Firehose

stylus_note

When children express objectionable views, we’re quick to ask, ‘Where did they pick that up from?’, ‘What have they been watching?’, or ‘Who told them this?’.

Perhaps we need to ask the same regarding adults.

article

New post published:
Strong Opinions on URL Design

i-have-some-thoughts

A collection of strong opinions on URL design and structure covering topics including use of capitalisation, use of IDs, spaces, hyphens instead of underscores, trailing slashes, hierarchy, and other gripes and particulars I hold.

https://vale.rocks/posts/strong-opinions-on-url-design

stylus_note

Let’s put this masonry debate to rest. I propose we replace grid with masonry altogether. Think about how much trendier everything will be.

stylus_note

My magnet implant is super sensitive at the moment. I can feel the magnets in my laptop chassis as I type this.

Wonder what is causing it and if it is permanent.

This is really wack. It is so much more sensitive. I can easily sense a field from double the distance I could yesterday.

I’ve palpated the area and can’t feel any physical difference. Really odd.

stylus_note

Speakers of English (traditional) rejoice, for I have fixed CSS. You can sleep easy knowing that there exists an easy way to permit writing ‘colour’ as ‘colour’.

BritCSS is a simple bit of client-side JS that permits using English spellings.

Always fun to put together small things like this because I inevitably learn something I didn’t know.

https://github.com/DeclanChidlow/BritCSS

stylus_note

I had a vision.

The CSS Masonry angel came down from the heavens and addressed me. I made to speak, but it reached out a single slender finger and touched it to my lips to hush me. “Soon,” it said with the voice of a choir. “Soon.”

article

New post published:
AI is Stifling Tech Adoption

AI coding assistants are React evangelists.

AI language models are shaping technology adoption in software development through training data limitations and system prompt biases. This analysis examines how AI assistants' preferences for established frameworks like React and Tailwind CSS may be creating barriers for newer technologies, supported by testing across major AI platforms including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and DeepSeek. A look at the growing AI knowledge gap and its impact on technological innovation in modern software development.

https://vale.rocks/posts/ai-is-stifling-tech-adoption

stylus_note

I just shaved my head down to bald again. This marks my fourth time doing so, the past three being in aid of the Leukaemia Foundation, for whom I raised a few thousand dollars.

I figured I’d note some of the benefits, especially those I’ve noticed after some two years since my last haircut.

  • Instantly dry after bathing.
  • So much cooler temperature-wise.
  • Hair stays out of one’s face/eyes without the need to tie it up.
  • Doesn’t get tangled nor require as much care.
  • Especially when freshly shaven, extra sensations can be felt. I had an old maths teacher who swore he could forecast the weather, but more realistically, being able to feel air vortexes when walking through doors can be expected.
  • In the same vein as the previous, a shower stream on a freshly shaved head feels orgasmic.

Of course, there are also downsides.

  • There is social stigma surrounding being bald, especially for men who might be made fun of for male pattern baldness, though I’ve copped a fair few undesired comments as a teenager.
  • It is horrifically easy to be sunburnt.
  • Takes effort to maintain.
  • Head stubble is surprisingly grippy and can catch on things.
stylus_note

To the tune of Devo’s Beautiful World.

It’s a beautiful web we log on to,
A realm of quiet art–
Handcrafted pages and thoughtful words
Where each voice leaves its mark.
Makes me want to say…

It’s a beautiful web,
It’s a beautiful web,
It’s a beautiful web
For you, for you, for you.

It’s a great time for creation,
A moment to truly share;
Mindful code and written dreams
All built with honest care.
Makes me want to say…

It’s an uplifting space,
It’s an uplifting space,
It’s an uplifting space
For you, for you, for you.

Hey!
Tell me, what do you see?

Introverts bathed in LCD light,
Finding meaning in the night.
Hey, hey!

It’s a beautiful web we log on to,
A realm of quiet art–
Handcrafted pages and thoughtful words
Where each voice leaves its mark.
Makes me want to say…

It’s a beautiful web,
It’s a beautiful web,
It’s a beautiful web
For you, for you, for you.

It’s not for me.

(It’s a beautiful web) For you
(It’s a beautiful web) For you
(It’s a beautiful web) For you
(It’s a beautiful web) Not me–
(It’s a beautiful web)…

stylus_note

I dunno why tens of people have been accessing my website with legacy Microsoft Edge, but, if you’re one of them, I hope you know I’m going to have to kill you.

I’m sorry, that’s just the way it goes. You brought this upon yourself.

stylus_note

Was eating dinner and various cables and USBs kept getting stuck to the magnet in my hand.

Such a first-world cyborg problem.

(I’ve just realised this honestly sounds like some sort of satire and not an actual experience I had.)

stylus_note

I think the main reason I prefer e-readers to paper books (beyond my love for e-ink as a technology) is the fact that I can bring up the definition and etymology of a word.

Of course, not having to prop open the book I’m reading while lying semi-comatose is another benefit.

article

New post published:
Improving Early Kindles

I will never let it rest.

A guide wrapper about how to bring old Kindles, such as the Kindle Keyboard, as well as the Kindle 4, and Kindle 5 up to speed a bit to be usable in the modern era. Covering screensaver hacks, improved font handling, and more comprehensive customisablity with KOReader.

https://vale.rocks/posts/improving-early-kindles

stylus_note

I kinda miss the days when sites would get complete redesigns pretty much annually. It kept the web feeling fresh and cutting edge.

I suppose it was simpler to do everything over when all it took was a bit of hacking away with HTML and CSS.

stylus_note

Google has a secret ‘Forums’ tab that exclusively returns results from forums and discussion boards. You just need to append the query “udm=18” to the URL.

e.g https://www.google.com/search?q=JPEG+XL&udm=18

Further, and as you’re likely aware, you can use “utm=14” for a simpler set of results devoid of cruft such as knowledge panels and AI slop. It is reminiscent of the Google of old.