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Feed title: Terence Eden’s Blog
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First item published on 2025-08-28T11:34:38.000Z
Last item published on 2025-07-30T11:34:56.000Z
Home page URL: https://shkspr.mobi/blog
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<title type="text">Terence Eden’s Blog</title>
<subtitle type="text">Regular nonsense about tech and its effects 🙃</subtitle>
<updated>2025-08-27T20:15:20Z</updated>
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<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: What Sheep Think about the Weather - Amelia Thomas ★★★☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/book-review-what-sheep-think-about-the-weather-amelia-thomas/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62701</id>
<updated>2025-08-27T20:15:20Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-28T11:34:38Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="NetGalley"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[It started with a hummingbird dive-bombing Amelia Thomas over her morning coffee, and a pair of piglets who just wouldn’t stay put. Soon Amelia, journalist and new farmer, begins to question the communications of the creatures all around her: her pigs, her dogs, the pheasant family inhabiting her wood, her ‘difficult’ big red horse: even the earwigs in the farm’s dark, damp corners. Are they all…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/book-review-what-sheep-think-about-the-weather-amelia-thomas/"><![CDATA[<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sheep.webp" alt="Book cover featuring a sheep." width="200" height="300" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62702">
<blockquote><p>It started with a hummingbird dive-bombing Amelia Thomas over her morning coffee, and a pair of piglets who just wouldn’t stay put. Soon Amelia, journalist and new farmer, begins to question the communications of the creatures all around her: her pigs, her dogs, the pheasant family inhabiting her wood, her ‘difficult’ big red horse: even the earwigs in the farm’s dark, damp corners. Are they all just animals reacting instinctually to the world around them—or are they trying to communicate something deeper?</p></blockquote>
<p>This is a curious - and mostly satisfying - look at the practicalities of interspecies communication. Unlike <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/09/book-review-how-to-speak-whale-a-voyage-into-the-future-of-animal-communication-by-tom-mustill/">How to Speak Whale</a>, this doesn't assume that animals have a rich and complex grammar, nor does it make the case for animals having "higher-order" cognition. Instead, this is a fairly practical look at the limits of understanding animals.</p>
<p>Anyone with a pet cat or dog knows that they are experts at <em>some</em> forms of communication. "Feed me" being the primary one!</p>
<blockquote><p>In some ways, animals are simpler than humans. Hamsters don’t deliberately confound or obfuscate. Donkeys don’t gossip. An iguana will not gaslight you. Animals say what they mean. Yet that’s not to say this content is clear, or that we’re always aware it even exists at all.</p></blockquote>
<p>The author is open about her limitations and her goals. At times, it rather feels like reading a series of blog posts as she finds a new paper, chats to a new expert, and accidentally acquires yet another animal. Because she's primarily working with her own animals, there's a fair bit of anthropomorphising going on. Similarly, any "do your own research" project is going to be unaware of how to critically assess evidence. That makes it slightly scattershot and homespun. Nevertheless - it is fascinating what she uncovers.</p>
<p>There are some excellent practical tips for understanding the animal experience (I particularly like the idea of going on all fours and trying to understand a pet's-eye-view of the world). There's also an interesting bunch of interviews with scientists who are seeking to understand how and why animals communicate - and whether we can meaningfully exchange ideas with them, or just condition their behaviour.</p>
<p>But, as the book wears on, the author becomes more and more credulous. She goes on a series of courses which - with the best will in the world - seem to have rather dubious outcomes.</p>
<blockquote><p>Most of what I hear and see over these seven soaking days I need no scientific study to verify. I just sort of know it, the way the chicken guessers and dog listeners in the experiments just sort of knew what the calls signified. I wonder if this has to do with something called the motivational structure hypothesis,</p></blockquote>
<p>With no external interrogation of what she is doing, the book descends into the pseudo-scientific. The author recounts receiving mystic visions, engages with people who believe they can communicate with animals using telepathy, wanders into the realm of quantum physics, and claims that their horse has a psychic bond with her which causes psychosomatic injuries. Oh, and that her raspberry plants are laughing at her.</p>
<p>It is unfortunate that the last few chapters undermine all the interesting and useful information in the rest of the book.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Security Flaws in the WebMonetization Site]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/security-flaws-in-the-webmonetization-site/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62468</id>
<updated>2025-08-27T15:38:58Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-26T11:34:33Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Bug Bounty"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="CyberSecurity"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Responsible Disclosure"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="WebMonetization"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="xss"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I've written before about the nascent WebMonetization Standard. It is a proposal which allows websites to ask users for passive payments when they visit. A visitor to this site could, if this standard is widely adopted, opt to send me cash for my very fine blog posts. All I need to do is add something like this into my site's source code: <link rel="monetization"…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/security-flaws-in-the-webmonetization-site/"><![CDATA[<p>I've written before about <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/03/how-to-prevent-payment-pointer-fraud/">the nascent WebMonetization Standard</a>. It is a proposal which allows websites to ask users for passive payments when they visit. A visitor to this site could, if this standard is widely adopted, opt to send me cash for my very fine blog posts.</p>
<p>All I need to do is add something like this into my site's source code:</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link rel="monetization" href="https://wallet.example.com/edent">
</code></pre>
<p>A user who has a WebMonetization plugin can then easily pay me for my content.</p>
<p>But not every website is created by an individual or a single entity. Hence, the creation of the "<a href="https://webmonetization.org/tools/prob-revshare/">Probabilistic Revenue Share Generator</a>".</p>
<blockquote><p>Probabilistic revenue sharing is a way to share a portion of a web monetized page's earnings between multiple wallet addresses. Each time a web monetized user visits the page, a recipient will be chosen at random. Payments will go to the chosen recipient until the page is closed or reloaded.</p></blockquote>
<p>Nifty! But how does it work?</p>
<p>Let's say a website is created by Alice and Bob. Alice does most of the work and is to receive 70% of the revenue. Bob is to get the remaining 30%. Within the web page's head, the following meta element is inserted:</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link
rel="monetization"
href="https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siaHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS8iLDcwLCJBbGljZSJdLFsiaHR0cHM6Ly93aGF0ZXZlci50ZXN0LyIsMzAsIkJvYiJdXQ"
/>
</code></pre>
<p>The visitor's WebMonetization plugin will visit that URl and be redirected to Alice's site 70% of time and Bob's 30%.</p>
<p>If we Base64 decode that weird looking URl, we get:</p>
<pre><code class="language-json">[
[
"https://example.com/",
70,
"Alice"
],
[
"https://whatever.test/",
30,
"Bob"
]
]
</code></pre>
<p>Rather than adding multiple URls in the head, the site points to one resource and lets that pick who receives the funds.</p>
<p>There are two small problems with this.</p>
<p>The first is that you have to trust the WebMonetization.org website. If it gets hijacked or goes rogue then all your visitors will be paying someone else. But let's assume they're secure and trustworthy. There's a slightly more insidious threat.</p>
<p>Effectively, this allows an untrusted 3rd party to use the WebMonetization.org domain as an open redirect. That's useful for phishing and other abuses.</p>
<p>For example, an attacker could send messages encouraging people to visit:</p>
<p><a href="https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siaHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS8iLDk5LCJpbWciXV0">https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siaHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS8iLDk5LCJpbWciXV0</a></p>
<p>Click that and you'll instantly be redirected to a domain under the attacker's control. This could be particularly bad if the domain encouraged users to share passwords or other sensitive information.</p>
<p>If the Base64 data cannot be decoded to valid JSON, the API will echo back any Base64 encoded text sent to it. This means an attacker could use it to send obfuscated messages. Consider, tor example:</p>
<p><a href="https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siUGxlYXNlIHZpc2l0IFJlYWxfZ29vZF9DYXNpbm9zLmJpeiBmb3IgbG90cyBvZiBDcnlwdG8gZnVuISEhIiwxMjM0NTYsImltZyJdXQ==">https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siUGxlYXNlIHZpc2l0IFJlYWxfZ29vZF9DYXNpbm9zLmJpeiBmb3IgbG90cyBvZiBDcnlwdG8gZnVuISEhIiwxMjM0NTYsImltZyJdXQ==</a></p>
<p>Visit that and you'll see a message. With a bit of effort, it could be crafted to say something to encourage a visitor to enter their credentials elsewhere.</p>
<p>When I originally reported this, the site could be used to to smuggle binary payloads. For example, <a href="https://webmonetization.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">this URl would display an image</a> - however, it seems to have been fixed.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, it is important to recognise that the WebMonetization.org domain contains an <a href="https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Unvalidated_Redirects_and_Forwards_Cheat_Sheet.html">unvalidated redirect and forwarding</a> vulnerability.</p>
<p>I recommended that they ensured that the only URls which contain legitimate payment pointers should be returned. I also suggested setting a maximum limit for URl size.</p>
<h2 id="timeline"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/security-flaws-in-the-webmonetization-site/#timeline" class="heading-link">Timeline</a></h2>
<ul>
<li>2025-03-27 - Discovered and disclosed.</li>
<li>2025-08-05 - Remembered I'd submitted it and sent a follow up.</li>
<li>2025-08-26 - Automatically published.</li>
<li><ins datetime="2025-08-27T15:37:49+00:00">2025-08-27</ins> - A day after this post was published, <a href="https://github.com/interledger/publisher-tools/issues/85">the issue was made public on their repo</a>.</li>
</ul>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: The Shattering Peace by John Scalzi (Old Man's War Book 7) ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/book-review-the-shattering-peace-by-john-scalzi-old-mans-war-book-7/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62754</id>
<updated>2025-08-23T20:21:32Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-24T11:34:46Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="scalzi"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Sci Fi"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I'm reasonably sure I've read all the "Old Man's War" books. As the last one was published a decade ago, you'll forgive me if I don't remember all the intricacies of galactic politics and interpersonal intrigue. Thankfully, Scalzi has carved off a side character from a previous book and given them a brand-new adventure. There's enough exposition to tickle the parts of your brain that go "Ah,…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/book-review-the-shattering-peace-by-john-scalzi-old-mans-war-book-7/"><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/9781509835409.webp" alt="Book cover showing spaceships and alien worlds." width="270" height="411" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62756">
I'm <em>reasonably</em> sure I've read all the "Old Man's War" books. As the last one was published a decade ago, you'll forgive me if I don't remember all the intricacies of galactic politics and interpersonal intrigue. Thankfully, Scalzi has carved off a side character from a previous book and given them a brand-new adventure. There's enough exposition to tickle the parts of your brain that go "Ah, yes, that sounds familiar" but the story is just about separate enough that a new (or lapsed) reader can dive straight in.</p>
<p>An off-the-books colony has <strong>vanished</strong>. Only <strong>one woman</strong> has the martial and intellectual skills to save the day. With her <strong>trusty alien companion</strong> she's in a race against time to <strong>save the galaxy</strong>!</p>
<p>The plot is a little thin, and has a slightly annoying habit of jumping forward and then giving retroexposition in "flashback". Some of the prose is gorgeous - "All you need for an avalanche of chaos is one inebriated snowball." - but it is used sparingly. That gives it a rather cold and utilitarian feel - which matches the alien surroundings our protagonist finds herself in.</p>
<p>I also found the humour to be a bit repetitive - the alien doesn't quite get that you shouldn't talk aloud about human's sexual habits - but the story is well-paced and keeps the intrigue high without delving too deeply into convoluted political machinations.</p>
<p>It doesn't really add much to the science fiction pantheon in terms of Big Ideas, but it is rather good fun.</p>
<p>Thanks to Pan Macmillan for the advance copy, the book is out in September this year and can be pre-ordered now.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Gig Review: Rainbow Girls at LVLS London ★★★★★]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/gig-review-rainbow-girls-at-lvls-london/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62814</id>
<updated>2025-08-23T08:43:21Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-23T11:34:12Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="gig"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="music"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[At some point around the start of the pandemic, The Algorithm instructed me to listen to music by Rainbow Girls. Who am I to question the ineffable will of the machine? I don't know what it was about their harmonies, slide guitar, and double-bass which tickled my brain, but I was hooked. A few days ago, a different algorithm alerted me to the fact that they were touring the UK - so I snapped up…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/gig-review-rainbow-girls-at-lvls-london/"><![CDATA[<p>At some point around the start of the pandemic, The Algorithm instructed me to listen to music by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@RainbowGirlsMusic">Rainbow Girls</a>. Who am I to question the ineffable will of the machine? I don't know what it was about their harmonies, slide guitar, and double-bass which tickled my brain, but I was hooked.</p>
<p>A few days ago, a different algorithm alerted me to the fact that they were touring the UK - so I snapped up tickets.</p>
<p>It was, of course, an <em>amazing</em> gig. Thanks Algorithms!</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Rainbow-Girls.webp" alt="Rainbow Girls on stage at LVLS." width="2048" height="1152" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62815">
<p>I don't know when I've enjoyed myself more at a gig. The LVLS venue in Stratford is charmingly intimate (and their drinks prices aren't too outrageous for London). The Girls filled the space with their sonic perfection. A brilliant mix of their original songs and crowd-pleasing covers. Their act is obviously well-rehearsed with very little time between songs spent faffing with equipment.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Bart-and-Rainbow-Girls.webp" alt="Bart on stage with the Rainbow Girls." width="2048" height="1152" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62816">
<p>The multi-instrumental nature of the show gives it a wonderful variety - not that you can really tire of their singing - and they are generous with their chat between numbers.</p>
<p>The support act, <a href="https://www.bartbudwig.com/">Bart Budwig</a> was delightful. A sweet selection of homespun songs and a magnificent stage presence. His crowd-work was excellent, bringing in the audience to join in with his songs. A particular favourite was <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKcu54Zvq5N/">Idaho Sober</a> which the London crowd greatly enjoyed.</p>
<p>The Rainbow Girls are currently on tour throughout the UK, Ireland, and Europe. Catch them if you can.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[What about using rel="share-url" to expose sharing intents?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/what-about-using-relshare-url-to-expose-sharing-intents/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62488</id>
<updated>2025-08-06T19:32:20Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-22T11:34:06Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="HTML"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="standards"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="webdev"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Let's say that you've visited a website and want to share it with your friends. At the bottom of the article is a list of popular sharing destinations - Facebook, BlueSky, LinkedIn, Telegram, Reddit, HackerNews etc. You click the relevant icon and get taken to the site with the sharing details pre-filled. The problem is, every different site has a different intent for sharing links and…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/what-about-using-relshare-url-to-expose-sharing-intents/"><![CDATA[<p>Let's say that you've visited a website and want to share it with your friends. At the bottom of the article is a list of popular sharing destinations - Facebook, BlueSky, LinkedIn, Telegram, Reddit, HackerNews etc.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/share-on.webp" alt="Screenshot. "Share this page on" followed by colourful icons for popular social networks." width="824" height="452" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62491">
<p>You click the relevant icon and get taken to the site with the sharing details pre-filled.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/telegram.webp" alt="Screenshot of the Telegram sharing page." width="600" height="561" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62492">
<p>The problem is, every different site has a different intent for sharing links and text. For example:</p>
<ul>
<li><code>https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=…&t=…</code></li>
<li><code>https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=…</code></li>
<li><code>https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=…</code></li>
<li><code>https://www.threads.net/intent/post?url=…&text=…</code></li>
<li><code>https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=…&title=…</code></li>
</ul>
<p>As you can see, some only allow a URL, some text and a URL, and some just a plain text which could contain the URl. A bit of a mess! It's probably impossible to get every site to agree on a standard for their sharing intent. But there <em>could</em> be a standard for exposing their existing sharing mechanism.</p>
<p>That's the proposal from <a href="https://about.werd.io/">Ben Werdmuller</a> with "<a href="https://shareopenly.org/integrate/">Share Openly</a>".</p>
<blockquote><p>ShareOpenly knows about most major social networks, as well as decentralized platforms like Mastodon, Bluesky, and Known.</p>
<p>However, if ShareOpenly is having trouble sharing to your platform, and if your platform supports a share intent, you can add the following metatag to your page headers:</p>
<p><code><link rel="share-url" href="https://your-site/share/intent?text={text}"></code></p>
<p>Where <code>https://your-site/share/intent?text=</code> is the URL of your share intent.</p>
<p>The special keyword <code>{text}</code> will be replaced with the URL and share text.</p></blockquote>
<p>I think that's a pretty nifty solution.</p>
<p>For sites which take a URl and an (optional) title, the meta element looks like:</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link rel="share-url" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u={url}&t={text}">
<link rel="share-url" href="https://lemmy.world/create_post?url={url}&title={text}">
</code></pre>
<p>For those which only take URl, it looks like:</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link rel="share-url" href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url={url}">
</code></pre>
<p>It's slightly trickier for sites like Mastodon and BlueSky which only have a text sharing field and no separate URl. The current proposal is just to use the text. For example</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link rel="share-url" href="https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text={text}">
</code></pre>
<p>But it could be something like</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link rel="share-url" href="https://mastodon.social/share?text={text}%0A{url}">
</code></pre>
<h2 id="what-next"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/what-about-using-relshare-url-to-expose-sharing-intents/#what-next" class="heading-link">What Next?</a></h2>
<p>The HTML specification has this to say <a href="https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/links.html#other-link-types">about adding new link types</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Extensions to the predefined set of link types may be registered on the <a href="https://microformats.org/wiki/existing-rel-values#HTML5_link_type_extensions">microformats page for existing rel values</a>.</p></blockquote>
<p>Adding to that page merely requires a formal specification to be written up. After that, some light lobbying might be needed to get social networks to adopt it.</p>
<p>So, I have three questions for you:</p>
<ol>
<li>Do you think <code><link rel="share-url"</code> is a good idea for a new standard?</li>
<li>What changes, if any, would you make to the above proposal?</li>
<li>Would you be interested in using it - either as a sharer or sharing destination?</li>
</ol>
<p>Please leave a comment in the box - and remember to hit those sharing buttons!</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review - Show:Girls ★★★★☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62714</id>
<updated>2025-08-19T22:06:47Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-21T11:34:59Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Is it offensive to call a burlesque show "charming"? Sure, it is a funny and mildly titillating evening, but Show:Girls is suffused with such good natured charm that it is hard to describe it as anything else. Unlike Gallifrey Cabaret which puts on a plethora of variety acts, this is a rather stripped down production. The central conceit is that two acts have been accidentally double booked.…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/"><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ShowGirls-Phoenix-Listing.webp" alt="Two burlesque performers. One in a Viking helmet and one in a red hat." width="400" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62716"> Is it offensive to call a burlesque show "charming"? Sure, it is a funny and mildly titillating evening, but Show:Girls is suffused with such good natured charm that it is hard to describe it as anything else.</p>
<p>Unlike <a href="https://mastodon.social/@Edent/114156815734664216">Gallifrey Cabaret</a> which puts on a plethora of variety acts, this is a rather stripped down<sup id="fnref:sorry"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorry" class="footnote-ref" title="Sorry!" role="doc-noteref">0</a></sup> production.</p>
<p>The central conceit is that two acts have been accidentally double booked. One, a high-class opera singer, the other a low-down burlesque performer. HI-JINKS ENSUE!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.belindawilliams.co.uk/">Bellinda Williams</a> has the voice of an angel and <a href="https://www.elsiediamond.com/about">Elsie Diamond</a> has the body of a devil<sup id="fnref:sorrry"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrry" class="footnote-ref" title="Look, there's no way to write about these things without sounding like a bit of a seedy old man, OK!" role="doc-noteref">1</a></sup>. They teach each other the secrets of their art form which leads to the most unlikely mash-up I've seen in some time; Opera Burlesque.</p>
<p>It is exactly as batty as it sounds. Each of them attempting to Eliza Doolittle the other to the great merriment of the audience.</p>
<p>I'm sure there's something profound to say about the origins of opera and its intersection with courtesan couture, or how empowering it is to play dress up with your friends, but I was too busy laughing to think of anything that intellectual.</p>
<p>As befits a fringe show, it is rather short and I could have easily enjoyed more. There seem to be a few revivals of <i lang="fr">cabaret de l'érotique</i><sup id="fnref:fr"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:fr" class="footnote-ref" title="That's yer actual French, y'know!" role="doc-noteref">2</a></sup> within London's now-sanitised Soho. Most, like this, are fairly tourist friendly and unlikely to draw the wrath of The Lord Chamberlain. Perhaps we'll see them on the Royal Variety Show next?</p>
<p>There's only one thing which bothers me, and that's the origin of one of the marquee quotes. One of the performers is mentioned thusly:</p>
<blockquote><p>famously described by Danny Dyer as having “a good old fashioned pair of Lils”.</p></blockquote>
<p>I'm reasonably familiar with Cockney Rhyming Slang and its step-sibling <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/04/book-review-fabulosa-the-story-of-polari-britains-secret-gay-language-by-paul-baker/">Polari</a>, and I can't find anything even close to that.</p>
<ul>
<li>Cockney:
<ul>
<li>Lilian Gish - fish. A somewhat unlikely comparison.</li>
<li>Lilly The Pink - drink. Although I suppose a pair of "pinks" might make sense?</li>
<li>Little And Large - margarine. I guess "Little" might be heard as "Lil"? And Ms Diamond's are not exactly on the smaller side.<sup id="fnref:sorrrrry"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrrrry" class="footnote-ref" title="Look, you try writing about this without sounding like Sid James!" role="doc-noteref">3</a></sup></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Polari:
<ul>
<li>Lills - hands. I have no evidence that her hands <em>aren't</em> old fashioned.</li>
<li>Lilly Law - police. Perhaps Mr Dyer was comparing the shape of a bobby's helmet to the size and shape of…?<sup id="fnref:sorrrry"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrrry" class="footnote-ref" title="Probably best to stop there, eh?" role="doc-noteref">4</a></sup></li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<p>Either way, Show:Girls is performed sporadically - keep an eye on their websites for the next performance. The entrance fee isn't too expensive, but in exchange you'll receive your fair share of thruppeny bits<sup id="fnref:sorrrrrrry"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrrrrrry" class="footnote-ref" title="At this juncture, please imagine a giant shepherd's crook protruding from the wings and dragging me off stage." role="doc-noteref">5</a></sup>.</p>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<hr>
<ol start="0">
<li id="fn:sorry" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Sorry! <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorry" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:sorrry" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Look, there's no way to write about these things without sounding like a bit of a seedy old man, OK! <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrry" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:fr" role="doc-endnote">
<p>That's yer <em>actual</em> French, y'know! <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:fr" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:sorrrrry" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Look, <em>you</em> try writing about this without sounding like Sid James! <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrrrry" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:sorrrry" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Probably best to stop there, eh? <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrrry" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:sorrrrrrry" role="doc-endnote">
<p>At this juncture, please imagine a giant shepherd's crook protruding from the wings and dragging me off stage. <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrrrrrry" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review: Sluts With Consoles ★★★★⯪]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-sluts-with-consoles/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62726</id>
<updated>2025-08-19T22:39:57Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-20T11:34:03Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="gaming"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Let's see if this post makes it through the spam filters! Sluts With Consoles is a brilliant two-hander. Girly-twirly pick-me Player One and Gothy just-one-of-the-boys Player Two are locked in mortal - and emotional - combat. They represent the duality of the female gaming experience. Is it better to be feminine or feminist? Is gaming an escape from the cliques of teenage oppression, or just…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-sluts-with-consoles/"><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Sluts-with-Consoles.webp" alt="Promotional Poster for Sluts With Consoles." width="350" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62727"> Let's see if this post makes it through the spam filters!</p>
<p>Sluts With Consoles is a brilliant two-hander. Girly-twirly pick-me Player One and Gothy just-one-of-the-boys Player Two are locked in mortal - and emotional - combat. They represent the duality of the female gaming experience. Is it better to be feminine or feminist? Is gaming an escape from the cliques of teenage oppression, or just another form of self-deception?</p>
<p>That all sounds a bit heavy-handed, but it is a hilarious show. It perfectly observes modern gaming tropes and how we all evolve our gamer styles.</p>
<p>Throughout, it asks a very specific question; "does a single stuck pixel spoil the entire view?" That is, what are we prepared to tolerate in order to live in our fantasy world? Older brothers swiping our power-ups transmogrify into incel-gamers shouting slurs. Who cares if we're having fun, right…?</p>
<p>As with any powerful piece of theatre, it's unlikely to be seen by those who have the most need of its message.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, it is an entertaining and amusing show with a +20 battle-damage buff.</p>
<p>The show is touring throughout the year and it is absolutely worth seeing if you have any interest in gaming.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Preventing NAPTR Spam]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=61707</id>
<updated>2025-08-03T20:49:37Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-18T11:34:47Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="dns"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="internet"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="privacy"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[You're the sort of cool nerd who knows all the weird esoterica which makes up DNS, right? In amongst your A, AAAA, SOA, and MX records, there's a little used NAPTR. Yes, you can use DNS to store Name Authority Pointers! What?! It is yet another of those baroque standards which spits out things like: cid.uri.arpa. ;; order pref flags service regexp replacement IN NAPTR…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/"><![CDATA[<p>You're the sort of cool nerd who knows all the weird esoterica which makes up DNS, right? In amongst your A, AAAA, SOA, and MX records, there's a little used <a href="https://dn.org/understanding-naptr-records-and-their-role-in-dns/">NAPTR</a>. Yes, you can use DNS to store Name Authority Pointers!</p>
<p>What?!</p>
<p>It is yet another of those <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2015/11/a-polite-way-to-say-ridiculously-complicated/">baroque</a> standards which spits out things like:</p>
<pre><code class="language-_">cid.uri.arpa.
;; order pref flags service regexp replacement
IN NAPTR 100 10 "" "" "!^cid:.+@([^\.]+\.)(.*)$!\2!i" .
</code></pre>
<p>Essentially, it is a way to store contact details within a DNS record (rather than in a WHOIS record).</p>
<p>Back in the early 2000s, the dotTel company opened the .tel TLD with a promise that it could be used to store your contact details in DNS<sup id="fnref:history"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:history" class="footnote-ref" title="Even back in 2009 I didn't think it was terribly compelling. By 2013, it was almost dead. And in 2017 it became just another generic TLD." role="doc-noteref">0</a></sup>. The idea was simple, rather than storing my phone number in your address book, you'd store my domain name - <a href="https://edent.tel/">https://edent.tel/</a></p>
<p>If I updated my phone number, changed my avatar, or deleted an old email address - your address book would automatically update via DNS. Nifty!</p>
<p>If you didn't know a company's phone number, you'd dial <code>example.com</code> on your phone and it would grab the phone numbers from DNS. Wowsers trousers!</p>
<p>You can see an example by running:</p>
<pre><code class="language-_">dig justin.tel NAPTR
</code></pre>
<p>You'll get back something like:</p>
<pre><code class="language-_">NAPTR 100 101 "u" "E2U+web:http" "!^.*$!http://justinkhayward.com!"
</code></pre>
<p>A phone number stored in a NAPTR would look something like:</p>
<pre><code class="language-_">NAPTR 100 100 "u" "E2U+voice:tel" "!^.*$!tel:+442074676450!" .
</code></pre>
<p>Brilliant! But there's a problem - aside from the somewhat obtuse syntax! - and that problem is spam.</p>
<p>Those of you old enough to remember putting your unexpurgated contact details into WHOIS know that the minute it went live you were bombarded with sales calls and scammy emails. So putting your details directly into DNS is a bad idea, right?</p>
<p>.tel thought they'd come up with a clever hack to prevent that. As they explain in <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120504070307/https://dev.telnic.org/docs/privacy.pdf">the .tel privacy paper</a>, records can be individually encrypted.</p>
<ul>
<li>Alice has her contact details on <code>alice.tel</code></li>
<li>Bob has his contact details on <code>bob.tel</code></li>
<li>Alice agrees to share her phone number with Bob.</li>
<li>Alice looks up Bob's public key from <code>bob.tel</code>.</li>
<li>Alice encrypts her phone number.</li>
<li>Alice generates a new DNS record specifically for Bob - <code>bob123456.alice.tel</code></li>
<li>Alice shares the name of the new record with Bob.</li>
<li>Bob downloads the NAPTR from <code>bob123456.alice.tel</code> and decrypts it with his private key.</li>
<li>Bob periodically checks for updates.</li>
<li>Alice can decide to revoke Bob's access by removing the data or subdomain.</li>
</ul>
<p>Clever! If convoluted. You can <a href="https://rikkles.blogspot.com/2008/05/privacy-in-tel.html">read more about the way friendships and public keys were managed</a> and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120504073313/https://dev.telnic.org/docs/naptr.pdf">some more technical details</a>.</p>
<p>Are there better ways?</p>
<h2 id="multi-recipient-encryption"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#multi-recipient-encryption" class="heading-link">Multi Recipient Encryption</a></h2>
<p>When people say "you can't give Government a secret key to your private messages" they are technically incorrect<sup id="fnref:worst"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:worst" class="footnote-ref" title="The worst type of incorrect." role="doc-noteref">1</a></sup>. Multi Recipient Encryption is a thing.</p>
<p>Here's a very simplified and subtly wrong explanation:</p>
<ul>
<li>Alice creates a <em>temporary</em> public/private keypair.</li>
<li>Alice encrypts some text with her temporary public key - resulting in <code>e</code>.</li>
<li>Alice encrypts the temporary private key with Bob's public key - resulting in <code>k1</code>.</li>
<li>Alice encrypts the temporary private key with Charlie's public key - resulting in <code>k2</code>.</li>
<li>Alice publishes the concatenation of <code>e+k1+k2</code></li>
<li>Bob downloads the file, decrypts <em>his</em> version of the key, and uses that to decrypt the message.</li>
<li>Charlie does the same.</li>
</ul>
<p>In this way, both recipients are able to decipher the text but no one else can. So can we just shove an encrypted record in the NAPTR? Not quite.</p>
<p>There are two main problems with this for DNS purposes.</p>
<ol>
<li>The encrypted size grows with every recipient.</li>
<li>Every time a new recipient is added, everyone needs to download the data again even if it is unchanged.</li>
</ol>
<p>Generally speaking, DNS records are a maximum of 255 characters - <a href="https://kb.isc.org/docs/aa-00356">although they can be concatenated</a>.</p>
<p>An extra record could be used to say when the plaintext was last updated - which would let existing recipients know not to download it again.</p>
<p>Monitoring for changes would allow a user to know roughly how many recipients had been added or removed.</p>
<p>What other ways could there be?</p>
<h2 id="what-else-could-be-done"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#what-else-could-be-done" class="heading-link">What else could be done?</a></h2>
<p>Here's the user story.</p>
<ul>
<li>I want a friend to subscribe to my [phone|email|street|social media] address(es).</li>
<li>I must be able to pre-approve access.</li>
<li>When I change my address, my friend should get my new details.</li>
<li>I need to be able to revoke people's access.</li>
<li>This should be done via DNS<sup id="fnref:dns"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:dns" class="footnote-ref" title="Why DNS? Because I like making life difficult." role="doc-noteref">2</a></sup>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Using an API this would be playing on easy mode. A friend (or rather, their app) would request an API key from my service. I would approve it, and then ✨magic✨.</p>
<p>DNS isn't <em>technically</em> an API although, with enough effort, you could make it behave like one<sup id="fnref:marquis"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:marquis" class="footnote-ref" title="If you were a sadist!" role="doc-noteref">3</a></sup>.</p>
<p>So - how would <em>you</em> do it?</p>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<hr>
<ol start="0">
<li id="fn:history" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Even back in 2009 <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2009/03/some-thoughts-on-tel/">I didn't think it was terribly compelling</a>. By 2013, <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2013/03/should-i-renew-my-tel-domain/">it was almost dead</a>. And in 2017 <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2017/02/whats-the-future-for-the-tel-domain-name/">it became just another generic TLD</a>. <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:history" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:worst" role="doc-endnote">
<p>The <em>worst</em> type of incorrect. <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:worst" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:dns" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Why DNS? Because I like making life difficult. <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:dns" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:marquis" role="doc-endnote">
<p>If you were a sadist! <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:marquis" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Books will soon be obsolete in school]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/books-will-soon-be-obsolete-in-school/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62422</id>
<updated>2025-08-04T17:24:56Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-16T11:34:30Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="AI"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="education"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="history"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="schools"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I recently had a chance to ask a question to one of the top AI people. At a Q&A session, I raised my hand and asked simply "What is your estimation of the future educational value of AI?" The response was swift and utterly devastating for those laggards who want to hold back progress. The AI guy said: Books will soon be obsolete in schools. Scholars will be instructed through AI. It is possible …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/books-will-soon-be-obsolete-in-school/"><![CDATA[<p>I recently had a chance to ask a question to one of the <strong>top</strong> AI people. At a Q&A session, I raised my hand and asked simply "What is your estimation of the future educational value of AI?"</p>
<p>The response was swift and utterly devastating for those laggards who want to hold back progress. The AI guy said:</p>
<blockquote><p>Books will soon be obsolete in schools. Scholars will be instructed through AI. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with AI. Our school system will be completely changed inside of ten years.</p>
<p>We have been working for some time on educational AI. It proves conclusively the worth of AI in chemistry, physics and other branches of study, making the scientific truths, difficult to understand from text books, plain and clear to children.</p></blockquote>
<p>That's it. We can throw away all those outdated paper books. Children will learn directly from an AI which, coincidentally, is sold by the company. We can trust their studies on such matters and be assured that they have no ulterior motive.</p>
<p>But, ah my friends, I have told a <em>slight</em> untruth. I didn't ask that question. Frederick James Smith asked the question to Thomas Edison in <strong>1913</strong>. The question was about the new and exciting world of motion pictures.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/moving-pictures.webp" alt="Scan of old newsprint. "What is your estimation of the future educational
value of pictures?" I asked.
