ben
@eskola.uk
Software engineer, socialist. London, but from up north. Learning Finnish.
Anti-AI, pro-human.
mostly cross posted from mastodon for now
https://eskola.uk
https://hachyderm.io/@benjamineskola
Anti-AI, pro-human.
mostly cross posted from mastodon for now
https://eskola.uk
https://hachyderm.io/@benjamineskola
I know everyone’s seen jokes about punctuation is important because it’s the difference between blah blah you know the ones.
But I’ve seen the word codesigning twice in the space of a couple of days and both times around the implicit hyphen was in a different place.
But I’ve seen the word codesigning twice in the space of a couple of days and both times around the implicit hyphen was in a different place.
November 26, 2025 at 9:43 PM
I know everyone’s seen jokes about punctuation is important because it’s the difference between blah blah you know the ones.
But I’ve seen the word codesigning twice in the space of a couple of days and both times around the implicit hyphen was in a different place.
But I’ve seen the word codesigning twice in the space of a couple of days and both times around the implicit hyphen was in a different place.
Reposted by ben
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
November 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
Reposted by ben
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
November 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
Reposted by ben
Asking a chatbot isn't better than nothing -- it's worse than nothing. Unless the goal isn't learning but rather "turning in assignments".
November 24, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Asking a chatbot isn't better than nothing -- it's worse than nothing. Unless the goal isn't learning but rather "turning in assignments".
Reposted by ben
it is absolutely the tech companies fault that people now assume they’re doing something evil and sneaky even when they actually aren’t (regarding the latest Google kerfuffle)
like, no kidding that people have zero willingness to cut big tech the benefit of the doubt anymore
like, no kidding that people have zero willingness to cut big tech the benefit of the doubt anymore
November 23, 2025 at 8:33 AM
it is absolutely the tech companies fault that people now assume they’re doing something evil and sneaky even when they actually aren’t (regarding the latest Google kerfuffle)
like, no kidding that people have zero willingness to cut big tech the benefit of the doubt anymore
like, no kidding that people have zero willingness to cut big tech the benefit of the doubt anymore
This PR and the author’s comments are incredible. https://github.com/ocaml/ocaml/pull/14369
Just a complete lack of critical thinking about the tool. Even if LLMs are generally valuable this is clearly not a helpful approach on multiple levels.
Just a complete lack of critical thinking about the tool. Even if LLMs are generally valuable this is clearly not a helpful approach on multiple levels.
DWARF support for macOS and Linux by joelreymont · Pull Request #14369 · ocaml/ocaml
DWARF v5 Debugging Support for OCaml Native Compiler
This PR adds DWARF v5 debug information to the OCaml native compiler, allowing proper source-level debugging in GDB and LLDB.
What's Impleme...
github.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:48 PM
This PR and the author’s comments are incredible. https://github.com/ocaml/ocaml/pull/14369
Just a complete lack of critical thinking about the tool. Even if LLMs are generally valuable this is clearly not a helpful approach on multiple levels.
Just a complete lack of critical thinking about the tool. Even if LLMs are generally valuable this is clearly not a helpful approach on multiple levels.
Reposted by ben
While on tour promoting 'Wake Up Dead Man', Rian Johnson goes off on AI for “making everything worse in every single way.” bit.ly/47UBPfH
November 22, 2025 at 2:00 AM
While on tour promoting 'Wake Up Dead Man', Rian Johnson goes off on AI for “making everything worse in every single way.” bit.ly/47UBPfH
Reposted by ben
Like it or not this technology is here to stay and if you don’t use it you’ll fall behind in your industry
November 16, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Like it or not this technology is here to stay and if you don’t use it you’ll fall behind in your industry
yeah I’ve optimised it completely away https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot/115582933545419101
thoughtbot (@[email protected])
Trying to optimize your AI coding workflow? One size doesn't fit all. During an AI pair programming session, we discovered some insights about control, context and trust that might help you sharpen your own process. https://thoughtbot.com/blog/ai-in-focus-pair-programming-with-ai
thoughtbot.social
November 20, 2025 at 6:12 PM
yeah I’ve optimised it completely away https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot/115582933545419101
Labour party once again discovers that hereditary peers are not its friends https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/18/out-of-touch-peers-criticised-for-voting-against-workers-rights
‘Out of touch’ hereditary peers criticised for voting against workers’ rights
Lords look ‘undemocratic and firmly against interest of working people’, say senior trade union and Labour figures
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Labour party once again discovers that hereditary peers are not its friends https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/18/out-of-touch-peers-criticised-for-voting-against-workers-rights
Bluesky really is succeeding in reproducing the classic Twitter experience: no matter how far right the Labour Party goes there’ll always be plenty of freaks willing to defend them.
