Ledow
@ledow2.bsky.social
IT/Mathematician
Secured with 1024-bit Bullsh** encryption, elliptic-curve acronyms, public-key discourse, Diffie-Hellman greetings & perfect-forward-banter.
Secured with 1024-bit Bullsh** encryption, elliptic-curve acronyms, public-key discourse, Diffie-Hellman greetings & perfect-forward-banter.
Robot Vacuums:
Old: dumb, no sensors except bump ones, doesn't map, just randomly circles, wall-follows and goes in lines until it bumps. Cleans great. Homes back to dock using simple IR.
New: smart, LIDAR, IR, mapping. A comparative fecking idiot that can't navigate the house, or find its dock.
Old: dumb, no sensors except bump ones, doesn't map, just randomly circles, wall-follows and goes in lines until it bumps. Cleans great. Homes back to dock using simple IR.
New: smart, LIDAR, IR, mapping. A comparative fecking idiot that can't navigate the house, or find its dock.
August 29, 2026 at 7:54 PM
Robot Vacuums:
Old: dumb, no sensors except bump ones, doesn't map, just randomly circles, wall-follows and goes in lines until it bumps. Cleans great. Homes back to dock using simple IR.
New: smart, LIDAR, IR, mapping. A comparative fecking idiot that can't navigate the house, or find its dock.
Old: dumb, no sensors except bump ones, doesn't map, just randomly circles, wall-follows and goes in lines until it bumps. Cleans great. Homes back to dock using simple IR.
New: smart, LIDAR, IR, mapping. A comparative fecking idiot that can't navigate the house, or find its dock.
I had no part in the UK alert system... yet I question how government have used it.
I've disabled mine. Alerts I've had so far: vast majority didn't work, were tests that don't NEED to go full siren, or were nonsense like "don't have barbecues".
Boy who cried wolf.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
I've disabled mine. Alerts I've had so far: vast majority didn't work, were tests that don't NEED to go full siren, or were nonsense like "don't have barbecues".
Boy who cried wolf.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Serious questions over use of UK emergency alerts, its creators say
Millions across England and Wales received a wildfire alert on their phones earlier this month, but it partly backfired.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 29, 2026 at 12:45 PM
I had no part in the UK alert system... yet I question how government have used it.
I've disabled mine. Alerts I've had so far: vast majority didn't work, were tests that don't NEED to go full siren, or were nonsense like "don't have barbecues".
Boy who cried wolf.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
I've disabled mine. Alerts I've had so far: vast majority didn't work, were tests that don't NEED to go full siren, or were nonsense like "don't have barbecues".
Boy who cried wolf.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
So my house currently has 900Mbps FTTP, with a VDSL2 connection, with a dual-5G backup connection.
It is quite funny that when I phoned the DSL ISP to tell them I won't need them, they tried to upsell me with some SIM cards.
"I have 4 in my pocket alone, and another 3 at home" stopped them dead.
It is quite funny that when I phoned the DSL ISP to tell them I won't need them, they tried to upsell me with some SIM cards.
"I have 4 in my pocket alone, and another 3 at home" stopped them dead.
August 19, 2026 at 8:58 PM
So my house currently has 900Mbps FTTP, with a VDSL2 connection, with a dual-5G backup connection.
It is quite funny that when I phoned the DSL ISP to tell them I won't need them, they tried to upsell me with some SIM cards.
"I have 4 in my pocket alone, and another 3 at home" stopped them dead.
It is quite funny that when I phoned the DSL ISP to tell them I won't need them, they tried to upsell me with some SIM cards.
"I have 4 in my pocket alone, and another 3 at home" stopped them dead.
When you find 4 old DDR4 SODIMMs and an NVMe in an old laptop that you've already gutted about 3 times of other components so it's already unusable.......
EBAY!!!!!
EBAY!!!!!
August 14, 2026 at 5:47 PM
When you find 4 old DDR4 SODIMMs and an NVMe in an old laptop that you've already gutted about 3 times of other components so it's already unusable.......
EBAY!!!!!
EBAY!!!!!
Finally in the 21st century.
First rural fibre broadband install in my area, 900Mbps (down and up) FTTP.
Simply do not understand why this is not enforced for every household as a utility by now.
