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bbbhltz

@bbbhltz@beehaw.org

Music lover and English teacher with an interest in slightly geeky things

mastodon / blog / listenbrainz

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bbbhltz ,
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Maybe just bad research. I haven't tried, but I'm sure if you search for "how to protect yourself online" some of the SEO manipulating websites show up in the first results.

bbbhltz ,
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Ok. Makes sense. The video is geoblocked for me so I probably should've kept my mouth shut

bbbhltz ,
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If you are geoblocked you can stream it with https://ga.pbs-video.pbs.org/videos/nova/de12ed2c-17e6-4434-a430-7f80c26a6002/2000426341/hd-16x9-mezzanine-1080p/nova5107-AABR-AVC_793.m3u8 with mpv

See also: this thread on Mastodon https://octodon.social/@cwebber/112451933593063510

bbbhltz ,
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Hi,

It it possible that Plank doesn't work with Wayland, plain and simple.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/plank/+bug/1632841

The latest version dates back to 2019.

I think Dash to dock is used often.

For Guake the version in Bookworm is from 2022 and you may need to set an environmental variable or perhaps it isn't built with Wayland support on Debian.

You could hit up the Debian forums for a better answer.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

Also, for Plank at least, I have a feeling that development has stopped so waiting won't help. You'll need to find an alternative.

SSH login without user name? ( docs.gitlab.com )

I was reading GitLab's documentation (see link) on how to write to a repository from within the CI pipeline and noticed something: The described Docker executor is able to authenticate e.g. against the Git repository with only a private SSH key, being told absolutely nothing about the user's name it is associated with....

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

If I'm correct, that would mean that technically, I could authenticate to an SSH server without supplying my name if I use a private key?

Yes.

The public key contains a user name/email address string, I'm aware, is the same information also encoded into the private key as well? If yes, I don't see the need to hand that info to an SSH call. If no, how does the SSH server know which public key it's supposed to use to challenge my private key ownership?

Most of this can be found reading through different Git docs, whether from GitHub, GitLab, Codeberg, Gitea, etc. When using Git you can use different keys for different repos/forges and each has a defined pair, similar to accessing different SSH servers that require specific key pairs. I do understand your questions, but I lack the finesse to explain it since I really only use SSH and Git for my blog and not for anything too complicated.

bbbhltz ,
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There are some tips here that might help

https://github.com/dajeed/arch-linux-font-improvement-guide

Important to note that restarting or running sudo fc-cache -fv is key when doing things with fonts.

bbbhltz ,
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There are solutions that work. Like you, I would enjoy a simple app that allows for subscriptions and playlists without tracking or using an account. I mostly use RSS feeds (newsboat) and watch the videos through mpv.

And yt-fzf is great too. It uses invidious instances instead of YouTube links.

bbbhltz ,
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I don't feel like my system is bloated.

It probably isn't bloated.

I guess it's subjective, but when do you consider a system to be bloated?

If someone is testing out several different DEs or WMs and installing meta-packages, then I suppose I might say that things are bloated because they could end up having multiple apps to control the same preferences along with different libraries, etc., and then when they decide to update it takes ages. That would be bloated for me. I have tried the minimal stuff before. Like you said, hundreds of packages, not thousands. But, I didn't install any manpages. So when I decided I wanted those manpages the number of packages ballooned. Nothing was really bloated, just a number on neofetch going up.

bbbhltz ,
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Content mills...

Just go to the source. The dev is sharing more info and videos. Sure, it is on LinkedIn which is rubbish but at least it isn't 9to5Linux

https://youtube.com/watch?v=h96VqpbUAk8

bbbhltz ,
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https://beehaw.org/pictrs/image/1e7ba80c-27db-4bbc-b50d-ced76fdd9c23.webp

https://beehaw.org/pictrs/image/9ddd585c-bf38-43b1-80ae-3c1998be8c89.webp

bbbhltz ,
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Strawberry Music Player has smart and dynamic playlist generators. I cannot say how well they work.

bbbhltz ,
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The package manager for Alpine is...so fast. The community (IRC/Gitlab) is responsive and helpful.

bbbhltz ,
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Before you delete your comments and reviews change them to something very basic and neutral?

Android phone saving metadata for screenshots ( i.ibb.co )

I always remove this data from my screenshots before sharing, but is there any way to prevent this from happening in the first place? I've searched and searched, but all I can find is information about how to remove the data after the fact, which I already know how to do, but it would sure be nice if it never got added in the...

bbbhltz ,
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What app are you using to see the exif data? Perhaps my screenshot has this info as well but the different apps I use to view exif data do not show it.

bbbhltz ,
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Ok, yes, my phone (which is not a Samsung) also includes some info in screenshots.

https://beehaw.org/pictrs/image/ce7588f5-03dc-4925-b2e9-de69827c399e.webp

bbbhltz ,
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Nah. Not an issue really for me.

bbbhltz ,
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The convo on HN about this article is worth a quick scroll.

