Graham Downs

South African Christian, husband, Software Developer, and author of the urban fantasy novella, Memoirs of a Guardian Angel.

Public Key

npub16z2v46v637vcyqux8vz2hpzluzrm5tt39l59f5e4p7gn2t8ag4gqremqty

NIP-05 Address

[email protected]

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsdp9x2axdglxvzqwrrkp9ts307ppa694cjl6z56v6slyf49n7525qpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsj5ad7w

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub16z2v46v637vcyqux8vz2hpzluzrm5tt39l59f5e4p7gn2t8ag4gqremqty

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Last Notes

2026-01-27 11:47:28 UTC

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Interesting. Remember how universally hated the full-screen start menu in Windows 8 was, so much so that consumers forced Microsoft to implement a setting that would put it back?
Or how the default Windows 11 task bar sits at the centre of the screen, but everyone I've ever known who's ever installed Windows 11 spends the first 30 minutes in the operating system trying to put it back to the left?
It just goes to show how diametrically opposed Windows users are from Mac users. :-D

2026-01-26 07:00:32 UTC

Let's play Houses & Humans. #cartoons #TTRPG
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/115/960/106/538/937/937/original/e46bcdb9f4ff67eb.png

2025-11-25 09:47:10 UTC

It's a #mystery! :-)
#cartoons #books
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/115/609/691/276/372/854/original/272a875f5c55ca60.png

2025-11-14 09:02:10 UTC

Spotify is increasing its prices in #SouthAfrica for the second time in four months, as it introduces lossless playback on the old Premium subscription: https://techcentral.co.za/spotify-goes-lossless-in-south-africa-hikes-prices-again/274202/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica
There is a Platinum Lite plan, but if you're already on premium, you'll pay the more expensive price for Lossless unless you explicitly downgrade.
And really? Does the average casual listener *really* need lossless quality??
I certainly don't. #music #Spotify

2025-11-11 12:41:18 UTC

When it comes to #SocialMedia, do you tend to be more active in the mornings or the evenings? #polls

2025-11-03 07:52:59 UTC

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Morning, Roni. Happy Monday! I hope you have a fantastic day. :-)

2025-10-28 12:20:36 UTC

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Bah. Unfortunately, none of my books are there. Guess I'm not famous enough. ;-)

2025-10-16 08:46:21 UTC

I really dislike "toast" notifications. Because I often don't see them. I thought it was just me with my RP, because I can't see the whole screen at a time due to my lack of peripheral vision, but this morning someone in our standup commented about it too: they'd missed an important notification because it popped up in the bottom-left corner of the page, where they weren't looking.
I don't understand why people like them so much. What was wrong with good old fashioned centred modal popups to give you errors or warnings?
#web #accessibility

2025-10-16 05:01:43 UTC

Interesting (and long) article on the history and evolution of #LLMs, going all the way back to the 1980s: https://gregorygundersen.com/blog/2025/10/01/large-language-models/?utm_source=Mastodon
I haven't read it all yet at the time of this post, because it's *long*. I'll probably read it in drips and drabs throughout the day. :P
#AI #history

2025-09-10 09:51:50 UTC

I've always been more of a Classic Rock fan.... #music #cartoons #humour
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/115/179/373/496/511/787/original/1466e54406b9a47f.png

2025-09-08 08:49:30 UTC

One of my favourite songs... ;-) #music #memes #humour
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/115/167/807/382/768/833/original/65ecad73054577d2.png

2025-09-04 07:00:31 UTC

Truth. Keep growing. Keep learning. #motivation #memes
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/115/144/734/915/833/004/original/3f683fccdd421548.png

2025-09-01 06:49:19 UTC

LOL The most overhyped, underwhelming invention in #history. XD https://techcentral.co.za/most-overhyped-product-in-history-segway/269413/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #technology

2025-07-06 11:56:57 UTC

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yeah. I have more books on my TBR than I could read in several lifetimes myself. :-D
I think something like this is more for people who don't read, but know they should be reading, and want to start reading more, but don't know where or how to start. Or maybe they're in a reading slump or something.

