shkspr.mobi.atom.xml - sfeed_tests - sfeed tests and RSS and Atom files
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shkspr.mobi.atom.xml (202619B)
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3 xmlns:thr="http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0"
4 xml:lang="en-GB"
5 >
6 <title type="text">Terence Eden’s Blog</title>
7 <subtitle type="text">Regular nonsense about tech and its effects 🙃</subtitle>
8
9 <updated>2025-07-09T21:12:31Z</updated>
10
11 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" />
12 <id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/feed/atom/</id>
13 <link rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/feed/atom/" />
14
15 <generator uri="https://wordpress.org/" version="6.8.1">WordPress</generator>
16 <icon>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/cropped-avatar-32x32.jpeg</icon>
17 <entry>
18 <author>
19 <name>@edent</name>
20 </author>
21
22 <title type="html"><![CDATA[Gadget Review: Thermal Imaging Camera - Topdon TC004 Mini ★★★⯪☆]]></title>
23 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/gadget-review-thermal-imaging-camera-topdon-tc004-mini/" />
24
25 <id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=61523</id>
26 <updated>2025-07-09T21:12:31Z</updated>
27 <published>2025-07-10T11:34:53Z</published>
28 <category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="gadget" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="infrared" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="review" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="thermal" />
29 <summary type="html"><![CDATA[I've reviewed several thermal imaging products over the years. They range from tiny USB-C add-ons to professional quality hulking great handhelds. Topdon have sent me a mid-point model to review. It's relatively cheap for a thermal imaging product - only £140 on Amazon. I think the sensor is made by Raytrontek. But is it any good? While it has a bunch of useful features, there's no video …]]></summary>
30
31 <content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/gadget-review-thermal-imaging-camera-topdon-tc004-mini/"><![CDATA[
32 <html><head></head><body><p>I've reviewed <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/tag/thermal/">several thermal imaging products</a> over the years. They range from <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/06/review-infiray-thermal-usb-c-camera-for-android/">tiny USB-C add-ons</a> to professional quality <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/04/gadget-review-kaiweets-kti-w01-thermal-imaging-camera/">hulking great handhelds</a>.</p>
33
34 <p>Topdon have sent me a mid-point model to review. It's relatively cheap for a thermal imaging product - <a href="https://amzn.to/468ipTY">only £140 on Amazon</a>. I <em>think</em> the sensor is made by <a href="https://en.raytrontek.com/product/infrared.htm">Raytrontek</a>. But is it any good?</p>
35
36 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/71IGxD6iDyL._SL750_.jpg" alt="Thermal Imaging Camera." width="600" height="750" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61841">
37
38 <p>While it has a bunch of useful features, there's no video recording and it doesn't work with Linux. Other than that, it's fine.</p>
39
40 <h2 id="the-good-points"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/gadget-review-thermal-imaging-camera-topdon-tc004-mini/#the-good-points" class="heading-link">The Good Points</a></h2>
41
42 <p>It seems broadly accurate. Point it at a bunch of things and you can see their temperature. Here's my beautiful face:</p>
43
44 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IR20250623073108-rotated.jpeg" alt="Thermal selfie. I have a very cold nose." width="240" height="320" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61849">
45
46 <p>That's the actual size of the file. Their marketing bumph says:</p>
47
48 <blockquote><p>TISR (Thermal Image Super Resolution) uses AI algorithms to add simulated pixels between existing ones, enhancing low-resolution thermal images into clearer, high-resolution visuals.</p></blockquote>
49
50 <p>Let's be honest, there's no AI in a device this cheap. There are various complex rules about Infrared cameras and their resolution. These images are fairly low quality - but more than good enough to help you spot a leak or work out if something is too hot.</p>
51
52 <p>Quick start up is great. It is ready to go a few seconds after pushing the power button.</p>
53
54 <p>The trigger grip is comfortable and responsive - it makes the whole device very "point-and-shoot".</p>
55
56 <p>There's a standard tripod screw fitting at the bottom.</p>
57
58 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/tripod.jpg" alt="A screw fitting and lanyard strap." width="1024" height="771" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61843">
59
60 <p>The camera is at a slight angle from the grip, so you'll need a tripod with a tiltable mount. You also get an lanyard in the box, which is easily secured to the device.</p>
61
62 <p>There's a file-browser built in - which also lets you delete photos.</p>