The first comment (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39570137) launches a discussion about freedom filled with anecdotes. There are even more anecdotes (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39570364). And even some praise (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39570484).

I am not a dev. I don't rice, I don't game. I'm a FOSS user and have been for years. If I run into a problem, there is no way I will be creating an account on Discord to get help. It might not be worth the time and effort. A searchable forum is good enough. IRC logs are good enough. Email lists are good enough. But, also, some open source software makes onboarding seem more cumbersome than it actually is. Getting on Matrix is easy, but in he eyes of a new user it comes off as Herculean. And when a dev decides to use Discord we shake our fists instead of proposing a solution like operating the bridge for them.

bbbhltz ,
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Step in the right direction, which is appreciated...

But: https://fosstodon.org/@link2xt/111965597727225353

Server can look up account identifier (username) and also phone number by username.

bbbhltz ,
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Relevant info about the username/accountid implementation: https://fosstodon.org/@link2xt/111965597727225353

bbbhltz ,
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An animated series is also in the works, so there is also that to look forward to.

bbbhltz ,
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My current personal laptop is a ThinkPad 13 2nd Gen. I believe it was released in 2017. It was my work laptop for 4 years and was gifted to me by the employer. During those 4 years as a work laptop it proved its worth---9 hours of teaching per day plugged into a projector. Once it was mine I slapped Linux on it. Today, the battery still lasts 10 hours.

So, definitely look into getting something used. You probably don't need the best of the best. If I had to choose right now I would rank my needs and try to get something close enough.

An i3 or equivalent might be fine, and i7 might be overkill. Something with an i5, perhaps? Lots of people say 8GB is the minimum for RAM, my computer has 6GB and works. But, if I were going to buy today I might take 16GB just as future-proofing. I would also need that USB-C.

Browse around sites like https://linux-hardware.org/ before purchasing to make sure you don't get any surprises.

Speaking of surprises, I would take anything with Nvidia just in case, and whatever model I take would need to be reparable or upgradable.

If you decide on buying new, you might as well take a look at the vendors mentioned by other users. System76, Slimbook, Framework, StarBook, and so on will hurt your wallet a bit, but at least you know the hardware won't result in time lost troubleshooting.

is there a foss project to automatically sort files

do you know that minecraft mod that autosorts your inventory? is there are project that can autosort a messy file system and put all of your files of a similar nature into a well organised, well named order. obviously this would require ai that could do image, language, and audio recognition but is there anything in the works? i...

bbbhltz ,
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Partitions.

Many distros will partition your disk as /, /home, and swap.

If you want to, when installing a different distro, you can manually format and install the system to / and not format /home but flag it to be mounted as home.

bbbhltz ,
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Oh it certainly can! I haven't done it like this in a long time. My hopping days are all but over and the main things I need to backup are music, photos, and books. As long as I have them on some external drive I just wipe it all and start over. Still, though, the option is there.

bbbhltz ,
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I use MuPDF but there is also the GrapheneOS PDF viewer available on their GitHub

https://github.com/GrapheneOS/PdfViewer

You can install it using Obtainium or jus grab it from the GitHub page.

(Constructively) What is your least favorite distro & why?

I’ve been distrohopping for a while now, and eventually I landed on Arch. Part of the reason I have stuck with it is I think I had a balanced introduction, since I was exposed to both praise and criticism. We often discuss our favorite distros, but I think it’s equally important to talk about the ones that didn’t quite hit...

bbbhltz ,
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The distro I came here to mention has been hated on already. My dislike goes to the distros that start off fine, and somehow screw it up.

Honestly, I remember using Manjaro ages ago. It had an official Openbox spin (not a community thing). I had already used Arch but I didn't even check to see what it was based on when I tried. I thought, "green is nice" and it was. It very quickly became less nice. I didn't use it after that, but I've heard plenty of hate since then.

I'm going to put another one out there just for fun.

Distrowatch's n°1... MX Linux

Nothing wrong with it, but the fact that it is number 1 (I know their ranking is just for fun and based on page hits) and doesn't deserve it is the issue. It works great, when I used it I didn't like how there was a second application for installating certain software. I think I used the Xfce setup. Again, it's fine, but if a first-time Linux desktop user sat down and installed that, it might not be the best initiation.

Popular and highly ranked distros give Desktop Linux a bad name sometimes is what I'm saying.