First rural fibre broadband install in my area, 900Mbps (down and up) FTTP.
Simply do not understand why this is not enforced for every household as a utility by now.
August 11, 2026 at 9:31 AM
Finally in the 21st century.
First rural fibre broadband install in my area, 900Mbps (down and up) FTTP.
Simply do not understand why this is not enforced for every household as a utility by now.
First rural fibre broadband install in my area, 900Mbps (down and up) FTTP.
Simply do not understand why this is not enforced for every household as a utility by now.
A friend got a new IT job and was telling me about it.
- 75+ VLANs, routed through a single Gbit point.
- Static IPs for every device (including laptops!). No DHCP servers at all.
- Half a dozen print servers despite being entirely unnecessary.
- Still using RDP / TS.
Run, my friend. Run.
- 75+ VLANs, routed through a single Gbit point.
- Static IPs for every device (including laptops!). No DHCP servers at all.
- Half a dozen print servers despite being entirely unnecessary.
- Still using RDP / TS.
Run, my friend. Run.
August 8, 2026 at 5:34 PM
A friend got a new IT job and was telling me about it.
- 75+ VLANs, routed through a single Gbit point.
- Static IPs for every device (including laptops!). No DHCP servers at all.
- Half a dozen print servers despite being entirely unnecessary.
- Still using RDP / TS.
Run, my friend. Run.
- 75+ VLANs, routed through a single Gbit point.
- Static IPs for every device (including laptops!). No DHCP servers at all.
- Half a dozen print servers despite being entirely unnecessary.
- Still using RDP / TS.
Run, my friend. Run.
It's like Gunpoint. I don't get why people going back there. People are always being forced to do things they don't want to at Gunpoint.
August 3, 2026 at 10:50 AM
It's like Gunpoint. I don't get why people going back there. People are always being forced to do things they don't want to at Gunpoint.
Definitely read this as:
"Woman, 86, orphaned.... WHILE child opens prized garden to public to fulfil lifelong promise."
"Woman, 86, orphaned.... WHILE child opens prized garden to public to fulfil lifelong promise."
August 2, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Definitely read this as:
"Woman, 86, orphaned.... WHILE child opens prized garden to public to fulfil lifelong promise."
"Woman, 86, orphaned.... WHILE child opens prized garden to public to fulfil lifelong promise."
When your at-home website stops working, you think it's something simple and then realise...
The DNS resolves to my external server, which reverse-proxies it to an internal IP, that IP goes over VPN, the "home" systems NAT-punch out that VPN from home, and the VPN client cert needs renewal.
The DNS resolves to my external server, which reverse-proxies it to an internal IP, that IP goes over VPN, the "home" systems NAT-punch out that VPN from home, and the VPN client cert needs renewal.
July 25, 2026 at 7:06 PM
When your at-home website stops working, you think it's something simple and then realise...
The DNS resolves to my external server, which reverse-proxies it to an internal IP, that IP goes over VPN, the "home" systems NAT-punch out that VPN from home, and the VPN client cert needs renewal.
The DNS resolves to my external server, which reverse-proxies it to an internal IP, that IP goes over VPN, the "home" systems NAT-punch out that VPN from home, and the VPN client cert needs renewal.
I left OVO as an energy customer in December 2024.
They messed up my final bill and I complained.
They sent me another final bill in Feb 2025.
Then they sent me £60 compensation for messing up my final bill.
Then they sent me a final bill in Feb 2025 again.
They messed up my final bill and I complained.
They sent me another final bill in Feb 2025.
Then they sent me £60 compensation for messing up my final bill.
Then they sent me a final bill in Feb 2025 again.
July 21, 2026 at 12:22 PM
I left OVO as an energy customer in December 2024.
They messed up my final bill and I complained.
They sent me another final bill in Feb 2025.
Then they sent me £60 compensation for messing up my final bill.
Then they sent me a final bill in Feb 2025 again.
They messed up my final bill and I complained.
They sent me another final bill in Feb 2025.
Then they sent me £60 compensation for messing up my final bill.
Then they sent me a final bill in Feb 2025 again.
"That thing you paid us for, we spent the money on shareholder gifts & bonuses, we then ran-up enormous debts to give them more, charged them to you, then asked for government bailouts and spent those.... yeah, you're not allowed to use that thing".