63
64 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/File-Browser.webp" alt="Photo of a "Delete this pic" screen." width="600" height="450" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61844">
65
66 <p>USB-C for charging and data transfer. Same as all your other gadgets, I hope!</p>
67
68 <h2 id="but"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/gadget-review-thermal-imaging-camera-topdon-tc004-mini/#but" class="heading-link">But…</a></h2>
69
70 <p>Resolution is low. That's normal for these sorts of cameras, but because the output is only 240x320 it means the on-screen text is cramped and looks pretty poor.</p>
71
72 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IR20250622072705-rotated.jpeg" alt="Camera with a thermal view. It shows how hot something is, with maximum and minimum temperatures." width="240" height="320" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61848">
73
74 <p>The interface is basic. It doesn't look brilliant, but it is usable.</p>
75
76 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Menu.webp" alt="List of menu items." width="600" height="449" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61846">
77
78 <p>Setting the time, for example, is a bit of a pain:</p>
79
80 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/date-time-settings.webp" alt="Settings screen with a manual up and down for every setting." width="600" height="450" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61845">
81
82 <p>Once you've gone in to set the time and other basic settings, you'll probably never go back to it.</p>
83
84 <p>Storage space is low - only 480MB. To be fair, images are under 100KB, so you could store several thousand before you hit a problem.</p>
85
86 <p>There's no video recording. That's a bit of an arse if you want to see how something heats over time.</p>
87
88 <p>You can't extract temperature information from the images. There's no EXIF, no standard metadata, just whatever is printed over the photo. Again, good enough for a quick check but, given the small viewable size of the images, it would have been nice to print the information separately. You can remove some of the on-screen elements from the image. Here's my <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/03/review-wifi-connected-air-conditioner/">air-conditioning unit</a>:</p>
89
90 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IR20250702154023-rotated.jpeg" alt="A thermal image. It shows the temperature at the centre of the image." width="240" height="320" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61850">
91
92 <p>The rubber flap protecting the charging port makes it difficult to insert the cable.</p>
93
94 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/usb-c.jpg" alt="A USB-C cable with a cover flap pressed tightly against it." width="1024" height="771" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61842">
95
96 <p>Because the port is on the top of the device, it's sensible to protect it from debris, but it is a bit fiddly to use.</p>
97
98 <h2 id="linux-information"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/gadget-review-thermal-imaging-camera-topdon-tc004-mini/#linux-information" class="heading-link">Linux Information</a></h2>
99
100 <p>This shows up as <code>3474:0020 Raysentek Co.,Ltd Raysentek MTP</code>. In theory, it should just show up as a device in your file explorer. But it doesn't work.</p>
101
102 <p>I couldn't detect anything with <code>mtp-device</code> - it didn't show up. dmesg showed the dreaded <code>device not accepting address 53, error -71</code> which, I think, indicates a power problem.</p>
103
104 <p><code>lsusb -v</code> shows it claims to support <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_Transfer_Protocol">Picture Transfer Protocol</a>.</p>
105
106 <p>I reset the device, formatted its memory, used different cables and ports, restarted everything, I even tried it on my Android phone. Nothing.</p>
107
108 <p>Which rather puts a damp squib on things. If you can't get the images off the device, you're stuck peering at them on a tiny screen with no way to share them with others.</p>
109
110 <p>It <em>will</em> work with Windows. I tried it in VirtualBox and it showed up - albeit with the name "Cobra".</p>
111
112 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Cobra.webp" alt="Windows setting screen for Cobra by Raysentek." width="581" height="497" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61847">
113
114 <h2 id="verdict"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/gadget-review-thermal-imaging-camera-topdon-tc004-mini/#verdict" class="heading-link">Verdict</a></h2>
115
116 <p>Fora quick and dirty inspection, this is a perfectly fine little device. Point it at a thing and see how hot it is. Squeeze the trigger and capture the image for later viewing.</p>
117
118 <p>The tripod attachment is handy and there are enough settings hidden away for you to set it up for your own personal needs.</p>
119
120 <p>The buttons feel a bit crap and flap gets in the way of the USB-C charging port.</p>
121
