StreamController Application on Linux for the Elgato Stream Deck StreamController is an elegant Linux application designed for the Elgato Stream Deck, offering advanced features like plug-ins and automatic page switching to enhance your streaming and productivity setup. It can support multiple Stream Decks together. A very useful feature is automatic page switching which means you do not always need an available button on the deck's main page to switch to other pages, as those pages can be activated automatically when the app becomes active. I'm using StreamController to view and manage my Home Assistant application, Kdenlive, spreadsheet, Snowrunner and OpenBVE games, OBS Studio, and more. I demo this in the video and also show how buttons can be configured and used. If you are a Windows user you may still find some of the use cases interesting to try out on the Elgato Windows software, and even if you don't yet own a Stream Deck, the video may help motivate why you could find one very useful. For Linux users, this also inspires the confidence to buy an Elgato Stream Deck, as you can see the level and type of support available right now for Linux users. Watch #technology #opensource #streamdeck #homeassistant #streamcontroller

Proton Just Launched a More Private Version of Google Docs with End-To-End Encryption Apart from China and Russia, the USA also has some pretty invasive mass surveillance laws, some of which operate in secret. So seeing countries outside the Five-Eyes nations launching more privacy respecting services is always very welcome to see. As with all Proton services, Docs put you back in control of your data. Thanks to our open-source end-to-end encryption, you are the only one with the key to read and share your documents. Not even Proton can access your docs content or metadata (such as file names). Instead of storing your data in the US, where it can be subject to government surveillance, Proton is protected by strict Swiss privacy laws (new window). Docs in Proton Drive will also support the option to embed images and invite various collaborators, though they will need at least a free Proton account, so the company can ensure the secure environment remains intact. Further, you’ll be able to see who is viewing the document, as well as where they are working, using similar collaborative cursors to what's in Google Docs. With Proton Drive and Docs, you now have a secure, privacy-first cloud storage and productivity alternative. If you’re working in law firms or healthcare, you can draft contracts and manage patient data in compliance with privacy laws. Journalists, content creators, and entrepreneurs can keep their projects protected from data leaks and Big Tech surveillance (no AI snooping on your work). Of course, there are also self-hosted alternatives such as CryptPad, and some providers also host these services online. They provide a nearly identical service, also with E2EE, so it is also worth considering. See

Proton

Introducing Docs in Proton Drive – Collaborative document editing that’s actually private | Proton

Create docs and collaborate in real time on documents knowing they are end-to-end encrypted.

#technology #privacy

The Youth should know there are WAY CHEAPER, and better, alternatives to expensive Gillette razor blades In hindsight now, I wish my father would have told me about safety razor shaving with universal standard double edge razor blades, when I started to shave! I was probably taken in by all the Gillette advertising, and of course, I'd never experienced any other option, so I ended up just using those twin-blade cartridges many years ago. I often had to endure the odd ingrown hair or two for months on end (more about this further on). To start with, cost, which you'd really have thought would have put Gillette's multi-blade razors out of business long ago (but not, largely because many people do NOT KNOW about suitable alternatives. Just do a search online for Astra Superior Platinum DE blades. They are not half the cost, nor a quarter of the cost cheaper... they're on average about 400% cheaper. This is why after buying a good safety razor that lasts longer than a single lifetime, it ends up paying for itself after a year just through using DE razor blades. There is no vendor lock-in so you are free to try any DE blades as each has different characteristics. So how do they shave? Well pretty similar to cartridge razors, as safety razors are not cut-throat / straight razors where any slip could be a disaster (hence the name safety razors). What they do not do, because of the single blade, is to lift the hair out from below the skin and cut it. They instead cut the hair level with the skin. This actually helps prevent ingrown hairs for many. I discovered this merely week or so after migrating to safety razors. Many say this level of cutting is easier on the skin, as there is also only one blade being used. Another difference, although not needed, is using proper shaving soap that is lathered up using a brush. Apart from the glide it provides, most soaps are made from natural products that may include coconut oil, lamb fat, etc and actually help condition the skin (many also being vegan products including the brushes). The brushing also helps stimulate the hairs before shaving. Soaps and creams come with some amazing fragrances, but many are also fragrance-free. Traditional shaving is also more environment friendly: Apart from natural soaps, these do not use aerosol cans at all either. Unlike cartridge razor blades made from mixed plastics and metals that can't easily be separated, DE blades are pure metal. I store my used blades in a money tin and these can be sent for recycling once the tin is full (after about 5 years my tin is not even a quarter full). So where does one start then? I'd recommend starting with a reasonably good razor, something like a Merkur 34C or an Edwin Jagger DE89. For blades, I've settled on the Astra's, but I'd highly recommend getting a DE sample pack to try out different blades to find something that matches your razor, skin, and beard type. Starting out with a very cheap razor and blades is often not going to be a good experience. I have tons more tips and advice on my webpage at the link below. I just wish more people knew about the benefits and alternatives of traditional wet shaving, but unfortunately the Big Pharma and similar companies prefer the exceptional profits of selling Gillette type blades. See

