Tim Bray “First off, I should say that I like blockchain, conceptually. Provably-immutable append-only data log with transaction validation based on asymmetric crypto, and (optionally) a Byzantine-generals solution too! What’s not to like? But I still don’t think the world needs it.” I don’t know enough about blockchain to have a valid opinion, but I dismissed it outright anyway.

Many Tricks Blog “Tonight we received notice that Moom is in violation of US patent number 8434019, Apparatus and method for positioning windows on a display. Yes, someone has patented positioning windows on a screen via a grid. Given we’ve been notified of a patent violation, we have no choice but to remove Moom from sale, effective immediately.” I try every window manager that comes along and I always go back to Moom.

Polaroid type 108. Expired August 1977. What are the odds of getting anything at all out of it? via Instagram

via Instagram

Kottke “I don’t know about you, but my inner dialogue is fucking weird and sometimes not fit for sharing with others.” I can’t tell you how much being a capital-I Introvert messes with me every day. You don’t want to know what I’m thinking, either.

I’m still working on restoring a Focomat IIc. It’s been a bit of a struggle, but I reached a milestone this week: I made some prints! So for I’ve only gotten the 60mm Focotar to work, but after adjusting the autofocus I was able to make a couple of prints from 35mm negatives. I’ve always read that condenser light sources make sharp prints, but dust can be a problem. That is an understatement.

Kottke “Before I let you go, I need a tiny bit of your help with this. If you use ad blocking software when you read kottke.org, could you please whitelist kottke.org and/or Carbon Ads (carbonads.com)? It should be pretty easy…check your ad block software’s instructions if you’ve never done it before. I don’t want to get into an argument about the ethics or morality of advertising or ad blocking, but I will say that blocking ads on kottke.

Thomas R. Wells (3QD) “Something has certainly gone wrong in how we do democracy. We have forgotten what it is and how to do it. Specifically, we have gotten the idea that democracy consists in our right to command the government to give us what we want, when actually it is collective self-government. Democracy is not a reality TV-style contest in which the people are spectators and voters on who gets to win the prize of ultimate power.

Dante Stella: “In fact, all camera bags now look like diaper bags” Ha! It’s true. Also, I own the Ari bag and I love it. I use it either with two Hasselblad bodies and lenses or the Nikon F3 and either a Leica or X-Pro body. It works great, once you get the hang of that weird strap.

Bruce Robbins: So with considerable self-restraint, I decided not to buy the Autocord. £150 is too much to splash out on what would have become little more than an ornament. I am seldom able to resist something I’ve spent considerable time looking into. For example, and unlike Mr. Robbins, I succumbed to the urge to buy an Autocord a few years ago. Here it is languishing on a shelf.

Well, I don’t know that I’d call it “art,” Bob.

I’m moving my blogging to a new domain, beginning now. baty.blog I’ve explained why briefly. UPDATE 2017-06-04: Maybe not.