:16:46

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@npub1g0t…tvm4 2x bonus points for "sado-monetarists".

2024-07-23 16:29:14

Speaking of CW's Mastodon/Activitypub could benefit from some sort of indexing on CW's. When I use a hashtag, I get a list of matching tags and post counts, which makes it easier to use a common tag and avoid typos.
I saw someone say they now had seven variants of "US politics" in their filters. Some sort of lookup mechanism might help reduce the size of that set.

2024-07-23 13:41:01

Is it too early to speculate on how Kamala's husband will decorate the White house for the 2025 holiday season?

2024-07-16 20:17:14

Today, my spel chequer thinks "hissy" is not a word. I'm throwing a hissy fit in response.

2024-06-17 12:51:20

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@npub10d5…vvxa We're looking at 32C. In Canada, in June, when normal is maybe 25.

2024-06-12 18:58:42

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@npub1u9s…4ks3 Double bonus points for not including "Star Wars Style" scrolling text.

2024-04-20 15:31:56

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@npub1nn8…8sed It appears to be a rendering. https://www.artstation.com/artwork/rmN96

2024-04-15 16:55:16

Few words have given me so much pleasure over the past few years (via @npub1v2s…mqq5)
"If you do not show up there will be an arrest," Judge Merchan said. #TrumpTrial
Now I'm hoping he doesn't show up!

2024-04-15 15:59:16

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@npub1lzz…jhl3 Ah now if it can only fall to near zero before November...

2024-03-30 15:33:08

Today I find myself somewhat irked by the entire class of people pushing the whole "succeed as an author by buying the books/courses/etc. that are the sole thing that makes me successful as an author".
This is reminiscent of the old "how to make money using direct mail" guys who sold books saying you make money by running ads claiming they can make money using direct mail.
Pro tip: people with the real expertise tend to give most of it away.
#WritingCommunity

2024-03-28 04:05:47

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@npub15ax…lqq5 I have relatives born and raised in actual cowboy country. Last time they visited our metropolis, they about complained how strong the coffee was "here" (as sampled in multiple locations). I would have considered the specific brew they were complaining about to be on the slightly weak side.

2024-03-27 16:57:03

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@npub15ax…lqq5 Ha. Beware MS Edge. Problem solved. ;)
[Yes, I know it's not really an option but we can dream, right?]

2024-03-21 20:34:36

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@npub1psd…9sr7 Typo, "TK" for current cost.

2024-03-15 14:20:03

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@npub15wt…7rek They're good friends and have provided a great deal of valuable feedback, in no small part because hard SF is so far out of what they write (when they say "even I understood that" I know I've nailed it). Most of their feedback has been of great value. All of which is what made this particular feedback so unsettling.

2024-03-14 22:17:22

My critique group was uncomfortable with one of my characters using "they/them" as pronouns, and that made me uncomfortable enough to blog about it.
https://alanlangford.com/2024/03/14/on-pronouns/
#writing #WritingCommunity

2024-03-12 03:11:42

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@npub1ggh…ykhp @npub1js4…ckm2 @npub15wt…7rek @npub14cd…cpd9 I seem to be fond of building analogies, so I see the first draft as having the bones in place. The walls are up, electrical and plumbing is in; now it's time to paint and furnish, turn it into someplace my reader wants to live for a while.

2024-03-11 20:50:11

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@npub1u3f…nne2 You'd think "reduced storage and computing requirements by 25%" would get someone a promotion.
What you need is a MS guy and a Google guy to meet in a bar, agree to do it in secret, then two months later report on the savings after the fact.

2024-03-11 20:47:32

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@npub1u3f…nne2 Yep. If they could just apply their anti-spam tech to outbound mail, the place would suck less. Not that Microsoft is any better. In fact, the savings might be pretty incredible if the implemented outbound filtering, just in terms of reduced processing and storage requirements.

2024-03-11 20:27:49

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@npub1js4…ckm2 @npub15wt…7rek @npub1ggh…ykhp @npub14cd…cpd9 I think the process is highly individualized. For me there's only one rule: finish the first draft (I am very, very close).
Whether you get there through a detailed process or if you just sit down and write from the spark of an idea, I don't think it matters.
The real work seems to be in the second draft. I'm a plotter, and I already know there's going to be major work before the story comes fully together.
And then an editor gets to have a go at it!