2025-07-05 10:01:46 UTC

If you're looking for something to read, this quiz seems pretty decent. It ostensibly uses #AI to recommend a list of 10 books you might like, based on your answers to some simple questions: https://www.buzzfeed.com/aglover/ai-book-quiz-reading-list?utm_source=Mastodon
It gave me a decent list (yes, AI detractors: all the books on that list do actually exist 😛).
#bookrecs @npub1ny7…uv57

2025-05-30 10:34:32 UTC

Shots fired! :D #English #UK #US
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/114/596/326/733/838/149/original/2af2c795b27a84d6.png

2025-05-27 09:53:25 UTC

Robert Bravery presents, "SOLID is a lie" #devconf2025
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/114/579/183/893/039/962/original/a8d37e9ee516e23f.jpg

2025-05-27 09:06:36 UTC

Johan van Rooyen asks, "Why did Turing study fish?" #devconf2025
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/114/578/997/150/975/125/original/323c61e5ce3e87b2.jpg

2025-05-20 11:08:26 UTC

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Hmm, you could probably script it, though. Moving the code is a matter of pulling it all down, removing the remote, adding the new remote (to e.g. GitLab or BitBucket or whatever), and pushing again.
Physically creating the repo in the new place could probably also be done programmatically, depending on the API support of the service you're moving *to*.
Moving PRs and Issues and Releases... yeah, that could be tricky. You can obviously access all that stuff using the GitHub API, but what to do with them? Releases maybe, you could simply create in the new system. Maybe Issues/Discussions too. But PRs? Hmm, could be tricky.

2025-05-13 07:03:36 UTC

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56K modems?!
Dude, that's not old. My first modem was a 9.6k. And then I upgraded to a 14.4k.
And I personally know people who started on 300bps. (And in between there was 2.4k).
56k was the pinnacle of connection speeds for a long time. When I started my first job in 1998, the company had a dedicated 64k line. Which was something regular people could only dream about having at home.😝
@npub1d7n…yxsc

2025-05-02 08:29:33 UTC

Indeed. I get very frustrated at people who say that ebooks don't count as reading, or audiobooks don't count as reading. That's like saying that only hardcover books count, and even paperbacks don't.
I mean, if you read your books on a literal stone or wax tablet, or a scroll in a vermilion case, it all counts. Reading is reading! <3 #reading #books @npub1ny7…uv57
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/114/437/286/068/973/826/original/60f0465b7621e81f.png

2025-04-29 06:46:20 UTC

💯
#books #reading @npub1ny7…uv57
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/114/419/900/164/560/372/original/ef272b1518bd086b.png

2025-04-18 09:41:54 UTC

A recent study has found that banning a book actually increases its readership and circulation: https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/full/10.1287/mksc.2024.0716?utm_source=Mastodon
I'm in no way surprised by this. Everyone knows that the best way to get someone to do something is to forbid them from doing it. There's also no such thing as bad publicity. If I hear that a book I've never heard of has been banned somewhere, I'm obviously going to want to find out more about that book, and potentially to read it myself so that I can understand what all the fuss is about. #BannedBooks @npub1ny7…uv57

2025-04-17 06:41:05 UTC

LOL yeah, I know a few people like that. How about you? :) #books #humour @npub1ny7…uv57
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/114/351/931/910/746/123/original/498c635711afdeea.png

2025-04-03 05:07:56 UTC

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That's exactly it. The goal is to persuade you, the everyday American, to choose an American-made product instead of (e.g.) a South African-made one, because the South African one costs at least 30% more at the point of sale/on the store shelf (and if, for some reason, you still choose to buy the SA one, that extra 30% goes straight to federal treasury, or whatever you call your national coffers in the US, I'm not sure).
And in so doing, the hope is that there will be a knock-on effect where American companies will ramp up production and reduce their wholesale prices, ultimately making American products *even cheaper* in the long run, and driving foreign products out of the country altogether because it's just not viable for them to export to you anymore.
The problems are:
1. It really is a "long run", and I think you guys will be plunged into recession long before that happens, and
2. This assumes you can find an acceptable American-made alternative to the South African-made product you used to know and love, and that it doesn't suck. :D

2025-03-28 09:46:52 UTC

Truth! :D #computers #cartoons #humour
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/114/239/418/657/329/191/original/2babb66b8d334638.png

2025-03-19 09:06:09 UTC

I seldom share these things (yeah yeah, that's a cliché in itself), but this one is important. It could have serious #environmental consequences for #SouthAfrica: https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/livinglimpopo/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #coal

2025-03-19 08:42:48 UTC

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I could be wrong, but I don't think the EU requirement to provide users with cookie consent options is specific to GDPR.
So, not being British or European, my gut feel would be yes, you still need to notify people that you use cookies (but in your privacy policy, you could state that you only use cookies to preserve user preferences, and not for advertising or tracking [well, it is kinda still "tracking", isn't it?] or anything like that.
But that's my gut feel, so I'm also very interested in the response from people who actually know what they're talking about. :-)

