Jonathan Beckett
@jonbeckett.bsky.social
Software and web developer, husband, father, writer, runner, coffee drinker, retro video games player. Pizza solves most things.
If there’s one thing that will stop me reading what you’ve written, it’s mansplaining. As soon as an author starts writing “you” rather than “I”, I switch off pretty rapidly.
March 11, 2025 at 6:07 PM
If there’s one thing that will stop me reading what you’ve written, it’s mansplaining. As soon as an author starts writing “you” rather than “I”, I switch off pretty rapidly.
First day off sick in a year. Just completed the trip to the shops to get energy drinks, paracetamol, chocolate, and cough syrup (which we all know doesn't work, but still hoping the placebo effect does).
February 19, 2025 at 11:31 AM
First day off sick in a year. Just completed the trip to the shops to get energy drinks, paracetamol, chocolate, and cough syrup (which we all know doesn't work, but still hoping the placebo effect does).
The one where I won't admit how difficult I found it to switch off my work computer this evening, after finally discovering how to do something that I've been working towards all day - with minutes of the day left.
February 13, 2025 at 6:10 PM
The one where I won't admit how difficult I found it to switch off my work computer this evening, after finally discovering how to do something that I've been working towards all day - with minutes of the day left.
I'm trying to make more time for writing. When I look back at my personal blog - started over twenty years ago - I am often surprised at how good it used to be.
February 9, 2025 at 12:14 PM
I'm trying to make more time for writing. When I look back at my personal blog - started over twenty years ago - I am often surprised at how good it used to be.
I used to fly quite often with work. Sometimes the weather would be kind, and the approach route into Heathrow would take us over "the city of London" - I could never understand why everybody else wasn't filling their phone with photos too...
February 4, 2025 at 6:47 PM
I used to fly quite often with work. Sometimes the weather would be kind, and the approach route into Heathrow would take us over "the city of London" - I could never understand why everybody else wasn't filling their phone with photos too...
I watched the movie "Her" a few days ago, and something has been eating away at me ever since. Shortly before the plug is pulled on "Samantha", she seems to have become self aware. There's a much better movie hidden in those few minutes that doesn't exist...
February 4, 2025 at 3:32 PM
I watched the movie "Her" a few days ago, and something has been eating away at me ever since. Shortly before the plug is pulled on "Samantha", she seems to have become self aware. There's a much better movie hidden in those few minutes that doesn't exist...
Why is it we look forward to the weekend, then when we get there we stare in horror at the mountain of chores that need doing? Why do we forget about this peculiar hell by next weekend, and again the weekend after that, and so on?
February 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Why is it we look forward to the weekend, then when we get there we stare in horror at the mountain of chores that need doing? Why do we forget about this peculiar hell by next weekend, and again the weekend after that, and so on?
Am I the only person that resists following people because I don't want to look like I'm trying to play the system - but then realise I'll never get to know anybody otherwise :/
January 31, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Am I the only person that resists following people because I don't want to look like I'm trying to play the system - but then realise I'll never get to know anybody otherwise :/
The major thing I'm starting to understand - it's taken me several years to build nearly 40,000 subscribers at YouTube, and nearly 2,000 subscribers at Substack - all through organic means.
I need to protect them now. I receive marketing offers every week. I'm getting better at saying no.
I need to protect them now. I receive marketing offers every week. I'm getting better at saying no.
January 24, 2025 at 6:02 PM
The major thing I'm starting to understand - it's taken me several years to build nearly 40,000 subscribers at YouTube, and nearly 2,000 subscribers at Substack - all through organic means.
I need to protect them now. I receive marketing offers every week. I'm getting better at saying no.
I need to protect them now. I receive marketing offers every week. I'm getting better at saying no.
Interesting few days:
- I posted my first "paying member only" post on Substack - testing the waters towards offering readers more in return for a small subscription fee
- I turned down a marketing agency wanting to advertise a very well known mental health product in the middle of my youtube videos
- I posted my first "paying member only" post on Substack - testing the waters towards offering readers more in return for a small subscription fee
- I turned down a marketing agency wanting to advertise a very well known mental health product in the middle of my youtube videos
January 24, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Interesting few days:
- I posted my first "paying member only" post on Substack - testing the waters towards offering readers more in return for a small subscription fee
- I turned down a marketing agency wanting to advertise a very well known mental health product in the middle of my youtube videos
- I posted my first "paying member only" post on Substack - testing the waters towards offering readers more in return for a small subscription fee
- I turned down a marketing agency wanting to advertise a very well known mental health product in the middle of my youtube videos
The effort some people put into mansplaining to anybody and everybody what they should see, not see, read, not read, watch, not watch, think, not think, like, dislike, love or hate is staggering.