122 <p>It doesn't work with Linux or Android - I wasn't able to test it on a Mac - so make sure you have Windows available for getting the images off it.</p>
123
124 <p>This is one of the cheapest stand-alone thermal cameras you can buy. Necessarily, there are compromises involved with things at this price-point. The camera works (albeit not with Linux) and is a great way to get started with Infrared photography and monitoring.</p>
125 </body></html>]]></content>
126
127 <link rel="replies" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/gadget-review-thermal-imaging-camera-topdon-tc004-mini/#comments" thr:count="1" />
128 <link rel="replies" type="application/atom+xml" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/gadget-review-thermal-imaging-camera-topdon-tc004-mini/feed/atom/" thr:count="1" />
129 <thr:total>1</thr:total>
130 </entry>
131 <entry>
132 <author>
133 <name>@edent</name>
134 </author>
135
136 <title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: The World After Amazon - Stories from Amazon Workers by Xenia Benivolski ★★★☆☆]]></title>
137 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-world-after-amazon-stories-from-amazon-workers-by-xenia-benivolski/" />
138
139 <id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=61798</id>
140 <updated>2025-07-07T15:55:01Z</updated>
141 <published>2025-07-09T11:34:09Z</published>
142 <category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Amazon" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review" />
143 <summary type="html"><![CDATA[This is a brilliant idea for a short story collection. Gather a group of non-writers, all of whom have experienced the dystopia of working for Amazon, and support them to write speculative science fiction. Given how futuristic Amazon is, perhaps they have a unique insight into what its future holds. Or, as the rather academic intro puts it: The Worker as Futurist project asks another question: …]]></summary>
144
145 <content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-world-after-amazon-stories-from-amazon-workers-by-xenia-benivolski/"><![CDATA[
146 <html><head></head><body><p>This is a brilliant idea for a short story collection. Gather a group of non-writers, all of whom have experienced the dystopia of working for Amazon, and support them to write speculative science fiction. Given how futuristic Amazon is, perhaps they have a unique insight into what its future holds. Or, as the rather academic intro puts it:</p>
147
148 <blockquote><p>The Worker as Futurist project asks another question: if SF is so important to the operations of capitalism in the twenty-first century, does it also have a radical potential that might lend itself to the struggles of workers and other oppressed people within, against and beyond that system? (see Jameson 2005; Roke 2020)</p></blockquote>
149
150 <p>I'll be honest, it feels a <em>little</em> patronising. The project articulates its theory of change (which only <em>slightly</em> puts me in mind of <a href="https://charles-harris.co.uk/2019/11/does-satire-work/">Peter Cook's famous quote</a>) - hoping that radical fiction might move mountains:</p>
151
152 <blockquote><p>We at the Worker as Futurist project believe that workers can fruitfully understand, theorize, and plot forms of resistance to capitalism through creative expression, especially through the process of writing, particularly within the genre of SF. If, as we have argued, SF is now active in important ways at the very heart of capitalism, maybe that genre is also somehow the system’s achilles’ heel?</p></blockquote>
153
154 <p>Still, it makes for a fascinating introduction to a somewhat uneven set of stories. There is some delightfully weird fiction - I especially enjoyed the idea of the University of the Phoenix using AI to write curses on corporations. In amongst that there's some fairly standard stories of worker exploitation, a few overwritten pieces, and one or two which would make great full length books.</p>
155
156 <p>The afterword is very clear about the reason for this book existing:</p>
157
158 <blockquote><p>To me, it never mattered whether or not the stories written by the workers in this project would be considered “good” by the well-read literary elite. To me, it only mattered that those who took up the challenge wrote. And by writing, and by speaking their truths, they exploded the paradigm that would render their subjectivity nonexistent.</p></blockquote>
159
160 <p>And I heartily agree with that. I'd rather read a new writer explore the problem-space rather than yet-another trilogy about romance magicians.</p>
161
162 <p>The book is free to download or, if you think the master's tools can dismantle the master's house, you can purchase a copy on Amazon.</p>
163 </body></html>]]></content>
164
165 <link rel="replies" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-world-after-amazon-stories-from-amazon-workers-by-xenia-benivolski/#comments" thr:count="0" />
166 <link rel="replies" type="application/atom+xml" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-the-world-after-amazon-stories-from-amazon-workers-by-xenia-benivolski/feed/atom/" thr:count="0" />
