Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Kenny @kennyqin.com · 9d

As someone who's dabbled a fair amount in self-hosting, photo management is really something I don't think I want to spend the energy managing.

Ente is actually self-hostable if I change my mind. 😀

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Kenny @kennyqin.com · 9d

@ente.io is a media management tool that I've been using for 2 months now. I love that I can organise and share (with others) my photos and videos knowing that everything is private.

The price is affordable and I can see myself using for many years to come. 🤞

This post was not sponsored. 😅

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Reposted by Kenny

Rich Stein (he/him) @runrichrun.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 27d

It's Signal. It's worth using. Good interview with @Mer__edith
https://english.elpais.com/technology/2025-09-14/signal-president-meredith-whittaker-in-technology-its-way-too-easy-for-marketing-to-replace-substance-thats-whats-happened-with-telegram.html
h/t

#signal

Signal president Meredith Whittaker: ‘In technology, it’s way too easy for marketing to replace substance. That’s what’s happened with Telegram’

The app best known for respecting privacy looks to grow, despite anti-privacy efforts

english.elpais.com

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Kenny @kennyqin.com · Sep 11

I also looked at Plus Codes which is similar. It's not as user friendly but at least it's open and already adopted in the map apps I use. I just can't imagine sharing the code verbally to someone in an emergency scenario.

plus.codes

Redirecting...

plus.codes

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Sep 11

TIL about what3words. I quite like the concept but it's proprietary and the company behind it will take legal action against you down for stepping outside their ecosystem making it a nonstarter for me; not to mention that their app doesn't work on my phone without installing more proprietary crap.

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Kenny @kennyqin.com · Sep 3

I found this government dataset on Telstra Wi-Fi payphones. You can export the data as GPX and import it into an app like @comaps.app. Super cool!

data.wpcouncils.nsw.gov.au/explore/data...

Find a Telstra Wi-Fi payphone near you

This dataset captures the rollout and usage statistics of Telstra's free Wi-Fi service available at public payphones across Australia. Initiated in August 2022, the program began with approximately 3,...

data.wpcouncils.nsw.gov.au

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Aug 16

The elevation graph feature is something I'm greatly looking forward to being added to @comaps.app. Sadly, it seems like there are blockers before it can be added.

codeberg.org/comaps/comap...

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Jul 7

TIL: After installing Fedora Silverblue, you should almost immediately install the Flathub version of Firefox if you want a functional browser for video streaming. This is because there are a bunch of dependencies that are a pain to manage that just work out of the box with the Flathub installation.

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Kenny @kennyqin.com · Jun 28

Tell me you're an evil company without telling me you're evil. People often ask me why I disallow them to take photos of me. It's because of bullshit like this. 👇

The Verge @theverge.com · Jun 27

Facebook is starting to feed its AI with private, unpublished photos

Facebook is starting to feed its Meta AI with private, unpublished photos

Facebook users opting into “cloud processing” are inadvertently giving Meta AI access to their entire camera roll.

buff.ly

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Jun 27

Unpopular opinion: Steam sales need to stop being glorified. Games are often on sale throughout the year and often cheaper on other legitimate websites. This has been true for many years now.

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Jun 23

Just had a scramble to join a video call because Zoom no longer seems to allow Android devices to join through the browser by using "Desktop site". I, relunctantly, installed the APK which didn't work anyway. I then resorted to joining the call without a webcam on another device. Boo. 👎

Reposted by Kenny

Meredith Whittaker @meredithmeredith.bsky.social · Jun 16

Use Signal. We promise, no AI clutter, and no surveillance ads, whatever the rest of the industry does. <3

Image of a screenshot of news headline, saying, "WhatsApp is getting ads using personal data from Instagram and Facebook
Forced Consent & Consent Bypass
/
16 June 2025
Meta announced today that it also wants to introduce ads on WhatsApp, which will be based on personal data from Facebook and Instagram. This further integrates WhatsApp into other Meta services - an originally independent app, which initially was available for just $1 per year without ads or data usage. This also means that Meta is consolidating its social networking monopoly. EU law was actually supposed to prevent this."

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Reposted by Kenny

Kubernetes @kubernetes.io · Jun 16

Blog: Changes to Kubernetes Slack

Changes to Kubernetes Slack

Kubernetes Slack will lose its special status and will be changing into a standard free Slack on June 20. Sometime later this year, our community will likely move to a new platform. If you are responsible...

www.kubernetes.dev

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Kenny @kennyqin.com · May 19

I've been waiting like 5 years for this. lol

GOG.COM @gog.com · May 19

You can now use authenticator apps to keep your account and your glorious DRM-free library safe forever! 🔐

Learn how to enable it here: bit.ly/GOG_2FA

We hope you enjoy this new feature 💜

You can now use authenticator apps to keep your GOG account secure!

bit.ly

Kenny @kennyqin.com · May 15

I've seen a bunch of people and orgs make a huge deal out of the Steam "leak". They even go so far as to link to Steam's official announcement where Valve says it's all a load of nothing. 🤦

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Apr 28

Thank you to the person who let me use their Windows machine to install the "XBox Accessories" Windows app so that I could update the firmware of a few official XBox controllers so that they could pair with my Linux machine over Bluetooth.

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Apr 3

Tailscale has been great in my homelab and its been something I've talked about with others on multiple occasions.

#5yearsofTailscale

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Mar 29

The "Limited Access" to Contacts feature in iOS 18 is great. It should be the default and users should be warned when giving apps full access. Users should be responsible for the contacts shared with an app. In reality, most people will just give full access.

support.apple.com/en-au/guide/...

Control access to your contacts on iPhone

On iPhone, you control which of your contacts an app can access.

support.apple.com

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Reposted by Kenny

Signal @signal.org · Mar 25

Right now there are a lot of new eyes on Signal, and not all of them are familiar with secure messaging and its nuances. Which means there’s misinfo flying around that might drive people away from Signal and private communications. 1/

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Kenny @kennyqin.com · Mar 26

I've found that LinkedIn becomes a lot more tolerable once you've configured your notifications properly.

Those LinkedIn Premium ads though...

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Mar 25

Finally some movement on an F-Droid build of the official Bluesky Android client. I'm hyped!

github.com/bluesky-soci...

[Android] F-Droid release · Issue #898 · bluesky-social/social-app

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. Yes, can't download android app without Google Playstore. Describe the solution you'd like Bluesky is made available through F-Droid. ...

github.com

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Mar 21

Overnight, a bunch of Australian Mullvad servers started being blocked by Reddit. Back to using frontends. Redlib has been working well so far.

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Mar 20

My current, temporary desktop setup is a Steam Deck with a basic M/KB combo connected to a UGREEN USB hub connected to a GL-MT300N-V2 via Ethernet. My Android phone works well as a webcam. I have a notebook but it doesn't satisfy the gaming itch. It all just works. 🤓

Sent from my Steam Deck.

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Kenny @kennyqin.com · Mar 19

Got scammed in the last few weeks with this no longer circulated 1977 Australian 2c coin. Presumably, it was given as a change where the cashier thought it was a $2 coin. I think it's the first one I've ever held and it's pretty neat.

Kenny @kennyqin.com · Mar 13

I've been catching up on the whole boycott US companies thing and realised I've already been unofficially doing it for a while now...

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