Debian (desktop) and Mint (laptop), because I don’t need to use the latest version of every app I use and because it works so well.

If I had to chose a single one, it would be Debian but I don’t have to chose ;)

Even less screen than during the week. More time spent with my spouse, more reading(, more writing), more walking and more sketching.

Not at all a game changer, for me.

I mean, it’s just another and one more type of cable. Sure, in theory it’s simpler than many various cables and it’s even less stupid than the previous USB types, but it’s still a mess.

At least, for non-geek me, those cables are a mess as I need to be able to distinguish between the exact same cable to find which one is USB-C or Thunderbolt, between the various versions of USB-C itself, and then between USB-C that comes with or without power delivery, and with what power limitation? And then, despite USB-C supposedly being a standard there are still too many cables that just won’t work with certain devices because reasons.

Add to that the many USB-C docks (and dongles) that work… more or less reliably and more or less as marketed (even more so under Linux, but those issues exist under Mac and under Windows as well).

Older cables and ports were cumbersome, and thick and whatever but, as far as I’m concerned, for the most part they just worked like they were supposed to. And I never had an issue knowing which cable to plug into which port as they all looked, you know, different.

Nowadays, I have to label each one of my USB-C cable with some masking tape so I can identify it in a glimpse without wasting my time trying them all one by one.

Edit: some clarifications.

I have no idea but I imagine most should be younger than I am (50+)

You have all my sympathy. I don’t know cancer stages but, as someone who was diagnosed to not have much more than a fe months at most a year to live many, many years ago, I know it can be worth double or even triple-checking. Seeing another specialist was a revelation for me as the new doctor she, well, she did not contradict the first doctor diagnosis but instead she suggested me a new experimental treatment the other doctor (a very nice but also a much older lady) was apparently not even aware existed.

How to talk about it with your family depends entirely of your relationship with each of your family member. There is no such thing as one right way to tell them all.

I would only tell people I trust, that’s for sure. And there aren’t that many. Then, I would decide to which of those people I love I can tell, and how much I can tell, and how. Some, no matter how close we can be, I would not tell them anything.

I mean, when I was persuaded my time was coming, we talked openly about it with my spouse. We discussed absolutely every single aspect of what was to happen like the two (back then young) adults we were supposed to be, two persons caring one for the other. We talked openly because that is how we had always done it when faced with any serious issue, like we still do today. But I would not have talked like that with anyone else. Certainly not with my parents.

No matter how much we love them, many people simply aren’t wired for 100% honest talk, and can’t stand those kind of hard truth without being overwhelmed by denial and emotions (some of which can become very problematic when heartbreaking decisions and choices must be made), the kind emotions you may yourself not want to deal with at that time (I certainly did not want to).

I keep a planner, and write letters to one friend on occasion.

Sending (and receiving) and handwritten letter is such a pleasant thing (depending the content of the letter, obviously bet let’s agree we’re all nice people ;). What’s sad is that by the look of it seems like many people may never experience that. And the excitement building up while you wait for the next letter to reach you or your correspondant.

I’ve got a very neglected Gemini blog that I would also like to draft out entries by hand in, just to be writing something and publishing it into the void on a somewhat regular basis.

I do the same on my own (quite neglected too, and Hugo-powered) blog, drafting everything longhand, feel free to check my profile if you want to have a look at it, as well as to share you own blog… even though I know not much about that Gemini thing (some kind of alternative to WWW, am I correct?) ;)

Thx!

Thx a lot :)

Thx x 4 :)

Funny Illustrations (sorry, no idea where to put them):

• !thefarside@sh.itjust.works
• !peanuts@midwest.social

(I would love to find a Bill Watterson one, if anyone knows. I own all his Calvin & Hobbes albums, it would just be for the pure joy of regularly see one popup on my screen :))

Nature is often odd & that’s great:

• !mycology@mander.xyz
• !birding@slrpnk.net
• !astronomy@mander.xyz

Movies:

*!fullmoviesonyoutube@lemm.ee

Sorry for being unclear about the way I used “vet” in the title. I can see how that was misleading a little bit.

Don’t be. It happens all the time and that’s fine. That said, thx a lot for taking the time. Also note that I’m still not sure it was what you meant. Was it? ;)

so if you really like Kagi, I’m happy to hear about it.

Please, do consider my entire comment not just a part of it. What I said is that I do indeed like it a lot and also that I find it expensive and I’m not sure I will renew when time comes. Time which happens to be today and, yep, I’m as unsure today.

It’s hard enough to find info right now that we may soon is the opportunity to be picky about our information.

People habit of naysaying or belittling opinions they don’t agree with makes it even harder to find any trustful info but that’s how things work nowadays, that and a seemingly constant drive to try to hurt others through our words.