2025-03-12 10:57:33 UTC

Focus! #cartoons #humour
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/114/149/098/587/335/059/original/b7f7e6fbf803ca1b.png

2025-03-11 05:54:26 UTC

Interesting little fact in my email today: #Oxford University is apparently older than the #Aztec Empire!
#history

2025-02-26 09:47:31 UTC

“I don't believe in astrology; I'm a Sagittarius and we're sceptical.”
-- Arthur C Clarke #quotes #humour @npub1ny7…uv57

2025-02-13 06:57:40 UTC

More people are abandoning #Goodreads, and Book Riot published an article listing some alternatives: https://bookriot.com/new-reading-tracker-apps-to-try?utm_source=Mastodon
Curiously, still no #Bookwyrm. Why?
Because the mainstream apparently hates anything to do with the #Fediverse, for some reason. :(
@npub1ny7…uv57

2025-01-25 11:44:42 UTC

#Afrihost's hosted email is going up again in March. From then, it's going to cost me R59 per month to keep my @grahamdowns.co.za email address going.
When I first started, it was R19 per month.
I don't use that address very much, but I need to have it. R59 is still cheaper than @npub1lsc…q80a's €3.99 per month... but not by much. Another year or so, maybe, and I'll switch. I have to have SMTP and IMAP access, though, and I'm not too sure if Proton's €3.99 plan will offer that. I'll check closer to the time. :/ #email

2024-12-28 11:42:55 UTC

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we have a separate "Fibre Issues" group. It's managed by a guy who runs his own small Fibre ISP, but people on all networks and providers can post on it. To his credit, he doesn't promote his own publicly, but he'll provide help and advice to everyone, and if you are looking to switch, you can message him privately. It's a very friendly, non-judgemental environment... But full of lots of "regular folk" who don't even know how to reboot their routers. :)

2024-12-27 07:02:55 UTC

Please stop referring to #Internet as "WiFi".
You can have Internet access without #WiFi, and you can have WiFi without Internet access. WiFi is just a mechanism for connecting two or more devices to a network. Like Ethernet, but without cables. It is possible to have networks that aren't connected to the Internet, you know.
Thank you kindly. :P

2024-12-23 08:54:25 UTC

#English #AChristmasCarol #jokes
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/113/701/292/687/543/774/original/a139c5821bbce982.png

2024-12-15 08:44:20 UTC

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LOL so I'm reading that and thinking it sounds... pretty reasonable, actually. Not really any different to how kings used to marry off their sons and daughters during medieval times in order to secure land or support or other advantages for their respective kingdoms.
In fact, it's better than those, because the spouses here would be making their own decisions, and there also seems to be no expectation of actually living together, let alone sleeping together or producing offspring (which was generally a non-negotiable condition of the aforementioned medieval arranged marriages).
'Course, if you want to marry for LOVE, then this deal is not for you. But again, it's cool, because the decision is entirely yours. :-D

2024-12-12 09:00:19 UTC

Ah, nostalgia!
What's your favourite #scifi movie from the #80s? I strongly agree with just about every entry on this list: https://collider.com/sci-fi-movies-1980s-best-ranked/?utm_source=Mastodon #movies

2024-12-10 11:32:05 UTC

Why, indeed? #DogsOfMastodon #cartoons
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/113/628/302/787/839/392/original/ca6068e8ed02500c.png

2024-12-06 10:03:14 UTC

So while the UK has just recently decommissioned its last remaining #coal power plant, here in #SouthAfrica the government was planning on building new ones?! sigh
https://techcentral.co.za/court-bars-south-africa-new-coal-plants/256407/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #FossilFuels

2024-12-04 06:05:40 UTC

Ugh, I still can't stand the word "alright". Even after all these years, I cannot accept it as a real word. It's a lazy mispelling of "all right". "All right" is always two words.
And don't go telling me that "All right" means something diffeerent from "Alright". It doesn't.
> "Are you all right?"
> "Is everything all right?"
> "You got the answers all right." (Although that's a weird construction. I'd rather say, "You got all the answers right.")
> "All right, then!" (Or "Aaaaall righty, then!")
"All right" (two words) is the only correct and appropriate wording in all three of those cases. And you'll never convince me otherwise. :P
#English #words #spelling