" Books." declared the inventor with decision, " will soon be obsolete in the public schools. Scholars will be instructed through the eye. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture. Our school system will be completely changed inside of ten years. " We have been working for some time on the school pictures. We have been studying and reproducing the life of the fly. mosquito, silk weaving moth, brown moth, gypsy moth, butterflies, scale and various other insects, as well as chemical cbrystallization. It proves conclusively the worth of motion pictures in chemistry, physics and other branches of study, making the scientific truths, difficult to understand from text books, plain and clear to children" width="766" height="492" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62423">
<p>You can <a href="https://www.laviemoderne.net/images/forum_pics/2017/20171116%20New%20York%20NY%20Dramatic%20Mirror%201913%20Mar-Apr%201914%20Grayscale%20-%200690.pdf">read the full exchange from The New York Dramatic Mirror</a>.</p>
<p>A hundred-plus years since the great and humble Edison made his prediction and… books are still used in schools! Those of us of a certain age remember a TV occasionally being wheeled in for one lesson or another. Today's kids watch more video content than ever - of mixed quality - but still rely on books and teachers.</p>
<p>Videos are good for some aspects of learning, but woefully inadequate for others.</p>
<p>I'm not trying to say that just because one technology failed, so will all others. But it is <em>amazing</em> how AI-proponents are recycling the same arguments with basically the same timescale. Will AI be part of education? Sure! Just like videos, pocket computers, the Metaverse, and performance enhancing drugs.</p>
<p>Will it be the <em>only</em> tool ever needed for education? I doubt it. Will vested interests and uncritical journalists continue to boost it? You don't need to have read many history books to work out the answer.</p>
<p>Further reading: <a href="https://www.colincornaby.me/2025/08/in-the-future-all-food-will-be-cooked-in-a-microwave-and-if-you-cant-deal-with-that-then-you-need-to-get-out-of-the-kitchen/">In the Future All Food Will Be Cooked in a Microwave, and if You Can’t Deal With That Then You Need to Get Out of the Kitchen</a></p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review: Being Mr Wickham ★★★★★]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-being-mr-wickham/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62605</id>
<updated>2025-08-13T21:16:42Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-14T11:34:06Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Mr Wickham is ready to set the record straight. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, Adrian Lukis, who starred in the renowned BBC TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, returns to the role of Mr Wickham. Join Pride and Prejudice’s most roguish gentleman, George Wickham, on the eve of his sixtieth birthday, to lift the sheets on what exactly happened thirty years on from whe…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-being-mr-wickham/"><![CDATA[<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/wickham.webp" alt="Promotional poster for Being Mr Wickham." width="384" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62606">
<blockquote><p>Mr Wickham is ready to set the record straight. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, Adrian Lukis, who starred in the renowned BBC TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, returns to the role of Mr Wickham.</p>
<p>Join Pride and Prejudice’s most roguish gentleman, George Wickham, on the eve of his sixtieth birthday, to lift the sheets on what exactly happened thirty years on from where we left him… And discover his own version of some very famous literary events.</p></blockquote>
<p>You remember "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead", right? Take two minor characters from a famous play and weave a tale around their misadventures. This is in much the same vein. A one-man show where we get to spend time with Pride & Prejudice's most clubbable old rake in order to better understand <em>why</em> he was such a scoundrel.</p>
<p>There's a lovely bit of intertextuality in having Adrian Lukis both write and perform as Wickham. For people of my age, he <em>is</em> Wickam. Sure, he's no Darcy in a dripping wet shirt, but played the perfect bounder and cad.</p>
<p>The Jermyn Street Theatre is the perfect venue for these tall tales. An intimate room where we're slowly drawn in to the confidences of a master manipulator. Behind the twinkling smile there is, be in no doubt, a predator.</p>
<p>Wickham lives off his charms and it is no wonder that the audience is eating out of the palm of his hand within minutes. His outrageous name dropping is all part of the seduction.</p>
<p>Of course he has been viciously abused in literature; done dirty by those envious of his success. Yes, he is a bit of a rascal but - and his eyes flirt with us at this point - isn't that what makes a man <em>interesting</em>?</p>
<p>Adrian Lukis doesn't redeem the villain; he indulges him. It is a delight to spend an hour in his company, hearing the old sot reminisce about old conquests, and catching up with the Bennet gossip. But you'll walk away wondering if you're any closer to the truth or have just been beguiled like some many others.</p>
<p>There's an interesting bit of media rights discussion to be here as well. Famously, the actors who play James Bond <a href="https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Why-Pierce-Brosnan-Wears-Ugliest-Suit-Ever-Thomas-Crown-Affair-68301.html">aren't allowed to wear a tuxedo in other movies</a> lest they be confused with 007. All of Jane Austen's works have long since passed out of copyright - but is the character of Wickam based on the book version of the 1990's screen version? There's no portrait of Julia Sawalha on the wall, so you'll have to make your own mind up on that count.</p>
<p>I do wonder how many other other actors will take the opportunity to revisit their star turns? The nostalgia roadshow rumbles on.</p>
<p>Mr Wickham is in residence until the 30th of August and I have no doubt that you will find his company most agreeable.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Would a Blockchain have prevented LIBOR fraud?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/would-a-blockchain-have-prevented-libor-fraud/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62191</id>
<updated>2025-08-07T20:49:34Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-12T11:34:37Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="blockchain"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I am massively sceptical of any claims that Blockchain can be useful. I even took the Certified Blockchain Professional course so I could better understand the batshittery. At the risk of appearing on QTWTAIN, and seeking a papal indulgence from Betteridge, I think I might have stumbled on a retroactive use-case for Blockchain! First up, what is LIBOR and what was the scandal which led to…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/would-a-blockchain-have-prevented-libor-fraud/"><![CDATA[<p>I am massively sceptical of any claims that Blockchain can be useful. I even took the <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/tag/certified-blockchain-professional/">Certified Blockchain Professional course</a> so I could better understand the batshittery.</p>
<p>At the risk of appearing on <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/QTWTAIN/">QTWTAIN</a>, and seeking a papal indulgence from <a href="https://ianbetteridge.com">Betteridge</a>, I <em>think</em> I might have stumbled on a retroactive use-case for Blockchain!</p>
<p>First up, what is LIBOR and what was the scandal which led to several bankers going to prison?</p>
<p>Here's the over-simplified explanation. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libor">London Inter-Bank Offered Rate</a> was a financial measure. Banks can borrow money from each other. They charge each other interest for this. These inter-bank interest rates are important - they reflect the financial health of the institutions and are used for all sorts of derived financial products.</p>
<p>Banks reported those LIBOR rates and, as a consequence, financial stuff happened. Those reports were sometimes lies.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18671255">fraud investigation</a> was long and complex. But it boils down to this - sometimes it was advantageous for the bank to lie about its rate. On at least 257 occasions, bankers would collude with each other to manipulate the rate.</p>
<blockquote><p>For example, on 26 October 2006, an external trader made a request for a lower three month US dollar LIBOR submission. The external trader stated in an email to Trader G at Barclays <em>“If it comes in unchanged I’m a dead man”</em>. Trader G responded that he would <em>“have a chat”</em>.</p>
<p>Barclays’ submission on that day for three month US dollar LIBOR was half a basis point lower than the day before, rather than being unchanged. The external trader thanked Trader G for Barclays’ LIBOR submission later that day: <em>“Dude. I owe you big time! Come over one day after work and I’m opening a bottle of Bollinger”</em>.</p></blockquote>
<p>So, would a Blockchain have prevented this sort of fraud? I'm going to go with a <em>very</em> cautious "maybe".</p>
<p>Let's take a look at the <a href="https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8202">seminal Blockchain paper from NIST</a> which contains this flowchart:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/blockchain-flow.webp" alt="A flowchart guides users to determine if a blockchain is suitable: Starting with "Do you need a shared, consistent data store?", if NO, consider Email/Spreadsheets; if YES, ask "Does more than one entity need to contribute data?". If NO, consider Database (with auditing caveat); if YES, ask "Data records, once written, are never updated or deleted?". If NO, consider Database; if YES, ask "Sensitive identifiers WILL NOT be written to the data store?". If NO, consider Encrypted Database; if YES, ask "Are the entities with write access having a hard time deciding who should be in control of the data store?". If NO, consider Managed Database; if YES, ask "Do you want a tamperproof log of all writes to the data store?". If NO, consider Database; if YES, "You may have a useful Blockchain use case."" width="900" height="1445" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62192">
<p>Taking the points in order:</p>
<ul>
<li>Do you need a shared, consistent data store?
<ul>
<li>Yes. This data is read by multiple parties. It needs to be consistent - that is is Bank A lends at 1.23%, Bank B should record borrowing at 1.23%.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Does more than one entity need to contribute data?
<ul>
<li>Yes. Multiple parties will need to record their lending.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Data records, once written, are never updated or deleted?
<ul>
<li>Yes. These data are immutable. The caveat being that, as with all Blockchain projects, preventing <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fat-finger-error.asp">fat-finger errors</a> is difficult. But, with suitable UI work, it might be possible to prevent 1.23% being recorded as 123%.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Sensitive identifiers WILL NOT be written to the data store?
<ul>
<li>Yes. There's no GDPR for financial institutions. As these data are meant to be public, there should be nothing private or sensitive on there.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Are the entities with write access having a hard time deciding who should be in control of the data store?
<ul>
<li>No one institution should be in control of these data - that would be a recipe for corruption.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Do you want a tamperproof log of all writes to the data store?
<ul>
<li>Yes. Once borrowing is agreed, it should be recorded irrevocably. No manipulation or rewriting of events.</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<p>So, that looks pretty positive, right? A multi-stakeholder, decentralised ledger, which accurately records cross-party transaction, in an incorruptible and auditable manner.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/news/2024/october/the-end-of-libor">end of LIBOR</a> came in 2024. It was replaced by the delightfully named "<a href="https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/sonia-benchmark">SONIA</a>" (Sterling Overnight Index Average).</p>
<p>Did the financial institutions end up using a Blockchain? Of course not!</p>
<p>The way <a href="https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/sonia-benchmark/administration-of-sonia">SONIA works</a> is by having the data reported directly to the Bank of England. The Bank then checks the data for plausibility and errors, calculates the rate, and then publishes it.</p>
<p>I don't know how easy it would be for bankers to lie in their returns to the Bank of England - but off-chain fraud is also possible. Similarly, perhaps it is possible to bribe whoever collates and publishes the data.</p>
<p>But the point here is that this is close to textbook case of where a Blockchain <em>could</em> have been useful - and they rejected it.</p>
<p>The hunt for a real-world use-case for Blockchain continues in vain.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review: Girl from the North Country ★⯪☆☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-girl-from-the-north-country/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62578</id>
<updated>2025-08-09T19:13:13Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-10T11:34:59Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="musical"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I have rarely been this bored during a West End Show. Conor McPherson seems to have fundamentally misunderstood what makes an engaging drama and, simultaneously, what makes for an enjoyable "jukebox musical". The writing is like an exaggerated soap opera script which consists solely of angry people asking each other questions, which are then answered with more questions. Sample dialogue: Who…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-girl-from-the-north-country/"><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Girl-from-the-North-Country-2025.webp" alt="Post for Girl from the North Country." width="256" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62579">
I have rarely been this <em>bored</em> during a West End Show. Conor McPherson seems to have fundamentally misunderstood what makes an engaging drama and, simultaneously, what makes for an enjoyable "jukebox musical".</p>
<p>The writing is like an exaggerated soap opera script which consists solely of angry people asking each other questions, which are then answered with more questions.</p>
<p>Sample dialogue:</p>
<blockquote><p>Who are you?</p>
<p>What's it got to do with you?</p>
<p>Is it a crime to ask?</p>
<p>How do you figure that?</p></blockquote>
<p>And so it goes on. Tedious with little chance to advance the plot. Mind you, the plot isn't much to write home about. A disreputable cast of characters each with <strong>a deep dark secret</strong>. The actors mostly do well with the dire prose - although a few struggle with the American accents - but they don't have much more than stereotypes to work with.</p>
<p>As for the music. I <em>love</em> Bob Dylan songs - which makes it such a shame to see them treated so shabbily. Most of the melodies have been reduced to a dirge suitable for fiddle, banjo, and piano. Rather than getting a range of styles, they all seem to blend into one. Very occasionally something familiar like "All Along the Watchtower" or "Rolling Stone" is played straight, but it is slim pickings.</p>
<p>Which brings us to the question - what is the point of a jukebox musical? In something like "We Will Rock You", we accept that the songs <em>sort of</em> relate to the story. In <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/07/theatre-review-juliet/">& Juliet</a> the songs are tweaked a bit to fit the plot. In "Girl from the North Country" the songs are just sort of dumped in at random.</p>
<p>There's a Black guy who is a boxer - so naturally he sings a few verses of "The Hurricane". Why? For no reason related to the plot that I could discern. What's the divine "Duquesne Whistle" doing chucked in there? Perhaps it is to beef up the number of songs the audience might have heard of? Most are deep-cuts from obscure albums and b-sides which, in of itself, is fine - but a jukebox musical demands that the audience should be able to tap their toes along to <em>most</em> of the numbers, right?</p>
<p>I am bewildered by the positive reviews. It is a plodding and unoriginal script which squanders a sublime musical catalogue.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review: Storehouse - Truth Lies Here ★★★☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-storehouse-truth-lies-here/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62533</id>
<updated>2025-08-09T06:55:37Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-09T11:34:38Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[An abandoned warehouse in Deptford hosts one of the most audacious, ostentatious, and sumptuous shows I've ever attended. An immersive theatrical experience which is lush with texture, ambitious in scope, and yet - somehow - slightly less than the sum of its parts. The pre-show is exemplary. You're handed a lanyard with a room number and make your way through the imposing set until you find…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-storehouse-truth-lies-here/"><![CDATA[<p>An abandoned warehouse in Deptford hosts one of the most audacious, ostentatious, and sumptuous shows I've ever attended. An immersive theatrical experience which is lush with texture, ambitious in scope, and yet - somehow - slightly less than the sum of its parts.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/STOREHOUSE.webp" alt="Promotional Poster. A pixelated face of a young boy is made out of various photos." width="256" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62534">
<p>The pre-show is exemplary. You're handed a lanyard with a room number and make your way through the imposing set until you find your waiting room. It is like if the TV show Severance had come alive. A congenial host signs you in, there's digitally manipulated news to watch, and some world-building lore to get you started. It's a small and friendly pod - maybe a dozen of you - frantically trying to work out what's going on.</p>
<p>And then - just like The Crystal Maze - you're deposited into a new zone. I don't want to give any spoilers, but the sets are outstanding. Beautifully decorated, intricately designed, and fully of fiddly-bits to investigate. It is clear a <em>lot</em> of money has been spend on this show. And that's kind of the problem - the sets and design are <em>so</em> expensive and yet the story is <em>so</em> weak.</p>
<p>The Storehouse holds every bit of information from the Internet. And something is going wrong. And there's a mysterious founder. And there are some heavy-handed clues. And then on to the next room. It's a 90 minute experience with no interval (and cramped portaloos outside) which means the story never really gets a chance to breathe.</p>
<p>It's trying to say <em>something</em> about fake news and media literacy, but it is all rather garbled and lost. Perhaps I'm showing my prejudice, but I don't think any Brexit voters or conspiracy theorists are spending their evenings inside an experimental theatre production. Even if they are, the world-building is so complex and the plot so flimsy, that I'm not sure it would change their mind.</p>
<p>A lot of care and effort has obviously gone in to this production. Every room feels unique, all the gadgetry and multi-media sensations are well integrated. There's a <em>little</em> bit of puzzle solving but (again, because of time constraints) it's mostly resolved by a cast member saying "Do you remember? It's like the big obvious clue we saw in the last room!"</p>
<p>The ending is intense - almost spell binding. It blows apart the 4th wall and becomes something halfway between communal relief and spiritual enlightenment. But, sadly, there's no catharsis of applause. The players vanish and we never get a chance to thank them. A shame because the cast are excellent - they have the tough job of presenting exposition, shepherding the audience, and improvising with us. They rattle through the technobabble with ease and fully embody their weird roles.</p>
<p>As for the post-show - another triumph. Deposited into a bar with interesting cocktails and a gorgeous view. Blinking into the sunlight, we are handed pamphlets about our experience, which seems like an apt metaphor.</p>
<p>It is <em>absolutely</em> worth visiting Storehouse. Go with an open mind, get involved, and try not to think <em>too</em> hard about whether any of it makes any sense.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[How long does it take to upgrade an eBook?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/how-long-does-it-take-to-upgrade-an-ebook/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=61927</id>
<updated>2025-07-31T14:26:24Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-08T11:34:12Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="a11y"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="accessibility"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="books"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="ebook"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="ebooks"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The older I get, the more comfortable I become with complaining. Not merely moaning on social media, but writing a direct email to the perpetrator of some annoyance. I'd purchased an eBook and was appalled by how crappy the accessibility was. If you don't know, modern ePub books are just HTML wrapped in a zip file. They have all of the accessibility advantages of the web and should be easy to…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/how-long-does-it-take-to-upgrade-an-ebook/"><![CDATA[<p>The older I get, the more comfortable I become with complaining. Not merely moaning on social media, but writing a direct email to the perpetrator of some annoyance.</p>
<p>I'd purchased an eBook and was <em>appalled</em> by how crappy the accessibility was. If you don't know, modern ePub books are just HTML wrapped in a zip file. They have all of the accessibility advantages of the web and should be easy to read no matter if you're sighted or not.</p>
<p>But not this eBook! Part of the story concerned WhatsApp messages sent by the protagonist. Here's one of them:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/whatsapp.webp" alt="Text with a tiny emoji, the size of a full stop." width="1000" height="502" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61928">
<p>See that smudge in the middle? The one smaller than a full stop? That's meant to be an emoji. Rather than use an <em>actual</em> emoji, they've stuck in a tiny pixel image which won't scale with text size.</p>
<p>Here is is:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/f0006-01.jpg" alt="Tiny emoji" width="13" height="14" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61929">
<p>Can't see it? Let me blow it up to a more readable size.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/f0006-01.jpg" alt="Pixelated mess." width="130" height="140" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61929">
<p>OK, that's annoying for sighted readers, but just about understandable. What about people who are using a screen reader? Luckily, ePubs can use HTML's "alt text" feature which will describe an image which can't be seen.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/alt.webp" alt="The alt text just says 'image'"." width="808" height="123" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61931">
<p>Curses! That's, perhaps, not <em>too</em> annoying for a decorative image - but later in the book there are pictures of a ransom note. Despite the plot-twisting text in the illustration, the alt text just says "image".</p>
<p>I found the publisher's website and scoffed at their proclaimed accessibility statement. I sent them an email which basically consisted of the above. I realised it was probably futile, but I've got to spend my privilege points somehow.</p>
<p>The next day, they wrote back!</p>
<blockquote><p>I wanted to reply to let you know we are taking our commitments to accessibility in our ebooks seriously […] I will get our ebook team to check this as a matter of urgency and get back to you with an update.</p></blockquote>
<p>Fair play. But talk is cheap, would they actually take action? A few days later, they sent a follow-up:</p>
<blockquote><p>We have checked the file for this title again and found issues with it. We have sent this back to the conversion house to have the file corrected and expect this to be delivered by the end of the week. We would then expect this corrected version to be with Kobo by the end of the following week, i.e. 25th July.</p>
<p>We have also been spot-checking other files to see if there is a wider issue and where necessary will follow the same workflow to ensure fully accessible versions are available as widely as possible.</p></blockquote>
<p>And, you know what, I think that's totally reasonable. Yeah, they should have caught it before publication - but it is a complex book and they're a small publisher. They took my complaint seriously and actually did something about it.</p>
<p>A week or so rolled by and they sent me this:</p>
<blockquote><p>Just to update you that we have been back and forth with the conversion house getting this title up to scratch. There were various complicating factors which should now be resolved and an updated file has now been distributed and should be available through your chosen retailer presently. If you have any other queries please do let us know.</p></blockquote>
<p>I logged on to my eBook provider, clicked "read" and…</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/fixed-epub.webp" alt="Text with large colourful emoji." width="1080" height="544" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62328">
<p>It was fixed! All the images had decent alt text as well.</p>
<p>Rather annoyingly, the retailer didn't notify me that there was an update available. I can't blame the publisher for that though.</p>
<p>Still, 3 weeks from report to fix is pretty good I reckon.</p>
<p>When I last contacted a publisher about a mistake in their ebook, <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2011/06/how-long-does-it-take-to-fix-an-ebook/">it took over 3 months to fix it</a>. Perhaps things are slowly getting better?</p>
<p>Anyway, please complain about poor accessibility. Don't shout into the void of social media - write a polite but insistent email telling (not asking) people to fix their shit. Sometimes, just sometimes, it does work.</p>
<p>Anyway you should read <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-mysterious-case-of-the-alperton-angels-by-janice-hallett/">The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett</a> - it is brilliant <em>and</em> accessible.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[I bought a £16 smartwatch just because it used USB-C ★★★★☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62174</id>
<updated>2025-08-22T09:03:51Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-06T11:34:34Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="bluetooth"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="gadget"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="usb-c"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Look, I'm an idiot. I know that, you know that, and the man on the moon knows that. Let's not get into why I'm an idiot; let's just accept that I have my peculiarities and you have yours. My idiocy is a quest to make sure all my portable electronics can recharge using USB-C. Modern smartwatches are tiny and they do a lot. As a consequence, their battery life is generally poor. The industry's…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/"><![CDATA[<p>Look, I'm an idiot. I know that, you know that, and the man on the moon knows that. Let's not get into <em>why</em> I'm an idiot; let's just accept that I have my peculiarities and you have yours. My idiocy is a quest to make sure all my portable electronics can recharge using USB-C.</p>
<p>Modern smartwatches are tiny and they do a lot. As a consequence, their battery life is generally poor. The industry's attempts to fix this are either to <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/">replace the charging standard every year</a> hoping to find something magical, or to lock you in to a walled-garden on proprietary nonsense.</p>
<p>I want to recharge my watch while I'm riding the bus. That means plugging one end of a USB-C cable into the seat and the other into my wrist. That's how I recharge my phone, eReader, laptop, headphones, toothbrush, and a hundred other gadgets. Why should a watch be any different?</p>
<p>So I bought the only smartwatch I could find with a USB-C port. The <a href="https://www.colmi.info/products/colmi-p80-smartwatch">Colmi P80</a> - on offer at £16. It bills itself as "The world's first type-c smart watch".</p>
<p><a href="https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCwt0hW"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/colmi.webp" alt="Product shot of a watch being recharged by USB-C." width="720" height="720" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62167"></a></p>
<p>To be clear, I wasn't expecting this to be a <em>good</em> smartwatch. Anything you buy from AliExpress for the cost of a couple of pints is bound to be a bit crap. What I wanted to know is whether USB-C charging of watches is <em>viable</em>.</p>
<p>What I discovered is that, yes, USB-C charging works even on a relatively small watch. Oh, and that this is a surprisingly decent bit of kit - especially given its price. Let's dive in!</p>
<p></p><nav id="toc"><menu id="toc-start"><li id="toc-title"><h2 id="table-of-contents"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#table-of-contents" class="heading-link">Table of Contents</a></h2><menu><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#video-walkthrough">Video Walkthrough</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#what-works">What Works?</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#charging-speed-and-battery-life">Charging Speed and Battery Life</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#heart-monitoring">Heart Monitoring</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#sleep-monitoring">Sleep Monitoring</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-annoying">What's Annoying?</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#app">App</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#exercise-mode">Exercise Mode</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#instruction-manual">Instruction Manual</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#other-interesting-features">Other Interesting Features</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#security">Security</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#oem">OEM</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#open-source-and-gadgetbridge">Open Source and GadgetBridge</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#disassembly">Disassembly</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#smallsolar">smallsolar</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-next">What's Next?</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#should-i-buy-one">Should I Buy One?</a></li></menu></li></menu></nav><p></p>
<h2 id="video-walkthrough"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#video-walkthrough" class="heading-link">Video Walkthrough</a></h2>
<p>If you'd rather watch and listen than read a blog post, please enjoy this shonky video:</p>
<iframe title="Colmi P80 £20 USB-C Smartwatch - review and walkthrough" width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jqveeIQ2lW4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<h2 id="what-works"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#what-works" class="heading-link">What Works?</a></h2>
<p>It tells the time accurately!</p>
<p>You can set it up without using the app (more on that later). It Bluetooth paired to my phone without a problem - and without PIN entry. I could make and receive calls from the watch - and the voice quality was adequate.</p>
<p>Tilting the watch up made the display come on! I wasn't expecting that, to be honest.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/meter-watchface.webp" alt="Smartwatch with a custom face." width="680" height="510" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62409">
<p>The jog-dial button works. Good for scrolling and clicking.</p>
<p>Swiping on the screen to navigate works with pretty good accuracy.</p>
<p>Vibration notifications were strong enough to be noticeable.</p>
<p>There were a bunch of simple games and apps on there - including 2048 - which all ran fine.</p>
<p>The built in torch (!) was bright and useful.</p>
<p>And, yes, it charged via USB-C!</p>
<h2 id="charging-speed-and-battery-life"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#charging-speed-and-battery-life" class="heading-link">Charging Speed and Battery Life</a></h2>
<p>It claims a 0-100 in 90 minutes which seemed broadly accurate.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/COLMI_P80_type-c_Smartwatch_1.webp" alt="Charging speed of 1.5 hours." width="500" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62222">
<p>It came with a short USB-C to C lead which was charge-only, no data. I plugged it until fully charged, then wore it continuously. After 24 hours of use, even with all my fiddling, that battery was at 80%.</p>
<p>After four days, it still had 40% left - I'd been using it for exercise, sleep tracking, a couple of phone calls, and using the torch at night. After 5 days, I finally got the "low battery" warning when I hit 20%. I reckon, with moderate usage, you'd squeeze a week out of it. Sticking the brightness up, keeping the screen on longer, and playing music through its tiny speaker are also going to drag the battery life down.</p>
<p>My <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/10/gadget-review-plugable-usb-c-voltage-amperage-meter-240w/">USB-C Power Meter</a> said it charged at 5V .16A, that's around 0.8W. Slow, but it only has a small 280mAh battery. Bluetooth Low Energy is, unsurprisingly, pretty energy efficient! Heart monitoring and motion detection is also a low-power activity. There's no power-guzzling GPS or cellular connection - so the power requirements are pretty modest.</p>
<p>The rubber flap keeps the port safe, although does feel a little flimsy. If you have a chunky cable, it might interfere with the cover a little.</p>
<p><ins datetime="2025-08-18T14:31:03+00:00">Update after 2 weeks of use:</ins> Over about 9 days, <a href="https://mastodon.social/@Edent/115048915993805151">the battery went from 100% to 20%</a> - that was using it for a few exercise sessions, getting notifications, and continual heart-rate monitoring. Once the battery got bellow 20%, it wouldn't let me start new exercise monitoring or other activities. So you should easily be able to get a week of useful use out of this.</p>
<h3 id="power-delivery"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#power-delivery" class="heading-link">Power Delivery</a></h3>
<p>This does <em>not</em> work with PD chargers. If you plug this in to the same power-brick as your laptop, it will not charge. Based on the three that I tried, PD chargers will not negotiate down to 1W levels.</p>
<p>If you have a charging <em>adapter</em> with multiple outputs, the regular USB-C ones will charge this just fine. All the USB-A to C chargers worked fine.</p>
<iframe src="https://prattle.org.uk/@steve/114986389491929430/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<script src="https://prattle.org.uk/embed.js" async="async"></script>
<h2 id="heart-monitoring"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#heart-monitoring" class="heading-link">Heart Monitoring</a></h2>
<p>Much like <a href="https://neilzone.co.uk/2025/06/initial-thoughts-on-a-18-colmi-r09-smart-ring-and-gadgetbridge/#i-have-not-benchmarked-accuracy">my friend Neil and his smartring from the same manufacturer</a>, I've not benchmarked the accuracy of the heart-rate monitoring. When I exercise, it goes up. When I relax, it goes down.</p>
<p>It pegged my resting heart rate at about 65BPM, which in line with other devices. While <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/08/review-egofit-walker-pro-an-under-desk-treadmill/">walking on my treadmill</a>, it went up to 100.</p>
<p>My SpO<sub>2</sub> was measured as 99% which, again, was as expected. I held my breath for as long as possible and it dropped to 95%.</p>
<p>Within the app, you can set a "Heart Rate Warning" and various other detection settings.</p>
<h2 id="sleep-monitoring"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#sleep-monitoring" class="heading-link">Sleep Monitoring</a></h2>
<p>I wore it at night. There's a "sleep mode" setting which stops the screen coming on, but you have to dive into a sub-menu to turn it on.</p>
<p>The watch showed this reasonably accurate screen:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sleep1.webp" alt="Graph of coloured lines showing sleep state." width="800" height="800" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62421">
<p>The data are also sent to the app:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sleep-app.webp" alt="In app screenshot with a complex graph." width="504" height="1122" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62420">
<h2 id="whats-annoying"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-annoying" class="heading-link">What's Annoying?</a></h2>
<p>Given that this is a £16 watch, it hasn't exactly been "<a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/11/designed-by-apple-in-california-chronicles-20-years-of-apple-design/">Designed by Apple in California</a>". There are limitations and weird little niggles but, surprisingly, not too many.</p>
<p>First up, the brains of the watch is the <a href="https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/JieLiTech-JL7012F6/C7434396">JL7012</a> - which is a deliberately underpowered chip. It can do Bluetooth comms and drives the screen reasonably well. You're not going to be flinging billions of pixels around in 3D. The animation of all the interactions is a little jerky - obviously not 60FPS but just slow enough to be slightly annoying.</p>
<p>You can't tap the screen to turn it on; you have to click the side button or rotate your wrist. The raise to wake works, but takes a second or two to register. Weirdly, the scroll wheel works in <em>most</em> UI elements, but it doesn't for changing dates and times - so it is a bit of a slog to manually scroll through them on screen.</p>
<p>There <a href="https://www.colmi.info/pages/colmi-user-manual">no online manual available</a>. All the other Colmi products have a manual available. Similarly, there's no firmware updates listed - although the app does claim to be able to update the firmware.</p>
<p>The USB-C port is for charging only - you can't get data off it via cable. You cannot use the watch while charging - once plugged in it will show a few messages about keeping the device clean. If you set it to use "nightstand" mode, plugging in will show the time and battery level - but you can't interact with any of the functions.</p>
<p>Directions - no maps, GPS, or even a basic compass. You cannot add any apps to this - what you get is what you get.</p>
<p>Connectivity - Bluetooth only. No WiFi and no cellular. This can't make emergency calls unless you're connected to Bluetooth.</p>
<p>Multiple alarms can be set - but you can't choose their ringtone.</p>
<p>You can add some "favourites" to the main screen, swipe across to get them. Sadly the options are pretty limited. For example, you can't put alarms or the calculator there. For those, you've got to dive into the main menu.</p>
<p>The screen brightness is manually controlled - no clever adaptive technology here. It can go bright enough to see in the blazing sunshine, although the dimmest setting is still a bit bright for night use.</p>
<p>There's no NFC - so you can't use this to pay for things. You can't even use it as an NFC business card - although you can send it QR codes to display, which is a handy alternative.</p>
<p>All that might sound bad but please remember that this is <strong>a sub £20 watch</strong>; it isn't competing with something costing ten times as much. The fact that it does all these things at all is pretty impressive!</p>
<p>Some of the functionality isn't available unless you pair it with the supplied app.</p>
<h2 id="app"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#app" class="heading-link">App</a></h2>
<p>It is a given that all hardware apps are fundamentally a bit rubbish. The <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crrepa.band.colmi_fit">Colmi Fit app</a> is basically fine. It isn't <em>very</em> polished but does everything it needs to do. You can get away without using the app completely for most things.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/permissions.webp" alt="Permissions request screen with poorly formatted text." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62426">
<p>If you want updated weather, stocks, or prayer times - you'll need it to be paired to the app. Annoyingly, things like world clock also need a connection to be set up. Similarly, things like menstrual tracking need a connection (although, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-61952794">please note the privacy implications</a>).</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/period.webp" alt="Period tracking settings." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62427">
<p>Annoyingly, despite it being basic Bluetooth functionality, music controls don't work without the app nor does the ability to show contact information.</p>
<p>Notifications other than calls also require the app. You'll need to give it permission to read all your notifications, but you can set it only to forward ones from specific apps. I didn't bother to set that up.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Notifications.webp" alt="Notifications settings for individual apps." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62428">
<p>There are several built-in watch faces which can be changed by rolling the knob. Only one of the built-in faces is customisable:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Custom-watch-face.webp" alt="A watch face which lets you change the background image and position of the text." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62442">
<p>What surprised me was just how many watch faces were available to download:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/face-gallery.webp" alt="Long list of watch faces." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62429">
<p>Sadly, I don't think it is possible to add your own designs, and none of them let you fiddle with what's displayed.</p>
<p>Many of the settings - like how long the screen should stay on for - are only available in the app. Even thought the app can get your location, you have to manually tell it what city you're in for an accurate weather forecast.</p>
<p>There were a few things I couldn't get working. The "AI Voice Assistant" is, I assume, just streaming audio back to your phone. As I don't have an assistant app, it didn't do anything. I'm not a Muslim, so I can't tell if the prayer times are accurate. The stress monitoring is a bit opaque - I don't know what precisely it measures. I don't have a menstrual cycle for it to track. I didn't investigate the SOS settings either:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sos.webp" alt="SOS settings to trigger an alert." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62431">
<p>Oh, and you can also tell it to remind you to drink water.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/water-intake.webp" alt="Water intake settings." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62430">
<p>Finally, the app will show a notification showing your goals.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/notification.webp" alt="Permanent notification showing step goal." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62432">
<p>The app works well even if you deny it all the permissions it asks for but, obviously, some bits won't work unless they have access to your phone book, location, gallery, etc. You can always uninstall the app once done setting it up.</p>
<h2 id="exercise-mode"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#exercise-mode" class="heading-link">Exercise Mode</a></h2>
<p>There are a bunch of different exercise modes on the watch - I'm not sporty enough to tell you what the difference is between all of them.</p>
<p>The app has some basic fitness stuff and will track your jogging locations.</p>
<p>Buried in the watch menu are your historic stats, but you'll need the app to export them.</p>
<p>Step detection is, like most watches, based on arm-swinging. So it wasn't terribly accurate when I was on my <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/08/review-egofit-walker-pro-an-under-desk-treadmill/">standing desk treadmill</a>, but was acceptably accurate when going outside. It showed roughly the same amount of steps as the Pixel Watch 3.</p>
<p>You have to manually activate exercise mode if you want to quickly look up your heart-rate, steps, times, etc.</p>
<h2 id="instruction-manual"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#instruction-manual" class="heading-link">Instruction Manual</a></h2>
<p>The leaflet in the box is the standard multi-lingual affair. Here's a quick scan of the English version. That'll show you some of what this watch is capable of.</p>
<p><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Scanned-Instructions-Lossy.webp"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Scanned-Instructions-Lossy.webp" alt="Instructions for the watch." width="2469" height="1539" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62404"></a></p>
<h2 id="other-interesting-features"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#other-interesting-features" class="heading-link">Other Interesting Features</a></h2>
<p>I got the cheapest strap possible - but it looks like it uses standard fittings if you want something more luxurious.</p>
<p>The 240x296 screen is bright and colourful - a basic screen protector is included in the box.</p>
<p>There's a built in LED which acts as a torch - which is only useful if you wear it on the left wrist.</p>
<p>The "Flappy Bird" clone is a bit crap, but 2048 and space invaders are reasonable time-wasters.</p>
<p>There's a camera shutter app if you want to use it as a remote control.</p>
<p>It <em>claims</em> to be IP67 waterproof, but warns not to immerse it in water or use it in steamy environments. It seemed to be splash resistant, but I didn't take it swimming or showering.</p>
<h2 id="security"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#security" class="heading-link">Security</a></h2>
<p>There is none. There's no password lock on the screen and there's no Bluetooth PIN.</p>
<p>To be fair, there's nothing much you can do with the watch if you stole it. OK, you could make some phone calls if you were within range and get people's contact details. But there's no payment information stored. A thief might get your exercise and menstrual data, but it isn't a treasure trove of information.</p>
<p>Once it is paired to your device, it doesn't advertise itself via Bluetooth. If it is disconnected, it only broadcasts its availability when the screen is on. There's no pairing PIN.</p>
<h2 id="oem"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#oem" class="heading-link">OEM</a></h2>
<p>The manufacturer appears to be <a href="http://moyoung.com/">Mo Young</a> - they make the watch and the app.</p>
<p><a href="http://moyoung.com/en/solution/watch"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/custome-watch.webp" alt="Diagram of a watch." width="1172" height="528" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62410"></a></p>
<p>They have <a href="http://moyoung.com/en/solution/watch">some detail about the watch platform</a> but not much.</p>
<h2 id="open-source-and-gadgetbridge"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#open-source-and-gadgetbridge" class="heading-link">Open Source and GadgetBridge</a></h2>
<p>The device uses the MOYOUNG-V2 protocol. I was able to pair it with <a href="https://gadgetbridge.org/">GadgetBridge</a> by pretending it was a Colmi V79. Most of the functionality worked - I was able to see heart rate, steps, change some settings etc. I've <a href="https://codeberg.org/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/issues/5193">requested GadgetBridge support</a> which should make it possible to get notifications etc.</p>
<p><ins datetime="2025-08-06T20:31:54+00:00">Update! GadgetBridge <em>can</em> now send notifications!<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/gbnot.jpg" alt="Photo of a watch displaying a test notification." width="1024" height="768" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62494">The notifications can be read and deleted, they can't be replied to.</ins></p>
<p>There are a few open source apps to <a href="https://github.com/VicGuy/DaFbc">create new watch faces</a> and then <a href="https://github.com/VicGuy/DaFup">upload watch faces</a> to the device. But I wasn't able to get them working.</p>
<h2 id="disassembly"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#disassembly" class="heading-link">Disassembly</a></h2>
<p><ins datetime="2025-08-22T09:00:55+00:00">Update!</ins> There's a <a href="https://techhub.social/@smallsolar/115071559007632317">discussion on opening the device</a></p>
<div class="activitypub-embed u-in-reply-to h-cite"> <div class="activitypub-embed-header p-author h-card"> <img class="u-photo" src="https://files.techhub.social/accounts/avatars/110/125/136/651/538/699/original/865f02928170d952.png" alt=""> <div class="activitypub-embed-header-text"> <h2 class="p-name" id="smallsolar"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#smallsolar" class="heading-link">smallsolar</a></h2> <a href="https://techhub.social/users/smallsolar" class="ap-account u-url">@[email protected]</a> </div> </div> <div class="activitypub-embed-content"> <div class="ap-subtitle p-summary e-content"><p>Like many people inspired by <span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@Edent" class="u-url mention">@<span>Edent</span></a></span> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/@blog" class="u-url mention">@<span>blog</span></a></span> I got a <a href="https://techhub.social/tags/colmiP80" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>colmiP80</span></a> but I'm not a watch person so for science I opened it up.</p><p><a href="https://git.solarcene.community/smallsolar/Colmi_P80_Smart_Watch/src/branch/main/images" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">git.solarcene.community/smalls</span><span class="invisible">olar/Colmi_P80_Smart_Watch/src/branch/main/images</span></a></p><p>So - its not meant to be opened up, the back plate is glued in place, I heated it for a little while but then realised that its likely got a lipo sitting behind it so in the end just resorted to brute prying open. While initially I was able to partially open the lid any more and the small ribbon cables started to tear.</p><p>The good news is despite the heart beat sensor, the roller wheel and some other sensor now being fully detached the device does still turn on (sort of).</p><p>What I can see though are some interesting IC (well one) and also lots of nice test pads.</p><p>I can also see as predicted that the usb-c port is just 5v and GND.</p><p>In a bit I'll solder in the test points and see what I can find...</p><p>If you are interested there are some discussions on my IRC server (88.202.151.14 port 6668)</p></div> </div> <div class="activitypub-embed-meta"> <a href="https://techhub.social/users/smallsolar/statuses/115071559007632317" class="ap-stat ap-date dt-published u-in-reply-to">2025-08-22, 08:50</a> <span class="ap-stat"> <strong>0</strong> boosts </span> <span class="ap-stat"> <strong>1</strong> favorites </span> </div> </div>
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<p>There are also some <a href="https://git.solarcene.community/smallsolar/Colmi_P80_Smart_Watch/src/branch/main/images">great photos of inside the watch</a>.</p>
<h2 id="whats-next"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-next" class="heading-link">What's Next?</a></h2>
<p>My last smartwatch was the <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/06/review-watchy-an-eink-watch-full-of-interesting-compromises/">fairly crappy eInk Watchy</a> which recharged with micro-USB, I only used it for a few weeks before getting bored of it. The last time I seriously tried to use a smart watch <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2014/07/smart-watch-wearable-technology-failure/">was a decade ago and I hated it</a>.</p>
<p>Perhaps I'm just not a watch person? This is a cheap and useful way to get started. After a few days of use, I'm beginning to get used to it. It'll be more useful once I configure the notifications I get, I suspect.</p>
<h2 id="should-i-buy-one"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#should-i-buy-one" class="heading-link">Should I Buy One?</a></h2>
<p>That's up to you, champ. I'm not your real dad and I'm not trying to take his place. But I'm here for you if you need me.</p>
<p>Anyway, <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/">as discussed in a previous post</a>, this little device shows that it <em>is</em> possible to make a smartwatch that uses USB-C. It isn't the most powerful or customisable watch. It can't compete with a £200+ Apple or Android watch - but it is surprisingly capable.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Review: Data and Doctor Doom ★★★★★]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/review-data-and-doctor-doom/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62435</id>
<updated>2025-08-04T11:47:26Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-04T11:34:32Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="comic"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Dr Hibbett - he of the eponymous and well-regarded Hibbert Method - has taken the "Sing Your Thesis" concept to a brand new level. Who is Doctor Doom? I have only a passing interest in the increasingly convoluted Marvel Cinematic Universe, so I walked into this new comedy show with no idea. I assumed a baddie of some sort? I left with, if not a university education on the subject, then a…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/review-data-and-doctor-doom/"><![CDATA[<p>Dr Hibbett - he of the eponymous and well-regarded <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/9783110754483-005">Hibbert Method</a> - has taken the "Sing Your Thesis" concept to a brand new level.</p>
<p>Who is Doctor Doom? I have only a passing interest in the increasingly convoluted Marvel Cinematic Universe, so I walked into this new comedy show with no idea. I assumed a baddie of some sort?</p>
<p>I left with, if not a university education on the subject, then a healthy appreciation for the character, the tropes he embodies, and what makes him <em>Him</em>. Hibbett's PhD (<a href="https://amzn.to/41oEjz9">available in all good shops now</a>) is about "Transmedia Characters"; those who appear in various media and yet are still recognisable.</p>
<p>For example, is the Buffy of Buffy The Vampire Slayer the movie the same Buffy of Buffy The Vampire Slayer the TV show? Or even Buffy the Video Game or audiobook? Different actors, different directors, different hairstyles, but somehow always ineffably <em>Her</em>. Hibbert, naturally, conveys his methodology via the medium of PowerPoint and acoustic guitar.</p>
<p>He's sort of like if Billy Bragg was more interested in pulp comic books than radical socialism. The songs are delightful and silly - it takes real skill to compressing some dense academic work into a series of toe-tapping comic songs.</p>
<p>Even better, all of Hibbett's <a href="https://doi.org/10.25441/arts.c.6140805.v2">data from his research is available as Open Access</a> if you would like to check it for errors in multiverse continuity.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mjhibbett.co.uk/doom/">The show is touring round the UK</a> - catch it if you can.</p>
<iframe title="The Where What How and Whom of Doctor Doom" width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D6IfnqdYSSw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Why don't smart watches use USB-C to recharge?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62164</id>
<updated>2025-08-02T09:33:56Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-02T11:34:48Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="gadget"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="usb-c"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="watch"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[It looks like the new Google's Pixel 4 watch comes with yet another incompatible change in charging technology. This is a ridiculous situation. The original Pixel Watch used one type of wireless charging. Then the Pixel Watch 2 & 3 removed wireless charging and swapped to a different charging mechanism. And now the 4 has changed again. So three different charging cables in under three years.…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/"><![CDATA[<p>It looks like the new Google's Pixel 4 watch comes with <a href="https://www.androidheadlines.com/google-pixel-watch-4-charging"><em>yet another</em> incompatible change in charging technology</a>. This is a ridiculous situation.</p>
<p>The original Pixel Watch used <a href="https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/smartwatches/your-google-pixel-watch-now-charges-more-slowly-but-that-might-not-be-a-bad-thing">one type of wireless charging</a>. Then the Pixel Watch 2 & 3 removed wireless charging and <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/wearables/can-you-charge-the-pixel-watch-2-with-a-fitbit-charger">swapped to a different charging mechanism</a>. And now the 4 has changed <em>again</em>.</p>
<p>So three different charging cables in under three years. Progress!</p>
<p>While it would be lovely if watches could support Qi charging, they are just too small to make it work effectively - which is why <a href="https://www.anker.com/blogs/wireless-chargers/will-apple-watch-charge-on-any-wireless-charger">Apple has a proprietary wireless charging system</a>.</p>
<p>So, why not use everyone's favourite mandated charging standard - USB-C?</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/14/23404283/pixel-watch-wireless-charging-qi-wearables">The Verge</a> says:</p>
<blockquote><p>These devices are too dang small, and the technology isn’t there yet. Most standard connectors, like USB-C, are too large to fit within a smartwatch or on devices that are meant to mold to your body. The smaller the device, the more difficult this becomes.</p></blockquote>
<p>To which I say:</p>
<blockquote><p>Bullshit!</p></blockquote>
<p>Watches are small, but the USB-C connector isn't massive.</p>
<p>Here's <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/unawatch/meet-una-the-modular-gps-sports-watch">a modern smartwatch which uses USB-C</a> for charging and data:</p>
<p><video width="678" height="382" src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/watch-usb-c.mp4" muted="" loop="" autoplay=""></video></p>
<p>But having a USB-C connector means water ingress, right? Wrong!</p>
<blockquote><p>Does this USB-C connector affect the waterproof rating? No, it doesn’t as the USB-C connector on the watch is IPX8 rated, meaning the internals of the watch are completely sealed from the outside of the connector.</p></blockquote>
<p>OK, the port itself might get water and dirt in it - but a lug will seal it.</p>
<p>Still, that watch is over £200. Not bad for a pretty high-tech gadget with a limited supply. Are there others?</p>
<p>Here's the <a href="https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCwt0hW">Colmi P80</a></p>
<p><a href="https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCwt0hW"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/colmi.webp" alt="Product shot of a watch being recharged by USB-C." width="720" height="720" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62167"></a></p>
<p>It's a pretty basic watch - although it claims to do heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring. It may be crap for all I know - but it only costs £16!</p>
<p>In the middle of that price-range is this <a href="https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_onOqpH2">£80 smartwatch which is actually an entire Android device</a>!
