Mike Rockwell

Writer of @initialcharge, Product Liaison for Pocket Casts, and Happiness Engineer at Automattic.

Public Key

npub1wcj9qr3qngtqtxkqfrvqd89fex3zw26fq80j2xspcvcy5fjkt92sxckutj

NIP-05 Address

mike_at_libertynode.net@mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs8vfzspcsf59s9ntqy3kqxnj5ung389dysrhe9rgquxvz2yet9j4gpz4mhxue69uhkg6t5w3hjuur4vghhyetvv9uszxmhwden5te0dpjku6r0w4ek2tnnda3kjctv9aex2mrp0yzkyrax

Publishing to

ditto.pub/relay

henhouse.social/relay

Author Public Key

npub1wcj9qr3qngtqtxkqfrvqd89fex3zw26fq80j2xspcvcy5fjkt92sxckutj

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Last Notes

2025-04-04 16:29:07

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@nprofile…zw4s I’m probably wrong, but I could imagine some of the higher ups in Nintendo worrying that the launch is already tainted by public sentiment and they have to do something to shift the narrative.
Maybe it will be something minor like bundling that Switch 2 Tour game or maybe it’ll be nothing at all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

2025-04-04 16:28:57

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@nprofile…zw4s Nintendo had a live stream yesterday where they were showing off more from the games and the chat was absolutely slammed with people saying they need to drop the price. And almost all of the videos/reaction I’ve seen have been negative on the pricing.

2025-04-04 16:22:36

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@nprofile…zw4s they dropped the price on the 3DS shortly after launch, so its not completely unprecedented.

2025-04-04 16:18:18

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@nprofile…27yh that sure seems like the current cadence. lol

2025-04-04 16:17:32

So Nintendo is delaying preorders to a later date.
The assumption is that prices may increase.
What if they gave their statement in the way that they did so that they could massively exceed expectations by announcing a price *drop*?
People are already upset about the announced pricing, how could they possibly increase it further and expect anyone to buy the system and games?

2025-01-12 16:14:51

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@nprofile…843t a podcast would be cool. Or maybe a blog post that summarizes the group discussion?

2025-01-12 00:24:57

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@nprofile…843t I don’t think I’d participate because I’m hit and miss when it comes to having enough time to play games, but I absolutely love this idea.

2024-12-28 20:37:23

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@nprofile…kmnl we’re more in the market for an Odyssey at this point, haha.

2024-12-28 16:46:39

John Cena really wants me to buy a Honda.
I hear the ads *all the time*.

2024-12-21 16:41:30

Forgot to post this last night.
A Charlie Brown Christmas on blu-ray
#PhysicalMediaFriday

2024-09-05 21:39:34

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@npub17re…fy8t I must be out of the loop. What app is everyone talking about?

2024-08-03 15:52:03

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@npub1su2…ecd9 I recently went through all of my notebooks to find all the half-filled ones. I sorted them by most used so I can finish them completely before I start a new one again.

2024-07-29 23:06:09

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@npub1gzl…kk4u I’ve been eyeing the Framework 13 the past few days. Desperately trying to convince myself that I don’t actually need one.

2024-07-25 12:26:56

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@npub1gzl…kk4u congratulations!
Does this mean you’ll be leaving your position at Mozilla/Thunderbird?

2024-06-30 04:58:58

That thing where you overanalyze every interaction you had at a family event.
I can’t be the only one that does this, right?

2024-06-21 17:40:36

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@npub1yea…3zln I’d take the ability to install software from outside of the App Store over those three features. And it’s not even close..

2024-06-21 15:42:16

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If I was to setup a blogroll on @npub1zmc…f02c, how many sites should I aim to include?
There’s a part of me that wants to make it a throwback to MySpace’s “top 8”, but maybe that’s too few?

2024-06-21 14:51:49

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Could I come up with something that plays off “rolodex”?

2024-06-21 14:47:27

What’s another word for “blogroll”?
When writing, I generally avoid the word “blog” and use “weblog” instead, when necessary. I just think it sounds better.
But I’m at a loss for alternatives to “blogroll”.
Any ideas?