2024-12-02 10:41:46 UTC

Be careful what QR codes you scan. Particularly ones embedded in PDF documents you open on your computer: https://gadget.co.za/quishingqrcodes35m/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #phishing #quishing #infosec

2024-12-02 10:01:19 UTC

Research shows that #BlackFriday *is* popular in #SouthAfrica... but we do it our own way: https://techcentral.co.za/black-friday-reinvention-in-south-africa/256118/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica
Did you buy anything for Black Friday this weekend?
I bought a new office chair because my current one is falling apart, and I've been threatening to replace it all year but couldn't justify the cost. I got a really good price at Incredible Connection (I use a gaming chair because of the nice high back and the lumbar support 🙂), so I ordered it.
I wouldn't buy something I didn't *need* just because it was on a Black Friday sale, though. The old adage rings true:
"But if we buy it now, we can save 50%!"
"If we don't buy it at all, we can save 100%"

2024-12-02 09:24:11 UTC

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Erm.. Yeah, I still have female family who greet me with a kiss. No men, though. And no work relationships.
I used to be afraid of hugs when I was much younger, but now I love them. I even have multiple male friends whom I routinely greet with a hug instead of a handshake, and there's nothing whatsoever weird about it. I'd personally rather hug than handshake.
But if I've just met you or I don't know your preference, then yeah, my default is to stick out my hand and wait for your response. Which may be nothing, and that's okay. Then a brief "nod and smile" works just fine. :-)

2024-12-02 09:19:52 UTC

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I always stick my hand out, and mostly the person, regardless of gender, grabs it and shakes it. Occasionally the person (mostly women, but once or twice it's happened with a man) will say, "I'm a huggy person!" in which case I'll withdraw my hand and give them a hug instead. :-)

2024-12-02 05:28:35 UTC

My fellow South Africans, what's your budget per person for #Christmas presents for your family? #SouthAfrica #poll

2024-11-28 11:01:14 UTC

#Truecaller is really popular where I live. I use it, and in fact, just about everyone I know uses it too. And we hit that Block button often. ;)
But it's currently in trouble with the POPIA act in #SouthAfrica because it seems that, when you install it, it automatically downloads your address book and adds all your contacts to its database. :-O
https://techcentral.co.za/truecaller-popia-information-regulator/255990/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica
#privacy

2024-11-21 09:44:00 UTC

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Here's how I see the bathroom debate, as an outsider looking in:
Some people believe that segregation of bathrooms is based on sex, not gender. It's entirely about what genitals you have, giving no relevance to how you identify. For these people, the primary purpose of segregating bathrooms is to prevent people from being exposed to the genitalia of the opposite sex -- either because they don't wish to be, or because they're minors or otherwise vulnerable or whatever.
Other people hold that trans men are men and trans women are women and trans people are people, and preventing a trans man from using a bathroom designated for use by men is inhumane and a direct violation of his human rights.
I can understand the concerns of the first group, and I can absolutely see a (biologically) male person entering a woman's bathroom for the purpose of being a pervert or predator, and with the intention of committing sexual assault, and if caught, putting up his hands and saying that he identifies as a woman or non-binary person, therefore he should be allowed there.
But I don't think barring women -- trans or otherwise -- from using a bathroom designated for use by women is the answer. In fact, forcing such a woman to use the "men's" bathroom just because she happens to have a penis (or otherwise presents as what society accepts as "a man") will be severely damaging to her self-esteem, self-identity, concept of self-worth, and mental health in general. :/

2024-11-21 08:38:12 UTC

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

2024-11-14 06:21:39 UTC

Hey #VisuallyImpaired / #blind friends: If you see a post containing an image with no alt text, reply to that message and tag @npub12dn…0hjt. It'll reply to you with alt text for the image. Tres cool! :-)
(Your reply can also be a private mention, if you don't want others to know. But if you keep it the same privacy as the original, then you'll also help other people)

2024-11-13 11:12:25 UTC

An article on how users are leaving #X and flocking to #Threads and #Bluesky: https://techcentral.co.za/users-ditching-x-for-bluesky-and-threads/254964/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica
Once again, though, not a peep about the #Fediverse. I don't understand; why does mainstream media insist on pretending we don't exist?