2024-03-10 13:02:42

I've said it a hundred times and will again: by allowing our educational systems to degrade to the point where all they did was train workers and consumers instead of thinkers.

2024-03-07 19:38:56

So weird to see products geared to writers that address significant, relevant issues, but wrapped in a pitch that reads like it's targeting a teen audience. Yes, I am interested in the content, but if it requires joining Team Watchakaka and singing the camp song to get to it, hard pass.
#writing #WritingCommunity

2024-02-29 16:14:47

I was thinking of serializing a story, but I dropped the idea.
I am a serial killer.
#writing #WritingCommunity

2024-02-25 14:47:11

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@npub10n9…tjug Mostly along the lines of "get back to it you lazy [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] [redacted]!!"
Seeing as how I don't have an agent/publisher hounding me to meet deadlines, I have to do it myself 😉

2024-02-19 16:30:30

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@npub15ax…lqq5 Option B: Have you tried turning it off, walking away, and finding a new line of work?

2024-02-13 20:50:27

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@npub10n9…tjug Do I get a prize? 😂

2024-02-13 13:37:53

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@npub10n9…tjug Instead of a debate, I see it as entirely subjective. Any particular author's approach, be it plot, pant, or a hybrid thereof is fine. Whatever works for an individual is that person's best creative process.

2024-02-08 05:42:11

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@npub1rd8…kjnq @npub15ax…lqq5 Tangential to some extent but the emphasis on "authoritative" has made Google search a clusterfuck when it comes to articles. It used to be "How do I do X with Y" got you a set of articles on how to do X with Y.
Now you get these long screeds on the history of Y, the meaning of Y, the social implications of Y, the future of Y, and absolutely no information on how to do X with Y. I have pretty much abandoned Google as a result.

2024-02-08 05:21:42

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@npub1rd8…kjnq @npub15ax…lqq5 YT without uBlock origin is now about 10 times worse than it was before they started injecting random ads. this is based in part on the frequency of aggravated noises from my spouse, who for some inexplicable reason has refrained from installing uBlock.

2024-02-07 03:22:14

I'm happy that your subscribers just got some tidbit in their mail, and I might be interested in joining them if you gave me more than a "short story", or a "backgrounder", "chapter", etc. Like maybe a wee bit of context, maybe what genre you're working in, or what the story is about, or the subject matter, even why a character is relevant to the book you're working on.
Because "look these people got a *thing* you can too" simply is not that compelling.
#writing #WritingCommunity

2024-02-03 14:31:51

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@npub1ggh…ykhp @npub10n9…tjug I had a comfortable chair once. Kept falling asleep in it. Now I have a not uncomfortable one. I've still been known to drift off, but at much less frequent intervals and for less duration.

2023-12-12 17:34:08

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@npub10n9…tjug I do hope to wrap a lot of it in dark comedy... something has to temper it. Pure loathing likely makes for an unpleasant read.
I know I need to be more skilled before I tackle it. One of the people in my critique group makes dark humour look easy; I'm trying to learn from them.

2023-12-12 15:31:17

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@npub10n9…tjug One of the stories in my queue features a few truly loathsome characters [to a limited extent derived from real life loathsome characters]. I hope nobody loves them. Instead I hope the misery I inflict upon them will be celebrated.

2023-12-05 17:06:07

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@npub1psa…xhme I hate to be the "that's nice but" guy... but using a slug of the user's name instead of the username would be helpful. It's common to use randomized usernames these days. Also I'm afraid I can't turn it on until there's a filter by category. My WP plugin foo isn't the best but I'll take a look at the category bit, at least.

2023-11-30 18:04:47

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@npub10n9…tjug Alas, we are in vastly different genres. They can barely follow what I do present. Ironically, that's good because mine is pretty heavy cyberpunk so when they say "hey I actually understood that!" it means I'm doing my job.

2023-11-30 14:42:59

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@npub10n9…tjug I am about to go into my bi-weekly critique group meeting with nothing to show. I got jammed on the plot for this story longer ago than I'd care to admit, eventually opting for a pretty generic version. I got a couple of decent chapters in and then just couldn't continue. So once again, I'm back to getting the high concept theme to inform the still genre plot and trying to work out how TF to bring this thing home. Insane? Oh you bet I am!

2023-11-30 00:07:59

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@npub10n9…tjug Sane? Sane?? Mwoohahah! Sane! Hahahaha. Woop!