Fuck Thames Water.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Fuck Thames Water.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Thames Water announces hosepipe ban
The water company said the three heatwaves contributed to the ban.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 21, 2026 at 11:34 AM
"That thing you paid us for, we spent the money on shareholder gifts & bonuses, we then ran-up enormous debts to give them more, charged them to you, then asked for government bailouts and spent those.... yeah, you're not allowed to use that thing".
Fuck Thames Water.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Fuck Thames Water.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Okay, so... this might be the thing I've most looked forward to watching since about the 2010's.
July 13, 2026 at 1:35 PM
Okay, so... this might be the thing I've most looked forward to watching since about the 2010's.
Car insurance fun again:
Renewal with a company I've used for precisely a year: +£30 more than last year.
Go to the comparison sites. Prices start at my current price minus £80.
Ignore the telematics nonsense (including one hiding in the "normal" quotes): minus £50 on my current price.
Why?!
Renewal with a company I've used for precisely a year: +£30 more than last year.
Go to the comparison sites. Prices start at my current price minus £80.
Ignore the telematics nonsense (including one hiding in the "normal" quotes): minus £50 on my current price.
Why?!
July 8, 2026 at 4:57 PM
Car insurance fun again:
Renewal with a company I've used for precisely a year: +£30 more than last year.
Go to the comparison sites. Prices start at my current price minus £80.
Ignore the telematics nonsense (including one hiding in the "normal" quotes): minus £50 on my current price.
Why?!
Renewal with a company I've used for precisely a year: +£30 more than last year.
Go to the comparison sites. Prices start at my current price minus £80.
Ignore the telematics nonsense (including one hiding in the "normal" quotes): minus £50 on my current price.
Why?!
Look... when the broadband company said my fibre optic was going to be brought into my street aerially...
July 7, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Look... when the broadband company said my fibre optic was going to be brought into my street aerially...
I must be getting old.
My limit for creating/editing PHP in plain Notepad alone is now only ~900 lines of code before I start thinking "I should really put this into an IDE so I can see what's going on".
My limit for creating/editing PHP in plain Notepad alone is now only ~900 lines of code before I start thinking "I should really put this into an IDE so I can see what's going on".
July 1, 2026 at 11:33 AM
I must be getting old.
My limit for creating/editing PHP in plain Notepad alone is now only ~900 lines of code before I start thinking "I should really put this into an IDE so I can see what's going on".
My limit for creating/editing PHP in plain Notepad alone is now only ~900 lines of code before I start thinking "I should really put this into an IDE so I can see what's going on".
Oh, I would NOT want to be God right now...
There is no way that it will meet with Margo's approval...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2ey1pjx0z9o
There is no way that it will meet with Margo's approval...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2ey1pjx0z9o
Dame Penelope Keith: The Good Life and To The Manor Born actress dies aged 86
Tributes are paid to the "comic genius", who starred in some of Britain's most popular sitcoms.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 29, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Oh, I would NOT want to be God right now...
There is no way that it will meet with Margo's approval...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2ey1pjx0z9o
There is no way that it will meet with Margo's approval...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2ey1pjx0z9o
My self-install home aircon electricity bill for this month comes to £2.83.
The same device, in January, cost nearly TEN TIMES AS MUCH. To heat my whole house. All day long. (There's no point cooling a house I'm not in, but there are reasons to heat a house when it's below 0C outside).
The same device, in January, cost nearly TEN TIMES AS MUCH. To heat my whole house. All day long. (There's no point cooling a house I'm not in, but there are reasons to heat a house when it's below 0C outside).
June 25, 2026 at 12:06 PM
My self-install home aircon electricity bill for this month comes to £2.83.
The same device, in January, cost nearly TEN TIMES AS MUCH. To heat my whole house. All day long. (There's no point cooling a house I'm not in, but there are reasons to heat a house when it's below 0C outside).
The same device, in January, cost nearly TEN TIMES AS MUCH. To heat my whole house. All day long. (There's no point cooling a house I'm not in, but there are reasons to heat a house when it's below 0C outside).
Shockingly those people who malnourish in their diet and then decide to fix the problem with some synthetic supplements, aren't doing themselves any favours.
Need a supplement? That means you're malnourished. That might be because of a medical problem, sure, but... it's still malnourishment.