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Large-square-watch.webp" alt="Large square watch." width="540" height="540" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62168"></p>
<p>Again, with USB-C built right in.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/USB-charging-phone-watch.webp" alt="USB charging phone watch." width="970" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62169">
<p>And, yes, it might be rubbish as both a watch, Android device, and masc-coded jewellery - but it shows that USB-C is <em>viable</em> for devices of this class.</p>
<h2 id="why-usb-c"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/#why-usb-c" class="heading-link">Why USB-C?</a></h2>
<p>I don't want to have to buy new accessories every time my hardware changes.</p>
<p>I already have hundreds of USB-C cables.</p>
<p>I only want to take one cable with me on holiday to charge my various gadgets.</p>
<p>I don't want to be restricted to only buying products from one company.</p>
<p>I want something which isn't going to be knocked off its charging pad by a particularly strong fart.</p>
<p>So I've bought the £16 AliExpress special and will review it shortly!</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Secret Cinema - Grease]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62377</id>
<updated>2025-08-01T10:40:59Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-01T11:34:23Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I was lucky enough to score tickets to last-night's dress rehearsal. It would be unfair to review this like a completed show, instead this is a preview on what to expect and some thoughts on the "immersive" genre. Very mild spoilers ahead. I never really got the concept behind Secret Cinema. It seemed like an overhyped cult with its mish-mash of festival, improvisation workshop, and collective …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/"><![CDATA[<p>I was lucky enough to score tickets to last-night's dress rehearsal. It would be unfair to review this like a completed show, instead this is a preview on what to expect and some thoughts on the "immersive" genre. Very mild spoilers ahead.</p>
<p><a href="https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/grease-poster.avif" alt="Poster for Grease." width="1480" height="832" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62380"></a></p>
<p>I never really got the concept behind Secret Cinema. It seemed like an overhyped cult with its mish-mash of festival, improvisation workshop, and collective film watching. The various <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/secret-cinema-presents-back-to-the-future-review-9641893.html">production snafus</a> didn't go unnoticed by me. It was fair to say that I went in to the world of Rydell High as a sceptic.</p>
<p>But I left as a convert.</p>
<p>Nestled in the middle of Battersea Park is an open-air funfair blaring the hits of the 1950s. A massive screen shows trailers for "From Here To Eternity" and other period pieces. It seems like <em>everyone</em> is dressed in either leather jackets or puffy dresses. The atmosphere is fun and convivial. There are a few actors milling about doing small interactions but its pretty easy to miss them as they're dressed similarly to the audience.</p>
<p>As the sounds of Frankie Valli fill the area, we're ushered inside to a <em>perfect</em> reproduction of Rydell High. There's <em>so much</em> attention to detail - posters on the walls, trophies in cases, cheerleaders with pom-poms, and a live band! Unlike my usual complaints about London theatre, the pre-show here is exquisite.</p>
<p>The interior is cavernous - dominated by the raised dance floor in the middle, with various sets dotted around. No matter where you stand, you'll be able to see what's going on thanks to some rather clever camera work which melds the original film with the stage actors.</p>
<p>The actors are fantastic - their singing, dancing, and crowdwork were impeccable. Obviously, this is a bit different to a normal immersive show - you aren't going to get any plot-twists from them, or clues about what's going to happen next, but it is rather jolly. And, yes, there's a good chance you'll be pulled into an interaction - either dancing on stage, singing with a choir, or invited to the slumber party. If that's not your thing, there's no pressure to get involved.</p>
<p>But you should <em>absolutely</em> get involved! Dance with the one that brung you, climb the bleachers, swoon over your heart-throb, and sing. Sing <strong>loudly</strong>. Grease is exactly as interactive as you want it to be. You could buy a VIP ticket and sit at the back (why?!?) or you could run around like a loon, hand-jiving when instructed, and admiring all the effort which has gone into it.</p>
<p>Just like the West-End shows which do singalonga nights, this is an exercise in <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/robmanuelyeah.bsky.social/post/3ltlybi3ufs2a">communal singing to lift the spirits</a>. It is intoxicating to feel like you're within the musical, rather than just being a spectator. It isn't interactive as such - nothing you do will change the plot - but it is wonderful to be swept along with everyone.</p>
<p>Sure, it's a corny old film with <a href="https://culturess.com/2018/06/15/40-years-later-grease-is-problematic-as-hell/">dodgy politics</a> and there have been a few subtle tweaks to make it feel a little more 21st century. But the songs are rocking, the crowd are there to have a good time, and the production values are excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.</p>
<h2 id="food-drink-toilets-and-costs"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/#food-drink-toilets-and-costs" class="heading-link">Food, drink, toilets, and costs</a></h2>
<p>Obviously, food and drink costs are outrageous. £7.50 for a 330ml can of lager?! £13.50 for a veggie burger!? Hey, at least the condiments were free! We did also find a character giving out samples of tequila - which softened the blow somewhat. I get that London prices are insane, but it will add up to an expensive evening. That said, there is vegan food available so at least I didn't walk away hungry. <a href="https://www.evolutionlondon.uk/">The menu is available online</a>.</p>
<p>Food and drink is available both inside and outside. There are also "Cigarette Girls" carrying around trays of drinks if you don't want to queue at the bar.</p>
<p>Outside there is a single fairground ride, a fun house, and a couple of fairground games. Again, these are pay-to-play. It feels a little cheeky to charge extra for these given the ticket cost.</p>
<p>There are plenty of loos - the inside ones are well maintained and there are some external portaloos which aren't too disgusting.</p>
<p>The cheapest tickets are £49 each. That's better than many West End shows. You won't be stuck in a cramped seat with a restricted view. We got there a bit before 19:00, hung around the fairground, then left around 22:00 - so 3 hours of entertainment. Not a bad bang for your buck.</p>
<h2 id="verdict"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/#verdict" class="heading-link">Verdict</a></h2>
<p>If you like Grease, you'll love this. If you're indifferent to Grease, you'll still have a big smile on your face.</p>
<p>For more information and tickets, visit <a href="https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/">https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/</a></p>
]]></content>
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<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett ★★★★⯪]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-mysterious-case-of-the-alperton-angels-by-janice-hallett/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62077</id>
<updated>2025-08-09T11:37:44Z</updated>
<published>2025-07-31T11:34:06Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Janice Hallett"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Janice Hallett is back with another epistolary mystery. Told through a series of transcribed conversations, WhatsApp messages, and torn-out pages from diaries - we the reader have to piece together the facts and crack the case! Much like her previous novels - The Appeal and The Twyford Code - you have to be willing to suspend your disbelief a fair bit. Do people really talk like that when they…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-mysterious-case-of-the-alperton-angels-by-janice-hallett/"><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/alperton.jpeg" alt="Book Cover with Angel Wings." width="200" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62079"> Janice Hallett is back with another epistolary mystery. Told through a series of transcribed conversations, WhatsApp messages, and torn-out pages from diaries - we the reader have to piece together the facts and crack the case!</p>
<p>Much like her previous novels - <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/10/book-review-the-appeal-janice-hallett/">The Appeal</a> and <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/01/book-review-the-twyford-code-by-janice-hallett/">The Twyford Code</a> - you have to be willing to suspend your disbelief a fair bit. Do people <em>really</em> talk like that when they don't know they're being recorded? Are mysterious notes ever really that clear? Probably not - but it is all rather good fun seeing the plot come together.</p>
<p>It also cheats <em>just a little</em> by having the transcriber give their opinion at key points. It keeps the story going, via a few red herrings, so I can't complain too much. There are lots of clues dotted around to keep track of, and a few proper gasp-out-loud moments.</p>
<p>The book is <em>gorgeously</em> typeset. The handwritten notes all use different fonts. Not only does it look luscious, it also brings a bit of life to the characters.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/handwriting.webp" alt="Samples of handwriting in different fonts." width="670" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62080">
<p>One thing to note - there were some accessibility issue with the book. Images of crucial evidence didn't have alt text and some of the emoji were poorly rendered. I wrote to the publisher and <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/how-long-does-it-take-to-upgrade-an-ebook/">they fixed all the problems quickly</a>. So it is worth checking if your eBook retailer has updated to the newer version.</p>
<p>The plot is a curious affair. A mixture of satanic-panic and murder mystery. It gets progressively darker and spookier - becoming rather twisted. The conclusion is pretty satisfying while leaving you with a few questions to mull over.</p>
<p>This is a fun mystery novel in a quirky style.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Winners don't use ChatGPT]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/winners-dont-use-chatgpt/"/>
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62288</id>
<updated>2025-07-29T20:57:45Z</updated>
<published>2025-07-30T11:34:56Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="AI"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="ChatGPT"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="LLM"/>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Writing Promts"/>
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[If you hung around video arcades in your youth, you would have seen this message burned into the phosphor of a thousand dying CRTs. Obviously this was a devilish psyop by those gits who wanted kids to stop sniffing glue and having fun. The bastards! But there's a more serious side to the corny message. Are you a winner if you've cheated? Lance Armstrong "won" multiple Toures de France. It…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/winners-dont-use-chatgpt/"><![CDATA[<p>If you hung around video arcades in your youth, you would have seen this message burned into the phosphor of a thousand dying CRTs.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/abinka/8880252938/"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/8880252938_2462609e08_o.jpg" alt="Arcade machine saying "Winners Don't Use Drugs" signed by some FBI dude. Photo CC BY-NC Megan Rosenbloom." width="512" height="384" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62289"></a></p>
<p>Obviously this was a devilish psyop by those gits who wanted kids to stop sniffing glue and having fun. The bastards!</p>
<p>But there's a more serious side to the corny message. Are you a winner if you've cheated?</p>
<p>Lance Armstrong "won" multiple <i lang="fr">Toures de France</i>. It wasn't him that won though, it was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/23/sports/cycling/armstrong-stripped-of-his-7-tour-de-france-titles.html?_r=0">a cocktail of drugs and performance enhancers</a>.</p>
<p>Milli Vanilli got to the top of the music charts <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milli_Vanilli">by having someone else sing their vocals</a>.</p>
<p>You can watch the documentary <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923752/">King of Kong</a> and decide for yourself if <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/02/did-billy-mitchell-use-this-illicit-joystick-to-set-a-donkey-kong-high-score/">allegations of cheating to get high-scores in Donkey Kong</a> are well founded.</p>
<p>The last one is interesting to me. I'm sure everyone here has turned to a gaming walkthough in a moment of frustration. Ah! So <em>that's</em> where the key was hidden! Onwards!</p>
<p>But once you've popped the walkthough cherry, how tempting is it to go back for just one more hit? Only a quick glance… And then, before you know it, you're no longer playing a game; you're watching a movie. You don't achieve anything by following a walkthrough, do you? You're little more than a monkey pressing the buttons in the order they flash.</p>
<p>That's fine if all you want to do is see the ending; but you can't really claim it as an achievement.</p>
<p>The same is true with cheats. <kbd>↑</kbd><kbd>↑</kbd><kbd>↓</kbd><kbd>↓</kbd><kbd>←</kbd><kbd>→</kbd><kbd>←</kbd><kbd>→</kbd><kbd>B</kbd><kbd>A</kbd> and now you have infinite lives and over-powered weapons. So what? You can glide through the game. You won't get any better at playing it. You won't learn. You'll just drift. You won't have any <a href="https://gizmodo.com/congratulations-to-ea-games-for-posting-the-most-hated-1820391000">pride and accomplishment</a> in what you've done.</p>
<p>Video games are better than real life. As the meme says:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/venus-is-in-bloom/152286550432/i-enjoy-video-games-because-they-let-me-live-out"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/venus.webp" alt="Screenshot from tumblr. venus-is-in-bloom says "i enjoy video games because they let me live out my wildest fantasies, like being assigned a task and then completing that task"." width="1080" height="640" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62298"></a></p>
<p>If you had a cheat button for real life, would you press it?</p>
<p>Click here to suddenly be number one on YouTube.</p>
<p>Swipe here to get into the University of your dreams.</p>
<p>Prompt engineer your way to launching a killer app without knowing how to code.</p>
<p>No work necessary to accomplish anything. Click the cheat button and off you go! Amazing! You'd press it repeatedly, right?</p>
<p><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/nameshiv.bsky.social/post/3lv4ejbhgkc2z">Shiv Ramdas</a> recently posted this provocation about the <a href="https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2025/04/07/james-somerton-re-emerges-plagiarizes-again-disappears/">plagiarist James Somerton</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>There's an incredible essay that will break the internet waiting to be written about the throughline between walkthrough dependence, James Somerton and ChatGPT's effect on the human psyche</p></blockquote>
<p>This isn't that essay. I'm too lazy to write something amazing, and too aware of the limitations of outsourcing my thinking.</p>
<p>But I see the pattern in myself.</p>
<ul>
<li>I <em>could</em> learn that code's syntax, or I could press the cheat button.</li>
<li>I <em>could</em> plan a trip, or I could press the cheat button.</li>
<li>I <em>could</em> text my wife that I love her, or I could press the cheat button.</li>
</ul>
<p>I'm sure you're going to write an impassioned comment about why sometimes pressing the cheat button is probably fine. The world is complex and sometimes you need a bit of a helping hand.</p>
<p>But hold onto that hand too long and it will hold you back.</p>
<hr>
<h2 id="counterpoint"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/winners-dont-use-chatgpt/#counterpoint" class="heading-link">Counterpoint</a></h2>
<p>Do I <em>really</em> believe that?</p>
<p>I'm never going to spend a few years learning French - so I'm quite content to chuck an AI a bit of translation work.</p>
<p>Some people like to spend a morning baking bread. Others like using a bread machine. Is that cheating? Who cares. It is <em>your</em> choice.</p>
<p>Why should I care <em>how</em> you're living your life. It doesn't bother me if you look up spoilers for films, hide a motor in your exercise bike, or always choose easy-mode on your games.</p>
<p>Perhaps you have no imagination and would rather an AI made up a bedtime story for your child. I suspect you're acting like <a href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/obsonline/harlows-classic-studies-revealed-the-importance-of-maternal-contact.html">the infamous Wire Mother</a>. A simulation of love with few of the benefits.</p>
<p>I can't imagine using an AI to woo my wife. But then, I've seen Cyrano de Bergerac.</p>
<p>Each of us has to draw a line somewhere. We each find a certain level of cheating acceptable when we do it - and despicable when others get away with it.</p>
]]></content>
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<title type="text">Terence Eden’s Blog</title>
<subtitle type="text">Regular nonsense about tech and its effects 🙃</subtitle>
<updated>2025-08-27T20:15:20Z</updated>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/feed/atom/</id>
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<entry>
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<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: What Sheep Think about the Weather - Amelia Thomas ★★★☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/book-review-what-sheep-think-about-the-weather-amelia-thomas/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62701</id>
<updated>2025-08-27T20:15:20Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-28T11:34:38Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="NetGalley" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[It started with a hummingbird dive-bombing Amelia Thomas over her morning coffee, and a pair of piglets who just wouldn’t stay put. Soon Amelia, journalist and new farmer, begins to question the communications of the creatures all around her: her pigs, her dogs, the pheasant family inhabiting her wood, her ‘difficult’ big red horse: even the earwigs in the farm’s dark, damp corners. Are they all…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/book-review-what-sheep-think-about-the-weather-amelia-thomas/"><![CDATA[<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sheep.webp" alt="Book cover featuring a sheep." width="200" height="300" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62702">
<blockquote><p>It started with a hummingbird dive-bombing Amelia Thomas over her morning coffee, and a pair of piglets who just wouldn’t stay put. Soon Amelia, journalist and new farmer, begins to question the communications of the creatures all around her: her pigs, her dogs, the pheasant family inhabiting her wood, her ‘difficult’ big red horse: even the earwigs in the farm’s dark, damp corners. Are they all just animals reacting instinctually to the world around them—or are they trying to communicate something deeper?</p></blockquote>
<p>This is a curious - and mostly satisfying - look at the practicalities of interspecies communication. Unlike <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/09/book-review-how-to-speak-whale-a-voyage-into-the-future-of-animal-communication-by-tom-mustill/">How to Speak Whale</a>, this doesn't assume that animals have a rich and complex grammar, nor does it make the case for animals having "higher-order" cognition. Instead, this is a fairly practical look at the limits of understanding animals.</p>
<p>Anyone with a pet cat or dog knows that they are experts at <em>some</em> forms of communication. "Feed me" being the primary one!</p>
<blockquote><p>In some ways, animals are simpler than humans. Hamsters don’t deliberately confound or obfuscate. Donkeys don’t gossip. An iguana will not gaslight you. Animals say what they mean. Yet that’s not to say this content is clear, or that we’re always aware it even exists at all.</p></blockquote>
<p>The author is open about her limitations and her goals. At times, it rather feels like reading a series of blog posts as she finds a new paper, chats to a new expert, and accidentally acquires yet another animal. Because she's primarily working with her own animals, there's a fair bit of anthropomorphising going on. Similarly, any "do your own research" project is going to be unaware of how to critically assess evidence. That makes it slightly scattershot and homespun. Nevertheless - it is fascinating what she uncovers.</p>
<p>There are some excellent practical tips for understanding the animal experience (I particularly like the idea of going on all fours and trying to understand a pet's-eye-view of the world). There's also an interesting bunch of interviews with scientists who are seeking to understand how and why animals communicate - and whether we can meaningfully exchange ideas with them, or just condition their behaviour.</p>
<p>But, as the book wears on, the author becomes more and more credulous. She goes on a series of courses which - with the best will in the world - seem to have rather dubious outcomes.</p>
<blockquote><p>Most of what I hear and see over these seven soaking days I need no scientific study to verify. I just sort of know it, the way the chicken guessers and dog listeners in the experiments just sort of knew what the calls signified. I wonder if this has to do with something called the motivational structure hypothesis,</p></blockquote>
<p>With no external interrogation of what she is doing, the book descends into the pseudo-scientific. The author recounts receiving mystic visions, engages with people who believe they can communicate with animals using telepathy, wanders into the realm of quantum physics, and claims that their horse has a psychic bond with her which causes psychosomatic injuries. Oh, and that her raspberry plants are laughing at her.</p>
<p>It is unfortunate that the last few chapters undermine all the interesting and useful information in the rest of the book.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Security Flaws in the WebMonetization Site]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/security-flaws-in-the-webmonetization-site/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62468</id>
<updated>2025-08-27T15:38:58Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-26T11:34:33Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Bug Bounty" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="CyberSecurity" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Responsible Disclosure" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="WebMonetization" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="xss" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I've written before about the nascent WebMonetization Standard. It is a proposal which allows websites to ask users for passive payments when they visit. A visitor to this site could, if this standard is widely adopted, opt to send me cash for my very fine blog posts. All I need to do is add something like this into my site's source code: <link rel="monetization"…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/security-flaws-in-the-webmonetization-site/"><![CDATA[<p>I've written before about <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/03/how-to-prevent-payment-pointer-fraud/">the nascent WebMonetization Standard</a>. It is a proposal which allows websites to ask users for passive payments when they visit. A visitor to this site could, if this standard is widely adopted, opt to send me cash for my very fine blog posts.</p>
<p>All I need to do is add something like this into my site's source code:</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link rel="monetization" href="https://wallet.example.com/edent">
</code></pre>
<p>A user who has a WebMonetization plugin can then easily pay me for my content.</p>
<p>But not every website is created by an individual or a single entity. Hence, the creation of the "<a href="https://webmonetization.org/tools/prob-revshare/">Probabilistic Revenue Share Generator</a>".</p>
<blockquote><p>Probabilistic revenue sharing is a way to share a portion of a web monetized page's earnings between multiple wallet addresses. Each time a web monetized user visits the page, a recipient will be chosen at random. Payments will go to the chosen recipient until the page is closed or reloaded.</p></blockquote>
<p>Nifty! But how does it work?</p>
<p>Let's say a website is created by Alice and Bob. Alice does most of the work and is to receive 70% of the revenue. Bob is to get the remaining 30%. Within the web page's head, the following meta element is inserted:</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link
rel="monetization"
href="https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siaHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS8iLDcwLCJBbGljZSJdLFsiaHR0cHM6Ly93aGF0ZXZlci50ZXN0LyIsMzAsIkJvYiJdXQ"
/>
</code></pre>
<p>The visitor's WebMonetization plugin will visit that URl and be redirected to Alice's site 70% of time and Bob's 30%.</p>
<p>If we Base64 decode that weird looking URl, we get:</p>
<pre><code class="language-json">[
[
"https://example.com/",
70,
"Alice"
],
[
"https://whatever.test/",
30,
"Bob"
]
]
</code></pre>
<p>Rather than adding multiple URls in the head, the site points to one resource and lets that pick who receives the funds.</p>
<p>There are two small problems with this.</p>
<p>The first is that you have to trust the WebMonetization.org website. If it gets hijacked or goes rogue then all your visitors will be paying someone else. But let's assume they're secure and trustworthy. There's a slightly more insidious threat.</p>
<p>Effectively, this allows an untrusted 3rd party to use the WebMonetization.org domain as an open redirect. That's useful for phishing and other abuses.</p>
<p>For example, an attacker could send messages encouraging people to visit:</p>
<p><a href="https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siaHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS8iLDk5LCJpbWciXV0">https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siaHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS8iLDk5LCJpbWciXV0</a></p>
<p>Click that and you'll instantly be redirected to a domain under the attacker's control. This could be particularly bad if the domain encouraged users to share passwords or other sensitive information.</p>
<p>If the Base64 data cannot be decoded to valid JSON, the API will echo back any Base64 encoded text sent to it. This means an attacker could use it to send obfuscated messages. Consider, tor example:</p>
<p><a href="https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siUGxlYXNlIHZpc2l0IFJlYWxfZ29vZF9DYXNpbm9zLmJpeiBmb3IgbG90cyBvZiBDcnlwdG8gZnVuISEhIiwxMjM0NTYsImltZyJdXQ==">https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siUGxlYXNlIHZpc2l0IFJlYWxfZ29vZF9DYXNpbm9zLmJpeiBmb3IgbG90cyBvZiBDcnlwdG8gZnVuISEhIiwxMjM0NTYsImltZyJdXQ==</a></p>
<p>Visit that and you'll see a message. With a bit of effort, it could be crafted to say something to encourage a visitor to enter their credentials elsewhere.</p>
<p>When I originally reported this, the site could be used to to smuggle binary payloads. For example, <a href="https://webmonetization.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">this URl would display an image</a> - however, it seems to have been fixed.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, it is important to recognise that the WebMonetization.org domain contains an <a href="https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Unvalidated_Redirects_and_Forwards_Cheat_Sheet.html">unvalidated redirect and forwarding</a> vulnerability.</p>
<p>I recommended that they ensured that the only URls which contain legitimate payment pointers should be returned. I also suggested setting a maximum limit for URl size.</p>
<h2 id="timeline"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/security-flaws-in-the-webmonetization-site/#timeline" class="heading-link">Timeline</a></h2>
<ul>
<li>2025-03-27 - Discovered and disclosed.</li>
<li>2025-08-05 - Remembered I'd submitted it and sent a follow up.</li>
<li>2025-08-26 - Automatically published.</li>
<li><ins datetime="2025-08-27T15:37:49+00:00">2025-08-27</ins> - A day after this post was published, <a href="https://github.com/interledger/publisher-tools/issues/85">the issue was made public on their repo</a>.</li>
</ul>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: The Shattering Peace by John Scalzi (Old Man's War Book 7) ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/book-review-the-shattering-peace-by-john-scalzi-old-mans-war-book-7/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62754</id>
<updated>2025-08-23T20:21:32Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-24T11:34:46Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="scalzi" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Sci Fi" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I'm reasonably sure I've read all the "Old Man's War" books. As the last one was published a decade ago, you'll forgive me if I don't remember all the intricacies of galactic politics and interpersonal intrigue. Thankfully, Scalzi has carved off a side character from a previous book and given them a brand-new adventure. There's enough exposition to tickle the parts of your brain that go "Ah,…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/book-review-the-shattering-peace-by-john-scalzi-old-mans-war-book-7/"><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/9781509835409.webp" alt="Book cover showing spaceships and alien worlds." width="270" height="411" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62756">
I'm <em>reasonably</em> sure I've read all the "Old Man's War" books. As the last one was published a decade ago, you'll forgive me if I don't remember all the intricacies of galactic politics and interpersonal intrigue. Thankfully, Scalzi has carved off a side character from a previous book and given them a brand-new adventure. There's enough exposition to tickle the parts of your brain that go "Ah, yes, that sounds familiar" but the story is just about separate enough that a new (or lapsed) reader can dive straight in.</p>
<p>An off-the-books colony has <strong>vanished</strong>. Only <strong>one woman</strong> has the martial and intellectual skills to save the day. With her <strong>trusty alien companion</strong> she's in a race against time to <strong>save the galaxy</strong>!</p>
<p>The plot is a little thin, and has a slightly annoying habit of jumping forward and then giving retroexposition in "flashback". Some of the prose is gorgeous - "All you need for an avalanche of chaos is one inebriated snowball." - but it is used sparingly. That gives it a rather cold and utilitarian feel - which matches the alien surroundings our protagonist finds herself in.</p>
<p>I also found the humour to be a bit repetitive - the alien doesn't quite get that you shouldn't talk aloud about human's sexual habits - but the story is well-paced and keeps the intrigue high without delving too deeply into convoluted political machinations.</p>
<p>It doesn't really add much to the science fiction pantheon in terms of Big Ideas, but it is rather good fun.</p>
<p>Thanks to Pan Macmillan for the advance copy, the book is out in September this year and can be pre-ordered now.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Gig Review: Rainbow Girls at LVLS London ★★★★★]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/gig-review-rainbow-girls-at-lvls-london/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62814</id>
<updated>2025-08-23T08:43:21Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-23T11:34:12Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="gig" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="music" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[At some point around the start of the pandemic, The Algorithm instructed me to listen to music by Rainbow Girls. Who am I to question the ineffable will of the machine? I don't know what it was about their harmonies, slide guitar, and double-bass which tickled my brain, but I was hooked. A few days ago, a different algorithm alerted me to the fact that they were touring the UK - so I snapped up…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/gig-review-rainbow-girls-at-lvls-london/"><![CDATA[<p>At some point around the start of the pandemic, The Algorithm instructed me to listen to music by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@RainbowGirlsMusic">Rainbow Girls</a>. Who am I to question the ineffable will of the machine? I don't know what it was about their harmonies, slide guitar, and double-bass which tickled my brain, but I was hooked.</p>
<p>A few days ago, a different algorithm alerted me to the fact that they were touring the UK - so I snapped up tickets.</p>
<p>It was, of course, an <em>amazing</em> gig. Thanks Algorithms!</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Rainbow-Girls.webp" alt="Rainbow Girls on stage at LVLS." width="2048" height="1152" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62815">
<p>I don't know when I've enjoyed myself more at a gig. The LVLS venue in Stratford is charmingly intimate (and their drinks prices aren't too outrageous for London). The Girls filled the space with their sonic perfection. A brilliant mix of their original songs and crowd-pleasing covers. Their act is obviously well-rehearsed with very little time between songs spent faffing with equipment.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Bart-and-Rainbow-Girls.webp" alt="Bart on stage with the Rainbow Girls." width="2048" height="1152" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62816">
<p>The multi-instrumental nature of the show gives it a wonderful variety - not that you can really tire of their singing - and they are generous with their chat between numbers.</p>
<p>The support act, <a href="https://www.bartbudwig.com/">Bart Budwig</a> was delightful. A sweet selection of homespun songs and a magnificent stage presence. His crowd-work was excellent, bringing in the audience to join in with his songs. A particular favourite was <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKcu54Zvq5N/">Idaho Sober</a> which the London crowd greatly enjoyed.</p>
<p>The Rainbow Girls are currently on tour throughout the UK, Ireland, and Europe. Catch them if you can.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[What about using rel="share-url" to expose sharing intents?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/what-about-using-relshare-url-to-expose-sharing-intents/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62488</id>
<updated>2025-08-06T19:32:20Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-22T11:34:06Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="HTML" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="standards" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="webdev" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Let's say that you've visited a website and want to share it with your friends. At the bottom of the article is a list of popular sharing destinations - Facebook, BlueSky, LinkedIn, Telegram, Reddit, HackerNews etc. You click the relevant icon and get taken to the site with the sharing details pre-filled. The problem is, every different site has a different intent for sharing links and…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/what-about-using-relshare-url-to-expose-sharing-intents/"><![CDATA[<p>Let's say that you've visited a website and want to share it with your friends. At the bottom of the article is a list of popular sharing destinations - Facebook, BlueSky, LinkedIn, Telegram, Reddit, HackerNews etc.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/share-on.webp" alt="Screenshot. "Share this page on" followed by colourful icons for popular social networks." width="824" height="452" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62491">