November 17, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Bluesky really is succeeding in reproducing the classic Twitter experience: no matter how far right the Labour Party goes there’ll always be plenty of freaks willing to defend them.
Reposted by ben
Labour won't redistribute wealth from billionaires.
But they will seize belongings from those fleeing war and persecution.
Absolutely disgusting. Asylum seekers are human beings — and they deserve to live in dignity just like anybody else.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
But they will seize belongings from those fleeing war and persecution.
Absolutely disgusting. Asylum seekers are human beings — and they deserve to live in dignity just like anybody else.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Asylum seekers’ jewellery could be seized to pay for processing costs, says Home Office minister
Idea borrowed from Denmark is latest attempt to reduce number of people seeking asylum in UK
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Labour won't redistribute wealth from billionaires.
But they will seize belongings from those fleeing war and persecution.
Absolutely disgusting. Asylum seekers are human beings — and they deserve to live in dignity just like anybody else.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
But they will seize belongings from those fleeing war and persecution.
Absolutely disgusting. Asylum seekers are human beings — and they deserve to live in dignity just like anybody else.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
RE: https://mastodon.social/@fesshole/115559576799718697
in my experience this is simply how one gets cats.
either they show up out of nowhere and don’t leave and now you have a cat, or they escape before you get a chance to have them spayed and a couple of weeks later you have kittens.
in my experience this is simply how one gets cats.
either they show up out of nowhere and don’t leave and now you have a cat, or they escape before you get a chance to have them spayed and a couple of weeks later you have kittens.
Fesshole 🧻 (@[email protected])
Left the back door open for barely even two minutes and the local stray cat wandered in. Helped himself to the best and warmest spot on the couch. Has since refused to leave the house. So I guess he owns the house now? Is that how it works? At least he's cute.
mastodon.social
November 16, 2025 at 5:48 PM
RE: https://mastodon.social/@fesshole/115559576799718697
in my experience this is simply how one gets cats.
either they show up out of nowhere and don’t leave and now you have a cat, or they escape before you get a chance to have them spayed and a couple of weeks later you have kittens.
in my experience this is simply how one gets cats.
either they show up out of nowhere and don’t leave and now you have a cat, or they escape before you get a chance to have them spayed and a couple of weeks later you have kittens.
Reposted by ben
“Migrants aren’t supposed to have families” is a morally bankrupt position
“on article 8 of the ECHR in particular the right to family life ..we want to constrain in legislation the way that that is applied in immigration cases” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood tells Sky’s Trevor Philips
Who would have imagined we would ever hear this from a Labour government
Who would have imagined we would ever hear this from a Labour government
November 16, 2025 at 10:27 AM
“Migrants aren’t supposed to have families” is a morally bankrupt position
I’ve been in favour of something similar since the fox hunting ban 2004, good to see it’s taking off. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/15/are-they-going-to-eat-me-alive-trail-runners-become-prey-in-newest-form-of-hunting
‘Are they going to eat me alive?’: trail runners become prey in newest form of hunting
Nervous reporter is chased across English countryside by baying bloodhounds, in what could soon be only legal way to hunt with dogs
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:12 PM
I’ve been in favour of something similar since the fox hunting ban 2004, good to see it’s taking off. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/15/are-they-going-to-eat-me-alive-trail-runners-become-prey-in-newest-form-of-hunting
Reposted by ben
that feedback. It has to do with teams working in whatever way they see fit to get stuff into the customer's hands as quickly as possible and acting on the feedback without bureaucratic obstacles. Any way that you can accomplish that is fine.
2/3
2/3
November 15, 2025 at 7:00 PM
that feedback. It has to do with teams working in whatever way they see fit to get stuff into the customer's hands as quickly as possible and acting on the feedback without bureaucratic obstacles. Any way that you can accomplish that is fine.
2/3
2/3
Reposted by ben
<rant> A periodic reminder that Sprints, Backlogs, Daily Scrums, Scrum Boards, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, Points, Velocity, PIs, etc., have NOTHING AT ALL to do with "Agile." Agility comes from working small, delivering frequently for feedback from actual customers, and adapting based on
1/3
1/3
November 15, 2025 at 7:00 PM
<rant> A periodic reminder that Sprints, Backlogs, Daily Scrums, Scrum Boards, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, Points, Velocity, PIs, etc., have NOTHING AT ALL to do with "Agile." Agility comes from working small, delivering frequently for feedback from actual customers, and adapting based on
1/3
1/3
It would be nice if we could have cycle lanes that didn’t come at the expense of, e.g., trees and kids playgrounds. Greenwich Council seems to be doing this a lot recently; pits cyclists against everyone else.