2024-06-20 19:45:00

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@npub1u9u…s7g4 I don’t remember that specific incident, but know of Google’s “this is a developing story” garbage that artificially gates content in search results.
I don’t understand why normies continue to put up with it.

2024-06-20 19:23:16

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@npub1hwg…xx8x I have not. Mostly because I’ve been enjoying Brave and just haven’t taken the time to try it.

2024-06-20 12:49:30

Im really enjoying the Unbrel Home, but I’m not sure if it’s ready for average users yet.
https://initialcharge.net/2024/06/umbrel-home-review/
https://libertynode.net/system/media_attachments/files/112/649/028/347/903/796/original/730752040e4565cb.png
https://libertynode.net/system/media_attachments/files/112/649/028/885/296/173/original/555ccc2829d6faf2.png

2024-06-20 00:30:05

If horses were into crypto, they’d only buy stablecoins.

2024-06-19 20:52:48

Google search has overstayed its welcome. We should have started convincing our relatives to switch years ago.
I’ve been recommending Brave Search lately. I just wish it was an available option in mobile Safari.
https://reclaimthenet.org/rumble-finds-video-of-google-exec-admitting-to-search-engine-bias

2024-06-19 16:52:21

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@npub1n0n…kk0r you’d think all the climate change over 3500 years would have knocked Stonehenge over by now. 🤔

2024-06-18 01:00:51

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@npub1cgg…0n34 I have a 2011 Mac Mini that’s used about once each month to remove DRM from iTunes content.

2024-06-15 20:18:11

I now have two 12TB WD Reds storing all of our photos, random files, and Plex libraries. I’ll have two 18TB WD Reds tomorrow that will serve as backup drives for all of the computers on our network.

2024-06-14 13:46:34

🇺🇸

2024-06-12 23:31:58

It’s a “let’s order a sheet pizza so we have leftovers for tomorrow” kind of night.

2024-06-12 23:06:00

It’s only Wednesday, huh?

2024-06-11 21:26:19

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@npub1ln5…xyw6 great!

2024-06-11 20:43:44

Received my Umbrel Home in the mail yesterday and will be setting it up to replace the one I was running on an old Mac Mini.
I’m currently waiting for the Bitcoin node to finish syncing.

2024-06-10 22:46:43

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@npub1mnp…932u here’s one:
How do you backup and restore a Linux system?
I use Time Machine and SuperDuper on macOS, but the process on Linux isn’t as clear.

2024-06-10 21:19:39

“I gotta get out of here.”
“I know, I’ll follow the escape goat.”
“Maaaaa”

2024-06-10 18:41:47

“AI for the rest of us.”
lol, okay.

2024-06-10 18:03:56

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@npub19yu…k4fq I own neither, but I’d look at Franework and Lenovo first.

2024-06-10 17:59:49

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I *think* it went okay.

2024-06-10 12:39:33

Big day.

2024-06-09 19:06:50

Spirit Break Out by Let Us Worship, Sean Feucht & Kim Walker-Smith
https://song.link/i/1555777346
#music

2024-06-09 13:44:44

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@npub18su…nd38 he’s insufferable.

2024-06-08 14:33:54

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@npub1cwm…tzvq looks like a Noctua handheld.

2024-06-08 14:16:47

Windows Recall feels like a feature that was built so that companies could keep a closer eye on what their employees are doing throughout the work day.

2024-06-08 04:41:01

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@npub1tfe…vzlr I think there will be a company that solves most of those problems with a clever, approachable interface and the right pitch to users.
Outages causing everything to go down would be the biggest challenge.

2024-06-08 03:13:22

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It seems inevitable for a product like this to really hit at some point. I think it’s just a matter of having the right mix of software, an approachable management interface, and winning over the tech-savvy who then encourage their friends and family to jump on board.

2024-06-08 03:09:31

I can’t stop thinking about a future where it becomes commonplace for people to buy a $300-400 device that sits on their home network and runs a slew of services that they previously paid a monthly/yearly fee for.
Maybe the company selling the device would offer optional subscriptions to facilitate access of the services outside of your home network and for encrypted, off-site backups of the device’s data.

2024-06-07 12:51:31

Memes are the new email forwards.

2024-06-07 12:50:24

Remember email forwards?

