lynxy's recent activity
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Comment on SpaceXAI joins Omacom and gives $1.5m Grok tokens for Omarchy in ~tech
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Comment on SpaceXAI joins Omacom and gives $1.5m Grok tokens for Omarchy in ~tech
lynxy LinkIt's a shame that DHH is an unrepentant racist asshole. Birds of a feather flock together, I suppose.It's a shame that DHH is an unrepentant racist asshole. Birds of a feather flock together, I suppose.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
lynxy LinkOver the past couple of weeks I have been finally going through the ~17k photos that I have taken in the past ~5 years, and I have selected a number of them which I want to edit and publish in...Over the past couple of weeks I have been finally going through the ~17k photos that I have taken in the past ~5 years, and I have selected a number of them which I want to edit and publish in some form. I want to be able to show people that I do have some capacity for creative output which isn't just my stubborn-tools programming.
Currently, the plan is to upload the finished photography to Bluesky, one or two a day. I considered watermarking them, but in this age of AI, is there any point?
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy Link ParentIt is! And I have already been approached by another user who has reverse engineered the algorithm by which you can fetch the key from the binary blob (it's wonderfully obfuscated), haha. However,...It is! And I have already been approached by another user who has reverse engineered the algorithm by which you can fetch the key from the binary blob (it's wonderfully obfuscated), haha. However, at this point I already have a comprehensive set of SPCs. I've also had another user offer firmware versions from their own Telegram-based archive, which I will need to validate against any versions that I already have that overlap to ensure that they have not been tampered with. It seems like I might end up with quite a comprehensive set of firmware versions for most of the recent (2020+) devices.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
lynxy LinkThis is probably not going to get much traction, but I need a place to rant. Why does it seem that the communities that surround the collaborative sharing of media always get stuck with one...This is probably not going to get much traction, but I need a place to rant.
Why does it seem that the communities that surround the collaborative sharing of media always get stuck with one monopolising closed-source application that performs the same kind of hostile patterns that the original service that the community is trying to circumvent also performs?
I've been looking into sourcing the firmware for the Sony Xperia line devices, because I have a Sony Xperia 1 VII which is rooted, and cannot be updated through the normal channels.
The only real solution, apart from Sony's proprietary companion app, is a closed-source Windows-only .NET GUI application, which I used to be able to run on Linux using
mono, but now that I am running a Wayland-based aarch64 device, I have no hope.I've spent the past week reverse engineering the Sony firmware endpoints so that I can create a Python script which can fetch any available firmware versions for any of the Sony Xperia line. In order to do so, you need the Hardware Variant ID, the Product Object ID, the Model Object ID, and the SPC (Sony Product Code).
There exists an endpoint which can fetch a set of hardware variant objects, product objects, and model objects. Using the TAC code, which is the first 8 digits of a device's IMEI, you can navigate this data structure to build a dictionary containing the required IDs- except for the SPC. The SPC is a "secret" value. Each device has a number of hardware variants, for different carriers or localisations, and each hardware variant has a set of valid SPCs.
There are many ancient discussions on the web about these SPCs- what they are, where they come from, lists of codes for each device, etc- but the most surefire way to get a comprehensive list is to probe (brute-force) the API using a set of valid IDs and a potential SPC pulled iteratively out of a pool. There are a number of hints that reduce this set, or inform you about iteration direction so that you can restrict the number of requests to a more sensible value.
However- this closed source program must have a list, right? And indeed it does. Not built into the binary, of course, but fetched in AES encrypted form from the developer's domain, decrypted in secret, and referenced.
What should be open and collaborative has instead been monopolised by a person who, from their online communications, seems to be an ass*.
And so I've somehow taken it upon myself to, using my open source scripts, fetch all current (and future) versions of the Sony Xperia firmware and archive them in an openly accessible place. I've spun up a domain, set aside a number of terrabytes for storage, and I've decided upon a file structure and compression method which saves me at least a little space (a firmware archive can be some 4.8-5.8GB, and I can get that down to maybe ~3.8GB when compressed as a TAR.XZ archive).