167 <thr:total>0</thr:total>
168 </entry>
169 <entry>
170 <author>
171 <name>@edent</name>
172 </author>
173
174 <title type="html"><![CDATA[Book Review: Problems Have No Sex - Caroline Haslett (1949)]]></title>
175 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-problems-have-no-sex-caroline-haslett-1949/" />
176
177 <id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=58424</id>
178 <updated>2025-07-06T21:40:44Z</updated>
179 <published>2025-07-08T11:34:34Z</published>
180 <category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="Book Review" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="feminism" />
181 <summary type="html"><![CDATA[This is the best book on practical feminism that I've read. Because it is long out of print, I had to get the British Library to pull this book out of the archives for me. I'm fascinated by the evolution of feminist discourse in 20th Century UK. I read Myself When Young (1938) which is a series of mini-autobiographies of prominent women. One of them was Dame Caroline Haslett - an electrical…]]></summary>
182
183 <content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-problems-have-no-sex-caroline-haslett-1949/"><![CDATA[
184 <html><head></head><body><p>This is the best book on <em>practical</em> feminism that I've read. Because it is long out of print, I had to get the British Library to pull this book out of the archives for me.</p>
185
186 <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Book-Cover.webp" alt="A blue book cover with a spine that reads Problems Have No Sex by Caroline Haslett.">
187
188 <p>I'm fascinated by the evolution of feminist discourse in 20th Century UK. I read <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/09/book-review-myself-when-young-1938/">Myself When Young</a> (1938) which is a series of mini-autobiographies of prominent women. One of them was Dame Caroline Haslett - an electrical engineer <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/05/book-review-the-doors-of-opportunity/">who led a long and fascinating life</a>. One of her crowning achievements was advocating the use electricity to relieve household drudgery. Technology as a tool of feminist liberation.</p>
189
190 <p>As part of her battle for equality, she wrote a book called Problems Have No Sex. Sadly, there are no 2nd hand copies for sale, no scans, and very little written about it. There's <a href="https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/freepress19490623-1.2.33">one contemporary review</a> and that's about it.</p>
191
192 <p>So I made a request to the British Library and, a few days later, sat down in their reading room with the dusty tome.</p>
193
194 <p>All books writing from 2020 will be in the shadow of Covid19. This book, published in 1949, is written in the shadow of the atomic bomb. It starts with the terrifying realisation that a woman has the same physical capability as a man when it comes to pressing the button which drops a bomb. While men and women may have different levels of strength, technology is the great leveller.</p>
195
196 <p>The influx of women into traditionally male environments allowed for a <em>practical</em> demonstration of feminism. It's all very well theorising that women are as capable as men but, as every engineer knows, you need to be able to prove it.</p>
197
198 <blockquote><p>Sir Robert Watson Watt, the discoverer of radiolocation, speaking of the way in which women without previous experience in science had taken up this vital work, said: "The question I asked myself was, if these girls could reach such heights in the comparatively short period during which they had contact with physics, what would they have done with a decent education in technical, scientific and engineering studies?"</p>
199
200 <p>It is evident, however, that in addition to the revision of the school syllabus there will need to be a change in the attitude held up to boys as the correct one to adopt towards girls and their capacities.</p>
201
202 <p>There are signs that this is occurring spontaneously. A boy reproached by his father for being beaten in class by a "mere" girl, remarked thoughtfully, "You know, father, I don't think girls are so very mere nowadays."</p></blockquote>
203
204 <p>The book spends a decent amount of space on pregnancy and its effects on women in the workplace. This was written pre-pill but in an era with <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/05/book-review-protective-practices-a-history-of-the-london-rubber-company-and-the-condom-business-by-jessica-borge/">relatively easy access to contraception</a>. Haslett talks frankly about the realities of menstruation - which surprised me somewhat - and whether reproduction is compatible with employment (spoiler alert; yes).</p>
205
206 <p>In amongst some slightly tedious legal matters of the day are some forthright pleas for cheaper electricity so that women can be released from manual labour at home. There's also the <em>realities</em> of what it means to place people in a radically upgraded situation. You can't expect anyone to suddenly know how to operate:</p>
207
