GeekNights Monday - Science and Technology

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about the dangers of trying to mandate age verification on the Internet. In the news, Discord embarks on a disastrous age verification scheme, Anthropic is mad that other "AI" companies are using their product, and Goldman Sachs launches an AI-free index.Related LinksForum ThreadAge Verification on the InternetDiscord ChatAge Verification on the InternetBluesky PostAge Verification on the InternetThings of the DayRym - Unicode ExplorerScott - The Sharp PC-2000 Computer Boombox from 1979

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss webcams. In the news, ICE murdered another person in broad daylight with video and witnesses, and Senate Democrats are willing to shut the government down over continued funding of ICE. Call your senators today. No funds for ICE: abolish, dismantle, and prosecute.In other news, Europe may ban Elon Musk's nonconsensual porn machine and France is planning to build a video conferencing tool to reduce dependence on American technology.Related LinksForum ThreadWebcamsDiscord ChatWebcamsBluesky PostWebcamsThings of the DayRym - RESOURCE: Just how advanced WERE the Maya?Scott - Ignoring Lithium Battery Safety Warnings.. For Science!

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss tech bubbles like the Dot-com bubble. Unrelatedly here's a video by Hank Green titled The State of the AI Industry is Freaking Me Out, and a video by Adam Conover titled Sora Proves the AI Bubble Is Going to Burst So Hard. In the news, nearly 7 million Americans marched in defense of democracy, Amazon AWS went down Sunday night reminding us how fragile the Internet has become, and the end of Windows 10 shouldn't be ignored.Related LinksForum ThreadTech BubblesDiscord ChatTech BubblesBluesky PostTech BubblesThings of the DayRym - The Hammond A-100 OrganScott - Mac Source Ports

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss fitness tech like heart rate monitors and Strava and Dance Dance Revolution. In the news, Tik Tok has a dubious deal to keep operating in the US and the regime has plans for the algorithm. Also go see Perfect Blue remastered while you can. And read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.Related LinksForum ThreadFitness TechDiscord ChatFitness TechBluesky PostFitness TechThings of the DayRym - KNIGHTS OF GUINEVERE: PILOTScott - 86box

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about specific mice. Mice we've used over the years, since the days of balls. In the news, Google dodges consequences in the US but not in the EU, Google is sued yet again for their advertising monopoly, and Google is looking to flood the phone lines of tiny businesses.Related LinksForum ThreadSpecific MiceDiscord ChatSpecific MiceBluesky PostSpecific MiceThings of the DayRym - Ti-85 Megademo (Calculator demonstration)Scott - The Old Robots Web Site

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about the modern marvel that is video chat. In the news, Perplexity is using undeclared crawlers to scrape content, Samsung has a crazy Micro LED TV, real life ad block is possible, and Trump is forming the American SS.The next GeekNights Book Club book will be The Running Man, by Richard Backman, who you may know better as Stephen King.Related LinksForum ThreadVideo Chat and TeleconferencingDiscord ChatVideo Chat and TeleconferencingBluesky PostVideo Chat and TeleconferencingThings of the DayRym - Survival food - dandelion seedsScott - blahaj goes to waffle house at 3am

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss audio interfaces. Rym uses a PreSonus Studio 1810c to record GeekNights, and as his general purpose "sound card" in the studio.In the news, the CEO of GitHub steps down, you can consider Forgejo if that worries you, Reddit will block the Internet Archive, and Trump illegally forces the National Guard to deploy to the streets of Washington DC.Related LinksForum ThreadComputer Audio InterfacesDiscord ChatComputer Audio InterfacesBluesky PostComputer Audio InterfacesThings of the DayRym - Map of Queens NY, ExplainedScott - The Pianolizer

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider why there, broadly, aren't major consumer technology developments lately. In the news, Debian reduces support for i386 and Chrome OS is combining with Android. Also we'll be live at PAX West!Related LinksForum ThreadWhy there's no big tech newsDiscord ChatWhy there's no big tech newsBluesky PostWhy there's no big tech newsThings of the DayRym - The ‘Goal’ That Changed The NHL ForeverScott - Hot Spring Shark Attack

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the blinky lights and LEDs the kids are putting on everything including their computers. In the news, Windows 10 has extended security support, Broadcom is desperate to monetize VMware, and the EU forced Apple to comply, at least in the EU.Related LinksForum ThreadBlinky LightsDiscord ChatBlinky LightsBluesky PostBlinky LightsThings of the DayRym - NHL: Refs Mic'd Up Part 2Scott - Balatro for the Nintendo E-Reader

