h2g2bob @h2g2bob@mastodon.dbatley.com

ENTSO-E released their technical report on the Iberian blackout and they are absolutely spoiling us with the graphs in this one https://eepublicdownloads.blob.core.windows.net/public-cdn-container/clean-documents/Publications/2025/entso-e_incident_report_ES-PT_April_2025_06.pdf

https://www.mythic-beasts.com/blog/2025/10/03/gmail-drop-support-for-checking-other-accounts/ a write up of what's actually changing with Gmail's planned removal of POP3 support

I've got a new video out today, this time on the tech that keeps those old dinosaur-powered cars from polluting the air too much

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aytf6ARcs8s

For many people, publishing 1 paper in Nature is a big deal. This team has 3 papers in the current issue... and they built a 3,000 qubits computer... and it ran for 2 hours before they shut it down... this should be a much bigger story in the mainstream as there are significant scientific advancements at play here:

https://phys.org/news/2025-09-physicists-quantum-bit-capable.html

Duck Duck Go has added a tremendously useful feature to their search -- a permanent block. Any site can be added to a block list to never show up in any of your search results again.

I will be using this on any site that is obviously spitting out AI generated "articles."

🆕 blog! “Drunk CSS”

A decade ago, I was writing about how you should test your user interface on drunk people. It was a semi-serious idea. Some of your users will be drunk when using your app or website. If it is easy for them to use, then it should be easy for sober people to use.

Of course, necking a few shots every time you update your website isn't great for your health - so is there …

👀 Read more: https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/09/drunk-css/
⸻
#css #drunk #HTML #ui #ux #webdev

okay, i told scruss i'd share this and here it is -- a micropython library for receiving data slowly, but reliably, over a photocell. it's how the halo clock gets configuration data without using wifi or bluetooth -- you just hold the clock up to a web browser, and a little circle flashes, sending a brief packet of data (e.g. wifi credentials). both the receiver (in micropython) and the sender (in javascript) are included.

https://github.com/seanmpuckett/mp-photocell-receiver

Nerds! Set your alarms for Saturday morning, this sounds great: https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2025/radio-3-train-tracks

The Green Web Foundation has re-verified that we use renewable energy in our UK and EU zones. https://app.greenweb.org/directory/#1333

Software I made for generating a video of auto-advancing slides from configured pages of PDFs.

Used it to make a video for all of Land Talks on Tuesday (evening of lightning talks I organise), and it worked really well.

https://github.com/henry-morris/videoslides

Really nice cloud chamber in Liverpool University physics department. Amazing how much cosmic background radiation is detected all the time even in a large multi story building. #Science #steam #stem

Netscape Navigator 2.0 was released 30 years ago today.

This version introduced a number of new features:

• Plugins! This was the first time a web page could make sound, via RealAudio.
• Incremental display of progressive JPEGs on slow dialup connections.
• Animated GIFs that were actually useful.
• HTML frames.
• JavaScript! That wasn't my fault, but you still have my apologies.
• And of course my baby, the first release of Netscape Mail and News:

https://jwz.org/b/ykvY

If you're bored around 4.30pm today, this Radio 4 show might be worth a listen, for unspecified reasons https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002jfck

Help end pavement parking in England.

Living Streets are running a campaign to end pavement parking in England and are asking for help. They're looking for people to contribute examples of particularly problematic pavement parking in their local area. The map will be open until 22nd Nov.

#ActiveTravel #FuckCars #PavementParking

https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/get-involved/end-pavement-parking-in-england/

This is amazing! @albertgui have been able to draw around 2,547 stations from different European cities, all accessible on http://stations.albertguillaumes.cat

#Metro #Station #EuropeanMetro #European

Some recent Tom's Hardware stories that I have written.
How to write BASIC in 2025

https://www.tomshardware.com/software/programming/hack-to-the-future-heres-how-you-can-write-basic-code-on-a-modern-day-pc

2026 LONDON UNDERGROUND A3 CALENDAR

I'm proud to announce my 2026 Tube Mapper Calendar, full of my fave moments as I explore every stop on the Underground, Overground, DLR, Tram & Elizabeth line.

BUY HERE
https://tubemapper.com/buy-tube-mapper-2026-a3-calendar/

Please share with anyone who'd enjoy this! 😀

As we recently talked about our security strategy, my teammate made me aware of this post by @shortridge: https://kellyshortridge.com/blog/posts/on-yolosec-and-fomosec/ There's so much wisdom in there, absolutely recommended reading! ✨