208 <blockquote><p>Women must see that the vast amount of talk which there has been about kitchen planning is translated into action and that properly planned kitchens are included in all the new houses built. In addition to the importance of good design and lay-out and the provision of proper equipment as a <i lang="la">sine qua non</i>, there is much scope for education of the housewife in planning her housework along labour-saving lines; and in the teaching of the principles of motion study in the home so that the maximum benefit can be gained from the use of the equipment provided.</p></blockquote>
209
210 <p>Haslett is undoubtedly technocratic but, above all, she is realistic. She has an excellent and provable <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/01/book-review-rules-for-radicals-a-pragmatic-primer-for-realistic-radicals-by-saul-alinsky/">theory of change</a>. This isn't a rant nor a call to arms. She is calm, methodical and ruthlessly determined to set out the problems and solutions.</p>
211
212 <blockquote><p>The sense of having prove herself equal to a male colleague sometimes makes a woman self-assertive and over-aggressive; while the fear of loss of personal prestige or of social or economic insecurity arising from admitting women to full equality makes some men unco-operative and unjust towards women working outside the home. As Miss Hilda Martindale remarks in her book From One Generation to Another: "I found that opposition to working with women on equal terms seldom came from the man who was first class at his work; it was the man who was not sure of himself who objected."</p>
213
214 <p>In manual as opposed to professional types of work the fear "If I show her how to do my job, the boss may sack me because he need not pay her so much" is a cogent argument for equal pay.</p></blockquote>
215
216 <p>Equal pay is a battle which is still being fought, unfortunately.</p>
217
218 <p>There is also just a <em>hint</em> of radical politics lurking under the sometimes-bland prose. Should tariffs be imposed? Are trade-barriers a good way to promote equality? Should women be more self-assured about entering politics and agitating for change?</p>
219
220 <p>There's also an undercurrent of rage directed at the women who helped bring about the war.</p>
221
222 <blockquote><p>The rise of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy was made possible by the individual man delegating his personal responsibility to a Fuehrer or a Duce —and by the individual woman abandoning her responsibility towards mankind in general and devoting herself entirely and unquestioningly to child-bearing, and the routine work of the home. This wholesale shirking of individual responsibility was the one thing which made possible the creation of the Nazi system with its concomitants of the concentration camp, the mass crematorium and the battlefield.</p></blockquote>
223
224 <p>Prophetically, she notes that the next 20 years should be one of the most interesting periods of history to live in. I'd certainly say that the change from 1949 to 1969 was just that!</p>
225
226 <p>Unlike some other books, this is realistic about the timeframes involved in wholesale cultural change. She sets out how many years of vigilance will be needed to ensure that schools are equipping their female students with the knowledge, ambition, and advice to help them survive in the future. Similar Government, which is lambasted as being far too slow, is shown as needing to embrace radical change. It should be remembered that Churchill, only recently deposed as Prime Minister, was an ardent anti-feminist. He <a href="https://archives.chu.cam.ac.uk/collections/research-guides/womens-suffrage-research-guide/#church">repeatedly stymied the attempts of women to gain the vote</a> - an attitude which is often conspicuously overlooked in the 21st century. I imagine that left a bitter taste in the mouths of Haslett and her contemporaries.</p>
227
228 <p>Women's organisations are also the recipient of Haslett's unsentimental gaze. They need to step up their game, raise more money, and set realistic goals. Similarly, women MPs must make sure not to concern themselves <em>only</em> with women's issues. And, for that matter, women have to stop lollygagging and start using their vote. Finally, she sets out ways in which society has to guard against a backlash to feminism.</p>
229
230 <p>There is a whole discussion about the structural ephemera which causes resentment. The slow build up of unjust laws and customs hurts everyone.</p>
231
232 <p>Now, obviously, people are the product of their time. The book is strongly focused on the UK and isn't <em>too</em> dodgy on race. There's an occasional mention of the USA and a brief sceptical look at the USSR's claims of feminist equality. She does go a little further. Here's a sample from the chapter "Citizens of the World":</p>
233
234 <blockquote><p>Although in Great Britain and the United States women have achieved not only a considerable measure of “equality” but also a very considerable store of experience in the political, economic, and scientific fields: yet there are still countries where women have no rights at all.</p>