I'm also debating hosting an open REST API which allows for submitting and fetching a comprehensive set of device SPCs. If I can do anything to eliminate what I see as anti-user behaviour in this space, I will.
* Does this situation seem familar? If it does, it might be because you've read my previous rant about exactly this same behaviour in the Blu-ray ripping community.
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Comment on What single episode of a show would you recommend as a standalone? in ~tv
lynxy LinkI'm not certain that it works completely as a standalone episode- I might remove the introductory five minutes and instead work in the cold opens from the first two episodes to give more context,...I'm not certain that it works completely as a standalone episode- I might remove the introductory five minutes and instead work in the cold opens from the first two episodes to give more context, but I'd nominate episode 03 of the first season of "The Last of Us"- titled "Long, Long Time".
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Comment on Canada's oil windfall may yet wipe out its losses from tariffs in ~finance
lynxy Link ParentWhat do you mean? That's the conservative manifesto in every damned country. Blame the left (even if they were last in power over a decade before), claim that they'll change things after the next...What do you mean? That's the conservative manifesto in every damned country. Blame the left (even if they were last in power over a decade before), claim that they'll change things after the next election, and then utterly refuse to try when they get in again.
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Comment on Best options for domain registrar and static site hosting in 2026? in ~comp
lynxy Link Parent+4 for Porkbun. I wish they weren't America-based, but they've been excellent for me.+4 for Porkbun. I wish they weren't America-based, but they've been excellent for me.
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Comment on What are your "how on earth did I not learn this sooner" tech moments? in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentOh, nice! I've always used F6 in Firefox, which can be a pain if your function row isn't set to the function keys by default and you have to remember to use a modifier. This is a much cleaner...Oh, nice! I've always used F6 in Firefox, which can be a pain if your function row isn't set to the function keys by default and you have to remember to use a modifier. This is a much cleaner solution :)
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Comment on What lesser-known sci-fi reads do you recommend? in ~books
lynxy Link ParentPost-read update: Wow. That was a ride. I'm far too stupid to understand even half of the mathematics, but I get the gist enough that I can understand the progression of knowledge and the...Post-read update: Wow. That was a ride. I'm far too stupid to understand even half of the mathematics, but I get the gist enough that I can understand the progression of knowledge and the parallels that are being drawn.
And while there are definitely moments in which it feels like the drama is a bit too contrived or cliché- does sci-fi so often have to revolve around two competing factions who can't come to an agreement?- there are many characters that I grew to like a lot, enough to feel the loss as the story moved on.
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Comment on X corp is taking down Nitter instances and demands takedown of project repository in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentThe majority of it artists that I follow have switched at this point, most of them years ago. There is both quantitative and anecdotal evidence than a smaller number of followers on Bsky...The majority of it artists that I follow have switched at this point, most of them years ago.
There is both quantitative and anecdotal evidence than a smaller number of followers on Bsky consistently results in a higher proportion of interactions-per-follower than on Twitter. This is in part because the userbase isn't mostly bots, but also because the primary feed is based entirely on who you follow, which results in users seeing content that they actually care for instead of having an algorithm shove shite down their throats.
Anybody who is still holding out in that cesspool because they can't bear to part with their online highscore is not the sort of person worth following anyway.
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Comment on X corp is taking down Nitter instances and demands takedown of project repository in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentThat thread is just a lot of people upset that they can no longer use the Nazi app in the way in which they feel comfortable- why would a site like Twitter allow third-party front-ends? Why would...That thread is just a lot of people upset that they can no longer use the Nazi app in the way in which they feel comfortable- why would a site like Twitter allow third-party front-ends? Why would any reasonable person still feel comfortable using this platform?
Anybody who has not switched to less problematic services at this point, such as Bluesky (still mildly problematic) or Mastodon is complicit in the nonsense that Elon does. We should not be patronising a fascist.
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Comment on What lesser-known sci-fi reads do you recommend? in ~books
lynxy Link ParentOn consideration, I agree with you. I think it the strongest of the three, and I'll admit to finding some of the inter-character tension in the third book a little frustrating to read. It has a...On consideration, I agree with you. I think it the strongest of the three, and I'll admit to finding some of the inter-character tension in the third book a little frustrating to read. It has a cathartic resolution, but it could have arrived there quicker and with less whining.
