Cthos
@cthos.dev
(he/him) Just a guy with a blog and some TTRPG stuff occasionally talks about tech. I mostly blog about tech over at alextheward.com and ttrpg stuff at cthonicstudios.com
@[email protected] over on Mastodon
@[email protected] over on Mastodon
Pinned
Cthos
@cthos.dev
· Oct 20
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Alex Ward, Software Developer / Architect
alextheward.com
It occurs to me I never did an intro post. Hi, I'm cthos (also Alex) and I've been doing tech professionally for a long time and now I'm doing a lot of #ttrpg design and writing and stuff.
I blog tech over here: alextheward.com
I blog ttrpgs here: cthonicstudios.com
And itch here: cthos.itch.io
I blog tech over here: alextheward.com
I blog ttrpgs here: cthonicstudios.com
And itch here: cthos.itch.io
Aaaahhhhhhggggggggggghhhhhh
December 9, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Aaaahhhhhhggggggggggghhhhhh
Reposted by Cthos
It's truly wild to me that this just keeps happening. Coca-Cola runs an AI ad and people overwhelmingly react with disgust. They do it again, and people are disgusted again. Now McDonald's makes an AI ad that's so bad that so many people are furious about it they pull it down.
People hate AI slop!
People hate AI slop!
McDonald's Pulls Down AI-Generated Holiday Ad After Deluge of Mockery
McDonald's Netherlands is catching flak for a stupefying AI-generated video, which was roundly condemned on social media.
futurism.com
December 9, 2025 at 8:29 PM
It's truly wild to me that this just keeps happening. Coca-Cola runs an AI ad and people overwhelmingly react with disgust. They do it again, and people are disgusted again. Now McDonald's makes an AI ad that's so bad that so many people are furious about it they pull it down.
People hate AI slop!
People hate AI slop!
Reposted by Cthos
The outcome of this is so obvious that you have to assume the decision-makers *intend* to kill people
(h/t @nrlines.bsky.social for boosting into my skyline)
(h/t @nrlines.bsky.social for boosting into my skyline)
"AI companies will be paid a portion of the savings from claims they deny or, as the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction plan puts it, “compensated based on a share of averted expenditures.”"
Thousands of Washington state Medicare users could soon have claims denied by AI
Starting Jan. 1, traditional Medicare recipients in Washington state will face a new hurdle to get certain procedures covered — private AI companies that get paid based on how many claims they deny.
www.kuow.org
December 8, 2025 at 8:07 PM
The outcome of this is so obvious that you have to assume the decision-makers *intend* to kill people
(h/t @nrlines.bsky.social for boosting into my skyline)
(h/t @nrlines.bsky.social for boosting into my skyline)
Reposted by Cthos
NO MORE NIHAO
ONLY NI-HOWDY
ONLY NI-HOWDY
I like whatever is wrong with my algorithm over there
December 8, 2025 at 2:28 AM
NO MORE NIHAO
ONLY NI-HOWDY
ONLY NI-HOWDY
Reposted by Cthos
I can’t get over how Barbie succeeded because it offered tangible ways for women and girls to celebrate each other (and dress up and go to the movies together) but studios thought it worked because it’s about toys so now they’re making like Bananagrams the movie
December 6, 2025 at 3:27 PM
I can’t get over how Barbie succeeded because it offered tangible ways for women and girls to celebrate each other (and dress up and go to the movies together) but studios thought it worked because it’s about toys so now they’re making like Bananagrams the movie
Reposted by Cthos
Our modern subscription hellhole is aggressively anti-ownership and the kids know it
December 7, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Our modern subscription hellhole is aggressively anti-ownership and the kids know it
Reposted by Cthos
One time we were out to dinner with the team who'd translated Apocalypse World into Italian. The project lead signalled for quiet and they all raised their glases.
"Vincent," he said, and then they all as one: "fuuuuuck yoooouuu."
"Vincent," he said, and then they all as one: "fuuuuuck yoooouuu."
December 7, 2025 at 1:37 AM
One time we were out to dinner with the team who'd translated Apocalypse World into Italian. The project lead signalled for quiet and they all raised their glases.
"Vincent," he said, and then they all as one: "fuuuuuck yoooouuu."
"Vincent," he said, and then they all as one: "fuuuuuck yoooouuu."
Reposted by Cthos
My org @fightforthefuture.org has been “de-googling” for the last year.
We’re totally off Google suite, Google docs, Drive, Calendar.
We’re using Signal and Element for chat, Nextcloud for docs, etc
Planning to publish a “how to” guide for other nonprofits and activist groups soonish.
We’re totally off Google suite, Google docs, Drive, Calendar.
