Ian | Founder & Firestarter
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cubicgarden.com
Ian | Founder & Firestarter
@cubicgarden.com
Previously Senior firestarter at BBC RD, emergent technology expert and serial social geek event organiser.
http://www.cubicgarden.com | @[email protected]
Today I got the Drift DJ Zero for alpha testing and its impressive to say the very least

The future of mixing is in my hands - https://driftdj.com

Made by DJs for DJs and you can tell!
Drift Zero DJ, alpha testing
I have been using the Pacemaker device for I believe 17 years now but I have been looking around for the next generation of DJ tools. It was Si who first sent me the Drift DJ zero and I was sold pretty much straight away. Under a year later, I have have signed up as a alpha tester and today it came in the post from…
cubicgarden.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Recursive rhythms: the bring back techno ciento climb mix

My latest DJ mix, created on KLM, raised on BA
Recursive rhythms: the bring back techno ciento climb mix
Conference season is pretty much over and my last event was the excellent Mozilla Festival, this time in Barcelona. I took a KLM flight via Amsterdam on the way and created the base of a interesting mix. On the way back I flew via Heathrow on BA (a reminder how much I don't like Heathrow, and use to fly from Gatwick when I could).
cubicgarden.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Reposted by Ian | Founder & Firestarter
Amazing inspiring presentation by @bmann.ca that inspires new ideas of apps that can be built on ATProto. #EuroSkyLive
November 19, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Reposted by Ian | Founder & Firestarter
As @alexandrageese.bsky.social mentioned at #EuroSkLive, we need the European Commission to stand up against big tech.
Very timely with the important campaign launched by @peoplevsbigtech.bsky.social!
🚨 Brussels, today 🚨Ursula! Stand up for Europe – not for Trump’s tech bros!

As the EU unveils its “Digital Omnibus” today, we're rolling out billboards calling on @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu to stop bending to US and Big Tech pressure and enforce our digital laws #StandUpUrsula✊
November 19, 2025 at 10:44 AM
@phoenixrd.bsky.social
Seems my primary mastodon is down.
The fediverse podcast I mentioned is hosted by @flipboard.com

dot-social.simplecast.com
Dot Social
Learn about the Internet’s next wave on the open social web and what it will unlock for how we connect, communicate, and innovate online. Hosted by Flipboard CEO Mike McCue.
dot-social.simplecast.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:17 PM
I present the Helsinki familiar stranger #pacemakerdevice mix.

Recorded on different planes after going to #mydata2025, inspired by a stranger at the chihuahuajulep
Helsinki familiar stranger mix
About a month ago I was in Helsinki for the Mydata conference, one of the things I like to do is find new places. A guy I knew from Manchester suggested a really amazing speakeasy place to me, while I complained about the sugar-horrific gin & lemon in a can  one night. So I checked it out and thought it was…
cubicgarden.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:24 PM
We live in incredible times with such possibilities that is clear. Although its easily dismissed seeing the deliberate thoughtfulness of Tilly Norwood,  Deloitte's AI report to the Australia government and Windows 10 end of life is a e-waste disaster?

To quote Buckminster Fuller "You never change…
Public Service Internet monthly newsletter (Nov 2025)
We live in incredible times with such possibilities that is clear. Although its easily dismissed seeing the deliberate thoughtfulness of Tilly Norwood,  Deloitte's AI report to the Australia government and Windows 10 end of life is a e-waste disaster? To quote Buckminster Fuller "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
cubicgarden.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:54 PM
I was surprised to see myself on youtube.

One of the stories from #MyData2025.

The Machine readable wishes project got a good starting launch.
Stories from MyData 2025: Machine readable wishes
I was surprised to find myself on Youtube, It was a really good conference and the machine readable wishes workshop went down very well. You can see the slide deck linked here. Myself, Sam and Solana have started a blog here and there is a github repo started here.  Expect more soon, and get in touch if you find the project interesting.
cubicgarden.com
October 20, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Bannatyne shuts down in Manchester, if only all the spas in gyms in the Manchester area would get in touch with their best offers.
Bannatyne Gym/Spa shuts down in Manchester
A man spoke to me in the Bannatyne, Withworth street Steam room. I adjusted my headphones and announced I can't hear him, as I'm listening to an audiobook. He kept speaking and I paused Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown. Turning to him, as he was the only one in the steam room, which was admittedly strange for peak-time.
cubicgarden.com
October 12, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Reposted by Ian | Founder & Firestarter
Join #freeourfeeds and @eurosky.social on Wednesday, 19 November in Berlin as European leaders, policymakers, developers, and investors explore what's already being built and chart the path forward for Europe’s open social web. We are so pleased that @alexandrageese.bsky.social will be joining us!
We're delighted to announce @alexandrageese.bsky.social, Member of the European Parliament for the Greens/EFA Group, as a speaker for Eurosky Live in Berlin this November.