235
236 <p>Just as different races have reached different stages of civilization so that the primitive tribes of New Guinea co-exist with the highly civilized European races; so different races have reached different stages in their attitude towards women. This latter difference bears no obvious relation to their general level of technical or cultural development. There may in fact be a much greater equality of contribution towards the common life (which is the fundamental basis of equality between the sexes) among some primitive races than among some very highly civilized ones.</p>
237
238 <p>While these differences and inequalities persist, trained women will have a continuing obligation towards those who are striving to become politically articulate or who, by reason of the inferior status conferred upon them by their own community, are in danger of exploitation.</p>
239
240 <p>It is necessary also to have a realistic appreciation of the differences that may underlie a superficial equality.</p>
241
242 <p>The women of Japan were enfranchised almost simultaneously with the women of France, but the women of Switzerland still remain without voting rights.</p>
243
244 <p>Yet to deduce from the equality of political rights conferred on the women of France and Japan alike that the women of these two countries possessed indeed comparable opportunities and status would be fantastic.</p>
245
246 <p>The traditional Japanese woman, educated from birth to consider herself of no account and completely subservient to the men of her family, will need many years of education and opportunity before she is capable of political responsibility. To expect her to derive maximum advantage at the present time from her enfranchisement would be as logical as to suppose that a woman from the Middle Ages, could she be miraculously transported through time and placed in a modern labour-saving house, could be expected to know just what would happen if she turned certain knobs and switches; and to understand the part that electrical power plays in the modern community.</p>
247
248 <p>The adoption of Western democratic machinery by nations of other cultural traditions implies that we have a continuing obligation to these peoples until education has made plain the fundamental principles underlying our way of life.</p>
249
250 <p>Some of the Eastern nations are tackling their problems themselves with considerable energy. China with its great drive to stamp out illiteracy has done much to remove the burden of ignorance which has held that great country in economic thralldom for so long. It may well be that the imitative genius of Japan, which derived so much from the influence of China upon its art and culture in the past, will draw from Chinese sources more readily than from the West a new concept of the status of women in human society. The work of Mme. Chiang Kai Shek and her sisters may be the keystone of women’s emancipation in the East.</p>
251
252 <p>In this age we are setting up the pattern for life of succeeding generations. Women must see that the mistakes which our own nations made in their development are not through ignorance or greed perpetuated in other lands.</p></blockquote>
253
254 <p>She is curiously circumspect on the issue of disability. Post-war, I imagine many people wanted to ignore the horrors which rent bodies asunder. The only mention is:</p>
255
256 <blockquote><p>Yet even in Britain a very great number of people lead unnecessarily cramped and limited lives, and the social conscience of the country is awakening to their needs. It is being recognized, for example, that it is not sufficient to give disabled people a weekly pension to keep them from actual hunger or to provide institutions in which they can be housed. The disabled person has as much right to a full and useful life, within the limits of his or her disability, as anyone else.</p></blockquote>
257
258 <p>Ultimately, this book is about what we owe to each other. Women won the war, then they rightly demanded to win the benefits of peace.</p>
259
260 <p>"Problems Have No Sex" is <em>far</em> better than many other feminist books I've read simply because of its lack of academic pretentiousness. Other than the occasional Latin phrase, the book is written in plain English - designed to be read and understood as widely as possible. As an engineer, Dame Haslett has an engineer's approach to problem solving - identify the issue, determine the cause, suggest solutions, investigate what works and what doesn't, repeat until fixed.</p>
261
262 <p>Every feminist should read this book. I'm annoyed that it has never been reprinted and that there's no eBook available. Under UK copyright, it should enter the public domain in 2028. Hopefully a scan will be released which will allow everyone to read this important work.</p>
263 </body></html>]]></content>
264
265 <link rel="replies" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-problems-have-no-sex-caroline-haslett-1949/#comments" thr:count="1" />