Why not take space away from motor vehicles?
Why not take space away from motor vehicles?
More than 50 trees on Woolwich Common that were set to be chopped down have been given a reprieve - at least for now - after an application to widen a road was taken off a planning committee’s agenda.
Plans for a new cycle lane had received over 500 objections.
greenwichwire.co.uk/2025/11/14/w...
Plans for a new cycle lane had received over 500 objections.
greenwichwire.co.uk/2025/11/14/w...
Reprieve for Woolwich Common trees after cycle lane plans halted - The Greenwich Wire
More than 50 trees on Woolwich Common that were set to be chopped down have been given a reprieve after an application to widen a road was taken off a planning committee’s agenda.
greenwichwire.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 9:31 PM
It would be nice if we could have cycle lanes that didn’t come at the expense of, e.g., trees and kids playgrounds. Greenwich Council seems to be doing this a lot recently; pits cyclists against everyone else.
Why not take space away from motor vehicles?
Why not take space away from motor vehicles?
historically my primary use of a VPN has been … in the course of my work for the British Government, where it is mandatory for a number of critical tasks.
i’d love to know if the “tech minister” has spoken about this to anybody who understands computers.
i’d love to know if the “tech minister” has spoken about this to anybody who understands computers.
The British government admits it is now monitoring VPNs use by UK residents. Regulator Ofcom has contracted with an AI-powered surveillance service to detect the number of citizens using VPNs to evade the Online Safety Act.
The UK tech minister has said a VPN ban is on the table.
The UK tech minister has said a VPN ban is on the table.
Exclusive: Ofcom is monitoring VPNs following Online Safety Act. Here's how
Ignoring VPNs risks creating ineffective laws, but tracking them threatens people's privacy
www.techradar.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:46 AM
historically my primary use of a VPN has been … in the course of my work for the British Government, where it is mandatory for a number of critical tasks.
i’d love to know if the “tech minister” has spoken about this to anybody who understands computers.
i’d love to know if the “tech minister” has spoken about this to anybody who understands computers.
CW: gbpol
The idea of Streeting as prime minister is farcical. I think I’d emigrate out of sheer embarrassment.
The idea of Streeting as prime minister is farcical. I think I’d emigrate out of sheer embarrassment.
November 12, 2025 at 8:17 AM
CW: gbpol
The idea of Streeting as prime minister is farcical. I think I’d emigrate out of sheer embarrassment.
The idea of Streeting as prime minister is farcical. I think I’d emigrate out of sheer embarrassment.
Reposted by ben
When you are using the "AI" framing, does the way you talk about "AI" carry water for the Sam Altmans of the world? That is, are you helping to paint a picture of their tech as inevitable, all powerful, and/or anything other than commercial products?
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November 10, 2025 at 8:35 PM
When you are using the "AI" framing, does the way you talk about "AI" carry water for the Sam Altmans of the world? That is, are you helping to paint a picture of their tech as inevitable, all powerful, and/or anything other than commercial products?
>>
>>
I know I’m a cynic but this absolutely does not seem like an appropriate usecase for an “AI chatbot”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/nov/10/ai-chatbots-stop-prisoner-release-errors
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/nov/10/ai-chatbots-stop-prisoner-release-errors
AI chatbots could help stop prisoner release errors, says justice minister
HMP Wandsworth gets ‘green light’ to use AI after team sent in to find ‘quick fixes’ after spate of mistakes
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:23 PM
I know I’m a cynic but this absolutely does not seem like an appropriate usecase for an “AI chatbot”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/nov/10/ai-chatbots-stop-prisoner-release-errors
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/nov/10/ai-chatbots-stop-prisoner-release-errors
New blog post: Reading (September–October 2025) https://eskola.uk/2025/reading-september-october/
Reading (September–October 2025) | Benjamin Eskola
My first book of September was The Darkest Evening by Ann
Cleeves; it’s the ninth of this series I’ve read, and something like the
14th overall by this author (she also wrote the Shetland
series, w...
eskola.uk
November 9, 2025 at 6:53 PM
New blog post: Reading (September–October 2025) https://eskola.uk/2025/reading-september-october/
i’ve recently seen the words ‘alderperson’ and ‘ombudsperson’ used, apparently seriously; and while I’m absolutely in favour of gender-neutral language i feel fairly certain that there were other alternatives available here.
November 9, 2025 at 4:41 PM
i’ve recently seen the words ‘alderperson’ and ‘ombudsperson’ used, apparently seriously; and while I’m absolutely in favour of gender-neutral language i feel fairly certain that there were other alternatives available here.