<p>You click the relevant icon and get taken to the site with the sharing details pre-filled.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/telegram.webp" alt="Screenshot of the Telegram sharing page." width="600" height="561" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62492">
<p>The problem is, every different site has a different intent for sharing links and text. For example:</p>
<ul>
<li><code>https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=…&t=…</code></li>
<li><code>https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=…</code></li>
<li><code>https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=…</code></li>
<li><code>https://www.threads.net/intent/post?url=…&text=…</code></li>
<li><code>https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=…&title=…</code></li>
</ul>
<p>As you can see, some only allow a URL, some text and a URL, and some just a plain text which could contain the URl. A bit of a mess! It's probably impossible to get every site to agree on a standard for their sharing intent. But there <em>could</em> be a standard for exposing their existing sharing mechanism.</p>
<p>That's the proposal from <a href="https://about.werd.io/">Ben Werdmuller</a> with "<a href="https://shareopenly.org/integrate/">Share Openly</a>".</p>
<blockquote><p>ShareOpenly knows about most major social networks, as well as decentralized platforms like Mastodon, Bluesky, and Known.</p>
<p>However, if ShareOpenly is having trouble sharing to your platform, and if your platform supports a share intent, you can add the following metatag to your page headers:</p>
<p><code><link rel="share-url" href="https://your-site/share/intent?text={text}"></code></p>
<p>Where <code>https://your-site/share/intent?text=</code> is the URL of your share intent.</p>
<p>The special keyword <code>{text}</code> will be replaced with the URL and share text.</p></blockquote>
<p>I think that's a pretty nifty solution.</p>
<p>For sites which take a URl and an (optional) title, the meta element looks like:</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link rel="share-url" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u={url}&t={text}">
<link rel="share-url" href="https://lemmy.world/create_post?url={url}&title={text}">
</code></pre>
<p>For those which only take URl, it looks like:</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link rel="share-url" href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url={url}">
</code></pre>
<p>It's slightly trickier for sites like Mastodon and BlueSky which only have a text sharing field and no separate URl. The current proposal is just to use the text. For example</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link rel="share-url" href="https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text={text}">
</code></pre>
<p>But it could be something like</p>
<pre><code class="language-html"><link rel="share-url" href="https://mastodon.social/share?text={text}%0A{url}">
</code></pre>
<h2 id="what-next"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/what-about-using-relshare-url-to-expose-sharing-intents/#what-next" class="heading-link">What Next?</a></h2>
<p>The HTML specification has this to say <a href="https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/links.html#other-link-types">about adding new link types</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Extensions to the predefined set of link types may be registered on the <a href="https://microformats.org/wiki/existing-rel-values#HTML5_link_type_extensions">microformats page for existing rel values</a>.</p></blockquote>
<p>Adding to that page merely requires a formal specification to be written up. After that, some light lobbying might be needed to get social networks to adopt it.</p>
<p>So, I have three questions for you:</p>
<ol>
<li>Do you think <code><link rel="share-url"</code> is a good idea for a new standard?</li>
<li>What changes, if any, would you make to the above proposal?</li>
<li>Would you be interested in using it - either as a sharer or sharing destination?</li>
</ol>
<p>Please leave a comment in the box - and remember to hit those sharing buttons!</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review - Show:Girls ★★★★☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62714</id>
<updated>2025-08-19T22:06:47Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-21T11:34:59Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Is it offensive to call a burlesque show "charming"? Sure, it is a funny and mildly titillating evening, but Show:Girls is suffused with such good natured charm that it is hard to describe it as anything else. Unlike Gallifrey Cabaret which puts on a plethora of variety acts, this is a rather stripped down production. The central conceit is that two acts have been accidentally double booked.…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/"><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ShowGirls-Phoenix-Listing.webp" alt="Two burlesque performers. One in a Viking helmet and one in a red hat." width="400" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62716"> Is it offensive to call a burlesque show "charming"? Sure, it is a funny and mildly titillating evening, but Show:Girls is suffused with such good natured charm that it is hard to describe it as anything else.</p>
<p>Unlike <a href="https://mastodon.social/@Edent/114156815734664216">Gallifrey Cabaret</a> which puts on a plethora of variety acts, this is a rather stripped down<sup id="fnref:sorry"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorry" class="footnote-ref" title="Sorry!" role="doc-noteref">0</a></sup> production.</p>
<p>The central conceit is that two acts have been accidentally double booked. One, a high-class opera singer, the other a low-down burlesque performer. HI-JINKS ENSUE!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.belindawilliams.co.uk/">Bellinda Williams</a> has the voice of an angel and <a href="https://www.elsiediamond.com/about">Elsie Diamond</a> has the body of a devil<sup id="fnref:sorrry"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrry" class="footnote-ref" title="Look, there's no way to write about these things without sounding like a bit of a seedy old man, OK!" role="doc-noteref">1</a></sup>. They teach each other the secrets of their art form which leads to the most unlikely mash-up I've seen in some time; Opera Burlesque.</p>
<p>It is exactly as batty as it sounds. Each of them attempting to Eliza Doolittle the other to the great merriment of the audience.</p>
<p>I'm sure there's something profound to say about the origins of opera and its intersection with courtesan couture, or how empowering it is to play dress up with your friends, but I was too busy laughing to think of anything that intellectual.</p>
<p>As befits a fringe show, it is rather short and I could have easily enjoyed more. There seem to be a few revivals of <i lang="fr">cabaret de l'érotique</i><sup id="fnref:fr"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:fr" class="footnote-ref" title="That's yer actual French, y'know!" role="doc-noteref">2</a></sup> within London's now-sanitised Soho. Most, like this, are fairly tourist friendly and unlikely to draw the wrath of The Lord Chamberlain. Perhaps we'll see them on the Royal Variety Show next?</p>
<p>There's only one thing which bothers me, and that's the origin of one of the marquee quotes. One of the performers is mentioned thusly:</p>
<blockquote><p>famously described by Danny Dyer as having “a good old fashioned pair of Lils”.</p></blockquote>
<p>I'm reasonably familiar with Cockney Rhyming Slang and its step-sibling <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/04/book-review-fabulosa-the-story-of-polari-britains-secret-gay-language-by-paul-baker/">Polari</a>, and I can't find anything even close to that.</p>
<ul>
<li>Cockney:
<ul>
<li>Lilian Gish - fish. A somewhat unlikely comparison.</li>
<li>Lilly The Pink - drink. Although I suppose a pair of "pinks" might make sense?</li>
<li>Little And Large - margarine. I guess "Little" might be heard as "Lil"? And Ms Diamond's are not exactly on the smaller side.<sup id="fnref:sorrrrry"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrrrry" class="footnote-ref" title="Look, you try writing about this without sounding like Sid James!" role="doc-noteref">3</a></sup></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Polari:
<ul>
<li>Lills - hands. I have no evidence that her hands <em>aren't</em> old fashioned.</li>
<li>Lilly Law - police. Perhaps Mr Dyer was comparing the shape of a bobby's helmet to the size and shape of…?<sup id="fnref:sorrrry"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrrry" class="footnote-ref" title="Probably best to stop there, eh?" role="doc-noteref">4</a></sup></li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<p>Either way, Show:Girls is performed sporadically - keep an eye on their websites for the next performance. The entrance fee isn't too expensive, but in exchange you'll receive your fair share of thruppeny bits<sup id="fnref:sorrrrrrry"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrrrrrry" class="footnote-ref" title="At this juncture, please imagine a giant shepherd's crook protruding from the wings and dragging me off stage." role="doc-noteref">5</a></sup>.</p>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<hr>
<ol start="0">
<li id="fn:sorry" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Sorry! <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorry" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:sorrry" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Look, there's no way to write about these things without sounding like a bit of a seedy old man, OK! <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrry" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:fr" role="doc-endnote">
<p>That's yer <em>actual</em> French, y'know! <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:fr" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:sorrrrry" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Look, <em>you</em> try writing about this without sounding like Sid James! <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrrrry" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:sorrrry" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Probably best to stop there, eh? <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrrry" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:sorrrrrrry" role="doc-endnote">
<p>At this juncture, please imagine a giant shepherd's crook protruding from the wings and dragging me off stage. <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrrrrrry" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review: Sluts With Consoles ★★★★⯪]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-sluts-with-consoles/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62726</id>
<updated>2025-08-19T22:39:57Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-20T11:34:03Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="gaming" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Let's see if this post makes it through the spam filters! Sluts With Consoles is a brilliant two-hander. Girly-twirly pick-me Player One and Gothy just-one-of-the-boys Player Two are locked in mortal - and emotional - combat. They represent the duality of the female gaming experience. Is it better to be feminine or feminist? Is gaming an escape from the cliques of teenage oppression, or just…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-sluts-with-consoles/"><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Sluts-with-Consoles.webp" alt="Promotional Poster for Sluts With Consoles." width="350" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62727"> Let's see if this post makes it through the spam filters!</p>
<p>Sluts With Consoles is a brilliant two-hander. Girly-twirly pick-me Player One and Gothy just-one-of-the-boys Player Two are locked in mortal - and emotional - combat. They represent the duality of the female gaming experience. Is it better to be feminine or feminist? Is gaming an escape from the cliques of teenage oppression, or just another form of self-deception?</p>
<p>That all sounds a bit heavy-handed, but it is a hilarious show. It perfectly observes modern gaming tropes and how we all evolve our gamer styles.</p>
<p>Throughout, it asks a very specific question; "does a single stuck pixel spoil the entire view?" That is, what are we prepared to tolerate in order to live in our fantasy world? Older brothers swiping our power-ups transmogrify into incel-gamers shouting slurs. Who cares if we're having fun, right…?</p>
<p>As with any powerful piece of theatre, it's unlikely to be seen by those who have the most need of its message.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, it is an entertaining and amusing show with a +20 battle-damage buff.</p>
<p>The show is touring throughout the year and it is absolutely worth seeing if you have any interest in gaming.</p>
]]></content>
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<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Preventing NAPTR Spam]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=61707</id>
<updated>2025-08-03T20:49:37Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-18T11:34:47Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="dns" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="internet" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="privacy" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[You're the sort of cool nerd who knows all the weird esoterica which makes up DNS, right? In amongst your A, AAAA, SOA, and MX records, there's a little used NAPTR. Yes, you can use DNS to store Name Authority Pointers! What?! It is yet another of those baroque standards which spits out things like: cid.uri.arpa. ;; order pref flags service regexp replacement IN NAPTR…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/"><![CDATA[<p>You're the sort of cool nerd who knows all the weird esoterica which makes up DNS, right? In amongst your A, AAAA, SOA, and MX records, there's a little used <a href="https://dn.org/understanding-naptr-records-and-their-role-in-dns/">NAPTR</a>. Yes, you can use DNS to store Name Authority Pointers!</p>
<p>What?!</p>
<p>It is yet another of those <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2015/11/a-polite-way-to-say-ridiculously-complicated/">baroque</a> standards which spits out things like:</p>
<pre><code class="language-_">cid.uri.arpa.
;; order pref flags service regexp replacement
IN NAPTR 100 10 "" "" "!^cid:.+@([^\.]+\.)(.*)$!\2!i" .
</code></pre>
<p>Essentially, it is a way to store contact details within a DNS record (rather than in a WHOIS record).</p>
<p>Back in the early 2000s, the dotTel company opened the .tel TLD with a promise that it could be used to store your contact details in DNS<sup id="fnref:history"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:history" class="footnote-ref" title="Even back in 2009 I didn't think it was terribly compelling. By 2013, it was almost dead. And in 2017 it became just another generic TLD." role="doc-noteref">0</a></sup>. The idea was simple, rather than storing my phone number in your address book, you'd store my domain name - <a href="https://edent.tel/">https://edent.tel/</a></p>
<p>If I updated my phone number, changed my avatar, or deleted an old email address - your address book would automatically update via DNS. Nifty!</p>
<p>If you didn't know a company's phone number, you'd dial <code>example.com</code> on your phone and it would grab the phone numbers from DNS. Wowsers trousers!</p>
<p>You can see an example by running:</p>
<pre><code class="language-_">dig justin.tel NAPTR
</code></pre>
<p>You'll get back something like:</p>
<pre><code class="language-_">NAPTR 100 101 "u" "E2U+web:http" "!^.*$!http://justinkhayward.com!"
</code></pre>
<p>A phone number stored in a NAPTR would look something like:</p>
<pre><code class="language-_">NAPTR 100 100 "u" "E2U+voice:tel" "!^.*$!tel:+442074676450!" .
</code></pre>
<p>Brilliant! But there's a problem - aside from the somewhat obtuse syntax! - and that problem is spam.</p>
<p>Those of you old enough to remember putting your unexpurgated contact details into WHOIS know that the minute it went live you were bombarded with sales calls and scammy emails. So putting your details directly into DNS is a bad idea, right?</p>
<p>.tel thought they'd come up with a clever hack to prevent that. As they explain in <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120504070307/https://dev.telnic.org/docs/privacy.pdf">the .tel privacy paper</a>, records can be individually encrypted.</p>
<ul>
<li>Alice has her contact details on <code>alice.tel</code></li>
<li>Bob has his contact details on <code>bob.tel</code></li>
<li>Alice agrees to share her phone number with Bob.</li>
<li>Alice looks up Bob's public key from <code>bob.tel</code>.</li>
<li>Alice encrypts her phone number.</li>
<li>Alice generates a new DNS record specifically for Bob - <code>bob123456.alice.tel</code></li>
<li>Alice shares the name of the new record with Bob.</li>
<li>Bob downloads the NAPTR from <code>bob123456.alice.tel</code> and decrypts it with his private key.</li>
<li>Bob periodically checks for updates.</li>
<li>Alice can decide to revoke Bob's access by removing the data or subdomain.</li>
</ul>
<p>Clever! If convoluted. You can <a href="https://rikkles.blogspot.com/2008/05/privacy-in-tel.html">read more about the way friendships and public keys were managed</a> and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120504073313/https://dev.telnic.org/docs/naptr.pdf">some more technical details</a>.</p>
<p>Are there better ways?</p>
<h2 id="multi-recipient-encryption"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#multi-recipient-encryption" class="heading-link">Multi Recipient Encryption</a></h2>
<p>When people say "you can't give Government a secret key to your private messages" they are technically incorrect<sup id="fnref:worst"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:worst" class="footnote-ref" title="The worst type of incorrect." role="doc-noteref">1</a></sup>. Multi Recipient Encryption is a thing.</p>
<p>Here's a very simplified and subtly wrong explanation:</p>
<ul>
<li>Alice creates a <em>temporary</em> public/private keypair.</li>
<li>Alice encrypts some text with her temporary public key - resulting in <code>e</code>.</li>
<li>Alice encrypts the temporary private key with Bob's public key - resulting in <code>k1</code>.</li>
<li>Alice encrypts the temporary private key with Charlie's public key - resulting in <code>k2</code>.</li>
<li>Alice publishes the concatenation of <code>e+k1+k2</code></li>
<li>Bob downloads the file, decrypts <em>his</em> version of the key, and uses that to decrypt the message.</li>
<li>Charlie does the same.</li>
</ul>
<p>In this way, both recipients are able to decipher the text but no one else can. So can we just shove an encrypted record in the NAPTR? Not quite.</p>
<p>There are two main problems with this for DNS purposes.</p>
<ol>
<li>The encrypted size grows with every recipient.</li>
<li>Every time a new recipient is added, everyone needs to download the data again even if it is unchanged.</li>
</ol>
<p>Generally speaking, DNS records are a maximum of 255 characters - <a href="https://kb.isc.org/docs/aa-00356">although they can be concatenated</a>.</p>
<p>An extra record could be used to say when the plaintext was last updated - which would let existing recipients know not to download it again.</p>
<p>Monitoring for changes would allow a user to know roughly how many recipients had been added or removed.</p>
<p>What other ways could there be?</p>
<h2 id="what-else-could-be-done"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#what-else-could-be-done" class="heading-link">What else could be done?</a></h2>
<p>Here's the user story.</p>
<ul>
<li>I want a friend to subscribe to my [phone|email|street|social media] address(es).</li>
<li>I must be able to pre-approve access.</li>
<li>When I change my address, my friend should get my new details.</li>
<li>I need to be able to revoke people's access.</li>
<li>This should be done via DNS<sup id="fnref:dns"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:dns" class="footnote-ref" title="Why DNS? Because I like making life difficult." role="doc-noteref">2</a></sup>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Using an API this would be playing on easy mode. A friend (or rather, their app) would request an API key from my service. I would approve it, and then ✨magic✨.</p>
<p>DNS isn't <em>technically</em> an API although, with enough effort, you could make it behave like one<sup id="fnref:marquis"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:marquis" class="footnote-ref" title="If you were a sadist!" role="doc-noteref">3</a></sup>.</p>
<p>So - how would <em>you</em> do it?</p>
<div class="footnotes" role="doc-endnotes">
<hr>
<ol start="0">
<li id="fn:history" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Even back in 2009 <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2009/03/some-thoughts-on-tel/">I didn't think it was terribly compelling</a>. By 2013, <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2013/03/should-i-renew-my-tel-domain/">it was almost dead</a>. And in 2017 <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2017/02/whats-the-future-for-the-tel-domain-name/">it became just another generic TLD</a>. <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:history" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:worst" role="doc-endnote">
<p>The <em>worst</em> type of incorrect. <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:worst" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:dns" role="doc-endnote">
<p>Why DNS? Because I like making life difficult. <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:dns" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn:marquis" role="doc-endnote">
<p>If you were a sadist! <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:marquis" class="footnote-backref" role="doc-backlink">↩︎</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Books will soon be obsolete in school]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/books-will-soon-be-obsolete-in-school/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62422</id>
<updated>2025-08-04T17:24:56Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-16T11:34:30Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="AI" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="education" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="history" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="schools" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I recently had a chance to ask a question to one of the top AI people. At a Q&A session, I raised my hand and asked simply "What is your estimation of the future educational value of AI?" The response was swift and utterly devastating for those laggards who want to hold back progress. The AI guy said: Books will soon be obsolete in schools. Scholars will be instructed through AI. It is possible …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/books-will-soon-be-obsolete-in-school/"><![CDATA[<p>I recently had a chance to ask a question to one of the <strong>top</strong> AI people. At a Q&A session, I raised my hand and asked simply "What is your estimation of the future educational value of AI?"</p>
<p>The response was swift and utterly devastating for those laggards who want to hold back progress. The AI guy said:</p>
<blockquote><p>Books will soon be obsolete in schools. Scholars will be instructed through AI. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with AI. Our school system will be completely changed inside of ten years.</p>
<p>We have been working for some time on educational AI. It proves conclusively the worth of AI in chemistry, physics and other branches of study, making the scientific truths, difficult to understand from text books, plain and clear to children.</p></blockquote>
<p>That's it. We can throw away all those outdated paper books. Children will learn directly from an AI which, coincidentally, is sold by the company. We can trust their studies on such matters and be assured that they have no ulterior motive.</p>
<p>But, ah my friends, I have told a <em>slight</em> untruth. I didn't ask that question. Frederick James Smith asked the question to Thomas Edison in <strong>1913</strong>. The question was about the new and exciting world of motion pictures.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/moving-pictures.webp" alt="Scan of old newsprint. "What is your estimation of the future educational
value of pictures?" I asked.
" Books." declared the inventor with decision, " will soon be obsolete in the public schools. Scholars will be instructed through the eye. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture. Our school system will be completely changed inside of ten years. " We have been working for some time on the school pictures. We have been studying and reproducing the life of the fly. mosquito, silk weaving moth, brown moth, gypsy moth, butterflies, scale and various other insects, as well as chemical cbrystallization. It proves conclusively the worth of motion pictures in chemistry, physics and other branches of study, making the scientific truths, difficult to understand from text books, plain and clear to children" width="766" height="492" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62423">
<p>You can <a href="https://www.laviemoderne.net/images/forum_pics/2017/20171116%20New%20York%20NY%20Dramatic%20Mirror%201913%20Mar-Apr%201914%20Grayscale%20-%200690.pdf">read the full exchange from The New York Dramatic Mirror</a>.</p>
<p>A hundred-plus years since the great and humble Edison made his prediction and… books are still used in schools! Those of us of a certain age remember a TV occasionally being wheeled in for one lesson or another. Today's kids watch more video content than ever - of mixed quality - but still rely on books and teachers.</p>
<p>Videos are good for some aspects of learning, but woefully inadequate for others.</p>
<p>I'm not trying to say that just because one technology failed, so will all others. But it is <em>amazing</em> how AI-proponents are recycling the same arguments with basically the same timescale. Will AI be part of education? Sure! Just like videos, pocket computers, the Metaverse, and performance enhancing drugs.</p>
<p>Will it be the <em>only</em> tool ever needed for education? I doubt it. Will vested interests and uncritical journalists continue to boost it? You don't need to have read many history books to work out the answer.</p>
<p>Further reading: <a href="https://www.colincornaby.me/2025/08/in-the-future-all-food-will-be-cooked-in-a-microwave-and-if-you-cant-deal-with-that-then-you-need-to-get-out-of-the-kitchen/">In the Future All Food Will Be Cooked in a Microwave, and if You Can’t Deal With That Then You Need to Get Out of the Kitchen</a></p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review: Being Mr Wickham ★★★★★]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-being-mr-wickham/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62605</id>
<updated>2025-08-13T21:16:42Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-14T11:34:06Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Mr Wickham is ready to set the record straight. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, Adrian Lukis, who starred in the renowned BBC TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, returns to the role of Mr Wickham. Join Pride and Prejudice’s most roguish gentleman, George Wickham, on the eve of his sixtieth birthday, to lift the sheets on what exactly happened thirty years on from whe…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-being-mr-wickham/"><![CDATA[<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/wickham.webp" alt="Promotional poster for Being Mr Wickham." width="384" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62606">
<blockquote><p>Mr Wickham is ready to set the record straight. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, Adrian Lukis, who starred in the renowned BBC TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, returns to the role of Mr Wickham.</p>
<p>Join Pride and Prejudice’s most roguish gentleman, George Wickham, on the eve of his sixtieth birthday, to lift the sheets on what exactly happened thirty years on from where we left him… And discover his own version of some very famous literary events.</p></blockquote>
<p>You remember "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead", right? Take two minor characters from a famous play and weave a tale around their misadventures. This is in much the same vein. A one-man show where we get to spend time with Pride & Prejudice's most clubbable old rake in order to better understand <em>why</em> he was such a scoundrel.</p>
<p>There's a lovely bit of intertextuality in having Adrian Lukis both write and perform as Wickham. For people of my age, he <em>is</em> Wickam. Sure, he's no Darcy in a dripping wet shirt, but played the perfect bounder and cad.</p>
<p>The Jermyn Street Theatre is the perfect venue for these tall tales. An intimate room where we're slowly drawn in to the confidences of a master manipulator. Behind the twinkling smile there is, be in no doubt, a predator.</p>
<p>Wickham lives off his charms and it is no wonder that the audience is eating out of the palm of his hand within minutes. His outrageous name dropping is all part of the seduction.</p>
<p>Of course he has been viciously abused in literature; done dirty by those envious of his success. Yes, he is a bit of a rascal but - and his eyes flirt with us at this point - isn't that what makes a man <em>interesting</em>?</p>
<p>Adrian Lukis doesn't redeem the villain; he indulges him. It is a delight to spend an hour in his company, hearing the old sot reminisce about old conquests, and catching up with the Bennet gossip. But you'll walk away wondering if you're any closer to the truth or have just been beguiled like some many others.</p>
<p>There's an interesting bit of media rights discussion to be here as well. Famously, the actors who play James Bond <a href="https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Why-Pierce-Brosnan-Wears-Ugliest-Suit-Ever-Thomas-Crown-Affair-68301.html">aren't allowed to wear a tuxedo in other movies</a> lest they be confused with 007. All of Jane Austen's works have long since passed out of copyright - but is the character of Wickam based on the book version of the 1990's screen version? There's no portrait of Julia Sawalha on the wall, so you'll have to make your own mind up on that count.</p>
<p>I do wonder how many other other actors will take the opportunity to revisit their star turns? The nostalgia roadshow rumbles on.</p>
<p>Mr Wickham is in residence until the 30th of August and I have no doubt that you will find his company most agreeable.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Would a Blockchain have prevented LIBOR fraud?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/would-a-blockchain-have-prevented-libor-fraud/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62191</id>
<updated>2025-08-07T20:49:34Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-12T11:34:37Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="blockchain" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I am massively sceptical of any claims that Blockchain can be useful. I even took the Certified Blockchain Professional course so I could better understand the batshittery. At the risk of appearing on QTWTAIN, and seeking a papal indulgence from Betteridge, I think I might have stumbled on a retroactive use-case for Blockchain! First up, what is LIBOR and what was the scandal which led to…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/would-a-blockchain-have-prevented-libor-fraud/"><![CDATA[<p>I am massively sceptical of any claims that Blockchain can be useful. I even took the <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/tag/certified-blockchain-professional/">Certified Blockchain Professional course</a> so I could better understand the batshittery.</p>
<p>At the risk of appearing on <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/QTWTAIN/">QTWTAIN</a>, and seeking a papal indulgence from <a href="https://ianbetteridge.com">Betteridge</a>, I <em>think</em> I might have stumbled on a retroactive use-case for Blockchain!</p>
<p>First up, what is LIBOR and what was the scandal which led to several bankers going to prison?</p>
<p>Here's the over-simplified explanation. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libor">London Inter-Bank Offered Rate</a> was a financial measure. Banks can borrow money from each other. They charge each other interest for this. These inter-bank interest rates are important - they reflect the financial health of the institutions and are used for all sorts of derived financial products.</p>
<p>Banks reported those LIBOR rates and, as a consequence, financial stuff happened. Those reports were sometimes lies.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18671255">fraud investigation</a> was long and complex. But it boils down to this - sometimes it was advantageous for the bank to lie about its rate. On at least 257 occasions, bankers would collude with each other to manipulate the rate.</p>
<blockquote><p>For example, on 26 October 2006, an external trader made a request for a lower three month US dollar LIBOR submission. The external trader stated in an email to Trader G at Barclays <em>“If it comes in unchanged I’m a dead man”</em>. Trader G responded that he would <em>“have a chat”</em>.</p>
<p>Barclays’ submission on that day for three month US dollar LIBOR was half a basis point lower than the day before, rather than being unchanged. The external trader thanked Trader G for Barclays’ LIBOR submission later that day: <em>“Dude. I owe you big time! Come over one day after work and I’m opening a bottle of Bollinger”</em>.</p></blockquote>
<p>So, would a Blockchain have prevented this sort of fraud? I'm going to go with a <em>very</em> cautious "maybe".</p>
<p>Let's take a look at the <a href="https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8202">seminal Blockchain paper from NIST</a> which contains this flowchart:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/blockchain-flow.webp" alt="A flowchart guides users to determine if a blockchain is suitable: Starting with "Do you need a shared, consistent data store?", if NO, consider Email/Spreadsheets; if YES, ask "Does more than one entity need to contribute data?". If NO, consider Database (with auditing caveat); if YES, ask "Data records, once written, are never updated or deleted?". If NO, consider Database; if YES, ask "Sensitive identifiers WILL NOT be written to the data store?". If NO, consider Encrypted Database; if YES, ask "Are the entities with write access having a hard time deciding who should be in control of the data store?". If NO, consider Managed Database; if YES, ask "Do you want a tamperproof log of all writes to the data store?". If NO, consider Database; if YES, "You may have a useful Blockchain use case."" width="900" height="1445" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62192">
<p>Taking the points in order:</p>
<ul>
<li>Do you need a shared, consistent data store?
<ul>
<li>Yes. This data is read by multiple parties. It needs to be consistent - that is is Bank A lends at 1.23%, Bank B should record borrowing at 1.23%.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Does more than one entity need to contribute data?
<ul>
<li>Yes. Multiple parties will need to record their lending.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Data records, once written, are never updated or deleted?
<ul>
<li>Yes. These data are immutable. The caveat being that, as with all Blockchain projects, preventing <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fat-finger-error.asp">fat-finger errors</a> is difficult. But, with suitable UI work, it might be possible to prevent 1.23% being recorded as 123%.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Sensitive identifiers WILL NOT be written to the data store?
<ul>
<li>Yes. There's no GDPR for financial institutions. As these data are meant to be public, there should be nothing private or sensitive on there.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Are the entities with write access having a hard time deciding who should be in control of the data store?
<ul>
<li>No one institution should be in control of these data - that would be a recipe for corruption.</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Do you want a tamperproof log of all writes to the data store?
