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slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:

What's the alternative? Separating design from standardisation as much as possible.

Different, focused rooms with only the people trying to solve specific problems in them tend to make very fast progress by comparison, so create those spaces, and make the job of formal WGs what SDO's process docs claim they are: IP and compat re-risking processes. The less that changes in a design between incubation and final WG signoff, the better. WGs should serve as clearing houses, not design salons.

slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:

The true chef-kiss version of this co-opts generous and hopeful developers into serving as "invited experts", lending an aura of accomplishment and reputational affinity to them, and bringing them into the (artificially exclusive) room where they will feel special.

It takes real guts to stand up and say true things in those venues, and schedules are managed such that there isn't even much opportunity.

And nobody outside will hear if/when they do.

The perfect way to de-fang critique.

slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:

So if you want to scuttle progress as an implementer, your best tactics are:

• minimally (but consistently) attend formal WGs with terrible track records
• communicate loudly that you won't engage anywhere else
• delay in committee anything you don't want, but string along as "on the right track" (usually buys 3+ years)
• loudly announce anything you deign to let through
• claim anyone who wants faster progress is reckless in ways that are hard to falsify

Sound like anyone in particular?

slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:

That web developers keep falling for the same shit, year after year, is proof that there is such a thing as too much patience. All of the platform's core languages are defended by similar processes, often with no relationship to the technical merits of proposals or the market urgency for solutions. But people keep going to meetings, which looks like doing the job. When they deliver late, they can claim earlier proposals were "bad", safe in the knowledge survivorship bias will cover their tracks

slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:

This process laundering of low ambitions has two goals, and only one beneficiary.

The goals? To preserve the status of the folks in the room as deliverers of progress in the minds of folks who aren't, and to insulate them from challenge by processes that would falsify their blame to the credulous.

The beneficiary? The implementer with the least interest in spending money to fix platform problems.

slightlyoff@toot.cafe ("Alex Russell") wrote:

One of the worst failure modes of web standards is that many folks are easily convinced that we should accept the rate of progress that large, old WGs deign to bless as, somehow, the natural or correct pace – and often cite fig leafs like invited experts to claim that they are in touch. It's tragedy repeated until it comes back as farce.

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

Timeline— Biden’s New Media: a few months ago I made a timeline of the Biden Administration’s efforts to both ban TikTok and use TikTok influencers as political messengers. Figured it’s relevant now. https://wiki.fromjason.xyz/Entries/Timeline%E2%80%94+Biden's+New+Media

Reblogged by jwz:

ChrisPirillo ("Chris Pirillo") wrote:

#tiktok

Attachments:

• ee66816cbe29bcec.jpg

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

So we have Meta working with Republicans, and Republicans working with Democrats to ban the app.

Outside of a tantrum in 2020, Trump had no power to do anything. It's only now that he won that he's making moves.

We were sold out for corporate interests.
And that's why I think Meta will somehow take control of TikTok. It looks like Zuck has been able to get in Trump's good graces.

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

FCC workers resigned and went to work for Targeted Victory, the company that Meta hired to run smear campaigns against TikTok.

Dems knew this and said nothing.

https://www.techdirt.com/2022/06/30/fccs-carr-once-again-heads-to-the-fainting-couch-over-tiktok/

Attachments:

• 3e1d4655739bfe4c.jpeg

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

The first piece of legislation came in 2023.
The RESTRICT Act was bipartisan from the start.

Attachments:

• 376793a7675f7cd5.jpeg

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

FTC chairman Brendan Carr started the offical process in 2022, months after private negotiations between Biden and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew fell apart.

Trump start calling for the ban during his 2020 election campaign because people on TikTok organized and reserved all the tickets to one of his rallies. Remember him crying like a baby over it?

The ban process started two full years after Trump was out of office.

https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/carr-letter-apple-and-google.pdf

Attachments:

• 31fa380edc1965cf.jpeg

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

Before we all jump on the "Trump started this [tiktok ban]" rhetoric, consider the subtext.

We're basically saying that what?

That the dems caved to Trump when Biden signed the ban into law? To Meta when Zuck lobbied for the ban? That Trump listens to his constituents and changes his mind when they ask?

The funniest part is, it wasn't Trump that got it banned. It was a consorted and bipartisan effort from Dems, GOP and Meta.

jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:

@tammymakesthings [waves hello]

Reblogged by jwz:

molly0xfff@hachyderm.io ("Molly White") wrote:

The TikTok ban, the Musk Twitter takeover, the Facebook moderation policy changes, the Republicans’ rapidly intensifying crackdowns on speech... let these be the proof you needed to move anything you care about online to a space you control.

Digital sovereignty is more important than ever.

#DigitalSovereignty

Reblogged by jwz:

InternetEh@dads.cool ("Sid🇵🇸") wrote:

Incredible things happening in China

Attachments:

• Votive candles for Saint Luigi (remote)

Reblogged by jwz:

jwz wrote:

@jef So this was a performative suicide attempt. Can you get a 5150 hold for a corporation? Corporations being people and all.

