Cyberspice / is on Nostr

Embedded software tech lead - responsible for allowing people to waste their lives in front of TVs and other such devices - ex astro physicist - attic full of old late 70s, 80s and early 90s computers - plays roller derby - knitter - modeller - biker - snake wrangler - leftie - LGBTQ+ - she/her

Github: https://github.com/Cyberspice
Github (Hardware): https://github.com/CyberspiceHardware
Location: Wapentake of Skyrack

Last Notes

2024-09-04 12:27:02

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Yes but another project in the south. So much more spending per person on in infrastructure in the south than the north. Meanwhile we lost the upgrade to the rochdale route, HS2 to Leeds, Trams and Trolley buses. Leeds is the largest city in Europe without a rapid transit system. May be we should start by upgrading away from London.

2024-09-04 09:39:54

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People often compare our trains with Europe. But it is interesting to note that German rail is owned but not run by the government. Upon unification many lines in the east were closed. In 2022 punctuality was 91% and in 2023 just 64% (an all time low). Swiss punctuality was 92.5%. UK figures are 68.3% on time, 85.1% within 3 minutes and 98% within 15. The UK has a track capacity issue. If you solved that we would be more punctual. The basic problem is late running slow trains hold up faster in time ones.

2024-09-04 08:22:45

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Then privatisation again. Yes there is investment in infrastructure now and a lot of old buildings, ruined in the BR days got restored. Stations started getting their buildings back. New lines being built. But also a franchise system which is badly thought out. Which seems to prefer how much money they can make the government over service quality and so on. Basically the government can’t run businesses for toffee or even negotiate with business. And capitalism skins off the top. So have rail companies but make them non profits. Have the people who know how to run railways run them at arm length and have the gov properly fund them!

2024-09-04 08:17:18

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The railways were nationalised after the war because it was shown during the war that coordinated running made sense. So they nationalised with regions that just copied the big four. You ended up with regional colour schemes, Swindon building beautiful but dead end diesel hydraulics that were scrapped after a short life. There was a promise of funding that never happened so rather than repairing buildings they were torn down. Complete lack of investment. The last steam loco was built in 1960 (again beautiful) and became obsolete in 68. Lines continued to be closed in the 79s and 80s. Dubious practices of diverting traffic off of lines to close then (worked with the woodhead route but mass protest prevented the settle and carlisle closing). Cancellation of APt just as they got it to work. Very little new building. The entire time the statement that railways should pay was made. Short sited and penny pinching was BRs way!

2024-09-02 22:14:50

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I remember doing that in 1995!

2024-08-31 21:53:33

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I’ve seen more than one “this is what’s wrong with C and this language is the solution” arguments over the years. All software is a compromise. Rewriting something in a new language will introduce bugs what ever that language is. Then there’s tools support on as many hardware platforms as possible and ensuring we don’t limit compatibility. And for what its worth I program in many languages which includes C, languages to replace C and languages to replace the languages to replace C.

2024-08-21 10:03:45

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That chart is some what misleading. Denmark definitely has a smaller gap between the top earners and the bottom ones but comes out worse! Its because its relative values and not absolute. It has top 1%, 1~10%, and the rest. Its the old average vs media vs mode thing again.
Lets assume there are two countries of 100 people. One is 2 billionaires and everyone else at 10,000 each. Then the other is 50 with 40 million and the rest with 20,000 each. The second is “fairer” but the has a higher number of top 1%

2024-08-13 08:30:56

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There was a meta data paper where someone studied all the papers on archeological digs as a whole and worked out that something was wrong because something like 80% of all bodies were “male” which obviously isn’t right. So they went back and reexamined findings and basically because gender from physical remains was somewhat guesswork they based gender also on grave goods which, of course, was a circular argument. Now they are better at it (not perfect) so we now have female roman gladiators found in London, Shield Maidens found in the north of England, and a Galli follower of Cybele (trans woman) also in Northern England.

2024-08-11 21:19:56

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I’ve been buying mine at Woodlands DIY at Horsforth Station as that’s near to me and more “professional” than B & Q

2024-08-11 17:59:08

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Thank you. Timber is not exactly cheap but at least I know its solid and going to have a decently long life. Its for Molly so of course its going to end up purple! Curprinol Purple Pansy!

2024-08-11 17:22:17

Been busy with the power tools…
https://assets.oldbytes.space/assets.oldbytes.space/media_attachments/files/112/944/063/157/075/560/original/daad466268aebd80.jpg

2024-08-08 08:20:21

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There are systemic issues. The tech consultancy I work for has an office in Poland for two reasons. One is Brexit. The other is that we couldn’t find enough people in the UK of the right calibre and, surprise, people don’t want to move to a bigoted island to work anymore. We do take students for their gap years but we interview a lot and may be get one or two. UK education just isn’t good enough. School IT is always using apps and some very noddy programming. Students often start CS degrees without any prior experience. Many CS degrees cover the basics and theory but nothing or very little about how software is actually developed, open source, CICD, collaboration and so on. We interview people and reject so many. We are not a large company so teaching someone essentially from scratch isn’t possible. So we need to employ from outside of the UK.

2024-08-08 08:20:21

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I started programming at 13 (lucky to have parents who could afford and were willing to invest in future. I was building hardware and software by 16. And I knew a couple of languages and assemblers by 18. I did not do computing at school and did a physics and astronomy degree. But I think schools need to teach programming from 11 and have kids doing computing and electronics through school. Get them all playing with arduinos and raspberry Pis. I try to help and have run girls in STEM arduino days. If you just get a couple who are interested then that would solve the shortage. But right now our education system isn’t good enough. You need to have a good foundation and teach people how to teach themselves. I am still learning new technologies 45 years after first starting to program.

2024-08-01 10:29:37

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https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government-in-ireland/ireland-and-the-uk/common-travel-area-between-ireland-and-the-uk/

2024-07-28 17:05:40

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So what you are saying is that if I photograph a PCB then I’m okay. But if I paint a painting of the PCB, others can’t photograph that?

2024-07-06 09:58:39

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Radio 4 did something similar at Lunch time. All about Farage even before mentioning the Lib Dem success (justified apparently by the popular vote stats) and then finished the section with “and the greens also go 4 seats”. The rise of fascism is purely on the shoulders of the media!