2024-11-07 05:25:41 UTC

It's my #Fediversary! 🎉
Two years ago today, I went to mastodon.social and tried to sign up for an account, but (thankfully) they weren't accepting new sign-ups at that time, so they directed me to joinmastodon.org. I joined a little server called c.im, and a year or so later, migrated to mastodon.africa. And the rest is history. :-)
I'd been getting increasingly disillusioned with all the technical changes that had been going on at Twitter, for a number of years already (nothing to do with Musk), and because of Musk's recent takeover of the site, a lot of people were talking about alternatives. A streamer we regularly watch was talking about where he would go if Twitter went belly up, and he said some people were talking about #Mastodon, but "I hear it's really shit." :-P
That was the first I'd heard of it, but I figured, "Well, if he thinks it's shit because he actually prefers everything that Twitter has become, I might actually like it!"
I had no great philosophical disagreement with Twitter, or even Elon Musk. Or even ads. I'm perfectly okay with seeing targeted ads in my timeline. And I knew nothing about federation or decentralisation or anything like that. I just wanted an algorithmless, reverse-chronological list of my followees posts and boosts, with an open API where anyone could develop clients and tools to take advantage of the platform (and like I said, the demise of those things on Twitter had nothing to do with Musk).
I found exactly what I as looking for, and more, in Mastodon. So here's to many more years, and this platform growing from strength to strength. Nothing would make me happier than hitting up @npub1tv2…0l3c one day and seeing 400 million monthly active users. I want us taking on Meta and X and all those other platforms, head to head, and not only holding our own, but WINNING! We can do this.

2024-11-02 11:18:59 UTC

Mauritius orders ban on #SocialMedia: https://techcentral.co.za/mauritius-orders-ban-on-social-media/254379/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica
Another reason to join the #Fediverse. According to @npub1tv2…0l3c, there are currently 30 008 servers. And there are probably more, because I'll bet some are preventing access to fedidb's crawlers.

Ain't no way you're going to block every single one of them, so if your country blocks the server you belong to, just sign up for a different one instead.

2024-10-31 08:41:42 UTC

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https://botsin.space/ :-)

2024-10-31 06:01:06 UTC

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#wordle #wordle1230

2024-10-30 06:39:10 UTC

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2024-10-29 06:16:42 UTC

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2024-10-24 11:54:48 UTC

I share this meme every time I see it. It's just so good! #religion #tolerance #memes
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/113/362/262/998/888/162/original/c2fec789f08e832b.png

2024-10-17 12:42:26 UTC

Fediverse users, if you've bridged your account to #Bluesky by following @npub1pqr…2sck, and you find an account on Bluesky that you'd like to follow, but which hasn't enabled the bridge yet, just DM their handle (without the leading @) to the bridge on the #Fediverse, and they will send that person a message on your behalf, asking them to enable the bridge. :-)

2024-10-17 10:48:04 UTC

Seen in my Facebook memories today:
---
An unhealed person can find offense in pretty much anything someone does.
A healed person understands that the actions of others has absolutely nothing to do with them.
Each day, you get to decide which one you will be.
---
That's so true. #MentalHealth

2024-10-15 11:11:31 UTC

When you're reading a work of fiction, are you one of those people who see a movie in their head? Or do you hear the characters speaking as if they were right there in the room with you?
Apparently, it's rare to experience both at the same time. I'm more of the "see a movie in my head" kind of reader. :-) #amreading @npub1ny7…uv57

2024-10-15 04:54:44 UTC

Fediverse users: Follow @npub1pqr…2sck to allow #Bluesky users to find and follow you.
Bluesky users: Follow @ap.brid.gy to allow #Fediverse users to find and follow you.
#SocialMedia #Mastodon #interoperability

2024-10-04 07:57:34 UTC

Wow, #AgeOfEmpiresII is 25 years old this year. That's insane to think about. I played it a bit, but RTS games were never really my thing. I was more a turn-based person, so it was Civilisation and SimCity for me. Still, who hasn't heard of #AgeOfEmpires? It was influential for lots of reasons, as this article points out: https://www.theguardian.com/games/2024/oct/02/age-of-empires-at-25-the-strategy-game-that-inspired-a-generation-of-historians?utm_source=Mastodon
#games #VideoGames #history #nostalgia

2024-10-02 10:02:49 UTC

Book banning is alive and well. And it's bad enough. But a DICTIONARY? Come on, man! :( https://truthout.org/articles/the-rights-raid-on-libraries-is-so-extreme-even-the-dictionary-is-under-fire/?utm_source=Mastodon
#books #BannedBooks @npub1ny7…uv57