GadgeteerZA

Traditional Wet Shaving - GadgeteerZA

“At the Art of Shaving, we have definitely seen the safety razor trend grow over the last year, both in our 150 stores nationwide and in our e-co...

#shaving #environment #Gillette #cheaper

Canonical's 'distroless' Linux images are a game-changer for enterprises Canonical has announced plans to offer customized Docker container Long Term Support (LTS) Linux images via its Everything LTS service. These custom "distroless" Linux images are set to come with 12 years of security support for Linux, and any included open-source application or dependency within the container. With these new Open Container Initiative images, Canonical is embracing the "distroless" container paradigm in which images contain just enough of the operating system and software to run a specific application. These hardened, minimal containers have a reduced attack surface, making them much more secure than conventional Linux VMs or containers. Distros that use this approach include Alpine Linux, Fedora CoreOS, and Wolfi. Quite interesting as for example Microsoft takes the opposite route, with tons of bloatware and complexity included in their OS. This Canonical approach suggests better stability and ease of support, and probably also implies that older hardware can also be used (again, not a trait of Microsoft). See

ZDNET

Canonical's 'distroless' Linux images are a game-changer for enterprises

Canonical plans to offer customized Docker Linux container images with a dozen years of long-term support.

#technology #Linux #opensource

New payment ring launched by VezoPay requiring no charging or unlocking – built by South Africans A standout features of VezoPay’s technology is its passive nature: unlike other payment methods that require regular charging, screen interaction or additional authentication steps, VezoPay’s wearable devices, including the payment ring, are designed to be low maintenance. The ring is shockproof, dustproof and waterproof – and never needs to be charged The ring is shockproof, dustproof and waterproof – and never needs to be charged. Users can make payments simply by placing their hand near a payment terminal. “The tokenisation process we use ensures that no actual card data is stored on the device,” said Pinkus. “This means that even if the ring is lost or stolen, your financial information is safe.” This is not a fitness device though and is purely aimed at making payments as easy as possible, not requiring any wallet or phone to be carried. I'd imagine this idea could also be adapted to even unlocking access to doors or computers via NFC. It works very much like a tap-to-pay card does, as far as I can see, so no 2FA to secure it. See

TechCentral

New payment ring launched - built by South Africans

VezoPay has launched a smart payment ring that allows South Africans to ditch their wallets – and even their phones.

#technology #SouthAfrica #payments

Comparison of some hardware devices used for Ham Radio Digital Modes As I'm often having to choose how to use what digital mode on different radios that I have, it has meant also trying to understand which device works with which radio, and what modes it will support (not to mention radio functionality). It has taken me a while to try to understand some of the differences, as there is no one device that just does everything. So this linked webpage is my attempt to clarify this for myself. I'd be happy to also get input from others so that I can improve or correct it. For anyone else trying to decide which device they should buy first (or do they even need one?), this webpage will hopefully help to quickly clarify things a bit. For now, I have just added details for the SignaLink USB, Mobilinkd TNC, and the DigiRig, as these were the options I'd been actively looking at. See

GadgeteerZA

Hardware devices for Digital Ham Radio Modes - GadgeteerZA

Let me start out by saying I'm no expert on this topic, but as I've been fumbling around between different options, I felt I may as well ...

#technology #hamradio #amateurradio