2024-06-07 01:43:53

Today was a long day.

2024-06-06 02:39:28

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@npub176d…x085 the websites without the checkmark option at login, that I *want* to forget me, never do.

2024-06-06 02:34:48

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@npub1ha5…wz24 dope.

2024-06-06 02:29:24

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@npub1wd6…a8q8 $714 million per charger.

2024-06-05 19:12:13

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@npub17re…fy8t I’m hoping it will get easier with time. But I’m glad I’m not the only one. :)

2024-06-05 18:42:57

It’s *really* hard for me to look at photos of our first son, Josh, now.
I can look at them from the past month or two, but if I go further back it’s heart wrenching.
The passage of time stinks.

2024-06-05 17:31:35

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@npub1yea…3zln weather and stocks were pulling data from Yahoo, too, if I’m remembering correctly.

2024-06-05 17:20:31

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@npub1dzn…4dfn I don’t usually skip the ads in the comedy podcasts I listen to because they do a new read each week and it’s often just as funny as the rest of the show.

2024-06-05 01:25:19

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@npub1f2m…yp35 that’s a big slice of pi.

2024-06-04 16:49:52

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@npub1mh5…233h at least he’s pro-2A, I guess.

2024-06-03 01:56:22

People say they “let the cat out of the bag” like it’s a bad thing.
Who puts a cat in a bag, though? You should let it out.

2024-06-02 14:55:35

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Folium is still missing a lot of niceties that you’d expect from emulators.
- No controller mapping
- No options for screen layout
- No way to hide on-screen controls when a controller is present
- No option for exiting a game, you have to force quit the app and re-open
Hopefully these will be added with time.

2024-06-02 14:03:02

Folium was just released and there’s already an update that adds 3DS emulation support.
https://apps.apple.com/app/id6498623389

2024-06-01 17:09:26

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@npub1k58…zrdw not officially, but there are ways:
https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/

2024-06-01 16:41:30

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@npub1q66…us4s you know what to do next.
https://libertynode.net/system/media_attachments/files/112/542/357/052/542/292/original/2d5baa75f6393e31.mp4

2024-06-01 16:38:52

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@npub1jc2…l0ah absolutely. I saw someone do it, which prompted my post. It drives me batty.

2024-06-01 12:58:58

Many people don’t know what the word “humbled” means.

2024-06-01 03:36:06

Installed Ubuntu 24.04 alongside Sonoma on the 11-inch MacBook Air. It took a couple of tries before I figured out how to get it all working nicely with OpenCore.
Now to get Ubuntu setup to my liking and figure out how to get more informative icons in the OpenCore boot screen.

2024-05-31 16:46:34

Artificial Intelligence Borland.
https://libertynode.net/system/media_attachments/files/112/536/714/659/002/103/original/148bbf084f5213fd.jpeg

2024-05-31 16:29:19

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@npub16kx…gym2 because of where the text wrapped, I read that as “artificial intelligence capone”.

2024-05-31 15:57:29

Interesting. https://sparktoro.com/blog/an-anonymous-source-shared-thousands-of-leaked-google-search-api-documents-with-me-everyone-in-seo-should-see-them/

2024-05-31 14:26:34

Bright by Echosmith
https://song.link/i/924487458
#music

2024-05-30 17:42:06

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@npub1q3s…d26p nice.

2024-05-30 16:25:05

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@npub102h…ulws I would use “colleague”.

2024-05-30 16:23:19

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@npub16pf…vu54 Mammoth, just to be different.

2024-05-30 01:44:42

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@npub1ezd…lzhq more people behind him than in front of him.

2024-05-30 01:30:20

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@npub1wwt…ljy2 I don’t need anyone knowing how many pulled pork sandwiches I’ve ordered.

2024-05-29 13:32:36

St. Patrick by PVRIS
https://song.link/i/1714828738
#music

2024-05-29 13:25:08

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@npub1quw…066a I used DDG for several years and ended up switching because their results just weren’t that great for me. I’ve been using Brave for a little while now and have been pretty happy with it.

2024-05-26 23:16:01

The only thing preventing you from owning a home is your belief that you will never own a home.
*ducks*

2024-05-26 16:54:56

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@npub1sg6…f63m they’re still the most comfortable headphones I’ve used.
I stick with the 2nd generation AirPods for that very reason. Everything else is trash.