We’re using Signal and Element for chat, Nextcloud for docs, etc
Planning to publish a “how to” guide for other nonprofits and activist groups soonish.
December 6, 2025 at 7:53 PM
My org @fightforthefuture.org has been “de-googling” for the last year.
We’re totally off Google suite, Google docs, Drive, Calendar.
We’re using Signal and Element for chat, Nextcloud for docs, etc
Planning to publish a “how to” guide for other nonprofits and activist groups soonish.
We’re totally off Google suite, Google docs, Drive, Calendar.
We’re using Signal and Element for chat, Nextcloud for docs, etc
Planning to publish a “how to” guide for other nonprofits and activist groups soonish.
Reposted by Cthos
when you fundamentally fail to understand your audience and also your competitor pool
Several teams of female gamers have dropped out of the Dead by Daylight Women's World Cup after trans women were banned.
Women gamers boycott global esports tournament over trans ban
Several teams of female gamers have dropped out of the Dead by Daylight Women's World Cup after trans women were banned.
bit.ly
December 6, 2025 at 3:18 PM
when you fundamentally fail to understand your audience and also your competitor pool
Reposted by Cthos
So Apple be doing what Amazon Echo dots be doing?
Siri “unintentionally” recorded private convos; Apple agrees to pay $95M
Apple users may get $20 each for up to five Siri-enabled devices.
arstechnica.com
December 6, 2025 at 7:01 PM
So Apple be doing what Amazon Echo dots be doing?
Reposted by Cthos
so… who's looking for a frontend dev? i'd love to work on/with a robust design system
DMs are now wide open!
DMs are now wide open!
i just want to do good work with other people who want to do good work
December 5, 2025 at 11:57 AM
so… who's looking for a frontend dev? i'd love to work on/with a robust design system
DMs are now wide open!
DMs are now wide open!
Reposted by Cthos
December 5, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Reposted by Cthos
AI nuclear winter can't come soon enough!
And the thing is the ML revolution already happened and these gigawatt datacenters are going to be just huge money pits:
pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/07/t...
And the thing is the ML revolution already happened and these gigawatt datacenters are going to be just huge money pits:
pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/07/t...
December 4, 2025 at 2:47 PM
AI nuclear winter can't come soon enough!
And the thing is the ML revolution already happened and these gigawatt datacenters are going to be just huge money pits:
pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/07/t...
And the thing is the ML revolution already happened and these gigawatt datacenters are going to be just huge money pits:
pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/07/t...
Reposted by Cthos
December 5, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Reposted by Cthos
listen. listen to me. libraries are getting indie TTRPGs in circulation. high school teachers are bringing weird stuff to the teenz TTRPG club. we continue to be in a beautiful moment for showing more people the full breadth of what games can be. nurture it by playing & loving games!!! a gift!!!!!
December 5, 2025 at 6:54 PM
listen. listen to me. libraries are getting indie TTRPGs in circulation. high school teachers are bringing weird stuff to the teenz TTRPG club. we continue to be in a beautiful moment for showing more people the full breadth of what games can be. nurture it by playing & loving games!!! a gift!!!!!
Reposted by Cthos
Reading up on the latest React exploit and holy shit this is really bad. Catastrophically bad. If you’re using React and RSC start by upgrading yesterday and then reconsider if this is a feature you want to immediately invest.
December 5, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Reading up on the latest React exploit and holy shit this is really bad. Catastrophically bad. If you’re using React and RSC start by upgrading yesterday and then reconsider if this is a feature you want to immediately invest.
Reposted by Cthos
Vincent is threatening to write a beginners guid to designing a game the Powered by the Apocalypse way and I'll be honest, I kind of need y'all to step up so that goodness can come into the world. Just, like, 10.000 dollars more to go.
December 5, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Vincent is threatening to write a beginners guid to designing a game the Powered by the Apocalypse way and I'll be honest, I kind of need y'all to step up so that goodness can come into the world. Just, like, 10.000 dollars more to go.
Added a short section on Passkey device attestation to the Omnibus. I'd omitted it before since it's.... pretty rare that it's enforced for B2C usecase and only one of the IdPs I cover on the site even support doing it: authomnibus.com/authenticati...
Auth Omnibus - Passkeys
Passkeys
authomnibus.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Added a short section on Passkey device attestation to the Omnibus. I'd omitted it before since it's.... pretty rare that it's enforced for B2C usecase and only one of the IdPs I cover on the site even support doing it: authomnibus.com/authenticati...
Reposted by Cthos
Developer attempts to replicate "Liquid Glass" in CSS, and once finished realizes what she'd actually created is an exploit for a fundamental, previously unknown, and rather serious browser vulnerability
lyra.horse/blog/2025/12...