<ul>
<li>Yes. Once borrowing is agreed, it should be recorded irrevocably. No manipulation or rewriting of events.</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<p>So, that looks pretty positive, right? A multi-stakeholder, decentralised ledger, which accurately records cross-party transaction, in an incorruptible and auditable manner.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/news/2024/october/the-end-of-libor">end of LIBOR</a> came in 2024. It was replaced by the delightfully named "<a href="https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/sonia-benchmark">SONIA</a>" (Sterling Overnight Index Average).</p>
<p>Did the financial institutions end up using a Blockchain? Of course not!</p>
<p>The way <a href="https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/sonia-benchmark/administration-of-sonia">SONIA works</a> is by having the data reported directly to the Bank of England. The Bank then checks the data for plausibility and errors, calculates the rate, and then publishes it.</p>
<p>I don't know how easy it would be for bankers to lie in their returns to the Bank of England - but off-chain fraud is also possible. Similarly, perhaps it is possible to bribe whoever collates and publishes the data.</p>
<p>But the point here is that this is close to textbook case of where a Blockchain <em>could</em> have been useful - and they rejected it.</p>
<p>The hunt for a real-world use-case for Blockchain continues in vain.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review: Girl from the North Country ★⯪☆☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-girl-from-the-north-country/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62578</id>
<updated>2025-08-09T19:13:13Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-10T11:34:59Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="musical" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I have rarely been this bored during a West End Show. Conor McPherson seems to have fundamentally misunderstood what makes an engaging drama and, simultaneously, what makes for an enjoyable "jukebox musical". The writing is like an exaggerated soap opera script which consists solely of angry people asking each other questions, which are then answered with more questions. Sample dialogue: Who…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-girl-from-the-north-country/"><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Girl-from-the-North-Country-2025.webp" alt="Post for Girl from the North Country." width="256" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62579">
I have rarely been this <em>bored</em> during a West End Show. Conor McPherson seems to have fundamentally misunderstood what makes an engaging drama and, simultaneously, what makes for an enjoyable "jukebox musical".</p>
<p>The writing is like an exaggerated soap opera script which consists solely of angry people asking each other questions, which are then answered with more questions.</p>
<p>Sample dialogue:</p>
<blockquote><p>Who are you?</p>
<p>What's it got to do with you?</p>
<p>Is it a crime to ask?</p>
<p>How do you figure that?</p></blockquote>
<p>And so it goes on. Tedious with little chance to advance the plot. Mind you, the plot isn't much to write home about. A disreputable cast of characters each with <strong>a deep dark secret</strong>. The actors mostly do well with the dire prose - although a few struggle with the American accents - but they don't have much more than stereotypes to work with.</p>
<p>As for the music. I <em>love</em> Bob Dylan songs - which makes it such a shame to see them treated so shabbily. Most of the melodies have been reduced to a dirge suitable for fiddle, banjo, and piano. Rather than getting a range of styles, they all seem to blend into one. Very occasionally something familiar like "All Along the Watchtower" or "Rolling Stone" is played straight, but it is slim pickings.</p>
<p>Which brings us to the question - what is the point of a jukebox musical? In something like "We Will Rock You", we accept that the songs <em>sort of</em> relate to the story. In <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/07/theatre-review-juliet/">& Juliet</a> the songs are tweaked a bit to fit the plot. In "Girl from the North Country" the songs are just sort of dumped in at random.</p>
<p>There's a Black guy who is a boxer - so naturally he sings a few verses of "The Hurricane". Why? For no reason related to the plot that I could discern. What's the divine "Duquesne Whistle" doing chucked in there? Perhaps it is to beef up the number of songs the audience might have heard of? Most are deep-cuts from obscure albums and b-sides which, in of itself, is fine - but a jukebox musical demands that the audience should be able to tap their toes along to <em>most</em> of the numbers, right?</p>
<p>I am bewildered by the positive reviews. It is a plodding and unoriginal script which squanders a sublime musical catalogue.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Theatre Review: Storehouse - Truth Lies Here ★★★☆☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-storehouse-truth-lies-here/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62533</id>
<updated>2025-08-09T06:55:37Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-09T11:34:38Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[An abandoned warehouse in Deptford hosts one of the most audacious, ostentatious, and sumptuous shows I've ever attended. An immersive theatrical experience which is lush with texture, ambitious in scope, and yet - somehow - slightly less than the sum of its parts. The pre-show is exemplary. You're handed a lanyard with a room number and make your way through the imposing set until you find…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-storehouse-truth-lies-here/"><![CDATA[<p>An abandoned warehouse in Deptford hosts one of the most audacious, ostentatious, and sumptuous shows I've ever attended. An immersive theatrical experience which is lush with texture, ambitious in scope, and yet - somehow - slightly less than the sum of its parts.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/STOREHOUSE.webp" alt="Promotional Poster. A pixelated face of a young boy is made out of various photos." width="256" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62534">
<p>The pre-show is exemplary. You're handed a lanyard with a room number and make your way through the imposing set until you find your waiting room. It is like if the TV show Severance had come alive. A congenial host signs you in, there's digitally manipulated news to watch, and some world-building lore to get you started. It's a small and friendly pod - maybe a dozen of you - frantically trying to work out what's going on.</p>
<p>And then - just like The Crystal Maze - you're deposited into a new zone. I don't want to give any spoilers, but the sets are outstanding. Beautifully decorated, intricately designed, and fully of fiddly-bits to investigate. It is clear a <em>lot</em> of money has been spend on this show. And that's kind of the problem - the sets and design are <em>so</em> expensive and yet the story is <em>so</em> weak.</p>
<p>The Storehouse holds every bit of information from the Internet. And something is going wrong. And there's a mysterious founder. And there are some heavy-handed clues. And then on to the next room. It's a 90 minute experience with no interval (and cramped portaloos outside) which means the story never really gets a chance to breathe.</p>
<p>It's trying to say <em>something</em> about fake news and media literacy, but it is all rather garbled and lost. Perhaps I'm showing my prejudice, but I don't think any Brexit voters or conspiracy theorists are spending their evenings inside an experimental theatre production. Even if they are, the world-building is so complex and the plot so flimsy, that I'm not sure it would change their mind.</p>
<p>A lot of care and effort has obviously gone in to this production. Every room feels unique, all the gadgetry and multi-media sensations are well integrated. There's a <em>little</em> bit of puzzle solving but (again, because of time constraints) it's mostly resolved by a cast member saying "Do you remember? It's like the big obvious clue we saw in the last room!"</p>
<p>The ending is intense - almost spell binding. It blows apart the 4th wall and becomes something halfway between communal relief and spiritual enlightenment. But, sadly, there's no catharsis of applause. The players vanish and we never get a chance to thank them. A shame because the cast are excellent - they have the tough job of presenting exposition, shepherding the audience, and improvising with us. They rattle through the technobabble with ease and fully embody their weird roles.</p>
<p>As for the post-show - another triumph. Deposited into a bar with interesting cocktails and a gorgeous view. Blinking into the sunlight, we are handed pamphlets about our experience, which seems like an apt metaphor.</p>
<p>It is <em>absolutely</em> worth visiting Storehouse. Go with an open mind, get involved, and try not to think <em>too</em> hard about whether any of it makes any sense.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[How long does it take to upgrade an eBook?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/how-long-does-it-take-to-upgrade-an-ebook/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=61927</id>
<updated>2025-07-31T14:26:24Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-08T11:34:12Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="a11y" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="accessibility" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="books" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="ebook" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="ebooks" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The older I get, the more comfortable I become with complaining. Not merely moaning on social media, but writing a direct email to the perpetrator of some annoyance. I'd purchased an eBook and was appalled by how crappy the accessibility was. If you don't know, modern ePub books are just HTML wrapped in a zip file. They have all of the accessibility advantages of the web and should be easy to…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/how-long-does-it-take-to-upgrade-an-ebook/"><![CDATA[<p>The older I get, the more comfortable I become with complaining. Not merely moaning on social media, but writing a direct email to the perpetrator of some annoyance.</p>
<p>I'd purchased an eBook and was <em>appalled</em> by how crappy the accessibility was. If you don't know, modern ePub books are just HTML wrapped in a zip file. They have all of the accessibility advantages of the web and should be easy to read no matter if you're sighted or not.</p>
<p>But not this eBook! Part of the story concerned WhatsApp messages sent by the protagonist. Here's one of them:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/whatsapp.webp" alt="Text with a tiny emoji, the size of a full stop." width="1000" height="502" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61928">
<p>See that smudge in the middle? The one smaller than a full stop? That's meant to be an emoji. Rather than use an <em>actual</em> emoji, they've stuck in a tiny pixel image which won't scale with text size.</p>
<p>Here is is:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/f0006-01.jpg" alt="Tiny emoji" width="13" height="14" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61929">
<p>Can't see it? Let me blow it up to a more readable size.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/f0006-01.jpg" alt="Pixelated mess." width="130" height="140" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61929">
<p>OK, that's annoying for sighted readers, but just about understandable. What about people who are using a screen reader? Luckily, ePubs can use HTML's "alt text" feature which will describe an image which can't be seen.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/alt.webp" alt="The alt text just says 'image'"." width="808" height="123" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61931">
<p>Curses! That's, perhaps, not <em>too</em> annoying for a decorative image - but later in the book there are pictures of a ransom note. Despite the plot-twisting text in the illustration, the alt text just says "image".</p>
<p>I found the publisher's website and scoffed at their proclaimed accessibility statement. I sent them an email which basically consisted of the above. I realised it was probably futile, but I've got to spend my privilege points somehow.</p>
<p>The next day, they wrote back!</p>
<blockquote><p>I wanted to reply to let you know we are taking our commitments to accessibility in our ebooks seriously […] I will get our ebook team to check this as a matter of urgency and get back to you with an update.</p></blockquote>
<p>Fair play. But talk is cheap, would they actually take action? A few days later, they sent a follow-up:</p>
<blockquote><p>We have checked the file for this title again and found issues with it. We have sent this back to the conversion house to have the file corrected and expect this to be delivered by the end of the week. We would then expect this corrected version to be with Kobo by the end of the following week, i.e. 25th July.</p>
<p>We have also been spot-checking other files to see if there is a wider issue and where necessary will follow the same workflow to ensure fully accessible versions are available as widely as possible.</p></blockquote>
<p>And, you know what, I think that's totally reasonable. Yeah, they should have caught it before publication - but it is a complex book and they're a small publisher. They took my complaint seriously and actually did something about it.</p>
<p>A week or so rolled by and they sent me this:</p>
<blockquote><p>Just to update you that we have been back and forth with the conversion house getting this title up to scratch. There were various complicating factors which should now be resolved and an updated file has now been distributed and should be available through your chosen retailer presently. If you have any other queries please do let us know.</p></blockquote>
<p>I logged on to my eBook provider, clicked "read" and…</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/fixed-epub.webp" alt="Text with large colourful emoji." width="1080" height="544" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62328">
<p>It was fixed! All the images had decent alt text as well.</p>
<p>Rather annoyingly, the retailer didn't notify me that there was an update available. I can't blame the publisher for that though.</p>
<p>Still, 3 weeks from report to fix is pretty good I reckon.</p>
<p>When I last contacted a publisher about a mistake in their ebook, <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2011/06/how-long-does-it-take-to-fix-an-ebook/">it took over 3 months to fix it</a>. Perhaps things are slowly getting better?</p>
<p>Anyway, please complain about poor accessibility. Don't shout into the void of social media - write a polite but insistent email telling (not asking) people to fix their shit. Sometimes, just sometimes, it does work.</p>
<p>Anyway you should read <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-mysterious-case-of-the-alperton-angels-by-janice-hallett/">The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett</a> - it is brilliant <em>and</em> accessible.</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[I bought a £16 smartwatch just because it used USB-C ★★★★☆]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62174</id>
<updated>2025-08-22T09:03:51Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-06T11:34:34Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="bluetooth" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="gadget" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="usb-c" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Look, I'm an idiot. I know that, you know that, and the man on the moon knows that. Let's not get into why I'm an idiot; let's just accept that I have my peculiarities and you have yours. My idiocy is a quest to make sure all my portable electronics can recharge using USB-C. Modern smartwatches are tiny and they do a lot. As a consequence, their battery life is generally poor. The industry's…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/"><![CDATA[<p>Look, I'm an idiot. I know that, you know that, and the man on the moon knows that. Let's not get into <em>why</em> I'm an idiot; let's just accept that I have my peculiarities and you have yours. My idiocy is a quest to make sure all my portable electronics can recharge using USB-C.</p>
<p>Modern smartwatches are tiny and they do a lot. As a consequence, their battery life is generally poor. The industry's attempts to fix this are either to <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/">replace the charging standard every year</a> hoping to find something magical, or to lock you in to a walled-garden on proprietary nonsense.</p>
<p>I want to recharge my watch while I'm riding the bus. That means plugging one end of a USB-C cable into the seat and the other into my wrist. That's how I recharge my phone, eReader, laptop, headphones, toothbrush, and a hundred other gadgets. Why should a watch be any different?</p>
<p>So I bought the only smartwatch I could find with a USB-C port. The <a href="https://www.colmi.info/products/colmi-p80-smartwatch">Colmi P80</a> - on offer at £16. It bills itself as "The world's first type-c smart watch".</p>
<p><a href="https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCwt0hW"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/colmi.webp" alt="Product shot of a watch being recharged by USB-C." width="720" height="720" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62167"></a></p>
<p>To be clear, I wasn't expecting this to be a <em>good</em> smartwatch. Anything you buy from AliExpress for the cost of a couple of pints is bound to be a bit crap. What I wanted to know is whether USB-C charging of watches is <em>viable</em>.</p>
<p>What I discovered is that, yes, USB-C charging works even on a relatively small watch. Oh, and that this is a surprisingly decent bit of kit - especially given its price. Let's dive in!</p>
<p></p><nav id="toc"><menu id="toc-start"><li id="toc-title"><h2 id="table-of-contents"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#table-of-contents" class="heading-link">Table of Contents</a></h2><menu><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#video-walkthrough">Video Walkthrough</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#what-works">What Works?</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#charging-speed-and-battery-life">Charging Speed and Battery Life</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#heart-monitoring">Heart Monitoring</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#sleep-monitoring">Sleep Monitoring</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-annoying">What's Annoying?</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#app">App</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#exercise-mode">Exercise Mode</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#instruction-manual">Instruction Manual</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#other-interesting-features">Other Interesting Features</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#security">Security</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#oem">OEM</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#open-source-and-gadgetbridge">Open Source and GadgetBridge</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#disassembly">Disassembly</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#smallsolar">smallsolar</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-next">What's Next?</a></li><li><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#should-i-buy-one">Should I Buy One?</a></li></menu></li></menu></nav><p></p>
<h2 id="video-walkthrough"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#video-walkthrough" class="heading-link">Video Walkthrough</a></h2>
<p>If you'd rather watch and listen than read a blog post, please enjoy this shonky video:</p>
<iframe title="Colmi P80 £20 USB-C Smartwatch - review and walkthrough" width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jqveeIQ2lW4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<h2 id="what-works"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#what-works" class="heading-link">What Works?</a></h2>
<p>It tells the time accurately!</p>
<p>You can set it up without using the app (more on that later). It Bluetooth paired to my phone without a problem - and without PIN entry. I could make and receive calls from the watch - and the voice quality was adequate.</p>
<p>Tilting the watch up made the display come on! I wasn't expecting that, to be honest.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/meter-watchface.webp" alt="Smartwatch with a custom face." width="680" height="510" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62409">
<p>The jog-dial button works. Good for scrolling and clicking.</p>
<p>Swiping on the screen to navigate works with pretty good accuracy.</p>
<p>Vibration notifications were strong enough to be noticeable.</p>
<p>There were a bunch of simple games and apps on there - including 2048 - which all ran fine.</p>
<p>The built in torch (!) was bright and useful.</p>
<p>And, yes, it charged via USB-C!</p>
<h2 id="charging-speed-and-battery-life"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#charging-speed-and-battery-life" class="heading-link">Charging Speed and Battery Life</a></h2>
<p>It claims a 0-100 in 90 minutes which seemed broadly accurate.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/COLMI_P80_type-c_Smartwatch_1.webp" alt="Charging speed of 1.5 hours." width="500" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62222">
<p>It came with a short USB-C to C lead which was charge-only, no data. I plugged it until fully charged, then wore it continuously. After 24 hours of use, even with all my fiddling, that battery was at 80%.</p>
<p>After four days, it still had 40% left - I'd been using it for exercise, sleep tracking, a couple of phone calls, and using the torch at night. After 5 days, I finally got the "low battery" warning when I hit 20%. I reckon, with moderate usage, you'd squeeze a week out of it. Sticking the brightness up, keeping the screen on longer, and playing music through its tiny speaker are also going to drag the battery life down.</p>
<p>My <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/10/gadget-review-plugable-usb-c-voltage-amperage-meter-240w/">USB-C Power Meter</a> said it charged at 5V .16A, that's around 0.8W. Slow, but it only has a small 280mAh battery. Bluetooth Low Energy is, unsurprisingly, pretty energy efficient! Heart monitoring and motion detection is also a low-power activity. There's no power-guzzling GPS or cellular connection - so the power requirements are pretty modest.</p>
<p>The rubber flap keeps the port safe, although does feel a little flimsy. If you have a chunky cable, it might interfere with the cover a little.</p>
<p><ins datetime="2025-08-18T14:31:03+00:00">Update after 2 weeks of use:</ins> Over about 9 days, <a href="https://mastodon.social/@Edent/115048915993805151">the battery went from 100% to 20%</a> - that was using it for a few exercise sessions, getting notifications, and continual heart-rate monitoring. Once the battery got bellow 20%, it wouldn't let me start new exercise monitoring or other activities. So you should easily be able to get a week of useful use out of this.</p>
<h3 id="power-delivery"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#power-delivery" class="heading-link">Power Delivery</a></h3>
<p>This does <em>not</em> work with PD chargers. If you plug this in to the same power-brick as your laptop, it will not charge. Based on the three that I tried, PD chargers will not negotiate down to 1W levels.</p>
<p>If you have a charging <em>adapter</em> with multiple outputs, the regular USB-C ones will charge this just fine. All the USB-A to C chargers worked fine.</p>
<iframe src="https://prattle.org.uk/@steve/114986389491929430/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<script src="https://prattle.org.uk/embed.js" async="async"></script>
<h2 id="heart-monitoring"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#heart-monitoring" class="heading-link">Heart Monitoring</a></h2>
<p>Much like <a href="https://neilzone.co.uk/2025/06/initial-thoughts-on-a-18-colmi-r09-smart-ring-and-gadgetbridge/#i-have-not-benchmarked-accuracy">my friend Neil and his smartring from the same manufacturer</a>, I've not benchmarked the accuracy of the heart-rate monitoring. When I exercise, it goes up. When I relax, it goes down.</p>
<p>It pegged my resting heart rate at about 65BPM, which in line with other devices. While <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/08/review-egofit-walker-pro-an-under-desk-treadmill/">walking on my treadmill</a>, it went up to 100.</p>
<p>My SpO<sub>2</sub> was measured as 99% which, again, was as expected. I held my breath for as long as possible and it dropped to 95%.</p>
<p>Within the app, you can set a "Heart Rate Warning" and various other detection settings.</p>
<h2 id="sleep-monitoring"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#sleep-monitoring" class="heading-link">Sleep Monitoring</a></h2>
<p>I wore it at night. There's a "sleep mode" setting which stops the screen coming on, but you have to dive into a sub-menu to turn it on.</p>
<p>The watch showed this reasonably accurate screen:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sleep1.webp" alt="Graph of coloured lines showing sleep state." width="800" height="800" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62421">
<p>The data are also sent to the app:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sleep-app.webp" alt="In app screenshot with a complex graph." width="504" height="1122" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62420">
<h2 id="whats-annoying"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-annoying" class="heading-link">What's Annoying?</a></h2>
<p>Given that this is a £16 watch, it hasn't exactly been "<a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/11/designed-by-apple-in-california-chronicles-20-years-of-apple-design/">Designed by Apple in California</a>". There are limitations and weird little niggles but, surprisingly, not too many.</p>
<p>First up, the brains of the watch is the <a href="https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/JieLiTech-JL7012F6/C7434396">JL7012</a> - which is a deliberately underpowered chip. It can do Bluetooth comms and drives the screen reasonably well. You're not going to be flinging billions of pixels around in 3D. The animation of all the interactions is a little jerky - obviously not 60FPS but just slow enough to be slightly annoying.</p>
<p>You can't tap the screen to turn it on; you have to click the side button or rotate your wrist. The raise to wake works, but takes a second or two to register. Weirdly, the scroll wheel works in <em>most</em> UI elements, but it doesn't for changing dates and times - so it is a bit of a slog to manually scroll through them on screen.</p>
<p>There <a href="https://www.colmi.info/pages/colmi-user-manual">no online manual available</a>. All the other Colmi products have a manual available. Similarly, there's no firmware updates listed - although the app does claim to be able to update the firmware.</p>
<p>The USB-C port is for charging only - you can't get data off it via cable. You cannot use the watch while charging - once plugged in it will show a few messages about keeping the device clean. If you set it to use "nightstand" mode, plugging in will show the time and battery level - but you can't interact with any of the functions.</p>
<p>Directions - no maps, GPS, or even a basic compass. You cannot add any apps to this - what you get is what you get.</p>
<p>Connectivity - Bluetooth only. No WiFi and no cellular. This can't make emergency calls unless you're connected to Bluetooth.</p>
<p>Multiple alarms can be set - but you can't choose their ringtone.</p>
<p>You can add some "favourites" to the main screen, swipe across to get them. Sadly the options are pretty limited. For example, you can't put alarms or the calculator there. For those, you've got to dive into the main menu.</p>
<p>The screen brightness is manually controlled - no clever adaptive technology here. It can go bright enough to see in the blazing sunshine, although the dimmest setting is still a bit bright for night use.</p>
<p>There's no NFC - so you can't use this to pay for things. You can't even use it as an NFC business card - although you can send it QR codes to display, which is a handy alternative.</p>
<p>All that might sound bad but please remember that this is <strong>a sub £20 watch</strong>; it isn't competing with something costing ten times as much. The fact that it does all these things at all is pretty impressive!</p>
<p>Some of the functionality isn't available unless you pair it with the supplied app.</p>
<h2 id="app"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#app" class="heading-link">App</a></h2>
<p>It is a given that all hardware apps are fundamentally a bit rubbish. The <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crrepa.band.colmi_fit">Colmi Fit app</a> is basically fine. It isn't <em>very</em> polished but does everything it needs to do. You can get away without using the app completely for most things.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/permissions.webp" alt="Permissions request screen with poorly formatted text." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62426">
<p>If you want updated weather, stocks, or prayer times - you'll need it to be paired to the app. Annoyingly, things like world clock also need a connection to be set up. Similarly, things like menstrual tracking need a connection (although, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-61952794">please note the privacy implications</a>).</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/period.webp" alt="Period tracking settings." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62427">
<p>Annoyingly, despite it being basic Bluetooth functionality, music controls don't work without the app nor does the ability to show contact information.</p>
<p>Notifications other than calls also require the app. You'll need to give it permission to read all your notifications, but you can set it only to forward ones from specific apps. I didn't bother to set that up.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Notifications.webp" alt="Notifications settings for individual apps." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62428">
<p>There are several built-in watch faces which can be changed by rolling the knob. Only one of the built-in faces is customisable:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Custom-watch-face.webp" alt="A watch face which lets you change the background image and position of the text." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62442">
<p>What surprised me was just how many watch faces were available to download:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/face-gallery.webp" alt="Long list of watch faces." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62429">
<p>Sadly, I don't think it is possible to add your own designs, and none of them let you fiddle with what's displayed.</p>
<p>Many of the settings - like how long the screen should stay on for - are only available in the app. Even thought the app can get your location, you have to manually tell it what city you're in for an accurate weather forecast.</p>
<p>There were a few things I couldn't get working. The "AI Voice Assistant" is, I assume, just streaming audio back to your phone. As I don't have an assistant app, it didn't do anything. I'm not a Muslim, so I can't tell if the prayer times are accurate. The stress monitoring is a bit opaque - I don't know what precisely it measures. I don't have a menstrual cycle for it to track. I didn't investigate the SOS settings either:</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sos.webp" alt="SOS settings to trigger an alert." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62431">
<p>Oh, and you can also tell it to remind you to drink water.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/water-intake.webp" alt="Water intake settings." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62430">
<p>Finally, the app will show a notification showing your goals.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/notification.webp" alt="Permanent notification showing step goal." width="504" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62432">
<p>The app works well even if you deny it all the permissions it asks for but, obviously, some bits won't work unless they have access to your phone book, location, gallery, etc. You can always uninstall the app once done setting it up.</p>
<h2 id="exercise-mode"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#exercise-mode" class="heading-link">Exercise Mode</a></h2>
<p>There are a bunch of different exercise modes on the watch - I'm not sporty enough to tell you what the difference is between all of them.</p>
<p>The app has some basic fitness stuff and will track your jogging locations.</p>
<p>Buried in the watch menu are your historic stats, but you'll need the app to export them.</p>
<p>Step detection is, like most watches, based on arm-swinging. So it wasn't terribly accurate when I was on my <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/08/review-egofit-walker-pro-an-under-desk-treadmill/">standing desk treadmill</a>, but was acceptably accurate when going outside. It showed roughly the same amount of steps as the Pixel Watch 3.</p>
<p>You have to manually activate exercise mode if you want to quickly look up your heart-rate, steps, times, etc.</p>
<h2 id="instruction-manual"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#instruction-manual" class="heading-link">Instruction Manual</a></h2>
<p>The leaflet in the box is the standard multi-lingual affair. Here's a quick scan of the English version. That'll show you some of what this watch is capable of.</p>
<p><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Scanned-Instructions-Lossy.webp"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Scanned-Instructions-Lossy.webp" alt="Instructions for the watch." width="2469" height="1539" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62404"></a></p>
<h2 id="other-interesting-features"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#other-interesting-features" class="heading-link">Other Interesting Features</a></h2>
<p>I got the cheapest strap possible - but it looks like it uses standard fittings if you want something more luxurious.</p>
<p>The 240x296 screen is bright and colourful - a basic screen protector is included in the box.</p>
<p>There's a built in LED which acts as a torch - which is only useful if you wear it on the left wrist.</p>
<p>The "Flappy Bird" clone is a bit crap, but 2048 and space invaders are reasonable time-wasters.</p>
<p>There's a camera shutter app if you want to use it as a remote control.</p>
<p>It <em>claims</em> to be IP67 waterproof, but warns not to immerse it in water or use it in steamy environments. It seemed to be splash resistant, but I didn't take it swimming or showering.</p>
<h2 id="security"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#security" class="heading-link">Security</a></h2>
<p>There is none. There's no password lock on the screen and there's no Bluetooth PIN.</p>
<p>To be fair, there's nothing much you can do with the watch if you stole it. OK, you could make some phone calls if you were within range and get people's contact details. But there's no payment information stored. A thief might get your exercise and menstrual data, but it isn't a treasure trove of information.</p>
<p>Once it is paired to your device, it doesn't advertise itself via Bluetooth. If it is disconnected, it only broadcasts its availability when the screen is on. There's no pairing PIN.</p>
<h2 id="oem"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#oem" class="heading-link">OEM</a></h2>
<p>The manufacturer appears to be <a href="http://moyoung.com/">Mo Young</a> - they make the watch and the app.</p>
<p><a href="http://moyoung.com/en/solution/watch"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/custome-watch.webp" alt="Diagram of a watch." width="1172" height="528" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62410"></a></p>
<p>They have <a href="http://moyoung.com/en/solution/watch">some detail about the watch platform</a> but not much.</p>
<h2 id="open-source-and-gadgetbridge"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#open-source-and-gadgetbridge" class="heading-link">Open Source and GadgetBridge</a></h2>
<p>The device uses the MOYOUNG-V2 protocol. I was able to pair it with <a href="https://gadgetbridge.org/">GadgetBridge</a> by pretending it was a Colmi V79. Most of the functionality worked - I was able to see heart rate, steps, change some settings etc. I've <a href="https://codeberg.org/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/issues/5193">requested GadgetBridge support</a> which should make it possible to get notifications etc.</p>
<p><ins datetime="2025-08-06T20:31:54+00:00">Update! GadgetBridge <em>can</em> now send notifications!<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/gbnot.jpg" alt="Photo of a watch displaying a test notification." width="1024" height="768" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62494">The notifications can be read and deleted, they can't be replied to.</ins></p>
<p>There are a few open source apps to <a href="https://github.com/VicGuy/DaFbc">create new watch faces</a> and then <a href="https://github.com/VicGuy/DaFup">upload watch faces</a> to the device. But I wasn't able to get them working.</p>
<h2 id="disassembly"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#disassembly" class="heading-link">Disassembly</a></h2>
<p><ins datetime="2025-08-22T09:00:55+00:00">Update!</ins> There's a <a href="https://techhub.social/@smallsolar/115071559007632317">discussion on opening the device</a></p>
<div class="activitypub-embed u-in-reply-to h-cite"> <div class="activitypub-embed-header p-author h-card"> <img class="u-photo" src="https://files.techhub.social/accounts/avatars/110/125/136/651/538/699/original/865f02928170d952.png" alt=""> <div class="activitypub-embed-header-text"> <h2 class="p-name" id="smallsolar"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#smallsolar" class="heading-link">smallsolar</a></h2> <a href="https://techhub.social/users/smallsolar" class="ap-account u-url">@[email protected]</a> </div> </div> <div class="activitypub-embed-content"> <div class="ap-subtitle p-summary e-content"><p>Like many people inspired by <span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@Edent" class="u-url mention">@<span>Edent</span></a></span> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/@blog" class="u-url mention">@<span>blog</span></a></span> I got a <a href="https://techhub.social/tags/colmiP80" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>colmiP80</span></a> but I'm not a watch person so for science I opened it up.</p><p><a href="https://git.solarcene.community/smallsolar/Colmi_P80_Smart_Watch/src/branch/main/images" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">git.solarcene.community/smalls</span><span class="invisible">olar/Colmi_P80_Smart_Watch/src/branch/main/images</span></a></p><p>So - its not meant to be opened up, the back plate is glued in place, I heated it for a little while but then realised that its likely got a lipo sitting behind it so in the end just resorted to brute prying open. While initially I was able to partially open the lid any more and the small ribbon cables started to tear.</p><p>The good news is despite the heart beat sensor, the roller wheel and some other sensor now being fully detached the device does still turn on (sort of).</p><p>What I can see though are some interesting IC (well one) and also lots of nice test pads.</p><p>I can also see as predicted that the usb-c port is just 5v and GND.</p><p>In a bit I'll solder in the test points and see what I can find...</p><p>If you are interested there are some discussions on my IRC server (88.202.151.14 port 6668)</p></div> </div> <div class="activitypub-embed-meta"> <a href="https://techhub.social/users/smallsolar/statuses/115071559007632317" class="ap-stat ap-date dt-published u-in-reply-to">2025-08-22, 08:50</a> <span class="ap-stat"> <strong>0</strong> boosts </span> <span class="ap-stat"> <strong>1</strong> favorites </span> </div> </div>
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<p>There are also some <a href="https://git.solarcene.community/smallsolar/Colmi_P80_Smart_Watch/src/branch/main/images">great photos of inside the watch</a>.</p>
<h2 id="whats-next"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-next" class="heading-link">What's Next?</a></h2>
<p>My last smartwatch was the <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/06/review-watchy-an-eink-watch-full-of-interesting-compromises/">fairly crappy eInk Watchy</a> which recharged with micro-USB, I only used it for a few weeks before getting bored of it. The last time I seriously tried to use a smart watch <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2014/07/smart-watch-wearable-technology-failure/">was a decade ago and I hated it</a>.</p>
<p>Perhaps I'm just not a watch person? This is a cheap and useful way to get started. After a few days of use, I'm beginning to get used to it. It'll be more useful once I configure the notifications I get, I suspect.</p>
<h2 id="should-i-buy-one"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#should-i-buy-one" class="heading-link">Should I Buy One?</a></h2>
<p>That's up to you, champ. I'm not your real dad and I'm not trying to take his place. But I'm here for you if you need me.</p>
<p>Anyway, <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/">as discussed in a previous post</a>, this little device shows that it <em>is</em> possible to make a smartwatch that uses USB-C. It isn't the most powerful or customisable watch. It can't compete with a £200+ Apple or Android watch - but it is surprisingly capable.</p>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Review: Data and Doctor Doom ★★★★★]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/review-data-and-doctor-doom/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62435</id>
<updated>2025-08-04T11:47:26Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-04T11:34:32Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="comic" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Dr Hibbett - he of the eponymous and well-regarded Hibbert Method - has taken the "Sing Your Thesis" concept to a brand new level. Who is Doctor Doom? I have only a passing interest in the increasingly convoluted Marvel Cinematic Universe, so I walked into this new comedy show with no idea. I assumed a baddie of some sort? I left with, if not a university education on the subject, then a…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/review-data-and-doctor-doom/"><![CDATA[<p>Dr Hibbett - he of the eponymous and well-regarded <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/9783110754483-005">Hibbert Method</a> - has taken the "Sing Your Thesis" concept to a brand new level.</p>
<p>Who is Doctor Doom? I have only a passing interest in the increasingly convoluted Marvel Cinematic Universe, so I walked into this new comedy show with no idea. I assumed a baddie of some sort?</p>
<p>I left with, if not a university education on the subject, then a healthy appreciation for the character, the tropes he embodies, and what makes him <em>Him</em>. Hibbett's PhD (<a href="https://amzn.to/41oEjz9">available in all good shops now</a>) is about "Transmedia Characters"; those who appear in various media and yet are still recognisable.</p>
<p>For example, is the Buffy of Buffy The Vampire Slayer the movie the same Buffy of Buffy The Vampire Slayer the TV show? Or even Buffy the Video Game or audiobook? Different actors, different directors, different hairstyles, but somehow always ineffably <em>Her</em>. Hibbert, naturally, conveys his methodology via the medium of PowerPoint and acoustic guitar.</p>
<p>He's sort of like if Billy Bragg was more interested in pulp comic books than radical socialism. The songs are delightful and silly - it takes real skill to compressing some dense academic work into a series of toe-tapping comic songs.</p>
<p>Even better, all of Hibbett's <a href="https://doi.org/10.25441/arts.c.6140805.v2">data from his research is available as Open Access</a> if you would like to check it for errors in multiverse continuity.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mjhibbett.co.uk/doom/">The show is touring round the UK</a> - catch it if you can.</p>
<iframe title="The Where What How and Whom of Doctor Doom" width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D6IfnqdYSSw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Why don't smart watches use USB-C to recharge?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62164</id>
<updated>2025-08-02T09:33:56Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-02T11:34:48Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="gadget" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="usb-c" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="watch" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[It looks like the new Google's Pixel 4 watch comes with yet another incompatible change in charging technology. This is a ridiculous situation. The original Pixel Watch used one type of wireless charging. Then the Pixel Watch 2 & 3 removed wireless charging and swapped to a different charging mechanism. And now the 4 has changed again. So three different charging cables in under three years.…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/"><![CDATA[<p>It looks like the new Google's Pixel 4 watch comes with <a href="https://www.androidheadlines.com/google-pixel-watch-4-charging"><em>yet another</em> incompatible change in charging technology</a>. This is a ridiculous situation.</p>
<p>The original Pixel Watch used <a href="https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/smartwatches/your-google-pixel-watch-now-charges-more-slowly-but-that-might-not-be-a-bad-thing">one type of wireless charging</a>. Then the Pixel Watch 2 & 3 removed wireless charging and <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/wearables/can-you-charge-the-pixel-watch-2-with-a-fitbit-charger">swapped to a different charging mechanism</a>. And now the 4 has changed <em>again</em>.</p>
<p>So three different charging cables in under three years. Progress!</p>
<p>While it would be lovely if watches could support Qi charging, they are just too small to make it work effectively - which is why <a href="https://www.anker.com/blogs/wireless-chargers/will-apple-watch-charge-on-any-wireless-charger">Apple has a proprietary wireless charging system</a>.</p>
<p>So, why not use everyone's favourite mandated charging standard - USB-C?</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/14/23404283/pixel-watch-wireless-charging-qi-wearables">The Verge</a> says:</p>
<blockquote><p>These devices are too dang small, and the technology isn’t there yet. Most standard connectors, like USB-C, are too large to fit within a smartwatch or on devices that are meant to mold to your body. The smaller the device, the more difficult this becomes.</p></blockquote>
<p>To which I say:</p>
<blockquote><p>Bullshit!</p></blockquote>
<p>Watches are small, but the USB-C connector isn't massive.</p>
<p>Here's <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/unawatch/meet-una-the-modular-gps-sports-watch">a modern smartwatch which uses USB-C</a> for charging and data:</p>
<p><video width="678" height="382" src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/watch-usb-c.mp4" muted="" loop="" autoplay=""></video></p>
<p>But having a USB-C connector means water ingress, right? Wrong!</p>
<blockquote><p>Does this USB-C connector affect the waterproof rating? No, it doesn’t as the USB-C connector on the watch is IPX8 rated, meaning the internals of the watch are completely sealed from the outside of the connector.</p></blockquote>
<p>OK, the port itself might get water and dirt in it - but a lug will seal it.</p>
<p>Still, that watch is over £200. Not bad for a pretty high-tech gadget with a limited supply. Are there others?</p>
<p>Here's the <a href="https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCwt0hW">Colmi P80</a></p>
<p><a href="https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCwt0hW"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/colmi.webp" alt="Product shot of a watch being recharged by USB-C." width="720" height="720" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62167"></a></p>
<p>It's a pretty basic watch - although it claims to do heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring. It may be crap for all I know - but it only costs £16!</p>
<p>In the middle of that price-range is this <a href="https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_onOqpH2">£80 smartwatch which is actually an entire Android device</a>!