"Must Try" distros and DEs?

Hey folks! I'm getting a fresh laptop for the first time in about a decade (Framework 16) in a couple of months and am looking forward to doing some low-level tinkering both on the OS and hardware. I'm planning to convert into a "cyberdeck" with quick-release hinges for the screen since I usually use an HMD, built-in breadboard,...

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

Don't know if it is a must-try, but LXQt has come a long way. The file browser is excellent. Everything is fast and snappy and very traditional (start button, system tray, etc.). Runner up I guess.

You can run Alpine as a desktop. The Edge branch. New software, got what you need, installs and updates fast.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

It's easy. After running setup-alpine and rebooting with a bar install there is built-in script setup-desktop that lets you install Gnome, Plasma or Xfce.

You can find install scripts like Alpine Suck around the web https://git.sr.ht/~bt/alpine-suck

Or check out the wiki for other inspiration https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Category:Desktop

If you use Edge, I would recommend subscribing to the user mailing list though, just in case.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

This sounds like a privacy concern. Maybe one of the privacy communities will have a better answer.

You're worried that the bios will ping hp and hand over info, is this something that you have info on?

Desktop icons not loading ( lemmy.blahaj.zone )

I've had this issue for a while now, since I thought I could fix it myself. Almost all my programs have lost their icon image, which is not fixable by applying a different icon theme unfortunately. Just installed the Reversal icon pack to test that. My settings are attached here, sorry for the german:...

bbbhltz ,
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Somehow it might be possible the adwaita-icon-theme package was removed and not reinstalled.

You could also try running dconf reset -f /org/gnome/ and rebooting to see if that helps.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

Yep. I have never had to use Discord. Or, I suppose I should say I haven't had to use it yet. But when I see that a project uses Discord and not a forum or even Discourse, Matrix or IRC, I just hope I never have to ask for help.

bbbhltz ,
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Which way is GNOME going? I'm out of the loop.

bbbhltz ,
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Went full Linux in the early 2000s. Never went back. Started with Debian and Ubuntu. Tried many distros for varying amounts of time. I always come back to Debian.

I'm just a regular desktop Linux user. It's great.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

Came here to say the same thing

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

Anki

That's the basis of Bloom's taxonomy: knowledge or memorization

https://thepeakperformancecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Blooms-Tamonomy.jpg

Spaced repetition apps, like Anki and Duolingo help a lot with the base, the rest needs guided learning with regular activities.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

Did you delete them outright or modify the text and then delete it? That is the tinfoil hat way! If you lived in Europe you could request your data to be deleted. You can also request your data and they are supposed to comply at some point. If you did that you could see what they have.

The rabbit hole will drive you a little bonkers so maybe don’t overthink it for now and take a look at www.reveddit.com and archive.org to see if your username pops up.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

ah zdnet, a waste of CO2 if there ever was

Help with a simple and private phone

Hi everyone, I’m looking to possibly simply my smartphone setup. I would really love to keep it as a utility: phone, text, camera, GPS, web browser, notes, email, music player. Im think of switching to local NextCloud backup system as well. I currently have an iPhone but used to flash ROMs on Android phones, so I would be...

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

Punkt is neat, but in the end it is Android (if you can believe it). So, it has Signal (or Pigeon, as they’ve branded it) but it is also vulnerable the same way any Android phone can be. There are some baked-in apps that track and whatnot.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

I would let your wallet decide.

phone, text, camera, GPS, web browser, notes, email, music player

GrapheneOS and the Librem 5 can handle this. If I hadn’t bought a phone at the end of 2022 I’d likely go for the Librem 5 unless a used Pixel could be acquired.

I think the only thing you will lose with GrapheneOS is tap-to-pay, if you even use that. Beyond that, if you don’t install GSF or even microG on the device you’re already doing a lot in terms of privacy. You have to look into whether things like Uber would work without GSF (I don’t use Uber so I can’t check).

Are there other hardware suggestions or setups that you like?

I was going to set up a Nextcloud server, but ended up just using Syncthing. I thought I would need that full suite of services, but it turns out my workflow just needs a few directories. I use Markor to take notes and write drafts. Before, I did editing on my phone, but now I wait until I am sat down in front of a computer. Syncthing can run on an old Raspberry Pi and requires very little upkeep.

Another suggestion is to use something like UAD to debloat most any Android phone. It is a bit of a preview of what to expect from many alternative ROMs. You need to switch to OSM and use a different calendar app and possibly a different camera app, contacts, keyboard, etc. and you’ll notice very quickly that…nothing really changes except maybe battery life.

bbbhltz ,
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Is this your blog?

bbbhltz ,
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Strawberry if I had to have something visual with buttons.

cmus right now because it loads my rather large library in a split second. mpd works great as well.