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider toilets, washlets, and bidets. (Oh my). In the news, some context on the current Iran conflict, and Apple WWDC25 was mostly uneventful other than keeping old devices going for a while yet.Related LinksForum ThreadToilets and Bidets and WashletsDiscord ChatToilets and Bidets and WashletsBluesky PostToilets and Bidets and WashletsThings of the DayRym - Explaining the Most Bizarre Piano Etude of the 19th CenturyScott - Restoring the Buran

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss capacity management. It's changed a lot over the years. In the news, evil people are trying to accelerate climate change, and a silly camera is coming.Related LinksForum ThreadCapacity ManagementDiscord ChatCapacity ManagementBluesky PostCapacity ManagementThings of the DayRym - Lemmings: How DMA Design Redefined Puzzle GamesScott - What's the Longest Trip You Can Make With a MetroCard?

Tonight on GeekNights, we muse a bit on the problem of discoverability. Nearly all experience is mediated, and this includes deciding what web site to look at. In the news, Rym is back from Zenkaikon, Moon Zooz is continuing to rock it, the cosmological constant might not be, niri is a scrollable-tiling Wayland compositor, and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is a dangerous idiot.Related LinksForum ThreadThe Discoverability ProblemDiscord ChatThe Discoverability ProblemBluesky PostThe Discoverability ProblemThings of the DayRym - I Drove to Every McDonald's in AmericaScott - FamiTracker

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about MIDI. The Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which is still in use today. In the news, Donkey Kong ‘94 is re-released on Switch, Youtube adds translated dubbing, and Ontario (rightly) taxes Americans using their energy.Related LinksForum ThreadMIDIDiscord ChatMIDIBluesky PostMIDIThings of the DayWater your yard FOR FREE !!!Rym - Sound Blaster AWE32 2MB (MIDI bank)Scott - Heated Driveway in Buffalo

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider Windows 11 and the fools who refuse to upgrade. In the news, the iPhone 16e arrives, Gmail is (correctly) dropping SMS two-factor, Twitch is capping uploads for 0.5% of streamers, and Germany represents a profound realignment of global politics.Related LinksForum ThreadWindows 11Discord ChatWindows 11Bluesky PostWindows 11Things of the DayRym - SS United States — finally — departs South PhillyScott - Dragonsweeper

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss electronic payments. We grew up in a world where credit cards were imprinted on carbon paper and cheques were on physical paper. In the news, the Baltics have disconnected from the Russian power grid, Football Manager 25 will be skipped, and there's one weird trick to stop Google's terrible AI summaries.Related LinksDiscord ChatElectronic PaymentsForum ThreadElectronic PaymentsBluesky PostElectronic PaymentsThings of the DayRym - Sounds between the Crowns (2020)Scott - Destroying and Reprogramming the Sprite Engine of Ghosts 'n Goblins

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider all the ways to sell software. From shareware to software-as-a-service to "just buying it" it's evolved quite a bit over the years. In the news, CES happened, Republicans killed net neutrality, and Pornhub is blocked in the entire US south. Also we will be live at MAGFest, which is imminently about to sell out.Related LinksForum ThreadWays to Sell SoftwareDiscord ChatWays to Sell SoftwareBluesky PostWays to Sell SoftwareThings of the DayRym - Rondò Veneziano - La SerenissimaScott - Blade Runner-Electric Unicorn fan release- deleted scenes

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about Terminals. From the VT100 to any modern Terminal Emulator, they are still a part of the computing world and are worth knowing about. In the news, Jimmy Carter has died at 100, Chinese state-sponsored hackers attacked the US Treasury, and a hero has defeated a fake Nintendo lawyer.Related LinksDiscord ChatTerminalsForum ThreadTerminalsBluesky PostTerminalsThings of the DayRym - LineScott - Natural Number Game

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about drones. In the news, the common clay of the New West think they're seeing nefarious drones everywhere and we have WordPress vs WP Engine.Related LinksForum ThreadDronesDiscord ChatDronesBluesky PostDronesThings of the DayRym - 1-900-490-FREAKScott - Elevator Music

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider blogging. In the news, Roblox is making a closed ecosystem Discord competitor, the US gave Intel a pile of money, and Intel's CEO hit the bricks. Rym has also consolidated all of his social media into rym.social and talks about how he set up cross-posting across microblog, Mastodon, and Bluesky.Related LinksForum ThreadBlogsDiscord ChatBlogsBluesky PostBlogsThings of the DayRym - Staring at Rupees for 17 hoursScott - The Network of Time