2024-10-02 06:55:34 UTC

I still think the concept of the #NHI in #SouthAfrica is horribly broken. I mean come on, by all accounts the NHS *barely* works in the UK, and even there you have people waiting weeks and months for the most basic care, and the standard of that care when they do get it often leaves a lot to be desired. In South Africa, I can't see the NHI being anything other than a million times worse.
But this... THIS could work, IMO: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-09-30-mandatory-health-insurance-for-sa-is-an-upgrade-on-nhi-proponents-say/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica
#Healthcare

2024-10-01 08:18:26 UTC

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2024-09-30 06:00:17 UTC

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2024-09-29 07:49:55 UTC

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2024-09-28 06:43:52 UTC

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2024-09-27 15:48:00 UTC

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oh cool. So they actually let anyone in South Africa have access? That's brilliant! :-)

2024-09-27 13:01:25 UTC

If you have a South African ID number, and you live in or around #Johannesburg (including #Ekurhuleni), you can get a free membership number to borrow and read #ebooks from https://cojlibrary.overdrive.com/
To apply, fill in this form: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=edckCG6rL0uwAc8plfx9tmh2_qQDI0lFo-W87wM3fdRUODVFSVRVUzhWOUgzNzFCVjRMTEU3UlBMQi4u
#SouthAfrica #libraries @npub1ny7…uv57

2024-09-27 06:49:52 UTC

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2024-09-26 05:52:53 UTC

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2024-09-25 06:05:26 UTC

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2024-09-24 08:24:53 UTC

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2024-09-24 08:21:05 UTC

Morning, all. Happy #BraaiDay. Although I don't know about you, but there won't be any braaing in our household today. There's still a bit of a nip in the air, and the wind's a bit strong. I know some die-hard, "Come rain or shine, we #braai!" people would, but not us. ;-) #HeritageDay #SouthAfrica

2024-09-23 12:15:24 UTC

It can be confusing at first, but stick with it. You'll be a pro in no time! 😆 #SouthAfrica #English #language #usage
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/113/186/808/764/903/407/original/40d5a70243450695.png

2024-09-23 10:52:10 UTC

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2024-09-22 09:31:24 UTC

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And how will they come if they don't know? And how will they know if nobody tells them? (bad paraphrasing of the Bible there, sorry).
You, Roni. It's up to you. :-)

2024-09-13 08:23:44 UTC

On the 06:00 news this morning, they had a piece about how Pravin Gordhan was in hospital and receiving the best care possible. There was also a voice note from some or other spokesman (I was half asleep, sorry) berating the media for the innacurate reports of his death yesterday. "Mr Gordhan is alive and receiving treatment, and it is irresponsible to claim otherwise. Only his family have the right to make such a proclamation."
Fair enough, I thought. I also hate it when the media does stuff like that.
The thing is, at 06:15, they interrupted a song with breaking news that Pravin Gordhan had indeed passed away, confirmed this time. The presenter said he had died at 05:59 this morning.
Unfortunate timing then, for the bulletin. But still, these things happen.
The thing is, by 06:30 the president had issued a statement, and now in my email, I see my morning news, which came through at 06:09, includes an announcement of his death and a long tribute.
And that gives me pause. I really really really dislike the idea that when famous people are severely ill or old or whatever, that media companies actually *prepare* articles and media packages and things ahead of time, to be released in the event of their death. It happened with Madiba too: he died, and the very next day, Multichoice was advertising a documentary on his life.
It's just... not cool. It's icky. It's... no, dudes, no. FFS I really hate the media, sometimes. :(

2024-09-10 10:30:40 UTC

Nerds, geeks, and dorks unite! #cartoons #comics #funnies
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/113/112/779/029/069/370/original/a59317532ff30268.png

2024-09-10 09:58:23 UTC

Hmm... #ElonMusk said #Starlink was waiting for regulatory approval before entering #SouthAfrica. Apparently, though, this is the first the regulator has heard of it... https://techcentral.co.za/icasa-starlink-regulatory-approval/251311/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #Internet

2024-09-08 09:39:44 UTC

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Agreed. I'm not a big fan of opt-in. First, you have to know that the thing exists, which isn't a very easy thing to achieve because it requires the creator to expend an inordinate amount of time and energy (and possibly money) marketing that thing. And even then not everyone who might be interested in it are likely to hear about it.
Secondly, you have to know enough to be able to appreciate the potential benefit, which you might not immediately understand, particularly if you're not tech savvy.
Third, you have to take the time to go and do it, and not put it off for later, because we all know that when you put something off for later, you're probably never going to do it.
Much simpler to just enable it for everyone by default, and then periodically tell them how to opt out if they want to.