266 <link rel="replies" type="application/atom+xml" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/book-review-problems-have-no-sex-caroline-haslett-1949/feed/atom/" thr:count="1" />
267 <thr:total>1</thr:total>
268 </entry>
269 <entry>
270 <author>
271 <name>@edent</name>
272 </author>
273
274 <title type="html"><![CDATA[Grinding down open source maintainers with AI]]></title>
275 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/grinding-down-open-source-maintainers-with-ai/" />
276
277 <id>https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=61265</id>
278 <updated>2025-07-02T16:34:08Z</updated>
279 <published>2025-07-07T11:34:09Z</published>
280 <category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="/etc/" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="AI" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="git" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="LLM" /><category scheme="https://shkspr.mobi/blog" term="spam" />
281 <summary type="html"><![CDATA[Early one morning I received an email notification about a bug report to one of my open source projects. I like to be helpful and I want people who use my stuff to have a good time, so I gave it my attention. Here's what it said: 😱 I Can't Use On This Day 😭 Seriously, What’s Going On?! 🔍 I’ve been trying to use the On This Day feature, but it’s just not working for me! 😩 Every time I input my d…]]></summary>
282
283 <content type="html" xml:base="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/grinding-down-open-source-maintainers-with-ai/"><![CDATA[
284 <html><head></head><body><p>Early one morning I received an email notification about a bug report to one of my open source projects. I like to be helpful and I want people who use my stuff to have a good time, so I gave it my attention. Here's what it said:</p>
285
286 <blockquote>
287 <h2 id="%f0%9f%98%b1-i-cant-use-on-this-day-%f0%9f%98%ad"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/grinding-down-open-source-maintainers-with-ai/#%f0%9f%98%b1-i-cant-use-on-this-day-%f0%9f%98%ad" class="heading-link"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f631.png" alt="😱" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> I Can't Use On This Day <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f62d.png" alt="😭" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></a></h2>
288 Seriously, What’s Going On?! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f50d.png" alt="🔍" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
289 I’ve been trying to use the On This Day feature, but it’s just not working for me! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f629.png" alt="😩" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
290 Every time I input my details, it says I have no posts for today, even though I know I’ve posted stuff! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f9d0.png" alt="🧐" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
291
292 <h3 id="heres-my-setup-%e2%9a%99%ef%b8%8f"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/grinding-down-open-source-maintainers-with-ai/#heres-my-setup-%e2%9a%99%ef%b8%8f" class="heading-link">Here’s My Setup: <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/2699.png" alt="⚙" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></a></h3>
293
294 <ul>
295 <li>Python 3.x <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f40d.png" alt="🐍" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></li>
296 <li>Access token fully generated (I triple-checked!) <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f511.png" alt="🔑" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></li>
297 <li>Attempted on multiple instances but still nothing! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f629.png" alt="😩" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f629.png" alt="😩" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></li>
298 </ul>
299
300 <h3 id="could-it-be-a-bug-%f0%9f%a4%94"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/grinding-down-open-source-maintainers-with-ai/#could-it-be-a-bug-%f0%9f%a4%94" class="heading-link">Could It Be a Bug? <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f914.png" alt="🤔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></a></h3>
301
302 I’m really starting to doubt my posting history! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f633.png" alt="😳" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
303 Is it supposed to show only specific types of posts?<br>
304 I’ve made some pretty epic posts before! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f4a5.png" alt="💥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f4ac.png" alt="💬" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
305
306 <h3 id="documentation-confusion-%f0%9f%93%9a"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/grinding-down-open-source-maintainers-with-ai/#documentation-confusion-%f0%9f%93%9a" class="heading-link">Documentation Confusion <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f4da.png" alt="📚" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></a></h3>
307