2024-05-25 17:46:31

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@npub1qmh…xh88 anything specific that draws you to Signal?
I’ve been toying with Matrix lately on the hope that I can get a bridge setup for the people I can’t convince to switch.

2024-05-25 15:53:32

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@npub1gzl…kk4u I often search YouTube for answers because it’s far more likely the video is made by a human with real information.

2024-05-25 15:04:52

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@npub1j4v…z8hn we use that site at work whenever we need a user to test in another browser.

2024-05-25 13:45:35

Remember in the mid-2000s when the cool internet thing to do when visiting family was to install Firefox on their PC and convince them to switch from IE?
The nerdy among us should start doing that type of thing again for browsers, search engines, messaging apps, social networks, etc.

2024-05-24 19:39:16

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@npub1lsa…d39f that redesign is trash for a lot of reasons.

2024-05-24 12:59:38

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@npub1h4n…fruy I’m sorry to hear that. I hope for a speedy recovery. You’ll be in my prayers.

2024-05-23 16:16:15

Playing X-Pac’s entrance theme for telemarketers.

2024-05-22 18:55:36

Apparently registrars aren’t able to offer whois privacy for .us domains.
That’s wack.
What’s the risk in just putting fake info in your whois?

2024-05-21 22:53:12

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@npub17ae…edqt similar to Beeper.
https://texts.com/

2024-05-21 21:42:07

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@npub17ae…edqt my team does support for Texts currently — the other messaging service that we acquired recently.
I’ve been meaning to toy with Matrix for a while, though.

2024-05-21 20:55:51

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@npub17ae…edqt yup. :)
(I work for Automattic. We acquired Beeper recently.)

2024-05-21 19:05:08

This is cool. https://t2bot.io/

2024-05-20 15:14:07

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The encryption situation in Matrix is a little confusing at first.
But I *think* all you need to do is use the secure backup feature and save your secret key.
I *think* that will let me view chat history on a new device if I end up logged out of all my sessions.

2024-05-20 03:37:30

Anyone have any experience using Matrix? Is Fluffychat the best iOS client?
Element seems like the natural choice, but the font size is just too small and there doesn’t seem to be any way to change that.

2024-05-19 21:32:10

I bought a new pair of AirPods because mine are in pretty rough shape.
I got the second generation model again because they’re the only ones that are comfortable in my ears and don’t fall out constantly.
But I realized while setting them up that they’re the seventh pair that I’ve owned. Crazy.

2024-05-19 14:14:18

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@npub103h…5ggl this was actually the thing to do when you ordered PB&J gor lunch in my elementary school. People thought you were weird if you didn’t.

2024-05-17 20:56:57

Oof.
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/05/17/ios-17-5-bug-wiped-devices-photos-resurfacing/

2024-05-17 13:59:15

If a friend or family member wanted to setup a home media server, this is what I’d recommend to them.
https://initialcharge.net/2024/05/budget-homelab-recommendation/
https://libertynode.net/system/media_attachments/files/112/456/784/608/007/055/original/4800d7aae64f1750.png

2024-05-17 00:45:32

https://massie.house.gov/uploadedfiles/endthefed.pdf

2024-05-16 14:35:54

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The shortcut still requires Toolbox Pro:
https://apps.apple.com/app/id1476205977
But if you happen to only game in RetroArch and Steam Link or want to see how it works, here you are:
https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/58407254167a42c282c51eda447e73aa

2024-05-16 14:35:36

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It’s worth noting that I’ve since consolidated all of my iPhone gaming to just RetroArch and Steam Link. Because of this, I have a new shortcut that just opens those two apps.
Run the shortcut and it will launch RetroArch/Steam Link, press the volume button and it just opens the other app — no menu necessary because it’s just the two apps.

2024-05-16 14:31:40

With RetroArch and PPSSPP available on the App Store now, it’s worth resharing my Action Button game launcher shortcut I wrote about a couple of months ago.
Run the shortcut to open the game it most recently launched and press the volume button afterward to display a menu to open another game.
https://initialcharge.net/2024/03/action-button-game-launcher/