2024-09-08 09:31:19 UTC

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Time to post about Bridgy Fed again? ;-)

2024-09-05 08:54:59 UTC

South Africa has seen a truly astronomical uptick in #solar adoption over the past few years! But if we don't start educating people about how to properly dispose of panels, we could have a problem on our hands very soon: https://gadget.co.za/solarwaste14857t/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #SouthAfrica #ewaste

2024-09-03 08:19:44 UTC

A few years ago, it was the Western Cape's turn. It was tough, but they managed to get through it. Now it's ours: #Gauteng's water supply is in big trouble. :/ https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2024-09-02-gauteng-urgently-needs-to-cut-water-use-by-10-or-face-day-zero/

2024-09-03 06:55:26 UTC

Interesting. We're getting a South African version of #TheOffice. Do you know, I've never actually seen either of them? Neither the UK original, nor the US adaptation. https://variety.com/2024/tv/global/the-office-south-african-adaptation-showmax-1236120693/?utm_source=Mastodon
#SouthAfrica #TV

2024-09-02 07:30:52 UTC

😆 #spring #allergies #funnies
https://cdn.mastodon.africa/media_attachments/files/113/066/784/292/369/551/original/64454840d8ad5d5b.png

2024-09-01 10:04:08 UTC

X is now officially banned in #Brazil, with hefty fines if you're caught accessing it over a VPN. Not that I'm a fan of Musk or his policies, but I'm not a fan of governments controlling their citizens' Internet access either. And I agree with Musk in this case: it is #censorship. :(
Anyway, if you follow any Brazilian accounts on #X, whom you have alternate means of contacting (email or other social networks or WhatsApp/Signal/etc), hit them up and invite them to the #Fediverse!
https://techcentral.co.za/x-is-now-banned-in-brazil/250763/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

2024-08-30 11:32:11 UTC

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... and studio time is expensive. Although maybe you can compare a musician paying for studio time to an author paying for professional editing services? 🤔

2024-08-30 11:29:56 UTC

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On my side of the coin, it's similar because traditional publishers have contacts which will get your book into bookstores, and few traditional bookstores will deal directly with indies. Then they want them to be returnable and there's a pulp percentage and a whole bunch of stuff I don't understand.
But I think (at least, I get the impression) that indie publishing is perhaps a bit more mature -- or at least accessible -- than indie music production? Ebooks are a thing, and the average reader doesn't know the difference between a self-published ebook and one from a traditional publisher. If it's got a professional looking cover image and has been professionally edited and well polished, and the plot's good, who cares?
Even in print, there are print-on-demand companies like Lulu, D2D Print, and others... although in that case, they are printed *on demand" so it's a bit easier to spot.
In music, I dunno... Is that true? I guess the quality of the recording is going to vary GREATLY depending on where and how it was done, so if you're an independent lucky enough to have your own sound-proofed studio at home, then great, but if you live on a busy street or have young kids... not so much. :?

2024-08-30 11:08:54 UTC

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Sounds like it. And it's the same constant issue we authors have with the traditional publishing industry.
Dude, word of advice, never, ever, ever publish a book with a traditional publisher. Go indie. Rather borrow the money to pay for cover design, professional editing, marketing (not that traditional publishers do much of that for you, anyway), but go indie. Don't sign away your rights.
I gather it's similar with the music industry? :/

2024-08-30 10:06:19 UTC

It's a tricky one. For consumers, #music streaming is a game changer. I mean, why should I ever need to *buy* a song or album again when my entire household can listen ad-free to every song ever released (plus podcasts and audiobooks), for a mere R99.99 a month?
Unfortunately, it's a game changer for #artisits, too, because they get paid a pittance. Less than $0.01 per stream, and sometimes nothing at all, depending on the circumstances.
There needs to be a shakeup. Something like what happened with Smashwords and Amazon et. al. for ebook royalties. Artists should be fairly compensated... preferably without making me pay significantly more for my favourite music #streaming service. :P
https://gadget.co.za/samusicboom5245f/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

2024-08-27 11:52:19 UTC

Apparently the first #Afrikaans Bible was introduced today in 1933. Does that mean they had to make do with an English one before then? That's crazy!! #SouthAfrica #history #Bible

