Werd I/O

Makes complete sense: if you're charging a monthly subscription to access music, directing users to royalty-free music instead of other recordings will improve your margins. It doesn't say great things for classical music revenue in the future, though. #Technology

[Link]

Sad to hear that David Golumbia died. If you’re unfamiliar with The Politics of Bitcoin and you’re in tech, it’s a must-read. #Technology

[Link]

I'd prefer if this was default WordPress functionality - but the big lede is buried here. Hosted WordPress sites are getting fediverse compatibility. That's a huge deal. #Technology

[Link]

Who at the intersection of tech and politics is still posting on Twitter? And should they be? A good breakdown. #Technology

[Link]

As with API pricing changes across social media, these tiers disproportionately penalize indie developers. The message is clear: they don't want or need those customers. In a tighter economy, much of technology is re-organizing around serving bigger, wealthier players. #Technology

[Link]

“As customers ask whether they can use Microsoft’s Copilot services and the output they generate without worrying about copyright claims, we are providing a straightforward answer: yes, you can, and if you are challenged on copyright grounds, we will assume responsibility for the potential legal risks involved.” #Technology

[Link]

“Andreessen wasn’t advocating for a tech industry that accelerates the development of the human race, or elevates the human condition. He wanted to (and succeeded in creating) a Silicon Valley that builds technology that can, and I quote, “eat markets far larger than the technology industry has historically been able to pursue.”” #Technology

[Link]

I really need this for my home, and I suspect my entire region needs it. This could do a lot of good and be the start of something much bigger using virtual power plants as a platform. #Technology

[Link]

Every modern car brand abuses your personal information. 84% sell your data (including where you go and when). 56% will share it with law enforcement without a warrant. And none of them have demonstrably adequate security. #Technology

[Link]

Rest in peace, Molly. We've lost one of the really good people who made the web better. #Technology

[Link]

Good overview. I think European tech regulations have been broadly good, establishing the anti-competitive and pro-privacy rules that US legislators have failed to enact. If we could only all be so protected. #Technology

[Link]

A really great list of foundational and/or influential writing about how to build the web, starting with Tim Berners-Lee's Cool URIs Don't Change post from 1998. #Technology

[Link]

Good commentary on the dissonance between vendors like Microsoft banning scraping of their platforms while simultaneously releasing products that depend on scraping other peoples' data. Some sort of commons agreement would go a long way here, but it won't happen while platforms can get away with this one-sided relationship. #Technology

[Link]

I'd love to understand what prompted Automattic to offer a hosting plan for $38K. On one level, I love it - it lasts for 100 years! and I love Automattic! - but I can't justify this, and I'm not quite sure who it's for? If this is marketing, what are the goals? #Technology

[Link]

The UK seems to want to break international law to retain its ability to mass surveil by forcing software vendors to break their protections for users everywhere. It's an anti-democratic approach that puts journalists and vulnerable populations at risk. It also counter-productively undermines the UK's own technology sector. #Technology

[Link]

I'm a little bit suspicious that Apple is suddenly into right-to-repair, but broadly this is good. I just wish it was a nationwide law instead of one that is limited to California. Hopefully the idea can expand to the federal level. #Technology

[Link]

A new, independent, worker-owned venture by ex-Motherboard journalists. I'm a subscriber. #Technology

[Link]

It costs $15 to uncover an American's personally identifiable information illegally for potentially violent purposes. But also consider the number of entities that have access to this information legally, without any oversight. None of it should be allowable. #Technology

[Link]

“RSS is not email. You don’t have to get to inbox zero!” is a correct take, in my opinion; that’s certainly how I approach my feed reader. But also, I’ve got bad news about my email inbox. #Technology

[Link]

Scientists are fleeing X for Mastodon, citing far-right science denialism - and far-right hate in general. I don't exactly know what Musk thinks he's going to be left with after all this. #Technology

[Link]

Simon Willison's Datasette now has a SaaS version that saves you having to install or set anything up. This is perfect for smaller newsrooms and orgs that are technically stretched but want to analyze data. I'm excited to see where he goes with it. #Technology

[Link]

Genuinely brilliant. StreetPass finds the Mastodon accounts of people whose websites you browse, allowing you to check out their accounts and follow if you're interested. I love it. #Technology

[Link]

A great, short guide to writing alt text to support data visualization from Jasmine Mithani. #Technology

[Link]

Really, truly: there is no good reason for any media company or publisher to still be posting on X. #Technology

[Link]

This is a worthwhile project, and would be a major win for freedom of expression and freedom from surveillance. I'd love to see more of my higher education friends take part. #Technology

[Link]