Reblogged by jwz:

MissingThePt ("Missing The Point") wrote:

Breaking: Matt Gaetz will attend Trump’s inauguration as Washington DC temperatures are now expected to be under 18.

Reblogged by jwz:

ubik@fedi.turbofish.cc ("pedro 🍉") wrote:

Stolen from Bluesky

Attachments:

• Super Mario bros castle scene with Toad and Mario. Toad says "Thank you Mario! But our Princess is in another castle! We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will find her once he takes office. Please stay tuned!" (remote)

Reblogged by jwz:

Synchro@phpc.social ("Marcus Bointon") wrote:

#TikTok

Attachments:

• Spoof unavailable app dialog like the one blocking TikTok apologising that Teams is available (remote)

pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:

Our masters are squirrels with short attention spans.

https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2025/01/19/tiktok-ping-pong-yes-no-nothing-really-matters-anymore/

Attachments:

• First, Charlie Kirk wanted to ban the “evil CCP-compromised app TikTok”. Now he’s giving Trump credit for not banning it. (remote)

Reblogged by keul@fosstodon.org ("Luca Fabbri"):

metin@graphics.social ("Metin Seven 🎨") wrote:

Cartoon by Tom Chitty for The New Yorker.

➡️ https://www.newyorker.com/cartoons/daily-cartoon/thursday-february-16th-great-power

#cartoon #power #spiderman #politics #BigTech #war #climate #ClimateChange #ClimateAction #oligarchs #UnitedStates #billionaires

Attachments:

• Cartoon by Tom Chitty for The New Yorker magazine, depicting Spider-man sitting at a bar next to a man in a striped suit (probably J Jonah Jameson), who tells Spider-man: "Listen, kid. In the real world, great power comes with no responsibility whatsoever." (remote)

Reblogged by keul@fosstodon.org ("Luca Fabbri"):

estherschindler@newsie.social ("Esther Schindler") wrote:

QOTD: "If a book told you something when you were 15, it will tell you again when you're 50, though you may understand it so differently that it seems that you're reading a whole new book." --Ursula K. Le Guin

Reblogged by cstanhope@social.coop ("Your friendly 'net denizen"):

eyeling@mastodon.art ("Eyeling") wrote:

#SilentSunday #frostodon #wald #winter

Attachments:

• Foto eines Waldwegs am frühen Morgen. Bäume und Gräser sind weiß beschlagen mit Raureif, der im warmen Sonnenlicht funkelt. Himmelsblau scheint durch die hohen Laubbäume. Stille und Starre und Licht (remote)

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

Trump suggests turning TikTok into a state-owned platform:

"Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose." https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/113855616848696050

Reblogged by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):

jgordon@appdot.net ("John Gordon") wrote:

Return of the Usurper: “should be viewed roughly like the British march on Washington during the War of 1812”

https://contrarian.substack.com/p/a-contrarian-take-on-volume-one-of

The greatest failure of American governance since the internment of Japanese-Americans.

“It's important to bear the Supreme Court's culpability in mind as we prepare to defend our democracy”

And the GOP.

#jgshare

pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:

I recognize that cow!

https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2025/01/19/an-homage/

Attachments:

• Tom Gauld's cartoon of a cow standing next to a table of weird, cryptic tools. (remote)

Reblogged by pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑"):

theogrin@chaosfem.tw ("Jennifer Kayla | Theogrin 🦊") wrote:

@pzmyers

In the Terry Pratchett book 'Going Postal', the golem Mr. Pump expresses to Moist Von Lipwig that he's functionally killed about 2.3 people through his actions. Moist protests that he's never laid a hand on anyone, and in turn, the golem responds:

"No, You Have Not. But You Have Stolen, Embezzled, Defrauded And Swindled Without Discrimination, Mr Lipvig. You Have Ruined Businesses And Destroyed Jobs. When Banks Fail, It Is Seldom Bankers Who Starve. Your Actions Have Taken Money From Those Who Had Little Enough To Begin With. In A Myriad Small Ways You Have Hastened The Deaths Of Many. You Do Not Know Them. You Did Not See Them Bleed. But You Snatched Bread From Their Mouths And Tore Clothes From Their Backs. For Sport, Mr Lipvig. For Sport. For The Joy Of The Game.”

Nobody really sums up some of the cruelties forced on us by one another quite like Mr. Pratchett did.

kornel ("Kornel") wrote:

In #RustLang cargo-deb, I automatically fix some build configuration to make pkg-config work when cross-compiling, make debug symbols compressed and installed externally. I could also help build man pages, bash completions, etc.
That starts looking like a build system.
If I extracted the build tweaks into a separate tool, would you use it?

pzmyers@octodon.social ("pzmyers 🦑") wrote:

Let the looting begin!

https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2025/01/19/crime-is-legal-now/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zjBj194el8