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Large-square-watch.webp" alt="Large square watch." width="540" height="540" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62168"></p>
<p>Again, with USB-C built right in.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/USB-charging-phone-watch.webp" alt="USB charging phone watch." width="970" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62169">
<p>And, yes, it might be rubbish as both a watch, Android device, and masc-coded jewellery - but it shows that USB-C is <em>viable</em> for devices of this class.</p>
<h2 id="why-usb-c"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/#why-usb-c" class="heading-link">Why USB-C?</a></h2>
<p>I don't want to have to buy new accessories every time my hardware changes.</p>
<p>I already have hundreds of USB-C cables.</p>
<p>I only want to take one cable with me on holiday to charge my various gadgets.</p>
<p>I don't want to be restricted to only buying products from one company.</p>
<p>I want something which isn't going to be knocked off its charging pad by a particularly strong fart.</p>
<p>So I've bought the £16 AliExpress special and will review it shortly!</p>
]]></content>
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Secret Cinema - Grease]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62377</id>
<updated>2025-08-01T10:40:59Z</updated>
<published>2025-08-01T11:34:23Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Theatre Review" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I was lucky enough to score tickets to last-night's dress rehearsal. It would be unfair to review this like a completed show, instead this is a preview on what to expect and some thoughts on the "immersive" genre. Very mild spoilers ahead. I never really got the concept behind Secret Cinema. It seemed like an overhyped cult with its mish-mash of festival, improvisation workshop, and collective …]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/"><![CDATA[<p>I was lucky enough to score tickets to last-night's dress rehearsal. It would be unfair to review this like a completed show, instead this is a preview on what to expect and some thoughts on the "immersive" genre. Very mild spoilers ahead.</p>
<p><a href="https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/grease-poster.avif" alt="Poster for Grease." width="1480" height="832" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62380"></a></p>
<p>I never really got the concept behind Secret Cinema. It seemed like an overhyped cult with its mish-mash of festival, improvisation workshop, and collective film watching. The various <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/secret-cinema-presents-back-to-the-future-review-9641893.html">production snafus</a> didn't go unnoticed by me. It was fair to say that I went in to the world of Rydell High as a sceptic.</p>
<p>But I left as a convert.</p>
<p>Nestled in the middle of Battersea Park is an open-air funfair blaring the hits of the 1950s. A massive screen shows trailers for "From Here To Eternity" and other period pieces. It seems like <em>everyone</em> is dressed in either leather jackets or puffy dresses. The atmosphere is fun and convivial. There are a few actors milling about doing small interactions but its pretty easy to miss them as they're dressed similarly to the audience.</p>
<p>As the sounds of Frankie Valli fill the area, we're ushered inside to a <em>perfect</em> reproduction of Rydell High. There's <em>so much</em> attention to detail - posters on the walls, trophies in cases, cheerleaders with pom-poms, and a live band! Unlike my usual complaints about London theatre, the pre-show here is exquisite.</p>
<p>The interior is cavernous - dominated by the raised dance floor in the middle, with various sets dotted around. No matter where you stand, you'll be able to see what's going on thanks to some rather clever camera work which melds the original film with the stage actors.</p>
<p>The actors are fantastic - their singing, dancing, and crowdwork were impeccable. Obviously, this is a bit different to a normal immersive show - you aren't going to get any plot-twists from them, or clues about what's going to happen next, but it is rather jolly. And, yes, there's a good chance you'll be pulled into an interaction - either dancing on stage, singing with a choir, or invited to the slumber party. If that's not your thing, there's no pressure to get involved.</p>
<p>But you should <em>absolutely</em> get involved! Dance with the one that brung you, climb the bleachers, swoon over your heart-throb, and sing. Sing <strong>loudly</strong>. Grease is exactly as interactive as you want it to be. You could buy a VIP ticket and sit at the back (why?!?) or you could run around like a loon, hand-jiving when instructed, and admiring all the effort which has gone into it.</p>
<p>Just like the West-End shows which do singalonga nights, this is an exercise in <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/robmanuelyeah.bsky.social/post/3ltlybi3ufs2a">communal singing to lift the spirits</a>. It is intoxicating to feel like you're within the musical, rather than just being a spectator. It isn't interactive as such - nothing you do will change the plot - but it is wonderful to be swept along with everyone.</p>
<p>Sure, it's a corny old film with <a href="https://culturess.com/2018/06/15/40-years-later-grease-is-problematic-as-hell/">dodgy politics</a> and there have been a few subtle tweaks to make it feel a little more 21st century. But the songs are rocking, the crowd are there to have a good time, and the production values are excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.</p>
<h2 id="food-drink-toilets-and-costs"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/#food-drink-toilets-and-costs" class="heading-link">Food, drink, toilets, and costs</a></h2>
<p>Obviously, food and drink costs are outrageous. £7.50 for a 330ml can of lager?! £13.50 for a veggie burger!? Hey, at least the condiments were free! We did also find a character giving out samples of tequila - which softened the blow somewhat. I get that London prices are insane, but it will add up to an expensive evening. That said, there is vegan food available so at least I didn't walk away hungry. <a href="https://www.evolutionlondon.uk/">The menu is available online</a>.</p>
<p>Food and drink is available both inside and outside. There are also "Cigarette Girls" carrying around trays of drinks if you don't want to queue at the bar.</p>
<p>Outside there is a single fairground ride, a fun house, and a couple of fairground games. Again, these are pay-to-play. It feels a little cheeky to charge extra for these given the ticket cost.</p>
<p>There are plenty of loos - the inside ones are well maintained and there are some external portaloos which aren't too disgusting.</p>
<p>The cheapest tickets are £49 each. That's better than many West End shows. You won't be stuck in a cramped seat with a restricted view. We got there a bit before 19:00, hung around the fairground, then left around 22:00 - so 3 hours of entertainment. Not a bad bang for your buck.</p>
<h2 id="verdict"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/#verdict" class="heading-link">Verdict</a></h2>
<p>If you like Grease, you'll love this. If you're indifferent to Grease, you'll still have a big smile on your face.</p>
<p>For more information and tickets, visit <a href="https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/">https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/</a></p>
]]></content>
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<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett ★★★★⯪]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-mysterious-case-of-the-alperton-angels-by-janice-hallett/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62077</id>
<updated>2025-08-09T11:37:44Z</updated>
<published>2025-07-31T11:34:06Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Janice Hallett" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Janice Hallett is back with another epistolary mystery. Told through a series of transcribed conversations, WhatsApp messages, and torn-out pages from diaries - we the reader have to piece together the facts and crack the case! Much like her previous novels - The Appeal and The Twyford Code - you have to be willing to suspend your disbelief a fair bit. Do people really talk like that when they…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-mysterious-case-of-the-alperton-angels-by-janice-hallett/"><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/alperton.jpeg" alt="Book Cover with Angel Wings." width="200" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-62079"> Janice Hallett is back with another epistolary mystery. Told through a series of transcribed conversations, WhatsApp messages, and torn-out pages from diaries - we the reader have to piece together the facts and crack the case!</p>
<p>Much like her previous novels - <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/10/book-review-the-appeal-janice-hallett/">The Appeal</a> and <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/01/book-review-the-twyford-code-by-janice-hallett/">The Twyford Code</a> - you have to be willing to suspend your disbelief a fair bit. Do people <em>really</em> talk like that when they don't know they're being recorded? Are mysterious notes ever really that clear? Probably not - but it is all rather good fun seeing the plot come together.</p>
<p>It also cheats <em>just a little</em> by having the transcriber give their opinion at key points. It keeps the story going, via a few red herrings, so I can't complain too much. There are lots of clues dotted around to keep track of, and a few proper gasp-out-loud moments.</p>
<p>The book is <em>gorgeously</em> typeset. The handwritten notes all use different fonts. Not only does it look luscious, it also brings a bit of life to the characters.</p>
<img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/handwriting.webp" alt="Samples of handwriting in different fonts." width="670" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62080">
<p>One thing to note - there were some accessibility issue with the book. Images of crucial evidence didn't have alt text and some of the emoji were poorly rendered. I wrote to the publisher and <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/how-long-does-it-take-to-upgrade-an-ebook/">they fixed all the problems quickly</a>. So it is worth checking if your eBook retailer has updated to the newer version.</p>
<p>The plot is a curious affair. A mixture of satanic-panic and murder mystery. It gets progressively darker and spookier - becoming rather twisted. The conclusion is pretty satisfying while leaving you with a few questions to mull over.</p>
<p>This is a fun mystery novel in a quirky style.</p>
]]></content>
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<entry>
<author>
<name>@edent</name>
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<title type="html"><![CDATA[Winners don't use ChatGPT]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/winners-dont-use-chatgpt/" />
<id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62288</id>
<updated>2025-07-29T20:57:45Z</updated>
<published>2025-07-30T11:34:56Z</published>
<category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="AI" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="ChatGPT" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="LLM" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Writing Promts" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[If you hung around video arcades in your youth, you would have seen this message burned into the phosphor of a thousand dying CRTs. Obviously this was a devilish psyop by those gits who wanted kids to stop sniffing glue and having fun. The bastards! But there's a more serious side to the corny message. Are you a winner if you've cheated? Lance Armstrong "won" multiple Toures de France. It…]]></summary>
<content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/winners-dont-use-chatgpt/"><![CDATA[<p>If you hung around video arcades in your youth, you would have seen this message burned into the phosphor of a thousand dying CRTs.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/abinka/8880252938/"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/8880252938_2462609e08_o.jpg" alt="Arcade machine saying "Winners Don't Use Drugs" signed by some FBI dude. Photo CC BY-NC Megan Rosenbloom." width="512" height="384" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62289"></a></p>
<p>Obviously this was a devilish psyop by those gits who wanted kids to stop sniffing glue and having fun. The bastards!</p>
<p>But there's a more serious side to the corny message. Are you a winner if you've cheated?</p>
<p>Lance Armstrong "won" multiple <i lang="fr">Toures de France</i>. It wasn't him that won though, it was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/23/sports/cycling/armstrong-stripped-of-his-7-tour-de-france-titles.html?_r=0">a cocktail of drugs and performance enhancers</a>.</p>
<p>Milli Vanilli got to the top of the music charts <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milli_Vanilli">by having someone else sing their vocals</a>.</p>
<p>You can watch the documentary <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923752/">King of Kong</a> and decide for yourself if <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/02/did-billy-mitchell-use-this-illicit-joystick-to-set-a-donkey-kong-high-score/">allegations of cheating to get high-scores in Donkey Kong</a> are well founded.</p>
<p>The last one is interesting to me. I'm sure everyone here has turned to a gaming walkthough in a moment of frustration. Ah! So <em>that's</em> where the key was hidden! Onwards!</p>
<p>But once you've popped the walkthough cherry, how tempting is it to go back for just one more hit? Only a quick glance… And then, before you know it, you're no longer playing a game; you're watching a movie. You don't achieve anything by following a walkthrough, do you? You're little more than a monkey pressing the buttons in the order they flash.</p>
<p>That's fine if all you want to do is see the ending; but you can't really claim it as an achievement.</p>
<p>The same is true with cheats. <kbd>↑</kbd><kbd>↑</kbd><kbd>↓</kbd><kbd>↓</kbd><kbd>←</kbd><kbd>→</kbd><kbd>←</kbd><kbd>→</kbd><kbd>B</kbd><kbd>A</kbd> and now you have infinite lives and over-powered weapons. So what? You can glide through the game. You won't get any better at playing it. You won't learn. You'll just drift. You won't have any <a href="https://gizmodo.com/congratulations-to-ea-games-for-posting-the-most-hated-1820391000">pride and accomplishment</a> in what you've done.</p>
<p>Video games are better than real life. As the meme says:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/venus-is-in-bloom/152286550432/i-enjoy-video-games-because-they-let-me-live-out"><img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/venus.webp" alt="Screenshot from tumblr. venus-is-in-bloom says "i enjoy video games because they let me live out my wildest fantasies, like being assigned a task and then completing that task"." width="1080" height="640" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62298"></a></p>
<p>If you had a cheat button for real life, would you press it?</p>
<p>Click here to suddenly be number one on YouTube.</p>
<p>Swipe here to get into the University of your dreams.</p>
<p>Prompt engineer your way to launching a killer app without knowing how to code.</p>
<p>No work necessary to accomplish anything. Click the cheat button and off you go! Amazing! You'd press it repeatedly, right?</p>
<p><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/nameshiv.bsky.social/post/3lv4ejbhgkc2z">Shiv Ramdas</a> recently posted this provocation about the <a href="https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2025/04/07/james-somerton-re-emerges-plagiarizes-again-disappears/">plagiarist James Somerton</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>There's an incredible essay that will break the internet waiting to be written about the throughline between walkthrough dependence, James Somerton and ChatGPT's effect on the human psyche</p></blockquote>
<p>This isn't that essay. I'm too lazy to write something amazing, and too aware of the limitations of outsourcing my thinking.</p>
<p>But I see the pattern in myself.</p>
<ul>
<li>I <em>could</em> learn that code's syntax, or I could press the cheat button.</li>
<li>I <em>could</em> plan a trip, or I could press the cheat button.</li>
<li>I <em>could</em> text my wife that I love her, or I could press the cheat button.</li>
</ul>
<p>I'm sure you're going to write an impassioned comment about why sometimes pressing the cheat button is probably fine. The world is complex and sometimes you need a bit of a helping hand.</p>
<p>But hold onto that hand too long and it will hold you back.</p>
<hr>
<h2 id="counterpoint"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/winners-dont-use-chatgpt/#counterpoint" class="heading-link">Counterpoint</a></h2>
<p>Do I <em>really</em> believe that?</p>
<p>I'm never going to spend a few years learning French - so I'm quite content to chuck an AI a bit of translation work.</p>
<p>Some people like to spend a morning baking bread. Others like using a bread machine. Is that cheating? Who cares. It is <em>your</em> choice.</p>
<p>Why should I care <em>how</em> you're living your life. It doesn't bother me if you look up spoilers for films, hide a motor in your exercise bike, or always choose easy-mode on your games.</p>
<p>Perhaps you have no imagination and would rather an AI made up a bedtime story for your child. I suspect you're acting like <a href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/obsonline/harlows-classic-studies-revealed-the-importance-of-maternal-contact.html">the infamous Wire Mother</a>. A simulation of love with few of the benefits.</p>
<p>I can't imagine using an AI to woo my wife. But then, I've seen Cyrano de Bergerac.</p>
<p>Each of us has to draw a line somewhere. We each find a certain level of cheating acceptable when we do it - and despicable when others get away with it.</p>
]]></content>
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"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62701",
"title": "Book Review: What Sheep Think about the Weather - Amelia Thomas ★★★☆☆",
"description": "It started with a hummingbird dive-bombing Amelia Thomas over her morning coffee, and a pair of piglets who just wouldn’t stay put. Soon Amelia, journalist and new farmer, begins to question the communications of the creatures all around her: her pigs, her dogs, the pheasant family inhabiting her wood, her ‘difficult’ big red horse: even the earwigs in the farm’s dark, damp corners. Are they all…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/book-review-what-sheep-think-about-the-weather-amelia-thomas/",
"published": "2025-08-28T11:34:38.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-27T20:15:20.000Z",
"content": "<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sheep.webp\" alt=\"Book cover featuring a sheep.\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-62702\">\n\n<blockquote><p>It started with a hummingbird dive-bombing Amelia Thomas over her morning coffee, and a pair of piglets who just wouldn’t stay put. Soon Amelia, journalist and new farmer, begins to question the communications of the creatures all around her: her pigs, her dogs, the pheasant family inhabiting her wood, her ‘difficult’ big red horse: even the earwigs in the farm’s dark, damp corners. Are they all just animals reacting instinctually to the world around them—or are they trying to communicate something deeper?</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>This is a curious - and mostly satisfying - look at the practicalities of interspecies communication. Unlike <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/09/book-review-how-to-speak-whale-a-voyage-into-the-future-of-animal-communication-by-tom-mustill/\">How to Speak Whale</a>, this doesn't assume that animals have a rich and complex grammar, nor does it make the case for animals having \"higher-order\" cognition. Instead, this is a fairly practical look at the limits of understanding animals.</p>\n\n<p>Anyone with a pet cat or dog knows that they are experts at <em>some</em> forms of communication. \"Feed me\" being the primary one!</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>In some ways, animals are simpler than humans. Hamsters don’t deliberately confound or obfuscate. Donkeys don’t gossip. An iguana will not gaslight you. Animals say what they mean. Yet that’s not to say this content is clear, or that we’re always aware it even exists at all.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>The author is open about her limitations and her goals. At times, it rather feels like reading a series of blog posts as she finds a new paper, chats to a new expert, and accidentally acquires yet another animal. Because she's primarily working with her own animals, there's a fair bit of anthropomorphising going on. Similarly, any \"do your own research\" project is going to be unaware of how to critically assess evidence. That makes it slightly scattershot and homespun. Nevertheless - it is fascinating what she uncovers.</p>\n\n<p>There are some excellent practical tips for understanding the animal experience (I particularly like the idea of going on all fours and trying to understand a pet's-eye-view of the world). There's also an interesting bunch of interviews with scientists who are seeking to understand how and why animals communicate - and whether we can meaningfully exchange ideas with them, or just condition their behaviour.</p>\n\n<p>But, as the book wears on, the author becomes more and more credulous. She goes on a series of courses which - with the best will in the world - seem to have rather dubious outcomes.</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Most of what I hear and see over these seven soaking days I need no scientific study to verify. I just sort of know it, the way the chicken guessers and dog listeners in the experiments just sort of knew what the calls signified. I wonder if this has to do with something called the motivational structure hypothesis,</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>With no external interrogation of what she is doing, the book descends into the pseudo-scientific. The author recounts receiving mystic visions, engages with people who believe they can communicate with animals using telepathy, wanders into the realm of quantum physics, and claims that their horse has a psychic bond with her which causes psychosomatic injuries. Oh, and that her raspberry plants are laughing at her.</p>\n\n<p>It is unfortunate that the last few chapters undermine all the interesting and useful information in the rest of the book.</p>",
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"title": "Security Flaws in the WebMonetization Site",
"description": "I've written before about the nascent WebMonetization Standard. It is a proposal which allows websites to ask users for passive payments when they visit. A visitor to this site could, if this standard is widely adopted, opt to send me cash for my very fine blog posts. All I need to do is add something like this into my site's source code: <link rel=\"monetization\"…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/security-flaws-in-the-webmonetization-site/",
"published": "2025-08-26T11:34:33.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-27T15:38:58.000Z",
"content": "<p>I've written before about <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/03/how-to-prevent-payment-pointer-fraud/\">the nascent WebMonetization Standard</a>. It is a proposal which allows websites to ask users for passive payments when they visit. A visitor to this site could, if this standard is widely adopted, opt to send me cash for my very fine blog posts.</p>\n\n<p>All I need to do is add something like this into my site's source code:</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-html\"><link rel=\"monetization\" href=\"https://wallet.example.com/edent\">\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>A user who has a WebMonetization plugin can then easily pay me for my content.</p>\n\n<p>But not every website is created by an individual or a single entity. Hence, the creation of the \"<a href=\"https://webmonetization.org/tools/prob-revshare/\">Probabilistic Revenue Share Generator</a>\".</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Probabilistic revenue sharing is a way to share a portion of a web monetized page's earnings between multiple wallet addresses. Each time a web monetized user visits the page, a recipient will be chosen at random. Payments will go to the chosen recipient until the page is closed or reloaded.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>Nifty! But how does it work?</p>\n\n<p>Let's say a website is created by Alice and Bob. Alice does most of the work and is to receive 70% of the revenue. Bob is to get the remaining 30%. Within the web page's head, the following meta element is inserted:</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-html\"><link\n rel=\"monetization\"\n href=\"https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siaHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS8iLDcwLCJBbGljZSJdLFsiaHR0cHM6Ly93aGF0ZXZlci50ZXN0LyIsMzAsIkJvYiJdXQ\"\n/>\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>The visitor's WebMonetization plugin will visit that URl and be redirected to Alice's site 70% of time and Bob's 30%.</p>\n\n<p>If we Base64 decode that weird looking URl, we get:</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-json\">[\n [\n \"https://example.com/\",\n 70,\n \"Alice\"\n ],\n [\n \"https://whatever.test/\",\n 30,\n \"Bob\"\n ]\n]\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>Rather than adding multiple URls in the head, the site points to one resource and lets that pick who receives the funds.</p>\n\n<p>There are two small problems with this.</p>\n\n<p>The first is that you have to trust the WebMonetization.org website. If it gets hijacked or goes rogue then all your visitors will be paying someone else. But let's assume they're secure and trustworthy. There's a slightly more insidious threat.</p>\n\n<p>Effectively, this allows an untrusted 3rd party to use the WebMonetization.org domain as an open redirect. That's useful for phishing and other abuses.</p>\n\n<p>For example, an attacker could send messages encouraging people to visit:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siaHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS8iLDk5LCJpbWciXV0\">https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siaHR0cHM6Ly9leGFtcGxlLmNvbS8iLDk5LCJpbWciXV0</a></p>\n\n<p>Click that and you'll instantly be redirected to a domain under the attacker's control. This could be particularly bad if the domain encouraged users to share passwords or other sensitive information.</p>\n\n<p>If the Base64 data cannot be decoded to valid JSON, the API will echo back any Base64 encoded text sent to it. This means an attacker could use it to send obfuscated messages. Consider, tor example:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siUGxlYXNlIHZpc2l0IFJlYWxfZ29vZF9DYXNpbm9zLmJpeiBmb3IgbG90cyBvZiBDcnlwdG8gZnVuISEhIiwxMjM0NTYsImltZyJdXQ==\">https://webmonetization.org/api/revshare/pay/W1siUGxlYXNlIHZpc2l0IFJlYWxfZ29vZF9DYXNpbm9zLmJpeiBmb3IgbG90cyBvZiBDcnlwdG8gZnVuISEhIiwxMjM0NTYsImltZyJdXQ==</a></p>\n\n<p>Visit that and you'll see a message. With a bit of effort, it could be crafted to say something to encourage a visitor to enter their credentials elsewhere.</p>\n\n<p>When I originally reported this, the site could be used to to smuggle binary payloads. For example, <a href=\"https://webmonetization.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\">this URl would display an image</a> - however, it seems to have been fixed.</p>\n\n<p>Nevertheless, it is important to recognise that the WebMonetization.org domain contains an <a href=\"https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Unvalidated_Redirects_and_Forwards_Cheat_Sheet.html\">unvalidated redirect and forwarding</a> vulnerability.</p>\n\n<p>I recommended that they ensured that the only URls which contain legitimate payment pointers should be returned. I also suggested setting a maximum limit for URl size.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"timeline\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/security-flaws-in-the-webmonetization-site/#timeline\" class=\"heading-link\">Timeline</a></h2>\n\n<ul>\n<li>2025-03-27 - Discovered and disclosed.</li>\n<li>2025-08-05 - Remembered I'd submitted it and sent a follow up.</li>\n<li>2025-08-26 - Automatically published.</li>\n<li><ins datetime=\"2025-08-27T15:37:49+00:00\">2025-08-27</ins> - A day after this post was published, <a href=\"https://github.com/interledger/publisher-tools/issues/85\">the issue was made public on their repo</a>.</li>\n</ul>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62754",
"title": "Book Review: The Shattering Peace by John Scalzi (Old Man's War Book 7) ★★★⯪☆",
"description": "I'm reasonably sure I've read all the \"Old Man's War\" books. As the last one was published a decade ago, you'll forgive me if I don't remember all the intricacies of galactic politics and interpersonal intrigue. Thankfully, Scalzi has carved off a side character from a previous book and given them a brand-new adventure. There's enough exposition to tickle the parts of your brain that go \"Ah,…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/book-review-the-shattering-peace-by-john-scalzi-old-mans-war-book-7/",
"published": "2025-08-24T11:34:46.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-23T20:21:32.000Z",
"content": "<p><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/9781509835409.webp\" alt=\"Book cover showing spaceships and alien worlds.\" width=\"270\" height=\"411\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-62756\">\nI'm <em>reasonably</em> sure I've read all the \"Old Man's War\" books. As the last one was published a decade ago, you'll forgive me if I don't remember all the intricacies of galactic politics and interpersonal intrigue. Thankfully, Scalzi has carved off a side character from a previous book and given them a brand-new adventure. There's enough exposition to tickle the parts of your brain that go \"Ah, yes, that sounds familiar\" but the story is just about separate enough that a new (or lapsed) reader can dive straight in.</p>\n\n<p>An off-the-books colony has <strong>vanished</strong>. Only <strong>one woman</strong> has the martial and intellectual skills to save the day. With her <strong>trusty alien companion</strong> she's in a race against time to <strong>save the galaxy</strong>!</p>\n\n<p>The plot is a little thin, and has a slightly annoying habit of jumping forward and then giving retroexposition in \"flashback\". Some of the prose is gorgeous - \"All you need for an avalanche of chaos is one inebriated snowball.\" - but it is used sparingly. That gives it a rather cold and utilitarian feel - which matches the alien surroundings our protagonist finds herself in.</p>\n\n<p>I also found the humour to be a bit repetitive - the alien doesn't quite get that you shouldn't talk aloud about human's sexual habits - but the story is well-paced and keeps the intrigue high without delving too deeply into convoluted political machinations.</p>\n\n<p>It doesn't really add much to the science fiction pantheon in terms of Big Ideas, but it is rather good fun.</p>\n\n<p>Thanks to Pan Macmillan for the advance copy, the book is out in September this year and can be pre-ordered now.</p>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62814",
"title": "Gig Review: Rainbow Girls at LVLS London ★★★★★",
"description": "At some point around the start of the pandemic, The Algorithm instructed me to listen to music by Rainbow Girls. Who am I to question the ineffable will of the machine? I don't know what it was about their harmonies, slide guitar, and double-bass which tickled my brain, but I was hooked. A few days ago, a different algorithm alerted me to the fact that they were touring the UK - so I snapped up…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/gig-review-rainbow-girls-at-lvls-london/",
"published": "2025-08-23T11:34:12.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-23T08:43:21.000Z",
"content": "<p>At some point around the start of the pandemic, The Algorithm instructed me to listen to music by <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@RainbowGirlsMusic\">Rainbow Girls</a>. Who am I to question the ineffable will of the machine? I don't know what it was about their harmonies, slide guitar, and double-bass which tickled my brain, but I was hooked.</p>\n\n<p>A few days ago, a different algorithm alerted me to the fact that they were touring the UK - so I snapped up tickets.</p>\n\n<p>It was, of course, an <em>amazing</em> gig. Thanks Algorithms!</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Rainbow-Girls.webp\" alt=\"Rainbow Girls on stage at LVLS.\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62815\">\n\n<p>I don't know when I've enjoyed myself more at a gig. The LVLS venue in Stratford is charmingly intimate (and their drinks prices aren't too outrageous for London). The Girls filled the space with their sonic perfection. A brilliant mix of their original songs and crowd-pleasing covers. Their act is obviously well-rehearsed with very little time between songs spent faffing with equipment.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Bart-and-Rainbow-Girls.webp\" alt=\"Bart on stage with the Rainbow Girls.\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62816\">\n\n<p>The multi-instrumental nature of the show gives it a wonderful variety - not that you can really tire of their singing - and they are generous with their chat between numbers.</p>\n\n<p>The support act, <a href=\"https://www.bartbudwig.com/\">Bart Budwig</a> was delightful. A sweet selection of homespun songs and a magnificent stage presence. His crowd-work was excellent, bringing in the audience to join in with his songs. A particular favourite was <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKcu54Zvq5N/\">Idaho Sober</a> which the London crowd greatly enjoyed.</p>\n\n<p>The Rainbow Girls are currently on tour throughout the UK, Ireland, and Europe. Catch them if you can.</p>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62488",
"title": "What about using rel=\"share-url\" to expose sharing intents?",
"description": "Let's say that you've visited a website and want to share it with your friends. At the bottom of the article is a list of popular sharing destinations - Facebook, BlueSky, LinkedIn, Telegram, Reddit, HackerNews etc. You click the relevant icon and get taken to the site with the sharing details pre-filled. The problem is, every different site has a different intent for sharing links and…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/what-about-using-relshare-url-to-expose-sharing-intents/",
"published": "2025-08-22T11:34:06.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-06T19:32:20.000Z",
"content": "<p>Let's say that you've visited a website and want to share it with your friends. At the bottom of the article is a list of popular sharing destinations - Facebook, BlueSky, LinkedIn, Telegram, Reddit, HackerNews etc.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/share-on.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot. \"Share this page on\" followed by colourful icons for popular social networks.\" width=\"824\" height=\"452\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62491\">\n\n<p>You click the relevant icon and get taken to the site with the sharing details pre-filled.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/telegram.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot of the Telegram sharing page.\" width=\"600\" height=\"561\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62492\">\n\n<p>The problem is, every different site has a different intent for sharing links and text. For example:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><code>https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=…&t=…</code></li>\n<li><code>https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=…</code></li>\n<li><code>https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=…</code></li>\n<li><code>https://www.threads.net/intent/post?url=…&text=…</code></li>\n<li><code>https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=…&title=…</code></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>As you can see, some only allow a URL, some text and a URL, and some just a plain text which could contain the URl. A bit of a mess! It's probably impossible to get every site to agree on a standard for their sharing intent. But there <em>could</em> be a standard for exposing their existing sharing mechanism.</p>\n\n<p>That's the proposal from <a href=\"https://about.werd.io/\">Ben Werdmuller</a> with \"<a href=\"https://shareopenly.org/integrate/\">Share Openly</a>\".</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>ShareOpenly knows about most major social networks, as well as decentralized platforms like Mastodon, Bluesky, and Known.</p>\n\n<p>However, if ShareOpenly is having trouble sharing to your platform, and if your platform supports a share intent, you can add the following metatag to your page headers:</p>\n\n<p><code><link rel=\"share-url\" href=\"https://your-site/share/intent?text={text}\"></code></p>\n\n<p>Where <code>https://your-site/share/intent?text=</code> is the URL of your share intent.</p>\n\n<p>The special keyword <code>{text}</code> will be replaced with the URL and share text.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>I think that's a pretty nifty solution.</p>\n\n<p>For sites which take a URl and an (optional) title, the meta element looks like:</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-html\"><link rel=\"share-url\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u={url}&t={text}\">\n<link rel=\"share-url\" href=\"https://lemmy.world/create_post?url={url}&title={text}\">\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>For those which only take URl, it looks like:</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-html\"><link rel=\"share-url\" href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url={url}\">\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>It's slightly trickier for sites like Mastodon and BlueSky which only have a text sharing field and no separate URl. The current proposal is just to use the text. For example</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-html\"><link rel=\"share-url\" href=\"https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text={text}\">\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>But it could be something like</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-html\"><link rel=\"share-url\" href=\"https://mastodon.social/share?text={text}%0A{url}\">\n</code></pre>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-next\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/what-about-using-relshare-url-to-expose-sharing-intents/#what-next\" class=\"heading-link\">What Next?</a></h2>\n\n<p>The HTML specification has this to say <a href=\"https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/links.html#other-link-types\">about adding new link types</a>:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Extensions to the predefined set of link types may be registered on the <a href=\"https://microformats.org/wiki/existing-rel-values#HTML5_link_type_extensions\">microformats page for existing rel values</a>.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>Adding to that page merely requires a formal specification to be written up. After that, some light lobbying might be needed to get social networks to adopt it.</p>\n\n<p>So, I have three questions for you:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Do you think <code><link rel=\"share-url\"</code> is a good idea for a new standard?</li>\n<li>What changes, if any, would you make to the above proposal?</li>\n<li>Would you be interested in using it - either as a sharer or sharing destination?</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Please leave a comment in the box - and remember to hit those sharing buttons!</p>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62714",
"title": "Theatre Review - Show:Girls ★★★★☆",
"description": "Is it offensive to call a burlesque show \"charming\"? Sure, it is a funny and mildly titillating evening, but Show:Girls is suffused with such good natured charm that it is hard to describe it as anything else. Unlike Gallifrey Cabaret which puts on a plethora of variety acts, this is a rather stripped down production. The central conceit is that two acts have been accidentally double booked.…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/",
"published": "2025-08-21T11:34:59.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-19T22:06:47.000Z",
"content": "<p><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ShowGirls-Phoenix-Listing.webp\" alt=\"Two burlesque performers. One in a Viking helmet and one in a red hat.\" width=\"400\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-62716\"> Is it offensive to call a burlesque show \"charming\"? Sure, it is a funny and mildly titillating evening, but Show:Girls is suffused with such good natured charm that it is hard to describe it as anything else.</p>\n\n<p>Unlike <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@Edent/114156815734664216\">Gallifrey Cabaret</a> which puts on a plethora of variety acts, this is a rather stripped down<sup id=\"fnref:sorry\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorry\" class=\"footnote-ref\" title=\"Sorry!\" role=\"doc-noteref\">0</a></sup> production.</p>\n\n<p>The central conceit is that two acts have been accidentally double booked. One, a high-class opera singer, the other a low-down burlesque performer. HI-JINKS ENSUE!</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.belindawilliams.co.uk/\">Bellinda Williams</a> has the voice of an angel and <a href=\"https://www.elsiediamond.com/about\">Elsie Diamond</a> has the body of a devil<sup id=\"fnref:sorrry\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrry\" class=\"footnote-ref\" title=\"Look, there's no way to write about these things without sounding like a bit of a seedy old man, OK!\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>. They teach each other the secrets of their art form which leads to the most unlikely mash-up I've seen in some time; Opera Burlesque.</p>\n\n<p>It is exactly as batty as it sounds. Each of them attempting to Eliza Doolittle the other to the great merriment of the audience.</p>\n\n<p>I'm sure there's something profound to say about the origins of opera and its intersection with courtesan couture, or how empowering it is to play dress up with your friends, but I was too busy laughing to think of anything that intellectual.</p>\n\n<p>As befits a fringe show, it is rather short and I could have easily enjoyed more. There seem to be a few revivals of <i lang=\"fr\">cabaret de l'érotique</i><sup id=\"fnref:fr\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:fr\" class=\"footnote-ref\" title=\"That's yer actual French, y'know!\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup> within London's now-sanitised Soho. Most, like this, are fairly tourist friendly and unlikely to draw the wrath of The Lord Chamberlain. Perhaps we'll see them on the Royal Variety Show next?</p>\n\n<p>There's only one thing which bothers me, and that's the origin of one of the marquee quotes. One of the performers is mentioned thusly:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>famously described by Danny Dyer as having “a good old fashioned pair of Lils”.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>I'm reasonably familiar with Cockney Rhyming Slang and its step-sibling <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/04/book-review-fabulosa-the-story-of-polari-britains-secret-gay-language-by-paul-baker/\">Polari</a>, and I can't find anything even close to that.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Cockney:\n\n<ul>\n<li>Lilian Gish - fish. A somewhat unlikely comparison.</li>\n<li>Lilly The Pink - drink. Although I suppose a pair of \"pinks\" might make sense?</li>\n<li>Little And Large - margarine. I guess \"Little\" might be heard as \"Lil\"? And Ms Diamond's are not exactly on the smaller side.<sup id=\"fnref:sorrrrry\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrrrry\" class=\"footnote-ref\" title=\"Look, you try writing about this without sounding like Sid James!\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup></li>\n</ul></li>\n<li>Polari:\n\n<ul>\n<li>Lills - hands. I have no evidence that her hands <em>aren't</em> old fashioned.</li>\n<li>Lilly Law - police. Perhaps Mr Dyer was comparing the shape of a bobby's helmet to the size and shape of…?<sup id=\"fnref:sorrrry\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrrry\" class=\"footnote-ref\" title=\"Probably best to stop there, eh?\" role=\"doc-noteref\">4</a></sup></li>\n</ul></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Either way, Show:Girls is performed sporadically - keep an eye on their websites for the next performance. The entrance fee isn't too expensive, but in exchange you'll receive your fair share of thruppeny bits<sup id=\"fnref:sorrrrrrry\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fn:sorrrrrrry\" class=\"footnote-ref\" title=\"At this juncture, please imagine a giant shepherd's crook protruding from the wings and dragging me off stage.\" role=\"doc-noteref\">5</a></sup>.</p>\n\n<div class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol start=\"0\">\n\n<li id=\"fn:sorry\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Sorry! <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorry\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n\n<li id=\"fn:sorrry\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Look, there's no way to write about these things without sounding like a bit of a seedy old man, OK! <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrry\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n\n<li id=\"fn:fr\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>That's yer <em>actual</em> French, y'know! <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:fr\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n\n<li id=\"fn:sorrrrry\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Look, <em>you</em> try writing about this without sounding like Sid James! <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrrrry\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n\n<li id=\"fn:sorrrry\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Probably best to stop there, eh? <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrrry\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n\n<li id=\"fn:sorrrrrrry\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>At this juncture, please imagine a giant shepherd's crook protruding from the wings and dragging me off stage. <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-showgirls/#fnref:sorrrrrrry\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n\n</ol>\n</div>",
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{
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62726",
"title": "Theatre Review: Sluts With Consoles ★★★★⯪",
"description": "Let's see if this post makes it through the spam filters! Sluts With Consoles is a brilliant two-hander. Girly-twirly pick-me Player One and Gothy just-one-of-the-boys Player Two are locked in mortal - and emotional - combat. They represent the duality of the female gaming experience. Is it better to be feminine or feminist? Is gaming an escape from the cliques of teenage oppression, or just…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-sluts-with-consoles/",
"published": "2025-08-20T11:34:03.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-19T22:39:57.000Z",