2023-11-21 02:10:10

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@npub10n9…tjug My bar is "writing-relevant". Actual "news" seems distant. At least if it's relevant I can tag it to show up on my site, unlike the usual deranged ramblings.

2023-11-15 12:06:07

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@npub15wt…7rek While the loss of distinction is regrettable, the neologism is an indicator that the sub-genre is gaining in popularity. That's not a bad thing.

2023-10-15 17:54:02

Pro tip: when someone posts context-free links to YouTube, just extract the video ID from the URL and search on that. You'll get the title of the clip.
This was originally a method to avoid being RickRolled, but has proven useful when someone posts "this is fantastic" and the title clearly indicates that it's about as interesting as sitting near a fault line looking for the plates to shift.

2023-10-09 16:17:34

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@npub1yyx…qa5g @npub12jd…lwwm Here you go https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/107919/1/Hope_economic_consequences_of_major_tax_cuts_published.pdf

2023-10-03 02:34:42

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@npub1lup…jra8 yes it's messed up here on two browsers. Possibly another attempt at upgrading gone awry.

2023-08-28 15:47:41

I'm pretty sure this little bit of absurdity hasn't gotten enough press coverage https://riskybiznews.substack.com/p/risky-biz-news-canadas-tax-revenue
@CBCNews@press.coop @npub1ved…c8mj
#Canada #RCT

2023-08-27 13:33:37

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@npub10d5…vvxa I'd never use "late stage" editing because my mind immediately goes to "palliative care editing" as the step after that! 😂

2023-08-26 14:47:53

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@npub1psd…9sr7 interesting. Could you verify this by running
sudo rm -f /
For me?

2023-08-26 04:49:20

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@npub1vqm…ccpx Oh yeah, that's an instant DorkBlock(sm), right there.

2023-08-09 13:05:20

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@npub1mp3…qjxj I still think the actual best use case for LLM AI is content filtering.
As for your specific case, it might be possible to write a Spam Assassin filter for those. Worst case you might need to write a plugin, but that seems pretty easy to characterize, unless they also dump 2K of Bayes-busting text.
It's the Bayes busting where LLM AIs could really help out.

2023-08-09 12:54:11

While I'm having a Monday morning grump two days late... everyone who posts "consume this content and find out what..." teasers without identifying the actual thing just inspires a "nah, 19 times out of 20 it's not worth spending the time to get to some lame reveal" response.

2023-08-07 21:50:07

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@npub1g0t…tvm4 Next door I agree with, but I posit that the subsequent distribution depends first on job function, with people who normally work in teams inside the 50mi radius, and the rest dispersed more widely. We found a medium sized town with 90% of our day-to-day requirements 125mi from the nearest metropolitan centre and are more than happy. Car-centric suburbia is not a particularly pleasant place to live. Once you remove the requirement to commute, this becomes much more obvious.

2023-08-07 21:28:40

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@npub1ywy…cksd I have oft wished for a "SLAM!" button beside the "End Call" button that would deliver that small segment of audio that told the person on the other end what just happened. It would have to be a push and hold thing to prevent accidents.

2023-08-07 21:24:16

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@npub1g0t…tvm4 I wonder what proportion of their staff are now accelerating their "move out of suburban hellscape" plans.

2023-08-01 15:52:49

Mailchimp: Tell us about yourself! Take this survey!
Me: Unsubscribe.
Mailchimp: oh.

2023-07-10 12:45:18

Eventually we'll get AI to do all of this and there will be no bugs; it just won't do what we asked it to do.

2023-07-09 22:11:12

The dogs were getting upset that we left them in their pen on one side of the house while we were working on the other side of the house, so we moved them to the deck, where they were marginally less unhappy.
#dogs #dogsOfMastodon
https://a.mindlycdn.com/media_attachments/files/110/686/407/963/178/897/original/3b8d6c360057d49d.jpeg

2023-07-04 12:51:35

I see Zoom has updated their icon to a blue circle with a big white Z in the middle. I get that they needed to improve the blue circle with an aliased to hell smudge in the middle, but seriously, is nobody in their marketing/branding team paying any attention to the war in Ukraine? A big white Z on stuff means it's a Russian asset!

2023-06-20 13:08:55

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@npub1mp3…qjxj My gut feel is that it's a defensive move. Open up fediverse access, reduce the number of people leaving the platform. Recent developments at Reddit probably terrify them and they're trying to mitigate the risk of the same thing happening there.
It won't work. By far the best thing about this platform is that I'm the one shaping my content, not some garbage code looking to maximize ad revenue.