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Comment on What lesser-known sci-fi reads do you recommend? in ~books
lynxy Link ParentI greatly appreciate the recommendation, and I'll be fast-tracking the Orthogonal Trilogy in my reading queue. Diaspora left me in a funky and pensive mood, and I absolutely devoured it.I greatly appreciate the recommendation, and I'll be fast-tracking the Orthogonal Trilogy in my reading queue. Diaspora left me in a funky and pensive mood, and I absolutely devoured it.
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Comment on What lesser-known sci-fi reads do you recommend? in ~books
lynxy (edited )LinkThere are three that come to mind, although whether or not they count as "big-name" is probably up for debate. I mention them because they have moved me, and because although they may sometimes...There are three that come to mind, although whether or not they count as "big-name" is probably up for debate. I mention them because they have moved me, and because although they may sometimes appear on "sci-fi you should read" lists, they're also not so large in the zeitgeist as far as the general public is concerned.
The Culture Series - Iain M. Banks
This is probably the better known of the three, and also the most extensive. The ten books are anthological in structure, and detail the interactions between the Culture- a post-scarcity space-faring society of humanoids- and smaller, less-advanced civilisations that don't necessarily share the same enlightened view of morality or society. I love it for its almost anti-dystopian lens into the future, for its discussion about purpose in an environment in which everything you'll ever need is provided at no cost, and for its approach to current societal issues which poses the possibility that maybe we could forget all of the manufactured animosity surrounding them entirely.
As to why it didn't get wider appreciation? I'm not entirely certain. The anthological nature might put people off, and while the series has been referenced in more high-profile contexts (such as the naming of the SpaceX landing ships), adaptations have also never quite managed to get off of the ground. Adaptation attempts seem to try to start with the first-published book, which might also be one of the rougher-edged in the series, and which also has one or two scenes which would likely never make it into any live-action medium.
Diaspora - Greg Egan
Perhaps a little less well known, Diaspora is a "hard science fiction" novel which spends perhaps a little too much time musing about the exact descriptions of four-plus-dimensional space- but would you expect anything else from a mathematician? This is a single book, not a series, and I think that it takes a very interesting approach to the subject of digital consciousness, self-representation (the "gestalt"), and purpose beyond the physical form.
This one is a little more difficult of a read, largely because of the aforementioned hard-sci-fi aspects, and it's one that I have yet to see much discussion about online, which I think is a shame. It would likely be quite difficult to adapt to another medium, and I think that the general public would not show much interest even if it were achieved.
A Fire Upon the Deep - Vernor Vinge
I really enjoyed these three books from the "Zones of Thought" universe, which is an interesting concept that puts some effort into trying to explain why certain limitations in technology might exist from our perspective. I also love the somewhat anthropomorphised dog-like "Tines", with their group-think behaviour and their focus on acoustic senses. This series, I think, is a little less philosophical (it's described as "space opera"), but it provides a compelling story with likeable characters, in a world that quickly pulled me in.
I'm actually surprised that this one has not seen wider appreciation, or any attempts at adaptation. I suppose that at the end of the day, there are wealth of IPs from which to pull and only so many capable teams producing media at once- as most of the big studios are happier making safe bets on sequels of already popular properties.
There are many other examples of brilliant books in sci-fi which might be, as you put it, "not widely appreciated" almost purely because sci-fi is only one genre in a medium that is just not as widely appreciated as film or TV is.
There exists older sci-fi which provides a backbone for a lot of the modern material, books which originated cyberpunk themes and the meta-verse (Neuromancer, which is getting an Apple TV adaptation soon; Snow Crash, which was tagged for a HBO adaptation some 7 years ago which never materialised), and softer sci-fi- which focuses more on the society and the humanity in a sci-fi setting (absolutely anything by Ursula K. Le Guin, who I recommend whole-heartedly as a writer whose work will often leave me crying- just check out "The Word for World is Forest" for a quick introduction to her style). There's more modern sci-fi (such as Adrian Tchaikovsky's children of time series; heck, even Paolini- author of the Inheritance Cycle- is getting in on the action with "To Sleep in a Sea of Stars", which I quite enjoyed).