"content": "<p><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Sluts-with-Consoles.webp\" alt=\"Promotional Poster for Sluts With Consoles.\" width=\"350\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-62727\"> Let's see if this post makes it through the spam filters!</p>\n\n<p>Sluts With Consoles is a brilliant two-hander. Girly-twirly pick-me Player One and Gothy just-one-of-the-boys Player Two are locked in mortal - and emotional - combat. They represent the duality of the female gaming experience. Is it better to be feminine or feminist? Is gaming an escape from the cliques of teenage oppression, or just another form of self-deception?</p>\n\n<p>That all sounds a bit heavy-handed, but it is a hilarious show. It perfectly observes modern gaming tropes and how we all evolve our gamer styles.</p>\n\n<p>Throughout, it asks a very specific question; \"does a single stuck pixel spoil the entire view?\" That is, what are we prepared to tolerate in order to live in our fantasy world? Older brothers swiping our power-ups transmogrify into incel-gamers shouting slurs. Who cares if we're having fun, right…?</p>\n\n<p>As with any powerful piece of theatre, it's unlikely to be seen by those who have the most need of its message.</p>\n\n<p>Nevertheless, it is an entertaining and amusing show with a +20 battle-damage buff.</p>\n\n<p>The show is touring throughout the year and it is absolutely worth seeing if you have any interest in gaming.</p>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=61707",
"title": "Preventing NAPTR Spam",
"description": "You're the sort of cool nerd who knows all the weird esoterica which makes up DNS, right? In amongst your A, AAAA, SOA, and MX records, there's a little used NAPTR. Yes, you can use DNS to store Name Authority Pointers! What?! It is yet another of those baroque standards which spits out things like: cid.uri.arpa. ;; order pref flags service regexp replacement IN NAPTR…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/",
"published": "2025-08-18T11:34:47.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-03T20:49:37.000Z",
"content": "<p>You're the sort of cool nerd who knows all the weird esoterica which makes up DNS, right? In amongst your A, AAAA, SOA, and MX records, there's a little used <a href=\"https://dn.org/understanding-naptr-records-and-their-role-in-dns/\">NAPTR</a>. Yes, you can use DNS to store Name Authority Pointers!</p>\n\n<p>What?!</p>\n\n<p>It is yet another of those <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2015/11/a-polite-way-to-say-ridiculously-complicated/\">baroque</a> standards which spits out things like:</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-_\">cid.uri.arpa.\n;; order pref flags service regexp replacement\nIN NAPTR 100 10 \"\" \"\" \"!^cid:.+@([^\\.]+\\.)(.*)$!\\2!i\" .\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>Essentially, it is a way to store contact details within a DNS record (rather than in a WHOIS record).</p>\n\n<p>Back in the early 2000s, the dotTel company opened the .tel TLD with a promise that it could be used to store your contact details in DNS<sup id=\"fnref:history\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:history\" class=\"footnote-ref\" title=\"Even back in 2009 I didn't think it was terribly compelling. By 2013, it was almost dead. And in 2017 it became just another generic TLD.\" role=\"doc-noteref\">0</a></sup>. The idea was simple, rather than storing my phone number in your address book, you'd store my domain name - <a href=\"https://edent.tel/\">https://edent.tel/</a></p>\n\n<p>If I updated my phone number, changed my avatar, or deleted an old email address - your address book would automatically update via DNS. Nifty!</p>\n\n<p>If you didn't know a company's phone number, you'd dial <code>example.com</code> on your phone and it would grab the phone numbers from DNS. Wowsers trousers!</p>\n\n<p>You can see an example by running:</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-_\">dig justin.tel NAPTR\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>You'll get back something like:</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-_\">NAPTR 100 101 \"u\" \"E2U+web:http\" \"!^.*$!http://justinkhayward.com!\" \n</code></pre>\n\n<p>A phone number stored in a NAPTR would look something like:</p>\n\n<pre><code class=\"language-_\">NAPTR 100 100 \"u\" \"E2U+voice:tel\" \"!^.*$!tel:+442074676450!\" .\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>Brilliant! But there's a problem - aside from the somewhat obtuse syntax! - and that problem is spam.</p>\n\n<p>Those of you old enough to remember putting your unexpurgated contact details into WHOIS know that the minute it went live you were bombarded with sales calls and scammy emails. So putting your details directly into DNS is a bad idea, right?</p>\n\n<p>.tel thought they'd come up with a clever hack to prevent that. As they explain in <a href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20120504070307/https://dev.telnic.org/docs/privacy.pdf\">the .tel privacy paper</a>, records can be individually encrypted.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Alice has her contact details on <code>alice.tel</code></li>\n<li>Bob has his contact details on <code>bob.tel</code></li>\n<li>Alice agrees to share her phone number with Bob.</li>\n<li>Alice looks up Bob's public key from <code>bob.tel</code>.</li>\n<li>Alice encrypts her phone number.</li>\n<li>Alice generates a new DNS record specifically for Bob - <code>bob123456.alice.tel</code></li>\n<li>Alice shares the name of the new record with Bob.</li>\n<li>Bob downloads the NAPTR from <code>bob123456.alice.tel</code> and decrypts it with his private key.</li>\n<li>Bob periodically checks for updates.</li>\n<li>Alice can decide to revoke Bob's access by removing the data or subdomain.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Clever! If convoluted. You can <a href=\"https://rikkles.blogspot.com/2008/05/privacy-in-tel.html\">read more about the way friendships and public keys were managed</a> and <a href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20120504073313/https://dev.telnic.org/docs/naptr.pdf\">some more technical details</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Are there better ways?</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"multi-recipient-encryption\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#multi-recipient-encryption\" class=\"heading-link\">Multi Recipient Encryption</a></h2>\n\n<p>When people say \"you can't give Government a secret key to your private messages\" they are technically incorrect<sup id=\"fnref:worst\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:worst\" class=\"footnote-ref\" title=\"The worst type of incorrect.\" role=\"doc-noteref\">1</a></sup>. Multi Recipient Encryption is a thing.</p>\n\n<p>Here's a very simplified and subtly wrong explanation:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Alice creates a <em>temporary</em> public/private keypair.</li>\n<li>Alice encrypts some text with her temporary public key - resulting in <code>e</code>.</li>\n<li>Alice encrypts the temporary private key with Bob's public key - resulting in <code>k1</code>.</li>\n<li>Alice encrypts the temporary private key with Charlie's public key - resulting in <code>k2</code>.</li>\n<li>Alice publishes the concatenation of <code>e+k1+k2</code></li>\n<li>Bob downloads the file, decrypts <em>his</em> version of the key, and uses that to decrypt the message.</li>\n<li>Charlie does the same.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>In this way, both recipients are able to decipher the text but no one else can. So can we just shove an encrypted record in the NAPTR? Not quite.</p>\n\n<p>There are two main problems with this for DNS purposes.</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>The encrypted size grows with every recipient.</li>\n<li>Every time a new recipient is added, everyone needs to download the data again even if it is unchanged.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Generally speaking, DNS records are a maximum of 255 characters - <a href=\"https://kb.isc.org/docs/aa-00356\">although they can be concatenated</a>.</p>\n\n<p>An extra record could be used to say when the plaintext was last updated - which would let existing recipients know not to download it again.</p>\n\n<p>Monitoring for changes would allow a user to know roughly how many recipients had been added or removed.</p>\n\n<p>What other ways could there be?</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-else-could-be-done\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#what-else-could-be-done\" class=\"heading-link\">What else could be done?</a></h2>\n\n<p>Here's the user story.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>I want a friend to subscribe to my [phone|email|street|social media] address(es).</li>\n<li>I must be able to pre-approve access.</li>\n<li>When I change my address, my friend should get my new details.</li>\n<li>I need to be able to revoke people's access.</li>\n<li>This should be done via DNS<sup id=\"fnref:dns\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:dns\" class=\"footnote-ref\" title=\"Why DNS? Because I like making life difficult.\" role=\"doc-noteref\">2</a></sup>.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Using an API this would be playing on easy mode. A friend (or rather, their app) would request an API key from my service. I would approve it, and then ✨magic✨.</p>\n\n<p>DNS isn't <em>technically</em> an API although, with enough effort, you could make it behave like one<sup id=\"fnref:marquis\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fn:marquis\" class=\"footnote-ref\" title=\"If you were a sadist!\" role=\"doc-noteref\">3</a></sup>.</p>\n\n<p>So - how would <em>you</em> do it?</p>\n\n<div class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\">\n<hr>\n<ol start=\"0\">\n\n<li id=\"fn:history\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Even back in 2009 <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2009/03/some-thoughts-on-tel/\">I didn't think it was terribly compelling</a>. By 2013, <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2013/03/should-i-renew-my-tel-domain/\">it was almost dead</a>. And in 2017 <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2017/02/whats-the-future-for-the-tel-domain-name/\">it became just another generic TLD</a>. <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:history\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n\n<li id=\"fn:worst\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>The <em>worst</em> type of incorrect. <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:worst\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n\n<li id=\"fn:dns\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>Why DNS? Because I like making life difficult. <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:dns\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n\n<li id=\"fn:marquis\" role=\"doc-endnote\">\n<p>If you were a sadist! <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/preventing-naptr-spam/#fnref:marquis\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\">↩︎</a></p>\n</li>\n\n</ol>\n</div>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62422",
"title": "Books will soon be obsolete in school",
"description": "I recently had a chance to ask a question to one of the top AI people. At a Q&A session, I raised my hand and asked simply \"What is your estimation of the future educational value of AI?\" The response was swift and utterly devastating for those laggards who want to hold back progress. The AI guy said: Books will soon be obsolete in schools. Scholars will be instructed through AI. It is possible …",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/books-will-soon-be-obsolete-in-school/",
"published": "2025-08-16T11:34:30.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-04T17:24:56.000Z",
"content": "<p>I recently had a chance to ask a question to one of the <strong>top</strong> AI people. At a Q&A session, I raised my hand and asked simply \"What is your estimation of the future educational value of AI?\"</p>\n\n<p>The response was swift and utterly devastating for those laggards who want to hold back progress. The AI guy said:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Books will soon be obsolete in schools. Scholars will be instructed through AI. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with AI. Our school system will be completely changed inside of ten years.</p>\n\n<p>We have been working for some time on educational AI. It proves conclusively the worth of AI in chemistry, physics and other branches of study, making the scientific truths, difficult to understand from text books, plain and clear to children.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>That's it. We can throw away all those outdated paper books. Children will learn directly from an AI which, coincidentally, is sold by the company. We can trust their studies on such matters and be assured that they have no ulterior motive.</p>\n\n<p>But, ah my friends, I have told a <em>slight</em> untruth. I didn't ask that question. Frederick James Smith asked the question to Thomas Edison in <strong>1913</strong>. The question was about the new and exciting world of motion pictures.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/moving-pictures.webp\" alt=\"Scan of old newsprint. \"What is your estimation of the future educational\nvalue of pictures?\" I asked.\n\" Books.\" declared the inventor with decision, \" will soon be obsolete in the public schools. Scholars will be instructed through the eye. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture. Our school system will be completely changed inside of ten years. \" We have been working for some time on the school pictures. We have been studying and reproducing the life of the fly. mosquito, silk weaving moth, brown moth, gypsy moth, butterflies, scale and various other insects, as well as chemical cbrystallization. It proves conclusively the worth of motion pictures in chemistry, physics and other branches of study, making the scientific truths, difficult to understand from text books, plain and clear to children\" width=\"766\" height=\"492\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62423\">\n\n<p>You can <a href=\"https://www.laviemoderne.net/images/forum_pics/2017/20171116%20New%20York%20NY%20Dramatic%20Mirror%201913%20Mar-Apr%201914%20Grayscale%20-%200690.pdf\">read the full exchange from The New York Dramatic Mirror</a>.</p>\n\n<p>A hundred-plus years since the great and humble Edison made his prediction and… books are still used in schools! Those of us of a certain age remember a TV occasionally being wheeled in for one lesson or another. Today's kids watch more video content than ever - of mixed quality - but still rely on books and teachers.</p>\n\n<p>Videos are good for some aspects of learning, but woefully inadequate for others.</p>\n\n<p>I'm not trying to say that just because one technology failed, so will all others. But it is <em>amazing</em> how AI-proponents are recycling the same arguments with basically the same timescale. Will AI be part of education? Sure! Just like videos, pocket computers, the Metaverse, and performance enhancing drugs.</p>\n\n<p>Will it be the <em>only</em> tool ever needed for education? I doubt it. Will vested interests and uncritical journalists continue to boost it? You don't need to have read many history books to work out the answer.</p>\n\n<p>Further reading: <a href=\"https://www.colincornaby.me/2025/08/in-the-future-all-food-will-be-cooked-in-a-microwave-and-if-you-cant-deal-with-that-then-you-need-to-get-out-of-the-kitchen/\">In the Future All Food Will Be Cooked in a Microwave, and if You Can’t Deal With That Then You Need to Get Out of the Kitchen</a></p>",
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"label": "AI",
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"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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"label": "education",
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"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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"label": "history",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62605",
"title": "Theatre Review: Being Mr Wickham ★★★★★",
"description": "Mr Wickham is ready to set the record straight. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, Adrian Lukis, who starred in the renowned BBC TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, returns to the role of Mr Wickham. Join Pride and Prejudice’s most roguish gentleman, George Wickham, on the eve of his sixtieth birthday, to lift the sheets on what exactly happened thirty years on from whe…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-being-mr-wickham/",
"published": "2025-08-14T11:34:06.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-13T21:16:42.000Z",
"content": "<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/wickham.webp\" alt=\"Promotional poster for Being Mr Wickham.\" width=\"384\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-62606\">\n\n<blockquote><p>Mr Wickham is ready to set the record straight. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, Adrian Lukis, who starred in the renowned BBC TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, returns to the role of Mr Wickham.</p>\n\n<p>Join Pride and Prejudice’s most roguish gentleman, George Wickham, on the eve of his sixtieth birthday, to lift the sheets on what exactly happened thirty years on from where we left him… And discover his own version of some very famous literary events.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>You remember \"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead\", right? Take two minor characters from a famous play and weave a tale around their misadventures. This is in much the same vein. A one-man show where we get to spend time with Pride & Prejudice's most clubbable old rake in order to better understand <em>why</em> he was such a scoundrel.</p>\n\n<p>There's a lovely bit of intertextuality in having Adrian Lukis both write and perform as Wickham. For people of my age, he <em>is</em> Wickam. Sure, he's no Darcy in a dripping wet shirt, but played the perfect bounder and cad.</p>\n\n<p>The Jermyn Street Theatre is the perfect venue for these tall tales. An intimate room where we're slowly drawn in to the confidences of a master manipulator. Behind the twinkling smile there is, be in no doubt, a predator.</p>\n\n<p>Wickham lives off his charms and it is no wonder that the audience is eating out of the palm of his hand within minutes. His outrageous name dropping is all part of the seduction.</p>\n\n<p>Of course he has been viciously abused in literature; done dirty by those envious of his success. Yes, he is a bit of a rascal but - and his eyes flirt with us at this point - isn't that what makes a man <em>interesting</em>?</p>\n\n<p>Adrian Lukis doesn't redeem the villain; he indulges him. It is a delight to spend an hour in his company, hearing the old sot reminisce about old conquests, and catching up with the Bennet gossip. But you'll walk away wondering if you're any closer to the truth or have just been beguiled like some many others.</p>\n\n<p>There's an interesting bit of media rights discussion to be here as well. Famously, the actors who play James Bond <a href=\"https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Why-Pierce-Brosnan-Wears-Ugliest-Suit-Ever-Thomas-Crown-Affair-68301.html\">aren't allowed to wear a tuxedo in other movies</a> lest they be confused with 007. All of Jane Austen's works have long since passed out of copyright - but is the character of Wickam based on the book version of the 1990's screen version? There's no portrait of Julia Sawalha on the wall, so you'll have to make your own mind up on that count.</p>\n\n<p>I do wonder how many other other actors will take the opportunity to revisit their star turns? The nostalgia roadshow rumbles on.</p>\n\n<p>Mr Wickham is in residence until the 30th of August and I have no doubt that you will find his company most agreeable.</p>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62191",
"title": "Would a Blockchain have prevented LIBOR fraud?",
"description": "I am massively sceptical of any claims that Blockchain can be useful. I even took the Certified Blockchain Professional course so I could better understand the batshittery. At the risk of appearing on QTWTAIN, and seeking a papal indulgence from Betteridge, I think I might have stumbled on a retroactive use-case for Blockchain! First up, what is LIBOR and what was the scandal which led to…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/would-a-blockchain-have-prevented-libor-fraud/",
"published": "2025-08-12T11:34:37.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-07T20:49:34.000Z",
"content": "<p>I am massively sceptical of any claims that Blockchain can be useful. I even took the <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/tag/certified-blockchain-professional/\">Certified Blockchain Professional course</a> so I could better understand the batshittery.</p>\n\n<p>At the risk of appearing on <a href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/QTWTAIN/\">QTWTAIN</a>, and seeking a papal indulgence from <a href=\"https://ianbetteridge.com\">Betteridge</a>, I <em>think</em> I might have stumbled on a retroactive use-case for Blockchain!</p>\n\n<p>First up, what is LIBOR and what was the scandal which led to several bankers going to prison?</p>\n\n<p>Here's the over-simplified explanation. The <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libor\">London Inter-Bank Offered Rate</a> was a financial measure. Banks can borrow money from each other. They charge each other interest for this. These inter-bank interest rates are important - they reflect the financial health of the institutions and are used for all sorts of derived financial products.</p>\n\n<p>Banks reported those LIBOR rates and, as a consequence, financial stuff happened. Those reports were sometimes lies.</p>\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18671255\">fraud investigation</a> was long and complex. But it boils down to this - sometimes it was advantageous for the bank to lie about its rate. On at least 257 occasions, bankers would collude with each other to manipulate the rate.</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>For example, on 26 October 2006, an external trader made a request for a lower three month US dollar LIBOR submission. The external trader stated in an email to Trader G at Barclays <em>“If it comes in unchanged I’m a dead man”</em>. Trader G responded that he would <em>“have a chat”</em>.</p>\n\n<p>Barclays’ submission on that day for three month US dollar LIBOR was half a basis point lower than the day before, rather than being unchanged. The external trader thanked Trader G for Barclays’ LIBOR submission later that day: <em>“Dude. I owe you big time! Come over one day after work and I’m opening a bottle of Bollinger”</em>.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>So, would a Blockchain have prevented this sort of fraud? I'm going to go with a <em>very</em> cautious \"maybe\".</p>\n\n<p>Let's take a look at the <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8202\">seminal Blockchain paper from NIST</a> which contains this flowchart:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/blockchain-flow.webp\" alt=\"A flowchart guides users to determine if a blockchain is suitable: Starting with \"Do you need a shared, consistent data store?\", if NO, consider Email/Spreadsheets; if YES, ask \"Does more than one entity need to contribute data?\". If NO, consider Database (with auditing caveat); if YES, ask \"Data records, once written, are never updated or deleted?\". If NO, consider Database; if YES, ask \"Sensitive identifiers WILL NOT be written to the data store?\". If NO, consider Encrypted Database; if YES, ask \"Are the entities with write access having a hard time deciding who should be in control of the data store?\". If NO, consider Managed Database; if YES, ask \"Do you want a tamperproof log of all writes to the data store?\". If NO, consider Database; if YES, \"You may have a useful Blockchain use case.\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"1445\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62192\">\n\n<p>Taking the points in order:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Do you need a shared, consistent data store?\n\n<ul>\n<li>Yes. This data is read by multiple parties. It needs to be consistent - that is is Bank A lends at 1.23%, Bank B should record borrowing at 1.23%.</li>\n</ul></li>\n<li>Does more than one entity need to contribute data?\n\n<ul>\n<li>Yes. Multiple parties will need to record their lending.</li>\n</ul></li>\n<li>Data records, once written, are never updated or deleted?\n\n<ul>\n<li>Yes. These data are immutable. The caveat being that, as with all Blockchain projects, preventing <a href=\"https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fat-finger-error.asp\">fat-finger errors</a> is difficult. But, with suitable UI work, it might be possible to prevent 1.23% being recorded as 123%.</li>\n</ul></li>\n<li>Sensitive identifiers WILL NOT be written to the data store?\n\n<ul>\n<li>Yes. There's no GDPR for financial institutions. As these data are meant to be public, there should be nothing private or sensitive on there.</li>\n</ul></li>\n<li>Are the entities with write access having a hard time deciding who should be in control of the data store?\n\n<ul>\n<li>No one institution should be in control of these data - that would be a recipe for corruption.</li>\n</ul></li>\n<li>Do you want a tamperproof log of all writes to the data store?\n\n<ul>\n<li>Yes. Once borrowing is agreed, it should be recorded irrevocably. No manipulation or rewriting of events.</li>\n</ul></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>So, that looks pretty positive, right? A multi-stakeholder, decentralised ledger, which accurately records cross-party transaction, in an incorruptible and auditable manner.</p>\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/news/2024/october/the-end-of-libor\">end of LIBOR</a> came in 2024. It was replaced by the delightfully named \"<a href=\"https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/sonia-benchmark\">SONIA</a>\" (Sterling Overnight Index Average).</p>\n\n<p>Did the financial institutions end up using a Blockchain? Of course not!</p>\n\n<p>The way <a href=\"https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/sonia-benchmark/administration-of-sonia\">SONIA works</a> is by having the data reported directly to the Bank of England. The Bank then checks the data for plausibility and errors, calculates the rate, and then publishes it.</p>\n\n<p>I don't know how easy it would be for bankers to lie in their returns to the Bank of England - but off-chain fraud is also possible. Similarly, perhaps it is possible to bribe whoever collates and publishes the data.</p>\n\n<p>But the point here is that this is close to textbook case of where a Blockchain <em>could</em> have been useful - and they rejected it.</p>\n\n<p>The hunt for a real-world use-case for Blockchain continues in vain.</p>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62578",
"title": "Theatre Review: Girl from the North Country ★⯪☆☆☆",
"description": "I have rarely been this bored during a West End Show. Conor McPherson seems to have fundamentally misunderstood what makes an engaging drama and, simultaneously, what makes for an enjoyable \"jukebox musical\". The writing is like an exaggerated soap opera script which consists solely of angry people asking each other questions, which are then answered with more questions. Sample dialogue: Who…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-girl-from-the-north-country/",
"published": "2025-08-10T11:34:59.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-09T19:13:13.000Z",
"content": "<p><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Girl-from-the-North-Country-2025.webp\" alt=\"Post for Girl from the North Country.\" width=\"256\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-62579\">\nI have rarely been this <em>bored</em> during a West End Show. Conor McPherson seems to have fundamentally misunderstood what makes an engaging drama and, simultaneously, what makes for an enjoyable \"jukebox musical\".</p>\n\n<p>The writing is like an exaggerated soap opera script which consists solely of angry people asking each other questions, which are then answered with more questions.</p>\n\n<p>Sample dialogue:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Who are you?</p>\n\n<p>What's it got to do with you?</p>\n\n<p>Is it a crime to ask?</p>\n\n<p>How do you figure that?</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>And so it goes on. Tedious with little chance to advance the plot. Mind you, the plot isn't much to write home about. A disreputable cast of characters each with <strong>a deep dark secret</strong>. The actors mostly do well with the dire prose - although a few struggle with the American accents - but they don't have much more than stereotypes to work with.</p>\n\n<p>As for the music. I <em>love</em> Bob Dylan songs - which makes it such a shame to see them treated so shabbily. Most of the melodies have been reduced to a dirge suitable for fiddle, banjo, and piano. Rather than getting a range of styles, they all seem to blend into one. Very occasionally something familiar like \"All Along the Watchtower\" or \"Rolling Stone\" is played straight, but it is slim pickings.</p>\n\n<p>Which brings us to the question - what is the point of a jukebox musical? In something like \"We Will Rock You\", we accept that the songs <em>sort of</em> relate to the story. In <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/07/theatre-review-juliet/\">& Juliet</a> the songs are tweaked a bit to fit the plot. In \"Girl from the North Country\" the songs are just sort of dumped in at random.</p>\n\n<p>There's a Black guy who is a boxer - so naturally he sings a few verses of \"The Hurricane\". Why? For no reason related to the plot that I could discern. What's the divine \"Duquesne Whistle\" doing chucked in there? Perhaps it is to beef up the number of songs the audience might have heard of? Most are deep-cuts from obscure albums and b-sides which, in of itself, is fine - but a jukebox musical demands that the audience should be able to tap their toes along to <em>most</em> of the numbers, right?</p>\n\n<p>I am bewildered by the positive reviews. It is a plodding and unoriginal script which squanders a sublime musical catalogue.</p>",
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"label": "musical",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62533",
"title": "Theatre Review: Storehouse - Truth Lies Here ★★★☆☆",
"description": "An abandoned warehouse in Deptford hosts one of the most audacious, ostentatious, and sumptuous shows I've ever attended. An immersive theatrical experience which is lush with texture, ambitious in scope, and yet - somehow - slightly less than the sum of its parts. The pre-show is exemplary. You're handed a lanyard with a room number and make your way through the imposing set until you find…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/theatre-review-storehouse-truth-lies-here/",
"published": "2025-08-09T11:34:38.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-09T06:55:37.000Z",
"content": "<p>An abandoned warehouse in Deptford hosts one of the most audacious, ostentatious, and sumptuous shows I've ever attended. An immersive theatrical experience which is lush with texture, ambitious in scope, and yet - somehow - slightly less than the sum of its parts.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/STOREHOUSE.webp\" alt=\"Promotional Poster. A pixelated face of a young boy is made out of various photos.\" width=\"256\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-62534\">\n\n<p>The pre-show is exemplary. You're handed a lanyard with a room number and make your way through the imposing set until you find your waiting room. It is like if the TV show Severance had come alive. A congenial host signs you in, there's digitally manipulated news to watch, and some world-building lore to get you started. It's a small and friendly pod - maybe a dozen of you - frantically trying to work out what's going on.</p>\n\n<p>And then - just like The Crystal Maze - you're deposited into a new zone. I don't want to give any spoilers, but the sets are outstanding. Beautifully decorated, intricately designed, and fully of fiddly-bits to investigate. It is clear a <em>lot</em> of money has been spend on this show. And that's kind of the problem - the sets and design are <em>so</em> expensive and yet the story is <em>so</em> weak.</p>\n\n<p>The Storehouse holds every bit of information from the Internet. And something is going wrong. And there's a mysterious founder. And there are some heavy-handed clues. And then on to the next room. It's a 90 minute experience with no interval (and cramped portaloos outside) which means the story never really gets a chance to breathe.</p>\n\n<p>It's trying to say <em>something</em> about fake news and media literacy, but it is all rather garbled and lost. Perhaps I'm showing my prejudice, but I don't think any Brexit voters or conspiracy theorists are spending their evenings inside an experimental theatre production. Even if they are, the world-building is so complex and the plot so flimsy, that I'm not sure it would change their mind.</p>\n\n<p>A lot of care and effort has obviously gone in to this production. Every room feels unique, all the gadgetry and multi-media sensations are well integrated. There's a <em>little</em> bit of puzzle solving but (again, because of time constraints) it's mostly resolved by a cast member saying \"Do you remember? It's like the big obvious clue we saw in the last room!\"</p>\n\n<p>The ending is intense - almost spell binding. It blows apart the 4th wall and becomes something halfway between communal relief and spiritual enlightenment. But, sadly, there's no catharsis of applause. The players vanish and we never get a chance to thank them. A shame because the cast are excellent - they have the tough job of presenting exposition, shepherding the audience, and improvising with us. They rattle through the technobabble with ease and fully embody their weird roles.</p>\n\n<p>As for the post-show - another triumph. Deposited into a bar with interesting cocktails and a gorgeous view. Blinking into the sunlight, we are handed pamphlets about our experience, which seems like an apt metaphor.</p>\n\n<p>It is <em>absolutely</em> worth visiting Storehouse. Go with an open mind, get involved, and try not to think <em>too</em> hard about whether any of it makes any sense.</p>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=61927",
"title": "How long does it take to upgrade an eBook?",
"description": "The older I get, the more comfortable I become with complaining. Not merely moaning on social media, but writing a direct email to the perpetrator of some annoyance. I'd purchased an eBook and was appalled by how crappy the accessibility was. If you don't know, modern ePub books are just HTML wrapped in a zip file. They have all of the accessibility advantages of the web and should be easy to…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/how-long-does-it-take-to-upgrade-an-ebook/",
"published": "2025-08-08T11:34:12.000Z",
"updated": "2025-07-31T14:26:24.000Z",
"content": "<p>The older I get, the more comfortable I become with complaining. Not merely moaning on social media, but writing a direct email to the perpetrator of some annoyance.</p>\n\n<p>I'd purchased an eBook and was <em>appalled</em> by how crappy the accessibility was. If you don't know, modern ePub books are just HTML wrapped in a zip file. They have all of the accessibility advantages of the web and should be easy to read no matter if you're sighted or not.</p>\n\n<p>But not this eBook! Part of the story concerned WhatsApp messages sent by the protagonist. Here's one of them:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/whatsapp.webp\" alt=\"Text with a tiny emoji, the size of a full stop.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"502\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-61928\">\n\n<p>See that smudge in the middle? The one smaller than a full stop? That's meant to be an emoji. Rather than use an <em>actual</em> emoji, they've stuck in a tiny pixel image which won't scale with text size.</p>\n\n<p>Here is is:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/f0006-01.jpg\" alt=\"Tiny emoji\" width=\"13\" height=\"14\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-61929\">\n\n<p>Can't see it? Let me blow it up to a more readable size.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/f0006-01.jpg\" alt=\"Pixelated mess.\" width=\"130\" height=\"140\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-61929\">\n\n<p>OK, that's annoying for sighted readers, but just about understandable. What about people who are using a screen reader? Luckily, ePubs can use HTML's \"alt text\" feature which will describe an image which can't be seen.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/alt.webp\" alt=\"The alt text just says 'image'\".\" width=\"808\" height=\"123\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-61931\">\n\n<p>Curses! That's, perhaps, not <em>too</em> annoying for a decorative image - but later in the book there are pictures of a ransom note. Despite the plot-twisting text in the illustration, the alt text just says \"image\".</p>\n\n<p>I found the publisher's website and scoffed at their proclaimed accessibility statement. I sent them an email which basically consisted of the above. I realised it was probably futile, but I've got to spend my privilege points somehow.</p>\n\n<p>The next day, they wrote back!</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>I wanted to reply to let you know we are taking our commitments to accessibility in our ebooks seriously […] I will get our ebook team to check this as a matter of urgency and get back to you with an update.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>Fair play. But talk is cheap, would they actually take action? A few days later, they sent a follow-up:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>We have checked the file for this title again and found issues with it. We have sent this back to the conversion house to have the file corrected and expect this to be delivered by the end of the week. We would then expect this corrected version to be with Kobo by the end of the following week, i.e. 25th July.</p>\n\n<p>We have also been spot-checking other files to see if there is a wider issue and where necessary will follow the same workflow to ensure fully accessible versions are available as widely as possible.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>And, you know what, I think that's totally reasonable. Yeah, they should have caught it before publication - but it is a complex book and they're a small publisher. They took my complaint seriously and actually did something about it.</p>\n\n<p>A week or so rolled by and they sent me this:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Just to update you that we have been back and forth with the conversion house getting this title up to scratch. There were various complicating factors which should now be resolved and an updated file has now been distributed and should be available through your chosen retailer presently. If you have any other queries please do let us know.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>I logged on to my eBook provider, clicked \"read\" and…</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/fixed-epub.webp\" alt=\"Text with large colourful emoji.\" width=\"1080\" height=\"544\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62328\">\n\n<p>It was fixed! All the images had decent alt text as well.</p>\n\n<p>Rather annoyingly, the retailer didn't notify me that there was an update available. I can't blame the publisher for that though.</p>\n\n<p>Still, 3 weeks from report to fix is pretty good I reckon.</p>\n\n<p>When I last contacted a publisher about a mistake in their ebook, <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2011/06/how-long-does-it-take-to-fix-an-ebook/\">it took over 3 months to fix it</a>. Perhaps things are slowly getting better?</p>\n\n<p>Anyway, please complain about poor accessibility. Don't shout into the void of social media - write a polite but insistent email telling (not asking) people to fix their shit. Sometimes, just sometimes, it does work.</p>\n\n<p>Anyway you should read <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-mysterious-case-of-the-alperton-angels-by-janice-hallett/\">The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett</a> - it is brilliant <em>and</em> accessible.</p>",
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"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"label": "a11y",
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"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"label": "accessibility",
"term": "accessibility",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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"label": "books",
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{
"label": "ebook",
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"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"label": "ebooks",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62174",
"title": "I bought a £16 smartwatch just because it used USB-C ★★★★☆",
"description": "Look, I'm an idiot. I know that, you know that, and the man on the moon knows that. Let's not get into why I'm an idiot; let's just accept that I have my peculiarities and you have yours. My idiocy is a quest to make sure all my portable electronics can recharge using USB-C. Modern smartwatches are tiny and they do a lot. As a consequence, their battery life is generally poor. The industry's…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/",
"published": "2025-08-06T11:34:34.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-22T09:03:51.000Z",