2023-06-20 12:36:54

At the risk of getting dumped on, I don't understand what all this Meta fuss is. Let's say it goes ahead. A Bazillion people have access to the fediverse. I'm going to ignore almost all of them, save for a few friends who haven't bothered to migrate here. Nothing I post will be seen on FB, because nothing I post there already gets seen. Their algorithm is going to bury me.
A non-algorithmic FB feed would let me connect with some friends, further erode their platform. Can't see it working for FB

2023-06-12 15:14:45

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@npub10n9…tjug Exactly. Aside from knowing her as a teen, the only connection between her and my current MC is that her complex and sometimes dark path has put her in a position to intersect and help with his current predicament. Part of my current battle is that her character is now more rich and compelling than his. He's intentionally a little flat at the outset and busting him out of that has proved to be difficult.

2023-06-12 14:22:22

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@npub10n9…tjug Both.
Despite struggling to get the first one out, there is the "OMG, there could be a hidden antagonist driving this one that we don't know about, that's another story" thought nagging at me. Fortunately, the link can be accomplished with little more than a few hints. I want this work to feel like it reaches closure.
Then I've invented a back story for a secondary character in this story that is pretty deep. There's at least one book there, probably two.

2023-06-06 14:32:38

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@npub1mp3…qjxj The alternative being that you click on links with no results, bear with all the ads, do a manual text search on the page looking for your search terms (or not search terms, I tend to use "+this -that" queries in a desperate attempt to get relevance) until you break your keyboard in a blind rage...

2023-06-06 12:47:49

I just had a GREAT idea for a browser extension. You put in your search expression, in the background it sends the search to the major so-called search engines (Gaggle, Bong, etc.) then it fetches pages in the results looking for an ACTUAL MATCH to your query and then when (or if) it accumulates a page of results, presents those links to you. Results that are ACTUALLY RELEVANT to your query, not some garbage a dumb algorithm thinks you might find useful.

2023-05-23 21:07:45

I have just written the first explicitly violent scene in my novel and I'm drained. It's easy for me to disconnect from a scene like this as a reader, but the writer has no such luxury.
#writing #iAmWriting #writersOfMastodon

2023-05-23 15:00:52

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@npub10n9…tjug Not scenes so much, but one of my secondary characters has proved to be so interesting that I've outlined a complete back story for her. That story informs her character and decision making and I get the feeling I'll be telling her story more fully at some point.

2023-05-23 14:36:46

Had she lived this long, my mother would have been 100 today. When I was 10, 1955 seemed to be ancient history. Now a century seems like a moment.

2023-05-22 12:25:44

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@npub10n9…tjug I think it's in the air. Yesterday I put the finishing touches on a solution to a deep structural problem and am now finally writing my way to the next structural problem! Hopefully nowhere near as challenging as the one just put to bed.

2023-05-20 13:23:03

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@npub10n9…tjug words, words, words and more words. Sometimes new words, often old words bent into weird new phrases.

2023-05-19 12:10:57

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@npub10n9…tjug I am at my most productive on those fine, sunny days. If it's perfect outside, you'll find me in a semi-dark corner, cranking something out. It's perverse.

2023-05-15 19:10:20

Baxter's Monday check in: 14.5 kg (31.8 lbs). Growth spurt #2. I think he's bigger every other time I look at him.
#dogs #DogsOfMastodon
https://a.mindlycdn.click/media_attachments/files/110/374/268/492/430/630/original/5864fcafc58b74d3.jpeg

2023-05-08 14:21:19

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@npub10n9…tjug One agent's coal is the next agent's diamond. The key question would be "okay, so can you give me a list of the 'issue driven' manuscripts you have placed along with rough sales figures. 20 years ago I thought agents were godlike, now I think they're just people.

2023-04-01 17:03:12

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#[0] Well that's it then: disorientation, disbelief, distressed, and displaced. My poor protagonist will be victorious in a battle he never fully understands.

2023-04-01 14:04:10

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#[0] I dunno. How about starting with where you found it? Then maybe hire an intern who knows what image descriptions are. After all you're supposed to be aligned with marginalized communities, right?

2023-04-01 13:04:41

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#[0] Is disoriented a mood?