"CSS hack accidentally becomes regular hack"
lyra.horse/blog/2025/12...
"CSS hack accidentally becomes regular hack"
SVG Filters - Clickjacking 2.0
A novel and powerful twist on an old classic.
lyra.horse
December 5, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Developer attempts to replicate "Liquid Glass" in CSS, and once finished realizes what she'd actually created is an exploit for a fundamental, previously unknown, and rather serious browser vulnerability
lyra.horse/blog/2025/12...
"CSS hack accidentally becomes regular hack"
lyra.horse/blog/2025/12...
"CSS hack accidentally becomes regular hack"
Reposted by Cthos
The thing to understand about "age verification" laws is that they are not just for kids
The only way to "stop kids from doing xyz online" using age-gating is to demand a government ID (or invasive biometric face scan) from EVERYONE.
This means associating your gov ID with EVERYTHING YOU DO ONLINE
The only way to "stop kids from doing xyz online" using age-gating is to demand a government ID (or invasive biometric face scan) from EVERYONE.
This means associating your gov ID with EVERYTHING YOU DO ONLINE
December 4, 2025 at 9:20 PM
The thing to understand about "age verification" laws is that they are not just for kids
The only way to "stop kids from doing xyz online" using age-gating is to demand a government ID (or invasive biometric face scan) from EVERYONE.
This means associating your gov ID with EVERYTHING YOU DO ONLINE
The only way to "stop kids from doing xyz online" using age-gating is to demand a government ID (or invasive biometric face scan) from EVERYONE.
This means associating your gov ID with EVERYTHING YOU DO ONLINE
Auth0 wrote a good post about what the difference between PKCE, state, and nonce in OAuth, and I know this has come up on here before: auth0.com/blog/demysti...
#oauth2
#oauth2
Demystifying OAuth Security: State vs. Nonce vs. PKCE
Learn the critical differences between OAuth State, Nonce, and PKCE. Discover how these parameters prevent CSRF, replay attacks, and code...
auth0.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Auth0 wrote a good post about what the difference between PKCE, state, and nonce in OAuth, and I know this has come up on here before: auth0.com/blog/demysti...
#oauth2
#oauth2
Reposted by Cthos
it's wild how the positive use cases are like "save 5 minutes reading a long doc" and "write a generic email faster" and the negative use cases are "get encouraged to dive deeper in psychosis, misogyny, or suicidal thoughts" and we're still on the fence about overall value
New from 404 Media: ChatGPT told a violent stalker to continue running his misogynistic and threat-filled podcast despite the “haters,” and to visit more gyms to find women. The man stalked women in multiple states, including touching and following from work
www.404media.co/chatgpt-spot...
www.404media.co/chatgpt-spot...
ChatGPT Told a Violent Stalker to Embrace the 'Haters,' Indictment Says
A newly filed indictment claims a wannabe influencer used ChatGPT as his "therapist" and "best friend" in his pursuit of the "wife type," while harassing women so aggressively they had to miss work a...
www.404media.co
December 3, 2025 at 6:17 PM
it's wild how the positive use cases are like "save 5 minutes reading a long doc" and "write a generic email faster" and the negative use cases are "get encouraged to dive deeper in psychosis, misogyny, or suicidal thoughts" and we're still on the fence about overall value
Reposted by Cthos
Solo play enthusiasts, sharpen your quills. Gentleman Scoundrel is out now!
🔪 LAUNCHED on ITCH 🔪
Gentleman Scoundrel, a Blades in the Dark solo+ poetry RPG! Become a Doskvol rogue who wields a pen as well as they handle a blade.
allisonarth.itch.io/gentleman-sc...
Gentleman Scoundrel, a Blades in the Dark solo+ poetry RPG! Become a Doskvol rogue who wields a pen as well as they handle a blade.
allisonarth.itch.io/gentleman-sc...
Gentleman Scoundrel | A Blades in the Dark Solo RPG by allison arth
A Doskvol poetry RPG for 1+
allisonarth.itch.io
December 3, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Solo play enthusiasts, sharpen your quills. Gentleman Scoundrel is out now!
Reposted by Cthos
Being a class member against Anthropic is nice and all I guess but I don’t want settlement money, I want the book I carved out of my trauma as a warning against unregulated tech to be taken out of the machine that pollutes small towns to encourage people to kill themselves
December 3, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Being a class member against Anthropic is nice and all I guess but I don’t want settlement money, I want the book I carved out of my trauma as a warning against unregulated tech to be taken out of the machine that pollutes small towns to encourage people to kill themselves