2024-08-24 08:17:30 UTC

Sitting at home alone waiting for a delivery is the worst. Even the thought of going to the bathroom is too stressful. :P

2024-08-23 08:09:48 UTC

On the one hand, this makes me pretty proud. On the other, I have to wonder why we need separate men and women's teams for something like #esports?
Or am I just being too sensitive, or not understanding the issues properly or something? ⁠🤔
⁠https://gadget.co.za/femalecounterstrike48f/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica
#gaming #VideoGames #SouthAfrica #Africa

2024-08-13 07:53:20 UTC

That's a good point: If #EVs are going to really take off like we hope they will, and will eventually (perhaps in many decades) end up supplanting internal combustion vehicles altogether, what are we going to do with petrol stations -- and more importantly, petrol attendants? Will we be able to find jobs for them? 🤔 https://mybroadband.co.za/news/motoring/554324-big-change-coming-for-petrol-stations-in-south-africa.html?utm_source=MastodonAfrica
(We have petrol attendants because in #SouthAfrica, unlike the US, most regular people are too stupid to pump their own petrol 😝 </sarcasm>)

2024-08-07 09:38:18 UTC

Funny, I was just speaking to someone this morning who said this happened to her yesterday: someone called her, claiming to be from her bank, and wanting her to check something to do with her debit orders (who knows where they were going with that; maybe just establishing rapport in preparation for asking for more sensitive info?).
My friend did exactly what she was supposed to do. She asked for a reference number (which the caller promptly gave, presumably in the hope that merely being prepared to give a reference number would convince her of the legitimacy), then hung up, called her bank using the number on the website, and asked to follow up on the reference number.
Naturally, the bank had no record of that reference number, at which point she asked to be transferring to the fraud department so she could report it (okay, that part was probably a waste of time).
Be careful, everyone!
https://techcentral.co.za/standard-bank-vishing-fraudsters-elderly/249187/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica
#vishing #banking #scams

2024-08-06 11:57:36 UTC

More on the whole #Multichoice "monopoly" on #sport rights in #SouthAfrica: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/broadcasting/553894-bad-news-for-ending-dstvs-sports-monopoly.html?utm_source=MastodonAfrica
Look, the man has a point. Somebody has to pay. Whether it's Multichoice or the SABC or government itself, the rights cost what the rights cost. Nobody can order them to be free.
Still, it leaves a sour taste in one's mouth.... #TV

2024-08-06 06:33:41 UTC

OK, #Linux fans, here's a challenge for you:
There's this guy who runs Windows 10 on a desktop that's about 10 years old. It's got an older generation (3rd, I think?) Core i7 chip in it, 12GB of RAM (1066Mhz chips), and old-school platter HDDs. It won't run Windows 11 because the motherboard doesn't support that "hardware encryption" bullshit I can never remember the name of, which Windows 11 requires.
It had a new graphics card put in about 5 years ago -- a GeForce GTX 970 -- so the graphics is decent, but Windows is... slooow.
That's probably due to the HDD, but he can't afford to switch to an SSD, but still, with every update, it gets slower. It literally takes 40 minutes between pressing the power button and having a usable desktop.
So he wants to switch to a desktop Linux distribution, and I'm asking you, dear Linux Denizens, for recommendations. I'm used to Ubuntu, but to be honest I last ran Linux as my primary desktop OS a good 6 or 7 years ago, so I don't know what it's like now (Windows 11 convert here). I've heard Mint isn't bad, and some people have recommended MATE edition because it's still based on Gnome. But he kinda likes the Windows 10 taskbar with the combined icons and the "Pin to Taskbar" feature, and I'm not sure if Gnome's got something like that. He's also a bit of a keyboard warrior, so he'll hit the WIN key to open Start, and then start typing. Last I used, the Ubuntu GUI was kinda similar to that, but then it was also quite resource intensive.
So which distro would you recommend? He wants to do basic productivity stuff and play the occasional casual game from Steam (Think Star Realms, Cities Skylines, maaaaybe The Sims 4).
He's pretty technical, and understands how Windows works under the hood quite well, but only a very basic theoretical understanding of Linux. Because of his aptitude, he could probably pick it up quite quickly, but also he wants something that he doesn't have to spend a lot of time tinkering with. It must "just work", but give him the option of screwing around if he wants to.
What would you recommend? Mint? Ubuntu? Something else? And which edition of the distro?