"content": "<p>Look, I'm an idiot. I know that, you know that, and the man on the moon knows that. Let's not get into <em>why</em> I'm an idiot; let's just accept that I have my peculiarities and you have yours. My idiocy is a quest to make sure all my portable electronics can recharge using USB-C.</p>\n\n<p>Modern smartwatches are tiny and they do a lot. As a consequence, their battery life is generally poor. The industry's attempts to fix this are either to <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/\">replace the charging standard every year</a> hoping to find something magical, or to lock you in to a walled-garden on proprietary nonsense.</p>\n\n<p>I want to recharge my watch while I'm riding the bus. That means plugging one end of a USB-C cable into the seat and the other into my wrist. That's how I recharge my phone, eReader, laptop, headphones, toothbrush, and a hundred other gadgets. Why should a watch be any different?</p>\n\n<p>So I bought the only smartwatch I could find with a USB-C port. The <a href=\"https://www.colmi.info/products/colmi-p80-smartwatch\">Colmi P80</a> - on offer at £16. It bills itself as \"The world's first type-c smart watch\".</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCwt0hW\"><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/colmi.webp\" alt=\"Product shot of a watch being recharged by USB-C.\" width=\"720\" height=\"720\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62167\"></a></p>\n\n<p>To be clear, I wasn't expecting this to be a <em>good</em> smartwatch. Anything you buy from AliExpress for the cost of a couple of pints is bound to be a bit crap. What I wanted to know is whether USB-C charging of watches is <em>viable</em>.</p>\n\n<p>What I discovered is that, yes, USB-C charging works even on a relatively small watch. Oh, and that this is a surprisingly decent bit of kit - especially given its price. Let's dive in!</p>\n\n<p></p><nav id=\"toc\"><menu id=\"toc-start\"><li id=\"toc-title\"><h2 id=\"table-of-contents\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#table-of-contents\" class=\"heading-link\">Table of Contents</a></h2><menu><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#video-walkthrough\">Video Walkthrough</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#what-works\">What Works?</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#charging-speed-and-battery-life\">Charging Speed and Battery Life</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#heart-monitoring\">Heart Monitoring</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#sleep-monitoring\">Sleep Monitoring</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-annoying\">What's Annoying?</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#app\">App</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#exercise-mode\">Exercise Mode</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#instruction-manual\">Instruction Manual</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#other-interesting-features\">Other Interesting Features</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#security\">Security</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#oem\">OEM</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#open-source-and-gadgetbridge\">Open Source and GadgetBridge</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#disassembly\">Disassembly</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#smallsolar\">smallsolar</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-next\">What's Next?</a></li><li><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#should-i-buy-one\">Should I Buy One?</a></li></menu></li></menu></nav><p></p>\n\n<h2 id=\"video-walkthrough\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#video-walkthrough\" class=\"heading-link\">Video Walkthrough</a></h2>\n\n<p>If you'd rather watch and listen than read a blog post, please enjoy this shonky video:</p>\n\n<iframe title=\"Colmi P80 £20 USB-C Smartwatch - review and walkthrough\" width=\"620\" height=\"349\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/jqveeIQ2lW4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"></iframe>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-works\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#what-works\" class=\"heading-link\">What Works?</a></h2>\n\n<p>It tells the time accurately!</p>\n\n<p>You can set it up without using the app (more on that later). It Bluetooth paired to my phone without a problem - and without PIN entry. I could make and receive calls from the watch - and the voice quality was adequate.</p>\n\n<p>Tilting the watch up made the display come on! I wasn't expecting that, to be honest.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/meter-watchface.webp\" alt=\"Smartwatch with a custom face.\" width=\"680\" height=\"510\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62409\">\n\n<p>The jog-dial button works. Good for scrolling and clicking.</p>\n\n<p>Swiping on the screen to navigate works with pretty good accuracy.</p>\n\n<p>Vibration notifications were strong enough to be noticeable.</p>\n\n<p>There were a bunch of simple games and apps on there - including 2048 - which all ran fine.</p>\n\n<p>The built in torch (!) was bright and useful.</p>\n\n<p>And, yes, it charged via USB-C!</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"charging-speed-and-battery-life\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#charging-speed-and-battery-life\" class=\"heading-link\">Charging Speed and Battery Life</a></h2>\n\n<p>It claims a 0-100 in 90 minutes which seemed broadly accurate.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/COLMI_P80_type-c_Smartwatch_1.webp\" alt=\"Charging speed of 1.5 hours.\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62222\">\n\n<p>It came with a short USB-C to C lead which was charge-only, no data. I plugged it until fully charged, then wore it continuously. After 24 hours of use, even with all my fiddling, that battery was at 80%.</p>\n\n<p>After four days, it still had 40% left - I'd been using it for exercise, sleep tracking, a couple of phone calls, and using the torch at night. After 5 days, I finally got the \"low battery\" warning when I hit 20%. I reckon, with moderate usage, you'd squeeze a week out of it. Sticking the brightness up, keeping the screen on longer, and playing music through its tiny speaker are also going to drag the battery life down.</p>\n\n<p>My <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/10/gadget-review-plugable-usb-c-voltage-amperage-meter-240w/\">USB-C Power Meter</a> said it charged at 5V .16A, that's around 0.8W. Slow, but it only has a small 280mAh battery. Bluetooth Low Energy is, unsurprisingly, pretty energy efficient! Heart monitoring and motion detection is also a low-power activity. There's no power-guzzling GPS or cellular connection - so the power requirements are pretty modest.</p>\n\n<p>The rubber flap keeps the port safe, although does feel a little flimsy. If you have a chunky cable, it might interfere with the cover a little.</p>\n\n<p><ins datetime=\"2025-08-18T14:31:03+00:00\">Update after 2 weeks of use:</ins> Over about 9 days, <a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@Edent/115048915993805151\">the battery went from 100% to 20%</a> - that was using it for a few exercise sessions, getting notifications, and continual heart-rate monitoring. Once the battery got bellow 20%, it wouldn't let me start new exercise monitoring or other activities. So you should easily be able to get a week of useful use out of this.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"power-delivery\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#power-delivery\" class=\"heading-link\">Power Delivery</a></h3>\n\n<p>This does <em>not</em> work with PD chargers. If you plug this in to the same power-brick as your laptop, it will not charge. Based on the three that I tried, PD chargers will not negotiate down to 1W levels.</p>\n\n<p>If you have a charging <em>adapter</em> with multiple outputs, the regular USB-C ones will charge this just fine. All the USB-A to C chargers worked fine.</p>\n\n<iframe src=\"https://prattle.org.uk/@steve/114986389491929430/embed\" class=\"mastodon-embed\" style=\"max-width: 100%; border: 0\" width=\"400\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\n\n<script src=\"https://prattle.org.uk/embed.js\" async=\"async\"></script>\n\n<h2 id=\"heart-monitoring\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#heart-monitoring\" class=\"heading-link\">Heart Monitoring</a></h2>\n\n<p>Much like <a href=\"https://neilzone.co.uk/2025/06/initial-thoughts-on-a-18-colmi-r09-smart-ring-and-gadgetbridge/#i-have-not-benchmarked-accuracy\">my friend Neil and his smartring from the same manufacturer</a>, I've not benchmarked the accuracy of the heart-rate monitoring. When I exercise, it goes up. When I relax, it goes down.</p>\n\n<p>It pegged my resting heart rate at about 65BPM, which in line with other devices. While <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/08/review-egofit-walker-pro-an-under-desk-treadmill/\">walking on my treadmill</a>, it went up to 100.</p>\n\n<p>My SpO<sub>2</sub> was measured as 99% which, again, was as expected. I held my breath for as long as possible and it dropped to 95%.</p>\n\n<p>Within the app, you can set a \"Heart Rate Warning\" and various other detection settings.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"sleep-monitoring\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#sleep-monitoring\" class=\"heading-link\">Sleep Monitoring</a></h2>\n\n<p>I wore it at night. There's a \"sleep mode\" setting which stops the screen coming on, but you have to dive into a sub-menu to turn it on.</p>\n\n<p>The watch showed this reasonably accurate screen:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sleep1.webp\" alt=\"Graph of coloured lines showing sleep state.\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62421\">\n\n<p>The data are also sent to the app:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sleep-app.webp\" alt=\"In app screenshot with a complex graph.\" width=\"504\" height=\"1122\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62420\">\n\n<h2 id=\"whats-annoying\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-annoying\" class=\"heading-link\">What's Annoying?</a></h2>\n\n<p>Given that this is a £16 watch, it hasn't exactly been \"<a href=\"https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/11/designed-by-apple-in-california-chronicles-20-years-of-apple-design/\">Designed by Apple in California</a>\". There are limitations and weird little niggles but, surprisingly, not too many.</p>\n\n<p>First up, the brains of the watch is the <a href=\"https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/JieLiTech-JL7012F6/C7434396\">JL7012</a> - which is a deliberately underpowered chip. It can do Bluetooth comms and drives the screen reasonably well. You're not going to be flinging billions of pixels around in 3D. The animation of all the interactions is a little jerky - obviously not 60FPS but just slow enough to be slightly annoying.</p>\n\n<p>You can't tap the screen to turn it on; you have to click the side button or rotate your wrist. The raise to wake works, but takes a second or two to register. Weirdly, the scroll wheel works in <em>most</em> UI elements, but it doesn't for changing dates and times - so it is a bit of a slog to manually scroll through them on screen.</p>\n\n<p>There <a href=\"https://www.colmi.info/pages/colmi-user-manual\">no online manual available</a>. All the other Colmi products have a manual available. Similarly, there's no firmware updates listed - although the app does claim to be able to update the firmware.</p>\n\n<p>The USB-C port is for charging only - you can't get data off it via cable. You cannot use the watch while charging - once plugged in it will show a few messages about keeping the device clean. If you set it to use \"nightstand\" mode, plugging in will show the time and battery level - but you can't interact with any of the functions.</p>\n\n<p>Directions - no maps, GPS, or even a basic compass. You cannot add any apps to this - what you get is what you get.</p>\n\n<p>Connectivity - Bluetooth only. No WiFi and no cellular. This can't make emergency calls unless you're connected to Bluetooth.</p>\n\n<p>Multiple alarms can be set - but you can't choose their ringtone.</p>\n\n<p>You can add some \"favourites\" to the main screen, swipe across to get them. Sadly the options are pretty limited. For example, you can't put alarms or the calculator there. For those, you've got to dive into the main menu.</p>\n\n<p>The screen brightness is manually controlled - no clever adaptive technology here. It can go bright enough to see in the blazing sunshine, although the dimmest setting is still a bit bright for night use.</p>\n\n<p>There's no NFC - so you can't use this to pay for things. You can't even use it as an NFC business card - although you can send it QR codes to display, which is a handy alternative.</p>\n\n<p>All that might sound bad but please remember that this is <strong>a sub £20 watch</strong>; it isn't competing with something costing ten times as much. The fact that it does all these things at all is pretty impressive!</p>\n\n<p>Some of the functionality isn't available unless you pair it with the supplied app.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"app\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#app\" class=\"heading-link\">App</a></h2>\n\n<p>It is a given that all hardware apps are fundamentally a bit rubbish. The <a href=\"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crrepa.band.colmi_fit\">Colmi Fit app</a> is basically fine. It isn't <em>very</em> polished but does everything it needs to do. You can get away without using the app completely for most things.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/permissions.webp\" alt=\"Permissions request screen with poorly formatted text.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62426\">\n\n<p>If you want updated weather, stocks, or prayer times - you'll need it to be paired to the app. Annoyingly, things like world clock also need a connection to be set up. Similarly, things like menstrual tracking need a connection (although, <a href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-61952794\">please note the privacy implications</a>).</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/period.webp\" alt=\"Period tracking settings.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62427\">\n\n<p>Annoyingly, despite it being basic Bluetooth functionality, music controls don't work without the app nor does the ability to show contact information.</p>\n\n<p>Notifications other than calls also require the app. You'll need to give it permission to read all your notifications, but you can set it only to forward ones from specific apps. I didn't bother to set that up.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Notifications.webp\" alt=\"Notifications settings for individual apps.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62428\">\n\n<p>There are several built-in watch faces which can be changed by rolling the knob. Only one of the built-in faces is customisable:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Custom-watch-face.webp\" alt=\"A watch face which lets you change the background image and position of the text.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62442\">\n\n<p>What surprised me was just how many watch faces were available to download:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/face-gallery.webp\" alt=\"Long list of watch faces.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62429\">\n\n<p>Sadly, I don't think it is possible to add your own designs, and none of them let you fiddle with what's displayed.</p>\n\n<p>Many of the settings - like how long the screen should stay on for - are only available in the app. Even thought the app can get your location, you have to manually tell it what city you're in for an accurate weather forecast.</p>\n\n<p>There were a few things I couldn't get working. The \"AI Voice Assistant\" is, I assume, just streaming audio back to your phone. As I don't have an assistant app, it didn't do anything. I'm not a Muslim, so I can't tell if the prayer times are accurate. The stress monitoring is a bit opaque - I don't know what precisely it measures. I don't have a menstrual cycle for it to track. I didn't investigate the SOS settings either:</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sos.webp\" alt=\"SOS settings to trigger an alert.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62431\">\n\n<p>Oh, and you can also tell it to remind you to drink water.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/water-intake.webp\" alt=\"Water intake settings.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62430\">\n\n<p>Finally, the app will show a notification showing your goals.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/notification.webp\" alt=\"Permanent notification showing step goal.\" width=\"504\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62432\">\n\n<p>The app works well even if you deny it all the permissions it asks for but, obviously, some bits won't work unless they have access to your phone book, location, gallery, etc. You can always uninstall the app once done setting it up.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"exercise-mode\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#exercise-mode\" class=\"heading-link\">Exercise Mode</a></h2>\n\n<p>There are a bunch of different exercise modes on the watch - I'm not sporty enough to tell you what the difference is between all of them.</p>\n\n<p>The app has some basic fitness stuff and will track your jogging locations.</p>\n\n<p>Buried in the watch menu are your historic stats, but you'll need the app to export them.</p>\n\n<p>Step detection is, like most watches, based on arm-swinging. So it wasn't terribly accurate when I was on my <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/08/review-egofit-walker-pro-an-under-desk-treadmill/\">standing desk treadmill</a>, but was acceptably accurate when going outside. It showed roughly the same amount of steps as the Pixel Watch 3.</p>\n\n<p>You have to manually activate exercise mode if you want to quickly look up your heart-rate, steps, times, etc.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"instruction-manual\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#instruction-manual\" class=\"heading-link\">Instruction Manual</a></h2>\n\n<p>The leaflet in the box is the standard multi-lingual affair. Here's a quick scan of the English version. That'll show you some of what this watch is capable of.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Scanned-Instructions-Lossy.webp\"><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Scanned-Instructions-Lossy.webp\" alt=\"Instructions for the watch.\" width=\"2469\" height=\"1539\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62404\"></a></p>\n\n<h2 id=\"other-interesting-features\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#other-interesting-features\" class=\"heading-link\">Other Interesting Features</a></h2>\n\n<p>I got the cheapest strap possible - but it looks like it uses standard fittings if you want something more luxurious.</p>\n\n<p>The 240x296 screen is bright and colourful - a basic screen protector is included in the box.</p>\n\n<p>There's a built in LED which acts as a torch - which is only useful if you wear it on the left wrist.</p>\n\n<p>The \"Flappy Bird\" clone is a bit crap, but 2048 and space invaders are reasonable time-wasters.</p>\n\n<p>There's a camera shutter app if you want to use it as a remote control.</p>\n\n<p>It <em>claims</em> to be IP67 waterproof, but warns not to immerse it in water or use it in steamy environments. It seemed to be splash resistant, but I didn't take it swimming or showering.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"security\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#security\" class=\"heading-link\">Security</a></h2>\n\n<p>There is none. There's no password lock on the screen and there's no Bluetooth PIN.</p>\n\n<p>To be fair, there's nothing much you can do with the watch if you stole it. OK, you could make some phone calls if you were within range and get people's contact details. But there's no payment information stored. A thief might get your exercise and menstrual data, but it isn't a treasure trove of information.</p>\n\n<p>Once it is paired to your device, it doesn't advertise itself via Bluetooth. If it is disconnected, it only broadcasts its availability when the screen is on. There's no pairing PIN.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"oem\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#oem\" class=\"heading-link\">OEM</a></h2>\n\n<p>The manufacturer appears to be <a href=\"http://moyoung.com/\">Mo Young</a> - they make the watch and the app.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://moyoung.com/en/solution/watch\"><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/custome-watch.webp\" alt=\"Diagram of a watch.\" width=\"1172\" height=\"528\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62410\"></a></p>\n\n<p>They have <a href=\"http://moyoung.com/en/solution/watch\">some detail about the watch platform</a> but not much.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"open-source-and-gadgetbridge\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#open-source-and-gadgetbridge\" class=\"heading-link\">Open Source and GadgetBridge</a></h2>\n\n<p>The device uses the MOYOUNG-V2 protocol. I was able to pair it with <a href=\"https://gadgetbridge.org/\">GadgetBridge</a> by pretending it was a Colmi V79. Most of the functionality worked - I was able to see heart rate, steps, change some settings etc. I've <a href=\"https://codeberg.org/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/issues/5193\">requested GadgetBridge support</a> which should make it possible to get notifications etc.</p>\n\n<p><ins datetime=\"2025-08-06T20:31:54+00:00\">Update! GadgetBridge <em>can</em> now send notifications!<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/gbnot.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a watch displaying a test notification.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62494\">The notifications can be read and deleted, they can't be replied to.</ins></p>\n\n<p>There are a few open source apps to <a href=\"https://github.com/VicGuy/DaFbc\">create new watch faces</a> and then <a href=\"https://github.com/VicGuy/DaFup\">upload watch faces</a> to the device. But I wasn't able to get them working.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"disassembly\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#disassembly\" class=\"heading-link\">Disassembly</a></h2>\n\n<p><ins datetime=\"2025-08-22T09:00:55+00:00\">Update!</ins> There's a <a href=\"https://techhub.social/@smallsolar/115071559007632317\">discussion on opening the device</a></p>\n\n<div class=\"activitypub-embed u-in-reply-to h-cite\"> <div class=\"activitypub-embed-header p-author h-card\"> <img class=\"u-photo\" src=\"https://files.techhub.social/accounts/avatars/110/125/136/651/538/699/original/865f02928170d952.png\" alt=\"\"> <div class=\"activitypub-embed-header-text\"> <h2 class=\"p-name\" id=\"smallsolar\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#smallsolar\" class=\"heading-link\">smallsolar</a></h2> <a href=\"https://techhub.social/users/smallsolar\" class=\"ap-account u-url\">@[email protected]</a> </div> </div> <div class=\"activitypub-embed-content\"> <div class=\"ap-subtitle p-summary e-content\"><p>Like many people inspired by <span class=\"h-card\"><a href=\"https://mastodon.social/@Edent\" class=\"u-url mention\">@<span>Edent</span></a></span> <span class=\"h-card\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/@blog\" class=\"u-url mention\">@<span>blog</span></a></span> I got a <a href=\"https://techhub.social/tags/colmiP80\" class=\"mention hashtag\" rel=\"tag\">#<span>colmiP80</span></a> but I'm not a watch person so for science I opened it up.</p><p><a href=\"https://git.solarcene.community/smallsolar/Colmi_P80_Smart_Watch/src/branch/main/images\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span class=\"invisible\">https://</span><span class=\"ellipsis\">git.solarcene.community/smalls</span><span class=\"invisible\">olar/Colmi_P80_Smart_Watch/src/branch/main/images</span></a></p><p>So - its not meant to be opened up, the back plate is glued in place, I heated it for a little while but then realised that its likely got a lipo sitting behind it so in the end just resorted to brute prying open. While initially I was able to partially open the lid any more and the small ribbon cables started to tear.</p><p>The good news is despite the heart beat sensor, the roller wheel and some other sensor now being fully detached the device does still turn on (sort of).</p><p>What I can see though are some interesting IC (well one) and also lots of nice test pads.</p><p>I can also see as predicted that the usb-c port is just 5v and GND.</p><p>In a bit I'll solder in the test points and see what I can find...</p><p>If you are interested there are some discussions on my IRC server (88.202.151.14 port 6668)</p></div> </div> <div class=\"activitypub-embed-meta\"> <a href=\"https://techhub.social/users/smallsolar/statuses/115071559007632317\" class=\"ap-stat ap-date dt-published u-in-reply-to\">2025-08-22, 08:50</a> <span class=\"ap-stat\"> <strong>0</strong> boosts </span> <span class=\"ap-stat\"> <strong>1</strong> favorites </span> </div> </div>\n\n<style>/** * ActivityPub embed styles. */ .activitypub-embed { background: #fff; border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; border-radius: 12px; padding: 0; max-width: 100%; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; } .activitypub-reply-block .activitypub-embed { margin: 1em 0; } .activitypub-embed-header { padding: 15px; display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 10px; } .activitypub-embed-header img { width: 48px; height: 48px; border-radius: 50%; } .activitypub-embed-header-text { flex-grow: 1; } .activitypub-embed-header-text h2 { color: #000; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; } .activitypub-embed-header-text .ap-account { color: #687684; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; } .activitypub-embed-content { padding: 0 15px 15px; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-title { font-size: 23px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0 0 10px; padding: 0; color: #000; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-subtitle { font-size: 15px; color: #000; margin: 0 0 15px; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview img { width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview { border-radius: 8px; box-sizing: border-box; display: grid; gap: 2px; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; grid-template-rows: 1fr 1fr; margin: 1em 0 0; min-height: 64px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 100%; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview.layout-1 { grid-template-columns: 1fr; grid-template-rows: 1fr; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview.layout-2 { aspect-ratio: auto; grid-template-rows: 1fr; height: auto; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview.layout-3 > img:first-child { grid-row: span 2; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview img { border: 0; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 100%; object-fit: cover; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 100%; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview video, .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview audio { max-width: 100%; display: block; grid-column: 1 / span 2; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview audio { width: 100%; } .activitypub-embed-content .ap-preview-text { padding: 15px; } .activitypub-embed-meta { padding: 15px; border-top: 1px solid #e6e6e6; color: #687684; font-size: 13px; display: flex; gap: 15px; } .activitypub-embed-meta .ap-stat { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 5px; } @media only screen and (max-width: 399px) { .activitypub-embed-meta span.ap-stat { display: none !important; } } .activitypub-embed-meta a.ap-stat { color: inherit; text-decoration: none; } .activitypub-embed-meta strong { font-weight: 600; color: #000; } .activitypub-embed-meta .ap-stat-label { color: #687684; } </style>\n\n<p>There are also some <a href=\"https://git.solarcene.community/smallsolar/Colmi_P80_Smart_Watch/src/branch/main/images\">great photos of inside the watch</a>.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"whats-next\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#whats-next\" class=\"heading-link\">What's Next?</a></h2>\n\n<p>My last smartwatch was the <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/06/review-watchy-an-eink-watch-full-of-interesting-compromises/\">fairly crappy eInk Watchy</a> which recharged with micro-USB, I only used it for a few weeks before getting bored of it. The last time I seriously tried to use a smart watch <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2014/07/smart-watch-wearable-technology-failure/\">was a decade ago and I hated it</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Perhaps I'm just not a watch person? This is a cheap and useful way to get started. After a few days of use, I'm beginning to get used to it. It'll be more useful once I configure the notifications I get, I suspect.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"should-i-buy-one\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/i-bought-a-16-smartwatch-just-because-it-used-usb-c/#should-i-buy-one\" class=\"heading-link\">Should I Buy One?</a></h2>\n\n<p>That's up to you, champ. I'm not your real dad and I'm not trying to take his place. But I'm here for you if you need me.</p>\n\n<p>Anyway, <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/\">as discussed in a previous post</a>, this little device shows that it <em>is</em> possible to make a smartwatch that uses USB-C. It isn't the most powerful or customisable watch. It can't compete with a £200+ Apple or Android watch - but it is surprisingly capable.</p>",
"image": null,
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{
"name": "@edent",
"email": null,
"url": null
}
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{
"label": "/etc/",
"term": "/etc/",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"label": "bluetooth",
"term": "bluetooth",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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{
"label": "gadget",
"term": "gadget",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog"
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"label": "review",
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{
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62435",
"title": "Review: Data and Doctor Doom ★★★★★",
"description": "Dr Hibbett - he of the eponymous and well-regarded Hibbert Method - has taken the \"Sing Your Thesis\" concept to a brand new level. Who is Doctor Doom? I have only a passing interest in the increasingly convoluted Marvel Cinematic Universe, so I walked into this new comedy show with no idea. I assumed a baddie of some sort? I left with, if not a university education on the subject, then a…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/review-data-and-doctor-doom/",
"published": "2025-08-04T11:34:32.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-04T11:47:26.000Z",
"content": "<p>Dr Hibbett - he of the eponymous and well-regarded <a href=\"http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/9783110754483-005\">Hibbert Method</a> - has taken the \"Sing Your Thesis\" concept to a brand new level.</p>\n\n<p>Who is Doctor Doom? I have only a passing interest in the increasingly convoluted Marvel Cinematic Universe, so I walked into this new comedy show with no idea. I assumed a baddie of some sort?</p>\n\n<p>I left with, if not a university education on the subject, then a healthy appreciation for the character, the tropes he embodies, and what makes him <em>Him</em>. Hibbett's PhD (<a href=\"https://amzn.to/41oEjz9\">available in all good shops now</a>) is about \"Transmedia Characters\"; those who appear in various media and yet are still recognisable.</p>\n\n<p>For example, is the Buffy of Buffy The Vampire Slayer the movie the same Buffy of Buffy The Vampire Slayer the TV show? Or even Buffy the Video Game or audiobook? Different actors, different directors, different hairstyles, but somehow always ineffably <em>Her</em>. Hibbert, naturally, conveys his methodology via the medium of PowerPoint and acoustic guitar.</p>\n\n<p>He's sort of like if Billy Bragg was more interested in pulp comic books than radical socialism. The songs are delightful and silly - it takes real skill to compressing some dense academic work into a series of toe-tapping comic songs.</p>\n\n<p>Even better, all of Hibbett's <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.25441/arts.c.6140805.v2\">data from his research is available as Open Access</a> if you would like to check it for errors in multiverse continuity.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.mjhibbett.co.uk/doom/\">The show is touring round the UK</a> - catch it if you can.</p>\n\n<iframe title=\"The Where What How and Whom of Doctor Doom\" width=\"620\" height=\"349\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/D6IfnqdYSSw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"></iframe>",
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"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62164",
"title": "Why don't smart watches use USB-C to recharge?",
"description": "It looks like the new Google's Pixel 4 watch comes with yet another incompatible change in charging technology. This is a ridiculous situation. The original Pixel Watch used one type of wireless charging. Then the Pixel Watch 2 & 3 removed wireless charging and swapped to a different charging mechanism. And now the 4 has changed again. So three different charging cables in under three years.…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/",
"published": "2025-08-02T11:34:48.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-02T09:33:56.000Z",
"content": "<p>It looks like the new Google's Pixel 4 watch comes with <a href=\"https://www.androidheadlines.com/google-pixel-watch-4-charging\"><em>yet another</em> incompatible change in charging technology</a>. This is a ridiculous situation.</p>\n\n<p>The original Pixel Watch used <a href=\"https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/smartwatches/your-google-pixel-watch-now-charges-more-slowly-but-that-might-not-be-a-bad-thing\">one type of wireless charging</a>. Then the Pixel Watch 2 & 3 removed wireless charging and <a href=\"https://www.androidcentral.com/wearables/can-you-charge-the-pixel-watch-2-with-a-fitbit-charger\">swapped to a different charging mechanism</a>. And now the 4 has changed <em>again</em>.</p>\n\n<p>So three different charging cables in under three years. Progress!</p>\n\n<p>While it would be lovely if watches could support Qi charging, they are just too small to make it work effectively - which is why <a href=\"https://www.anker.com/blogs/wireless-chargers/will-apple-watch-charge-on-any-wireless-charger\">Apple has a proprietary wireless charging system</a>.</p>\n\n<p>So, why not use everyone's favourite mandated charging standard - USB-C?</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/14/23404283/pixel-watch-wireless-charging-qi-wearables\">The Verge</a> says:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>These devices are too dang small, and the technology isn’t there yet. Most standard connectors, like USB-C, are too large to fit within a smartwatch or on devices that are meant to mold to your body. The smaller the device, the more difficult this becomes.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>To which I say:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Bullshit!</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>Watches are small, but the USB-C connector isn't massive.</p>\n\n<p>Here's <a href=\"https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/unawatch/meet-una-the-modular-gps-sports-watch\">a modern smartwatch which uses USB-C</a> for charging and data:</p>\n\n<p><video width=\"678\" height=\"382\" src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/watch-usb-c.mp4\" muted=\"\" loop=\"\" autoplay=\"\"></video></p>\n\n<p>But having a USB-C connector means water ingress, right? Wrong!</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>Does this USB-C connector affect the waterproof rating? No, it doesn’t as the USB-C connector on the watch is IPX8 rated, meaning the internals of the watch are completely sealed from the outside of the connector.</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>OK, the port itself might get water and dirt in it - but a lug will seal it.</p>\n\n<p>Still, that watch is over £200. Not bad for a pretty high-tech gadget with a limited supply. Are there others?</p>\n\n<p>Here's the <a href=\"https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCwt0hW\">Colmi P80</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCwt0hW\"><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/colmi.webp\" alt=\"Product shot of a watch being recharged by USB-C.\" width=\"720\" height=\"720\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62167\"></a></p>\n\n<p>It's a pretty basic watch - although it claims to do heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring. It may be crap for all I know - but it only costs £16!</p>\n\n<p>In the middle of that price-range is this <a href=\"https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_onOqpH2\">£80 smartwatch which is actually an entire Android device</a>!\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Large-square-watch.webp\" alt=\"Large square watch.\" width=\"540\" height=\"540\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62168\"></p>\n\n<p>Again, with USB-C built right in.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/USB-charging-phone-watch.webp\" alt=\"USB charging phone watch.\" width=\"970\" height=\"600\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62169\">\n\n<p>And, yes, it might be rubbish as both a watch, Android device, and masc-coded jewellery - but it shows that USB-C is <em>viable</em> for devices of this class.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"why-usb-c\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/why-dont-smart-watches-use-usb-c-to-recharge/#why-usb-c\" class=\"heading-link\">Why USB-C?</a></h2>\n\n<p>I don't want to have to buy new accessories every time my hardware changes.</p>\n\n<p>I already have hundreds of USB-C cables.</p>\n\n<p>I only want to take one cable with me on holiday to charge my various gadgets.</p>\n\n<p>I don't want to be restricted to only buying products from one company.</p>\n\n<p>I want something which isn't going to be knocked off its charging pad by a particularly strong fart.</p>\n\n<p>So I've bought the £16 AliExpress special and will review it shortly!</p>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62377",
"title": "Secret Cinema - Grease",
"description": "I was lucky enough to score tickets to last-night's dress rehearsal. It would be unfair to review this like a completed show, instead this is a preview on what to expect and some thoughts on the \"immersive\" genre. Very mild spoilers ahead. I never really got the concept behind Secret Cinema. It seemed like an overhyped cult with its mish-mash of festival, improvisation workshop, and collective …",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/",
"published": "2025-08-01T11:34:23.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-01T10:40:59.000Z",
"content": "<p>I was lucky enough to score tickets to last-night's dress rehearsal. It would be unfair to review this like a completed show, instead this is a preview on what to expect and some thoughts on the \"immersive\" genre. Very mild spoilers ahead.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/\"><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/grease-poster.avif\" alt=\"Poster for Grease.\" width=\"1480\" height=\"832\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62380\"></a></p>\n\n<p>I never really got the concept behind Secret Cinema. It seemed like an overhyped cult with its mish-mash of festival, improvisation workshop, and collective film watching. The various <a href=\"https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/secret-cinema-presents-back-to-the-future-review-9641893.html\">production snafus</a> didn't go unnoticed by me. It was fair to say that I went in to the world of Rydell High as a sceptic.</p>\n\n<p>But I left as a convert.</p>\n\n<p>Nestled in the middle of Battersea Park is an open-air funfair blaring the hits of the 1950s. A massive screen shows trailers for \"From Here To Eternity\" and other period pieces. It seems like <em>everyone</em> is dressed in either leather jackets or puffy dresses. The atmosphere is fun and convivial. There are a few actors milling about doing small interactions but its pretty easy to miss them as they're dressed similarly to the audience.</p>\n\n<p>As the sounds of Frankie Valli fill the area, we're ushered inside to a <em>perfect</em> reproduction of Rydell High. There's <em>so much</em> attention to detail - posters on the walls, trophies in cases, cheerleaders with pom-poms, and a live band! Unlike my usual complaints about London theatre, the pre-show here is exquisite.</p>\n\n<p>The interior is cavernous - dominated by the raised dance floor in the middle, with various sets dotted around. No matter where you stand, you'll be able to see what's going on thanks to some rather clever camera work which melds the original film with the stage actors.</p>\n\n<p>The actors are fantastic - their singing, dancing, and crowdwork were impeccable. Obviously, this is a bit different to a normal immersive show - you aren't going to get any plot-twists from them, or clues about what's going to happen next, but it is rather jolly. And, yes, there's a good chance you'll be pulled into an interaction - either dancing on stage, singing with a choir, or invited to the slumber party. If that's not your thing, there's no pressure to get involved.</p>\n\n<p>But you should <em>absolutely</em> get involved! Dance with the one that brung you, climb the bleachers, swoon over your heart-throb, and sing. Sing <strong>loudly</strong>. Grease is exactly as interactive as you want it to be. You could buy a VIP ticket and sit at the back (why?!?) or you could run around like a loon, hand-jiving when instructed, and admiring all the effort which has gone into it.</p>\n\n<p>Just like the West-End shows which do singalonga nights, this is an exercise in <a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/robmanuelyeah.bsky.social/post/3ltlybi3ufs2a\">communal singing to lift the spirits</a>. It is intoxicating to feel like you're within the musical, rather than just being a spectator. It isn't interactive as such - nothing you do will change the plot - but it is wonderful to be swept along with everyone.</p>\n\n<p>Sure, it's a corny old film with <a href=\"https://culturess.com/2018/06/15/40-years-later-grease-is-problematic-as-hell/\">dodgy politics</a> and there have been a few subtle tweaks to make it feel a little more 21st century. But the songs are rocking, the crowd are there to have a good time, and the production values are excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"food-drink-toilets-and-costs\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/#food-drink-toilets-and-costs\" class=\"heading-link\">Food, drink, toilets, and costs</a></h2>\n\n<p>Obviously, food and drink costs are outrageous. £7.50 for a 330ml can of lager?! £13.50 for a veggie burger!? Hey, at least the condiments were free! We did also find a character giving out samples of tequila - which softened the blow somewhat. I get that London prices are insane, but it will add up to an expensive evening. That said, there is vegan food available so at least I didn't walk away hungry. <a href=\"https://www.evolutionlondon.uk/\">The menu is available online</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Food and drink is available both inside and outside. There are also \"Cigarette Girls\" carrying around trays of drinks if you don't want to queue at the bar.</p>\n\n<p>Outside there is a single fairground ride, a fun house, and a couple of fairground games. Again, these are pay-to-play. It feels a little cheeky to charge extra for these given the ticket cost.</p>\n\n<p>There are plenty of loos - the inside ones are well maintained and there are some external portaloos which aren't too disgusting.</p>\n\n<p>The cheapest tickets are £49 each. That's better than many West End shows. You won't be stuck in a cramped seat with a restricted view. We got there a bit before 19:00, hung around the fairground, then left around 22:00 - so 3 hours of entertainment. Not a bad bang for your buck.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"verdict\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/secret-cinema-grease/#verdict\" class=\"heading-link\">Verdict</a></h2>\n\n<p>If you like Grease, you'll love this. If you're indifferent to Grease, you'll still have a big smile on your face.</p>\n\n<p>For more information and tickets, visit <a href=\"https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/\">https://greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com/</a></p>",
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"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62077",
"title": "Book Review: The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett ★★★★⯪",
"description": "Janice Hallett is back with another epistolary mystery. Told through a series of transcribed conversations, WhatsApp messages, and torn-out pages from diaries - we the reader have to piece together the facts and crack the case! Much like her previous novels - The Appeal and The Twyford Code - you have to be willing to suspend your disbelief a fair bit. Do people really talk like that when they…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-mysterious-case-of-the-alperton-angels-by-janice-hallett/",
"published": "2025-07-31T11:34:06.000Z",
"updated": "2025-08-09T11:37:44.000Z",
"content": "<p><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/alperton.jpeg\" alt=\"Book Cover with Angel Wings.\" width=\"200\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-62079\"> Janice Hallett is back with another epistolary mystery. Told through a series of transcribed conversations, WhatsApp messages, and torn-out pages from diaries - we the reader have to piece together the facts and crack the case!</p>\n\n<p>Much like her previous novels - <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/10/book-review-the-appeal-janice-hallett/\">The Appeal</a> and <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/01/book-review-the-twyford-code-by-janice-hallett/\">The Twyford Code</a> - you have to be willing to suspend your disbelief a fair bit. Do people <em>really</em> talk like that when they don't know they're being recorded? Are mysterious notes ever really that clear? Probably not - but it is all rather good fun seeing the plot come together.</p>\n\n<p>It also cheats <em>just a little</em> by having the transcriber give their opinion at key points. It keeps the story going, via a few red herrings, so I can't complain too much. There are lots of clues dotted around to keep track of, and a few proper gasp-out-loud moments.</p>\n\n<p>The book is <em>gorgeously</em> typeset. The handwritten notes all use different fonts. Not only does it look luscious, it also brings a bit of life to the characters.</p>\n\n<img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/handwriting.webp\" alt=\"Samples of handwriting in different fonts.\" width=\"670\" height=\"600\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62080\">\n\n<p>One thing to note - there were some accessibility issue with the book. Images of crucial evidence didn't have alt text and some of the emoji were poorly rendered. I wrote to the publisher and <a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/08/how-long-does-it-take-to-upgrade-an-ebook/\">they fixed all the problems quickly</a>. So it is worth checking if your eBook retailer has updated to the newer version.</p>\n\n<p>The plot is a curious affair. A mixture of satanic-panic and murder mystery. It gets progressively darker and spookier - becoming rather twisted. The conclusion is pretty satisfying while leaving you with a few questions to mull over.</p>\n\n<p>This is a fun mystery novel in a quirky style.</p>",
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{
"id": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=62288",
"title": "Winners don't use ChatGPT",
"description": "If you hung around video arcades in your youth, you would have seen this message burned into the phosphor of a thousand dying CRTs. Obviously this was a devilish psyop by those gits who wanted kids to stop sniffing glue and having fun. The bastards! But there's a more serious side to the corny message. Are you a winner if you've cheated? Lance Armstrong \"won\" multiple Toures de France. It…",
"url": "https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/winners-dont-use-chatgpt/",
"published": "2025-07-30T11:34:56.000Z",
"updated": "2025-07-29T20:57:45.000Z",
"content": "<p>If you hung around video arcades in your youth, you would have seen this message burned into the phosphor of a thousand dying CRTs.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/abinka/8880252938/\"><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/8880252938_2462609e08_o.jpg\" alt=\"Arcade machine saying \"Winners Don't Use Drugs\" signed by some FBI dude. Photo CC BY-NC Megan Rosenbloom.\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62289\"></a></p>\n\n<p>Obviously this was a devilish psyop by those gits who wanted kids to stop sniffing glue and having fun. The bastards!</p>\n\n<p>But there's a more serious side to the corny message. Are you a winner if you've cheated?</p>\n\n<p>Lance Armstrong \"won\" multiple <i lang=\"fr\">Toures de France</i>. It wasn't him that won though, it was <a href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/23/sports/cycling/armstrong-stripped-of-his-7-tour-de-france-titles.html?_r=0\">a cocktail of drugs and performance enhancers</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Milli Vanilli got to the top of the music charts <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milli_Vanilli\">by having someone else sing their vocals</a>.</p>\n\n<p>You can watch the documentary <a href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923752/\">King of Kong</a> and decide for yourself if <a href=\"https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/02/did-billy-mitchell-use-this-illicit-joystick-to-set-a-donkey-kong-high-score/\">allegations of cheating to get high-scores in Donkey Kong</a> are well founded.</p>\n\n<p>The last one is interesting to me. I'm sure everyone here has turned to a gaming walkthough in a moment of frustration. Ah! So <em>that's</em> where the key was hidden! Onwards!</p>\n\n<p>But once you've popped the walkthough cherry, how tempting is it to go back for just one more hit? Only a quick glance… And then, before you know it, you're no longer playing a game; you're watching a movie. You don't achieve anything by following a walkthrough, do you? You're little more than a monkey pressing the buttons in the order they flash.</p>\n\n<p>That's fine if all you want to do is see the ending; but you can't really claim it as an achievement.</p>\n\n<p>The same is true with cheats. <kbd>↑</kbd><kbd>↑</kbd><kbd>↓</kbd><kbd>↓</kbd><kbd>←</kbd><kbd>→</kbd><kbd>←</kbd><kbd>→</kbd><kbd>B</kbd><kbd>A</kbd> and now you have infinite lives and over-powered weapons. So what? You can glide through the game. You won't get any better at playing it. You won't learn. You'll just drift. You won't have any <a href=\"https://gizmodo.com/congratulations-to-ea-games-for-posting-the-most-hated-1820391000\">pride and accomplishment</a> in what you've done.</p>\n\n<p>Video games are better than real life. As the meme says:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.tumblr.com/venus-is-in-bloom/152286550432/i-enjoy-video-games-because-they-let-me-live-out\"><img src=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/venus.webp\" alt=\"Screenshot from tumblr. venus-is-in-bloom says \"i enjoy video games because they let me live out my wildest fantasies, like being assigned a task and then completing that task\".\" width=\"1080\" height=\"640\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-62298\"></a></p>\n\n<p>If you had a cheat button for real life, would you press it?</p>\n\n<p>Click here to suddenly be number one on YouTube.</p>\n\n<p>Swipe here to get into the University of your dreams.</p>\n\n<p>Prompt engineer your way to launching a killer app without knowing how to code.</p>\n\n<p>No work necessary to accomplish anything. Click the cheat button and off you go! Amazing! You'd press it repeatedly, right?</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/nameshiv.bsky.social/post/3lv4ejbhgkc2z\">Shiv Ramdas</a> recently posted this provocation about the <a href=\"https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2025/04/07/james-somerton-re-emerges-plagiarizes-again-disappears/\">plagiarist James Somerton</a>:</p>\n\n<blockquote><p>There's an incredible essay that will break the internet waiting to be written about the throughline between walkthrough dependence, James Somerton and ChatGPT's effect on the human psyche</p></blockquote>\n\n<p>This isn't that essay. I'm too lazy to write something amazing, and too aware of the limitations of outsourcing my thinking.</p>\n\n<p>But I see the pattern in myself.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>I <em>could</em> learn that code's syntax, or I could press the cheat button.</li>\n<li>I <em>could</em> plan a trip, or I could press the cheat button.</li>\n<li>I <em>could</em> text my wife that I love her, or I could press the cheat button.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>I'm sure you're going to write an impassioned comment about why sometimes pressing the cheat button is probably fine. The world is complex and sometimes you need a bit of a helping hand.</p>\n\n<p>But hold onto that hand too long and it will hold you back.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<h2 id=\"counterpoint\"><a href=\"https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/winners-dont-use-chatgpt/#counterpoint\" class=\"heading-link\">Counterpoint</a></h2>\n\n<p>Do I <em>really</em> believe that?</p>\n\n<p>I'm never going to spend a few years learning French - so I'm quite content to chuck an AI a bit of translation work.</p>\n\n<p>Some people like to spend a morning baking bread. Others like using a bread machine. Is that cheating? Who cares. It is <em>your</em> choice.</p>\n\n<p>Why should I care <em>how</em> you're living your life. It doesn't bother me if you look up spoilers for films, hide a motor in your exercise bike, or always choose easy-mode on your games.</p>\n\n<p>Perhaps you have no imagination and would rather an AI made up a bedtime story for your child. I suspect you're acting like <a href=\"https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/obsonline/harlows-classic-studies-revealed-the-importance-of-maternal-contact.html\">the infamous Wire Mother</a>. A simulation of love with few of the benefits.</p>\n\n<p>I can't imagine using an AI to woo my wife. But then, I've seen Cyrano de Bergerac.</p>\n\n<p>Each of us has to draw a line somewhere. We each find a certain level of cheating acceptable when we do it - and despicable when others get away with it.</p>",
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