Regarding Kagi, they have a free test plan, it’s limited but it will give you an idea if it’s worth anything to you when you want to search for some info you can trust… and it won’t matter what I can say, or what any other of the persons speaking in this discussion I apparently started by daring say I liked to use a paid-for service to do my searches. Decide by yourself, that’s all you need to get a trustworthy opinion :)

Well, Debian has a 32-bit ISO, and since Ubuntu is based on Debian you may consider giving it a try?

https://www.debian.org/distrib/

Indeed, it often is :)

True your two remarks.

And we also have a few very questionable representatives/candidate to whatever elections around here, but so far none that has managed to get away from a failed coup at the previous election — sorry, it was unintentional but I may have hinted at the candidate I was surprised was still able to run tor presidency ;)

Maybe I was a little bit sarcastic?

Non US citizens, what’s the weirdest thing about USA elections, compared to elections in your country?

I will probably get downvoted to oblivion for that but here it is: that one of your candidate was not put in jail already and is still legally able to run for presidency (note that I did not name said candidate, I would not want to influence US voters ;)

I was able to start doing my long daily walks every single day of the week again, after way too many weeks (months) being stuck at home with a wounded foot.

My spouse and I don’t do much gifts and we also ask people around us to not give us anything either, be it for Xmas, birthdays or whatever.

We have been doing that for many years, as a way to 1) reduce the amount of waste we generate and 2) as a way to, well, spend more time with the people we care about, instead of just spending some money on buying them always new stuff — something both my parents were doing with me back when I was a kid, more busy with their own lives than with raising me. I had plenty toys and even money as a kid but not much in terms of a family to spend time with. They regretted it a lot later in life, but t was too late. So, I was very young when I decided I’d rather not do the same mistake they did.

When I do make a gift (it happens :p), I try to favour something that is durable and useful to the person. Edit: if they do not let me know what they want, I will go for:

Books. Comics, fiction, essays, poetry,… they’re all great choice.

If they have any interest in making visual arts, I will probably go for a small box of watercolour paints plus some decent watercolor paper (paper is the real important thing in watercolor, way more than anything else), and a brush. I would also chose that for a kid btw (but would pick something more suited to them (some ‘real’ paint can be very toxic) as I have yet to meet a single child that doesn’t like to paint and sketch. Even teens do like that, the moment they stop putting on their usual rebellious act, they too will get a blast of sketching and painting.

Another thing I would consider, even more so if it’s for a teen/YA, is a nice journal/diary and a fountain pen with some ink whose color I know they might appreciate — the fountain pen in itself is such a unique writing experience that it may help the person make it into a habit to keep their journal.

As a side note: fountain pens are often associated with expensive luxury brands but there is no need at all to spend money on fancy & expensive stuff to get a very good fountain pen that will last for years. Among my all-time favorites are the Lamy Safari, I have been using some of them for many decades already and they still work perfectly today, and they cost something like 25€. Others are even cheaper (like the Platinum Preppy, around 6€) but maybe they don’t look as nice as a Lamy Safari, which may matter for a gift ;)

Edit: typos.

Yeah it varies. In my country you only need to participate in the conversation to be allowed to record it.

If your country is part of the EU (aka having to comply with GDPR)? If so, you may be surprised to realise that things have really changed in the last few years. GDPR being only part of the reasons why. It’s not the same in every single country, but the shift is happening in favour of the plaintiffs, in the name of privacy, even when the scene was recored or snapped in a public space.

in France (my country) and in Germany it’s obvious that this trend is now in favour of the plaintiff when a few years ago its was still in favour of the photographer or videographer.

Nowadays, imho, no photographer/videographer in the EU should take the risk to publish any image of an identifiable person without having the written permission to do so from that very person (and that authorisation should also mention where it will be published and if the person should expect any compensation, and how much it is if there is any to be given). Street photography/videography in the EU is turning or already has depending the country, in a real booby trapped activity no matter if you’re doing it as hobbyist and not as a pro.

France, where I live, and Germany and two of those EU-ccountries where I would not take any picture and publish them without a written permission — and I’ve been doing street photography in France as a hobby for the last 30 years or so. The risk is too real to get into legal troubles. Even in the UK, a country which was alsways more welcoming too street photography (it was clear no one should expect any privacy while in a public space), things have started to shift. Add to that the complexity layer of the many ‘not public’ or ‘not entirely public spaces’ mixed within the public space, plus the terrorist or safety considerations, regulations or exception-rules and you get the real mess we’re in. It’s still much better in the UK, though, but well, like I said street photo is a hobby for me, not something I’m willing to take any risk or worry for (lawyers are expensive and my time is much more precious than money). So, I gave up on street photography almost completely. Instead, I started to… sketch street scenes.

Edit: clarifications.

Sorry, I replied to the wrong comment.