ginger coons - Not so obvious (Page 4)

A turquoise background with black text. The text reads "Silde decks: How nice to be able to make them with minimal effort and some bash scripting :D"

automation

Friday bonus: Slide decks

Today's Friday bonus describes how I've (partially out of spite) automated my process for making slide decks. All with good, old-fashioned, artisan Linux tools.

The rocky shore of a lake. The water is a steel-blue shade, and one massive, flat rock is jutting out into the lake.

The vegan who serves your steak (a parable about work, technology, and morality)

The work we do may not always be entirely consistent with our own morals. How do we draw the lines of what's acceptable and what needs to change? And what do institutional software choices have to do with meat?

A painting of the tower of Babel. The tower sits at the edge of water, and is largely broken. Clouds are collected around its top.

coping

Coping 8: Language and identity

Coping is short posts on Fridays about coping methods for doing creative and focused things in an unfocused world. In Coping 8, the power of language to feel like one's self.

Photo of computer servers in a rack. The photo has a dark background, but the servers are well-lit, making them stand out.

technology

Software is political

Software use and purchasing decisions are often seen as purely technical or functional. This hides the reality that software is loaded with politics. It's essential to attend to the politics of software when making choices about its use.

A paperback book on a concrete background. The book is brightly-coloured and depicts a whimsical building. The book is DallerGut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee.

bookpile

Bookpile 7: Fiction

Bookpile is short posts on Fridays about what I’m reading now and what I’m liking about it. This week, it’s a love letter to the joys of reading fiction.

On a sidewalk, bubble writing in blue and red which reads "100 SMOOTS."

standards

Companion to “The Replacement of geography by standards and what to do about it”

What is the relationship between standards and global flows of movement? This essay explains the replacement of geography by standards, bringing work I did in 2014 up to date, and laying out why you should care.

A slightly grainy image showing a circle filled with tiled hexagons. Between the grey hexagons are black lines.

coping

Coping 7: Being multiple

Coping is short posts on Fridays about coping methods for doing creative and focused things in an unfocused world. In Coping 7, the importance of being multiple.

Black and white photo of a large building. On its side, there is a gantry and a ramp. Below the ramp, cars typical of the early-20th century, surrounded by workers.

work

Understanding work (part 2)

In part two of "Understanding work," a brief trip into productivity; the Luddites were onto something; and half the world now works in the tertiary sector. What happens when the quest for higher productivity comes for the service jobs? (Spoiler: it already has.)

Historical coloured plate of animal illustrations. The animals represented are ferret, ermine, weasel, sable, pine marten, ratel, pole cat, and skunk.

bookpile

Bookpile 6: Participatory Research in More-than-Human Worlds

Bookpile is short posts on Fridays about what I’m reading now and what I’m liking about it. This week, it’s Participatory Research in More-than-Human Worlds, edited by Michelle Bastian, Owain Jones, Niamh Moore, and Emma Roe.

work

Understanding work (part 1)

Work is a constant topic, with autonomy and human dignity under fire from increased use of automation, data collection, and casualization. Let's pause for a second and look at what work is, and at some of the core principles behind our view of work.

Photo of a broken-down and rusted car in the undergrowth of a forest. The car was red, but is now rusted.

coping

Coping 6: Collecting moments

Coping is short posts on Fridays about coping methods for doing creative and focused things in an unfocused world. In Coping 6, the importance of sometimes not being in the moment.

A photo of a smart garbage can on a street, surrounded by garbage. The red indicator light on the garbage can indicates that it is locked.

cities

Anatomy of a smart garbage can

Everyday things are collecting and transmitting data. This was one of the promises of the Internet of Things. A humble member of the IoT, the smart garbage can is becoming a ubiquitous street appliance. So what exactly is this thing?