I'm sorry, I've started rambling and haven't much answered the third question about what makes specific sci-fi less widely appreciated. I just enjoy sci-fi :3
Edit: fixed two spelling mistakes.
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Comment on Another week on Linux in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentI do appreciate people trying Linux, especially when they do so more than once as the ecosystem continues to mature. I admit to being a little disappointed that many such people seem unwilling to...I do appreciate people trying Linux, especially when they do so more than once as the ecosystem continues to mature. I admit to being a little disappointed that many such people seem unwilling to deal with the compromises that they may have to make- if you really want out of a walled garden, you sort of have to make it happen.
On the other hand, I also note that you have run into more issues than most, coming from Apple hardware. I have not used Asahi myself, but I do have an ARM laptop which has similar issues, and I'm no stranger to the #aarch64-laptops IRC channel.
The RAM one is an interesting issue, though. I see no reason why swap might be impossible on Apple hardware- perhaps you just missed it during the installation? It's easy to hit the wrong confirmation when you're greeted by a string of decisions. You might also have a look into zram, which implements in-RAM compression- a similar solution to Apple's. I'm not sure if it's configured by default on Asahi systems, but in theory it could be on Ubuntu.
My primary system is from roughly six years ago, and has a measly 8GB of RAM, which I have only ever had issues with when running multiple complex programs at the same time (Firefox, Discord, Blender, Prusa Slicer, a literal tonne of GPU accelerated terminal contexts). In day-to-day operation I only run a small subset of these (Firefox with approx. 70 tabs, Discord, Alacritty) and rarely hit more than 6GB of usage.
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Comment on BasicSync and Synctrain: solid apps for bringing Syncthing to phones in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentI'm not certain, but I would guess not. Termux has a package manager with a specific build of Syncthing, and you need wakelock capability. If you give it a go, though, I'd love to hear your findings!I'm not certain, but I would guess not. Termux has a package manager with a specific build of Syncthing, and you need wakelock capability. If you give it a go, though, I'd love to hear your findings!
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Comment on Compression is prediction in ~comp
lynxy LinkIt would probably have, were this blog post not almost a direct response to Three Blue, One Brown's latest video series on exactly this topic. What's strange is that the content and structure of...In this post, I’m going to walk us through the basics of compression to understand its deep relationship with language modeling. It’s probably going to blow your mind.
It would probably have, were this blog post not almost a direct response to Three Blue, One Brown's latest video series on exactly this topic.
What's strange is that the content and structure of the blog post is very similar to that of the video, which was released roughly two months ago, and yet no explicit mention is made of it?
This, coming from an organisation that seems to be all-in on AI, is putting a bad taste in my mouth..
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Comment on BasicSync and Synctrain: solid apps for bringing Syncthing to phones in ~tech
lynxy Link ParentI suppose that depends on what you count as significant! I've had a look at the battery usage statistics every day for the past four days, before plugging my phone in for the night, and Termux...I suppose that depends on what you count as significant! I've had a look at the battery usage statistics every day for the past four days, before plugging my phone in for the night, and Termux seems to be using between 3-4% of my battery pretty consistently.
Now, given I'm not traveling a lot currently, and I'm largely on my computer instead of the phone, this is probably a proportionally higher percentage than it would be in day-to-day life for somebody who travels to-and-from an office, for example. I end most days on >50% battery- so take that as you will.
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Comment on Reddit will require you to be logged in to use old.reddit.com in ~tech
lynxy LinkOld topic, but I am now (as of 10th August 2026) running into the sign-in prompt on old.reddit.com whenever I open the page. I am not certain if this is a phased rollout or something (ironically,...Old topic, but I am now (as of 10th August 2026) running into the sign-in prompt on old.reddit.com whenever I open the page. I am not certain if this is a phased rollout or something (ironically, I can't check the original post without a login now), but all of my devices (some with VPNs, and some without) show the same thing. I guess this is the end of my Reddit usage- I will never make an account.
I would (politely) caution against equating commit count with level of polish.