#EuroskyLive #DigitalSovereignty #EuropeanTech

www.eurosky.social/eurosky-live
October 10, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Reposted by Ian | Founder & Firestarter
Our European-focused work, under the brand of @eurosky.social is taking off. Our first in-person event happens in Berlin on November 19, to discuss and share opportunities for European open social #atrproto infrastructure operated in Europe. We're announcing our speakers here!
We're very excited to that announce Heike Raab, Representative of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate to the Federal Government and for Europe and the Media, will be speaking at #EuroskyLive in Berlin this November.

#EuroskyLive #DigitalSovereignty #EuropeanTech
October 9, 2025 at 4:54 PM
With the UK's steps into the age gated internet and digital ID back again like the renegade master, the #techgrumps have plenty to be grumpy about in this month's podcast.
Techgrumps 3.32 Your Illegal Racially Motivated Stops Will Go More Smoothly
With the UK's steps into the age gated internet and digital ID back again like the renegade master, the techgrumps have plenty to be grumpy about in this month's podcast. Grumps this time include the voices of Ian Forrester, David Eastman, Ryan Alexander and Wendy Grossman. Techgrumps 3.32 UK Digital ID Christie’s has quietly shuttered its digital art department …
techgrumps.wordpress.com
October 7, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Reposted by Ian | Founder & Firestarter
Fancy handing over all your data to Oracle or Palantair? Lets make that easy with the new Digital ID cards!

Join the campaign: Say No to Digital IDs action.openrightsgroup.org/join-campaig... #idcards
October 2, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Lawmakers are using kids as pawns to push these age-gating bills. But limiting access to information and mandating intrusive data collection doesn’t help kids—it makes them even less safe. Tell lawmakers: online ID checks will ruin the internet. www.stoponlineidchecks.org stoponlineidchecks.org
ONLINE ID CHECKS WILL RUIN THE INTERNET
www.stoponlineidchecks.org
October 3, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by Ian | Founder & Firestarter
My Financial Times interview got reprinted on the front page of the newspaper The Australian Financial Review with an incredible illustration of the contents of my mind and the big handle I turn when I blog

www.afr.com/technology/t...
October 2, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Public Service Internet monthly newsletter (Oct 2025)

We live in incredible times with such possibilities that is clear. Although its easily dismissed seeing AI attempting to rewrite history, Agentic AI browsers fooled and Rabbit R1 is back?

To quote Buckminster Fuller "You never change things by…
Public Service Internet monthly newsletter (Oct 2025)
We live in incredible times with such possibilities that is clear. Although its easily dismissed seeing AI attempting to rewrite history, Agentic AI browsers fooled and Rabbit R1 is back? To quote Buckminster Fuller "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." You are seeing aspects of this with good counter-points parts [
cubicgarden.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Reposted by Ian | Founder & Firestarter
Fascinating workshop on death and digital legacy by @cubicgarden.com at #mydata2025.. letters of wishes can be machine readable and even automated according to #mydata principles - but you have to keep a human in the process as an approver.
September 25, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Reposted by Ian | Founder & Firestarter
Good morning! If you’re on mastodon.social (or another server running nightly builds) you can begin quoting posts in your posts (quooting?) starting today. Remember, you control whether you can be quoted, and call always retract your post from a specific quote. And you can quote me on that!
September 18, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Public Service Internet monthly newsletter (Sept 2025)

We live in incredible times with such possibilities that is clear. Although its easily dismissed seeing how we are being watched, wishing people will stop sharing pictures with ChatGPT and people in the UK told to delete emails In order to…
Public Service Internet monthly newsletter (Sept 2025)
We live in incredible times with such possibilities that is clear. Although its easily dismissed seeing how we are being watched, wishing people will stop sharing pictures with ChatGPT and people in the UK told to delete emails In order to save water? To quote Buckminster Fuller "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
cubicgarden.com
September 1, 2025 at 7:45 AM