More important than the player for me is sorting, though. Beets is my saviour. I could never sort the 5 or 6 albums I get by hand and tag them by hand.

I used to like deadbeef as well, quod libet is great. There really is something for everyone when it comes to something for music. If only there were as many great email clients.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

You can achieve this through graphical utilities.

Self-updating apps aren’t a big thing on Linux, so the Windows way isn’t an option…

The signing key is important for security reasons, so you definitely need to add that. After adding the repo you can just use Synaptic or whatever app store thingy Ubuntu uses.

Most of the time you shouldn’t need to fiddle with the command line and the apps you will need are available through the Software Centre and the entire process will work like on Windows.

For me, Linux was the first operating system I used that had an app store or software centre and I was pretty glad to not need to…

  • open a browser,
  • navigate to a site,
  • (hope it is the right site…)
  • download a binary executable,
  • open a file explorer,
  • launch the binary,
  • click through a list of options and agreements,
  • and finally delete the binary.
bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

On a bit of a side-scrolling trip these past few weeks: Mario Wonder, Metroid Dread, Yooka-Laylee, etc.

The two big(ger) games I’ve played this year are Street Fighter 6 and Mario Wonder which are both fantastic. I haven’t played BG3 or the latest Zelda or any other major releases, but my partner and I were all in on SF6 for weeks. Wonder, though, is a great throwback to what made us both start gaming: very easy to pick up and play, things to collect, and a tiny bit of grinding.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

I’ve only ever used the F-droid OsmAnd~ version.

It is the same thing as OsmAnd+ github.com/osmandapp/Osmand as far as I know.

I do 50% of my edits with this app. It will not wreck anything.

how do i efficiently attach audio to an image

hi all, ive tried using shotcut and kdenlive but the outputted file ends up being huge. i have a single image and want to put audio on top (releasing a song) but these programs end up making video files where they render the same image on each frame and the files end up being huge. what is the best way to achieve my use case of...

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

Recommended YT settings might be helpful here.

What command have you been using?

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

I’m a recent Switch convert. I had only Nintendo until the DS and then ended up with an Xbox 360…and then a PS4. With the exception of a handful of games, like Gears of War on the 360 and Street Fighter 6 on PS4, I have never spent as much time playing as I have during these past few weeks on the Switch.

I’m still trying to put my finger on why that is. I don’t even have a Zelda game yet on this machine, but I’ve already bought a few games to play when I’m through with what I’m playing now.

As an almost–40-year-old who had a Game Boy at age 4, the only thing I can come up with that has made sense to my friends is that Nintendo is for playing as opposed to gaming? I don’t know why that rings true.

I’ve also noticed that Switch-owners have very large libraries of games. While I have just a handful, the average among my friends and students is 80 games. Most of them bought the Switch at launch and again when the OLED dropped. Their machines are just chocked full of games ranging from AAA to indie games.

For me, that might explain the lack of Netflix or Discord. They use their space for games to play. And, also, if you have used the Switch eshop you’ll notice that it is pretty busted and slow. Perhaps the have tried to make other apps, but we’re just too janky or not in line with family values.

[…] Nintendo neglecting every expectation of a modern gaming platform while it instead tinkers away on new hits.

Tinker is the word here. Some of their big games are worked on without deadlines. Even Mario Wonder was made without a deadline, and the result is just great (albeit easy, except for that secret last level where I can’t get the f-cking flag). I would wager that Metroid Prime 4 is just tinkering along as well.

Fine with me.

I’m used to buying consoles long after release, so if Switch 2 comes next year I hope I can pick it up in 5 years.

Until then, it’s like being a kid again: playing Mario and Metroid until my thumbs cramp.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

Thorgi’s most recent video on the Street Fighter movie is great, even for casual- or non-gamers.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q63M0rmeAXU

I agree on the recency bias. We tend to forget about older series and films, or watch them without considering the context of their time. This article even mentions Castlevania: Nocturne, but not the other great Castlevania series.

Was MK a dud? Maybe. But I saw that in cinema and owned it on VHS and had the soundtrack on cassette. It was a little bit of a phenomenon, same goes for the SF movie.

What I think has changed is that now they have decided to throw a little more money at these productions (actors, sets, etc.) and do the right thing by hiring consultants that know the franchise. Give the audience a little more of what they expect. Like with the NieR séries. It is essentially a walkthrough of the game and it is lovely.

bbbhltz ,
@bbbhltz@beehaw.org avatar

I was worried I would hate them. I find myself looking forward to them. It is always a great feeling to finish one of them off.

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