RE: https://kolektiva.social/@beka_valentine/116845968748975537

This whole thread is worth reading but this is a really key point:

Most modern software is written with ‘capture users in our ecosystem’ and a key (implicit, if not explicitly stated) goal. If you copy proprietary software and don’t have that as a goal, or (I would hope) have it as an explicit non-goal, then you have started by picking an architecture that doesn’t reflect your goals.

People have complained about the lack of influencers on the Fediverse, because they struggle to create the kind of audience they have on commercial, centralised networks. I actually see that as an advantage. I find far more interesting people here, because we have deeper, direct dialogue and discussions. Its more bottom-up, less top-down around here. I like!

2/3

I don’t usually share messages from the government but this one’s important so please pay close attention.

Mastodon has automatic age verification built in, no scanning your face

✅ if you join here you're old
✅ you've seen too much shit
✅ you're tired of said shit

Do you like factchecking? #AuthentiSci is a web tool that allows scientists to provide feedback on the validity of science-related media.

Our objectives:
-> Safeguard scientific integrity
-> Provide expert reviews
-> Help navigate facts and misinformation

Are you a scientist? Join the initiative!
https://authentisci.com/

Thanks! 👏 Ana Alonso Serrano / Postdoctoral researcher at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, Potsdam

#factchecking @mpi_grav

RE: https://mastodon.online/@tomstafford/116832598157554959

The only social network "algorithm" I need is:
- Show me the posts of the accounts and topics I follow, in chronological order
- Allow sorting
- Allow temporary filtering
- Allow search (of posts marked as searchable)
- Allow blocking on a wide range of criteria

I don't need a tech bro pre-chew and regurgitate the news for me and I don't need a tech bro to expose me to "new alternative ideas". I can handle that myself, TIA.

Not saying carbon capture will never work, but so far, well…

Cosmography alert 🚨

Challenging the assumption of large-scale isotropy: detection of anisotropic cosmic structures on a gigaparsec scale in DESI-DR1 data.

by Francesco Sylos Labini & Marco Galoppo

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10702-5

#Cosmology #Cosmography #universe #LambdaCDM #science #news #astrodon #galaxies #DESI

RE: https://mastodon.social/@pomarede/116809987222569057

In a study published today in Nature, two researchers argue galaxies align in enormous filaments even on scales where the cosmos should appear smooth and uniform.

https://www.science.org/content/article/universe-unexpectedly-stringy-which-could-unravel-theory-cosmos

#Cosmology

One of my radical lefty extremist positions is the belief that when we realize something is bad for people or society we should stop subsidizing that thing immediately.

Open source projects will tell you they have no choice but to allow slop, because doing anything else is a form of gatekeeping that will exclude too many potential contributors.

Nothing could be further than the truth, though. When the review queue is a non-stop machine gun of giant, bogus drive-by patches, the good contributions will inevitably fall through the cracks.

Eventually, the contributors you actually want—those who care about the long-term health of the code base, building institutional knowledge, improving their craft, mentorship—will simply leave, because they will realize their limited time and energy is better spent elsewhere.

A blanket ban on LLM contributions is not impractical, idealistic, or too radical—it's just common sense.

Look! It's @sethmlarson and I at the #UNOpenSourceWeek !
We presented, facilitated, and listened to others.

#Python #OpenSource #Security #WhatAWeirdJob

you know what's an actually good way to make kids less addicted to social media?
bringing back third spaces.

I think that when we write to linkedin, or other social media, we need to actually think if we are the fucking morons we think everybody else there is.

With W Social starting this week, I recommend the brilliant research @_elena did into W:

- NO transparency about the tech stack
- NO public software repository (so no open source, no chance to see what W do with your data)
- TECH-BRO affiliates on the board

Is that the best alternative we can build in Europe? I strongly doubt it.
Why then are people like Ursula von der Leyen moving their accounts there?

Don´t make the same mistakes again.
Think before you subscribe.

https://blog.elenarossini.com/w-social-public-institutions-and-the-theater-of-european-digital-sovereignty/

How to create an account on #WSocial in 13 easy steps:

1️⃣ choose a username
2️⃣ choose a password
3️⃣ choose your interests
4️⃣ download the #WIdentity app to your phone (two options: Apple AppStore or Google Play Store)
5️⃣ scan a QR code
6️⃣ create a PIN code
optional: enable biometrics; re-enter PIN
7️⃣ choose whether you simply want to verify that you're human or if you also want to verify your name
8️⃣ choose the verification method (automatic photo review, request a manual review or scan your passport chip)
9️⃣ scan your passport's picture page
1️⃣0️⃣ scan your passport's chip
1️⃣1️⃣ take a selfie
1️⃣2️⃣ scan a QR code to link the W Identity to your W Social account
1️⃣3️⃣ enter your PIN code

Congratulations, you're verified*!

(* for two years)

Demonstration in all its simple glory here:

📺​: https://inv.nadeko.net/Vcq4MiabpEQ

Please save this toot as reference if you ever hear somebody say that IT'S TOO COMPLICATED TO JOIN THE FEDIVERSE BECAUSE YOU NEED TO PICK A SERVER 🤡​

#SocialMedia

TIL that, contrary to intuition, the scientific consensus is that real name policies *increase* hateful speech.

"Results show that in the context of online firestorms, non-anonymous individuals are more aggressive compared to anonymous individuals." https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0155923

See also:

https://theconversation.com/online-anonymity-study-found-stable-pseudonyms-created-a-more-civil-environment-than-real-user-names-171374

where the conclusion is that using persistent, forum specific, pseudonyms is the best option to reduce hateful speech.

I'm not sure me learning about #DN42 was a good thing.

I'm not a network engineer, and I don't really plan to become one.

But holy shit if community-based darknets sounds like a thing I want to participate in.

And as a side bonus I got enough inspiration to run my own DNS server for my home network so I don't necessarily have to remember all the IP addresses by heart and edit hosts files by hand anymore...

Inventions we need part 1: an analogue of 3D printer but for semiconductor manufacturing.

A small-ish, cheap machine that could "print" even 80's semiconductors would be pretty awesome for a good bunch of maker community.

The EU has updated its list of water pollutants to include certain PFAS “forever chemicals”, pesticides and pharmaceuticals, while addressing microplastics, antimicrobial-resistance indicators and sensitive groundwater ecosystems for the first time. Three big EU laws are getting updated accordingly, with member states required to transpose the changes by December 2027. European Commission https://environment.ec.europa.eu/news/stricter-rules-protecting-water-eu-enter-force-2026-05-11_en
#ShareGoodNewsToo