Derick Florian (he/him) @derickflorian@qoto.org

Given the news around Gitea abruptly pivoting to for-profit ownership, I feel like this is more relevant:

Keeping platforms open: How open platforms become closed, and how standards-driven development can prevent it from happening.

Basically we need to ensure multiple compatible implementations of AP-federated forges exist (both server and client) for them to be a viable competitor to email-based workflows. Hopefully at least one client can usable from an accessibility perspective.

HOLY FREAKING WAMPA BALLS

https://nitter.net/abughazalehkat/status/1590542903755309056

@derickflorian @zleap Yep, CircuiTikZ is where it’s at!

@JensHannemann @derickflorian

For anyone interested

CircuiTikz package
https://www.overleaf.com/learn/latex/CircuiTikz_package

Try doing all this in Word, I would rather jump off a cliff, than struggle

I need to get my head round Tikz, but at least we know it does the job really well.

For anyone interested , here is an introduction to Overleaf, the online, collaborative \LaTeX\ editor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8Ejj0T0yG4

Hey #BrownMastodon

How's it going here?

Has anyone tried to tone-police you, or asked you to use CW when talking about your experiences?

Have you encountered overt #racism or other isms/phobias or otherwise been harassed?

I'm adding a simple poll. Please boost so we can try and get a good sample of responses

Hi everyone. Time for a #introduction!

I'm a CS researcher at Microsoft Research; formerly faculty at UW CSE.

I do research in #distributedsystems, #operatingsystems, #datacenters and #networking. I've worked mainly on consensus and transaction protocols, and lately programmable switches.

I started the https://discuss.systems/ instance for the computer systems community.

I post about research, food and wine, bad jokes, and cat photos. Sometimes I even explain systems papers using cat photos.

Me, writing work emails after reading #JaneAusten:

“My dear Dr. Dashwood—
I trust that you and your graduate students remain in good health. Praise for your latest article is on everyone’s lips. I have not the smallest wish to vex you, but circumstances compel me to trouble you for a meeting. There is not a moment to be lost. I flatter myself that you will endeavour to fill out this Whenisgood poll before Michaelmas.
Until then I remain,
Your humble servant— S.” 🪶

I mentioned this in a private message to someone recently about why a small handful of servers block qoto. I wanted to reiterate it here for the new comers on QOTO who dont know the history:

So there are some servers out there that demand every server int he network block every instance they do, and if a server doesnt block an instance they block then they block you in rettatliation.

Their reason for this is quite flawed but it goes like this.. If we federate with a bad actor instance and we boost one of their posts then their users will see it and defeat the purpose of the block. The problem is, this isnt how it actually works. If they block a server and we boost it, they wont see the boost, thats how blocks work.

The issue becomes even more complicated when you consider the fact that these servers, by virtue of their policy, have huge block lists where they block tons of major servers. So in order to satisfy them we too would have to block a huge number of servers.

This means you have a choice, you either join a server that isnt blocked, but has a huge block list themselves, or, you join a server that doesnt block and be blocked by a small handful of servers. Obviously that means on QOTO you will have bigger view of the world than you would on any of these others servers. In fact QOTO has onne of the largest federation footprints of any server in the network.

I want to also explain why we choose the decision we did. Years ago when this controversy started and servers across the fediverse started blocking there was a divide of people taking sides. WOTO was one of the few servers that didnt take sides and allowed people read content from any server (but with strict hate speech rules). This caused a huge influx of people,s pecifically from the LGBTQ community, onto our server. It turns out many people relied on us not-blocking for their physical safety. There were big name biggots (like milo yanappolus) who were on the network. They used their accounts here to watch his account for doxing so they could warn themselves and their community and protect themselves accordingly. In fact we added a feature just for them called subscriptions which allowed them to monitor accounts without following them so they could do so anonymously.

In tthe end for the safety of the LGBTQ community here we refused to engage in mass server blocking and instead encouraged our users to block servers on an individual basis and provided access to block lists for them to do so. But some really misguided servers blocked us anyway.

Thankfully the servers blocking us are few and far between and are limited to only the most excessive and aggressive block lists. As I said, QOTO has one of the largest federation footprints on the fediverse,

#mastoadmin

So someone messaged me privately and asked how absolute this is.. like would we block an instance calling for genocide. I feel my response is import to reiterate here, so here it is:

Its not just about the authorities, it is about the people whose lives are at risk by that call to genocide having the right to see those posts and use that information to look out for their own safety... If someone is doxed, they should know, if someone is threatened, they should know, and they should be able to take action.

Someone saying violent things online doesnt guarantee some police officer will meander by and take them down. The law only tends to get involved once someone is reported, and sometimes not even then. No one will be reporting a site if no one can see or know it is there.

The question is, if someone is being physically threatened and having their life in jeopardy how are you helping them by blocking the privileges of the **victim** and disallowing the victim the right to see the threat placed against them?

In short, I refuse to take away rights from the victim simply because there is a violent bad actor out there. If the victim doesn't want to see it they simply need to import the block list and the problem is solved for them, so why not keep the power in the victims hands?

#introduction time… I’m Emma (but often called Emski), busy #mum from #yorkshire

I work for PatronBase as Partnerships Director, providing software to the #arts #culture #heritage I’m also studying part time for a MSC in #SoftwareEngineering and a big advocate of #womeninstem and #girlswhocode

In my spare time I play #RollerDerby, I am a #SchoolGovernor and a volunteer in the loco department at a #heritagerailway 
I’m a big supporter of supporting #handmade and #smallbusiness

File: Tarzan.ay
Misc: (c) 1986 Martech
Author: Rob Hubbard
Tracks: 1
1 - Tarzan - Title (AY)
#ZXSpectrum
#chiptune