Need a supplement? That means you're malnourished. That might be because of a medical problem, sure, but... it's still malnourishment.
Taking supplements every day? You might be doing more harm than good
While many of us take supplements regularly, there are some risks people may not be aware of.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 20, 2026 at 11:31 AM
Shockingly those people who malnourish in their diet and then decide to fix the problem with some synthetic supplements, aren't doing themselves any favours.
Need a supplement? That means you're malnourished. That might be because of a medical problem, sure, but... it's still malnourishment.
Need a supplement? That means you're malnourished. That might be because of a medical problem, sure, but... it's still malnourishment.
The UK is not the US.
Surely, we're don't think that the only reason to go to university is to make money?
Also... this implies that 2/3rds of people say a university degree IS still "worth it" anyway.
Go to school to expand your mind, not your wallet.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2e29gk73rjo
Surely, we're don't think that the only reason to go to university is to make money?
Also... this implies that 2/3rds of people say a university degree IS still "worth it" anyway.
Go to school to expand your mind, not your wallet.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2e29gk73rjo
Student loan inquiry begins as a third of people say university degree not worth it
MPs will hear the concerns of graduates about the size of their student debts, and the interest rates.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 2, 2026 at 8:44 AM
The UK is not the US.
Surely, we're don't think that the only reason to go to university is to make money?
Also... this implies that 2/3rds of people say a university degree IS still "worth it" anyway.
Go to school to expand your mind, not your wallet.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2e29gk73rjo
Surely, we're don't think that the only reason to go to university is to make money?
Also... this implies that 2/3rds of people say a university degree IS still "worth it" anyway.
Go to school to expand your mind, not your wallet.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2e29gk73rjo
Google Play Store seems to be obsessed with the fact that I have apps on my phone that are "taking up space".
Yes. I know. They're there for a reason. And, most importantly, just having them take up some space doesn't hurt me in any way, shape or form if I still have enough space for my stuff.
Yes. I know. They're there for a reason. And, most importantly, just having them take up some space doesn't hurt me in any way, shape or form if I still have enough space for my stuff.
May 22, 2026 at 8:41 AM
Google Play Store seems to be obsessed with the fact that I have apps on my phone that are "taking up space".
Yes. I know. They're there for a reason. And, most importantly, just having them take up some space doesn't hurt me in any way, shape or form if I still have enough space for my stuff.
Yes. I know. They're there for a reason. And, most importantly, just having them take up some space doesn't hurt me in any way, shape or form if I still have enough space for my stuff.
Buy parcel box. Put parcel box in plain sight, next to door.
Label parcel box. Twice. Big clear signage. Even put the house number on parcel box, so there's no confusion which house it's for. CCTV camera watching. Signage all round.
Label parcel box. Twice. Big clear signage. Even put the house number on parcel box, so there's no confusion which house it's for. CCTV camera watching. Signage all round.
April 24, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Buy parcel box. Put parcel box in plain sight, next to door.
Label parcel box. Twice. Big clear signage. Even put the house number on parcel box, so there's no confusion which house it's for. CCTV camera watching. Signage all round.
Label parcel box. Twice. Big clear signage. Even put the house number on parcel box, so there's no confusion which house it's for. CCTV camera watching. Signage all round.
Irony: I am currently using WinSCP to manage some remote files... from a Linux desktop.
Couldn't find a nice SCP file interface that I like, so fell back to Windows freeware running under Wine on Linux... and it "just works".
Couldn't find a nice SCP file interface that I like, so fell back to Windows freeware running under Wine on Linux... and it "just works".
April 23, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Irony: I am currently using WinSCP to manage some remote files... from a Linux desktop.
Couldn't find a nice SCP file interface that I like, so fell back to Windows freeware running under Wine on Linux... and it "just works".
Couldn't find a nice SCP file interface that I like, so fell back to Windows freeware running under Wine on Linux... and it "just works".
Now this... this... is what these ridiculous robots should be used for.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
Watch: Robot chases wild boars off the streets of Warsaw
The Polish capital has seen the number of wild boar on its streets soar to more than 3,000 - a 20-fold increase since 2020.
www.bbc.co.uk
April 22, 2026 at 9:46 AM
Now this... this... is what these ridiculous robots should be used for.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...