308 The README says to register for an access token but doesn’t clarify if it factors into this feature! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f914.png" alt="🤔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/2753.png" alt="❓" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
309 Did I miss something REALLY important?!<br>
310 Help me figure this out, please!!! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f631.png" alt="😱" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
311
312 <h3 id="feature-suggestion-%f0%9f%92%ad"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/07/grinding-down-open-source-maintainers-with-ai/#feature-suggestion-%f0%9f%92%ad" class="heading-link">Feature Suggestion <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f4ad.png" alt="💭" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></a></h3>
313
314 If this is broken, can we at least have a debug mode to log what’s happening! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f62c.png" alt="😬" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
315 I need to know if it’s truly my fault or the code’s! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f50d.png" alt="🔍" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f6e0.png" alt="🛠" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
316 Thanks for looking into this TRAGIC situation!!! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f62d.png" alt="😭" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f494.png" alt="💔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
317 <br>
318 P.S. My friends ARE posting on this day and their instances work!! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f624.png" alt="😤" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
319 I feel so left out!! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f61f.png" alt="😟" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br>
320 Let’s get this sorted ASAP! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/26a1.png" alt="⚡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
321 </blockquote>
322
323 <p>OK, that's a <em>lot</em> of Emoji - too much even for me! But if one of my users needs help, I'm there for them! As the feature works for me, I decided I'd ask for the output of the app. Maybe there'd be a clue in the minimal debugging output it had.</p>
324
325 <p>I clicked on the link to the Codeberg repository and was hit be a 404! What? I clicked on the link to the user "simpleseaport2" but that was also broken.</p>
326
327 <p>"Seriously, What’s Going On?! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f50d.png" alt="🔍" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />"</p>
328
329 <p>It looks like Codeberg has been hit by a wave of spam bug reports. I read through the bug report again, slightly more awake, and saw just how content free it was. Yes, it is superficially well structured, the Emoji are a bit over-the-top but not the worst I've seen, and the emotional manipulation is quite insidious.</p>
330
331 <p>A few weeks later, I got a bug report to a different repo. This one was also deleted before I could reply to it, see if you can spot that it is AI generated:</p>
332
333 <blockquote><p>I've been trying to use the Threads tool to visualize some conversations but I'm running into a serious problem, and it's really frustrating!
334 </p><p>When I input the URL for a post with a substantial number of replies, the script seems to hang indefinitely. I've waited more than 15 minutes on a couple of occasions, and nothing seems to happen. This is not what I expected, especially since the README mentions large conversations may take a long time, but doesn’t specify any limits or give guidance on what users should do if it doesn’t respond at all!
335 </p><p>It's unclear what's actually happening here. Is the script failing silently? Is it the API timing out? Why isn’t there any sort of progress notification built into the tool? It feels like a complete dead end.
336 </p><p>Can you please add some kind of error handling or logging feature to the Threads script? It would be helpful if it could at least inform the user when a timeout occurs or if the API response is simply taking too long. Additionally, could you clarify the maximum number of replies that can be handled? It’s really inconvenient to have no idea if the script is still processing or if it’s just broken.
337 </p><p>Thanks for addressing this. I hope to see improvements soon.</p></blockquote>
338
339 <ul>
340 <li>The emotional manipulation starts in the first line - telling me how frustrated the user is.</li>
341 <li>It turns the blame on me for providing poor guidance.</li>
342 <li>Then the criticism of the tool.</li>
343 <li>Next, a request that I do work.</li>
344 <li>Finally some more emotional baggage for me to carry.</li>
345 </ul>
346
347 <p>I'm not alone in getting these - <a href="https://merveilles.town/@raboof/114589918314200123">other people have also received similar spam</a></p>
348
349 <p>To be fair to Codeberg, they are under attack and are trying to stop these specious complaints reaching maintainers.</p>
350
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