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I admit there is one thing I sometimes use llm's for: generating largely meaningless crap for corporate processes and buereaucracy. Maybe the use of LLMs correlates precisely with the amount of meaningless devoid-of-meaning lifeless crap in our lifes?

Many people.i talk with and know, like to imagine "future technologies" and are quite well informed on current developments and technologies ... Which are coming with hypes often fueled by money interests. Despite numerous hypes failing to deliver, sometimes at all, manufactured popularity and hypes still drive tech development cycles. Everyone is talking about Xshiny so it must be interesting, right? I prefer to work with a few people I like to do things together with and see what we can do.

Back when i studied #cryptography in the 1990ties, my wonderful professor gave an intro lecture and one of his first points was: "Security" by itself does not exist. You have to state the property you want to secure, and describe the attack model. Moreover, claiming #security as a generic absolute feature marks someone who does not really know what they are talking about. Can't get rid of remembering this lecture ;)

Dear @npub1vv84...6fhk ... having been engaged with #Python through co-creating #pytest #pypy, giving talks and trainings i appreciate that the PSF has long been a champion of diversity and inclusion! Are you aware that these days many non-USians are canceling their US travels? The German foreign ministry warns about travel to the US if you are pregnant or don't have your passport carrying a birth gender marker, then this:

KPBS Public Media

German tourist held indefinitely in San Diego-area immigrant detention facility

The young woman had planned to spend a month with a friend in Los Angeles and then fly home to Berlin. But she’s been in federal custody since la...

Maybe better update the #Pycon webpage accordingly?

Is the fediverse exploding or is it just my little timeline? I mean there seems to be so much going on here? I am not talking about user numbers but about the energy around interactions ... Maybe it's also still the aftermath of the #fediverse #fosdem happenings in Bruxelles which was so rich in all kinds of conversations and enjoyments ...

Turns out that computing power does translate to political power. See inauguration pictures of tech billionaires and political office holders. The old "we come from cyberspace, your ruling does not apply to us" stance aged badly or needs to be followed up, reworked. Computing is political. Which networks and algorithms are at play and who runs and controls them does matter. It created billionaires who then double as political state-aligned actors, usurping politics or getting usurped.

Am now in the third month of not looking at news sites and only gather news from talking with people, and engaging, reading on the fediverse .... And while I can't report avoiding "existential dread" feelings they have receded. I gained some distance at least which feels healthier than following news sites directly.

Most new interesting projects in the social media or messenger space get started by few or even single people. That's totally fine. But if years into development, with a sizable user community, a very hyped project is still centered on a single person with no cooperative dev community to speak of I consider it a warning sign. Mid to long term it is not (only) individual genius but cooperation abilities and practises that allow evolving a sustainable alternative app or service.

For those introducing #newcomers to the fediverse .... There are sometimes like 50 boosts for intro posts but only a single follower for a newcomer after the virality. That's a weird experience for newcomers, no? Instead of (just) boosting I suggest to follow such accounts at least for some time.

Any social media, including the fediverse, is prone to create "hate mobs". They may not be algorithmically amplified and not be driven by bots but humans aiming for "takes that go viral" and reinforce a certain sentiment (be it against maga, be it against AI, be it against billionaires) go some way. Just saying. See also "extraordinary popular delusions and the madness of crowds" from Charles McKay, an incredible journalistic book from 1840ties where nothing like social media existed.