internet

There are 18 posts filed in internet (this is page 1 of 1).

I finally deleted my Facebook account today, after years of feeling uneasy about the service and months after resolving to delete my profile.

It actually feels freeing, despite the fact that I’ve barely used it for years. I would like to get rid of my Instagram account too, which will be significantly harder – the network effect among my social group is strong with this one. But it’s also an absolute trash-heap of influencer culture and algorithm rabbit holes, not to mention a huge distraction and time-sink for me.

Today was quite computer-heavy for a Saturday but quite productive in a few ways:

  • I published a blog post about my memories of the Glasgow Art School Union on (roughly) the 10th anniversary of its demolition. I POSSE’d this to a number of silos and, with previous fixes to my blog in place,  the likes and mentions were displayed appropriately. Yay me!
  • I connected to my WordPress host via Atom and SFTP. I had been using cpanel for any updates to the code, which is a bit clumsy. Within minutes of wondering if Atom could connect directly, I had found a YouTube tutorial and followed the instructions. This allowed me to update some minor cosmetic details which made me happy but more importantly leaves the door open for bigger changes and more learning later on, including better Indieweb-Fediverse integration of my blog via Bridgy Fed. Ditto, woo!
  • I’ve been trying to use Obsidian for Personal Knowledge Management, something I’ve never done before. Obsidian makes this an absolute cinch, although I’m still just beginning to make myself take notes and process the information from books, podcasts and videos I consume. I do enjoy having a bit of a “mental wander” through what I’ve written so far with a view to improving what I’ve already written and making connections elsewhere. Again, booyakasha!

Like many people, I probably spend too much time in front of a screen. But today’s activities have at least been productive.

When you write for someone else’s publication your writing becomes disparate and UN-networked. By chasing scale and pageviews you lose identity and the ability to create meaningful, memorable connections within the network.

Web Feeds, not RSS

Educating people about RSS is a great idea, and taking the name to task is an even better one.

I’ve felt that the RSS name could be a kick in the teeth for some people, and I’ve imagined a conversation along the lines of:

Person 1: “I used RSS”

Person 2: “What’s RSS?”

“Person 1: “It stands for “Really Simple Syndication”

Person 2: “Oh.”

Where Person 2 is made to feel dumb for not knowing a silly acronym. “Web feeds” actually describes what the thing is.