January 21, 2025 at 9:51 AM
The effort some people put into mansplaining to anybody and everybody what they should see, not see, read, not read, watch, not watch, think, not think, like, dislike, love or hate is staggering.
In other news, growing increasingly weary of the most vocal minority that disparage any platform that allows anything other than their perceived "allowable" views. I thought the whole point of free speech was that we all get it, and we can all choose to ignore that which we would rather not see.
January 21, 2025 at 9:48 AM
In other news, growing increasingly weary of the most vocal minority that disparage any platform that allows anything other than their perceived "allowable" views. I thought the whole point of free speech was that we all get it, and we can all choose to ignore that which we would rather not see.
Every like, follow, and interesting new person I cross paths with at BlueSky convinces me a little more that they might actually win hearts and minds - over so many other platforms that barely disguise their intention to consume and exploit. #bluesky
January 21, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Every like, follow, and interesting new person I cross paths with at BlueSky convinces me a little more that they might actually win hearts and minds - over so many other platforms that barely disguise their intention to consume and exploit. #bluesky
I'm scrolling the "discover" section of BlueSky, and all I can see is "Waaaaaaah", in all directions at the moment. Maybe it's time to go watch a movie, read a book, have a coffee, eat a cookie or something. Anything but keep scrolling and shaking my head - it's making my neck ache.
January 19, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I'm scrolling the "discover" section of BlueSky, and all I can see is "Waaaaaaah", in all directions at the moment. Maybe it's time to go watch a movie, read a book, have a coffee, eat a cookie or something. Anything but keep scrolling and shaking my head - it's making my neck ache.
Waving hello to the US tiktok migrants landing on distant digital shores, getting a healthy dose of how it feels to be an immigrant :)
January 19, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Waving hello to the US tiktok migrants landing on distant digital shores, getting a healthy dose of how it feels to be an immigrant :)
Will admit to being kind of amused at Tiktok being banned in the US - because how naiive are people about their own govts and corporations posting misinformation, and spreading calculated fear, uncertainty and doubt across news cycles and social networks to steer public perception...
January 18, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Will admit to being kind of amused at Tiktok being banned in the US - because how naiive are people about their own govts and corporations posting misinformation, and spreading calculated fear, uncertainty and doubt across news cycles and social networks to steer public perception...
The one where I start a livestream from Sonoma to Salinas, and a bug in the simulator means we cannot follow air traffic control instruction so we change aircraft and start over. When will a flight go smoothly from start to finish I wonder? www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO8s... #msfs2024 #aviation
Livestream flight from Sonoma County to Salinas in the Sky Courier in Flight Simulator 2024
YouTube video by Jonathan Beckett
www.youtube.com
January 12, 2025 at 12:59 AM
The one where I start a livestream from Sonoma to Salinas, and a bug in the simulator means we cannot follow air traffic control instruction so we change aircraft and start over. When will a flight go smoothly from start to finish I wonder? www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO8s... #msfs2024 #aviation
My mission is complete :) Lotus Organiser, running on Windows 3.11, running on Dosbox-x, running on a Raspberry Pi 500 :) #retro #raspberrypi #tech
January 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
My mission is complete :) Lotus Organiser, running on Windows 3.11, running on Dosbox-x, running on a Raspberry Pi 500 :) #retro #raspberrypi #tech
I'm undecided about the removal of guard rails on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. At least if the worst of us are given enough rope, they will expose their prejudices for all - making it much easier to identify and block :) In my mind the algorithmic timelines are a bigger concern.
January 11, 2025 at 12:49 PM
I'm undecided about the removal of guard rails on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. At least if the worst of us are given enough rope, they will expose their prejudices for all - making it much easier to identify and block :) In my mind the algorithmic timelines are a bigger concern.
Last night I tried out SayIntentions.AI in a flight from Split to Malpensa in the Fenix Airbus A320 in Flight Simulator 2024. It still amazes me, how good AI can be. Amazing education and training tool. #msfs #msfs2024 #sayintentions #atc #flight #aviation www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq-k...
Return flight from Split to Malpensa in the Fenix A320 in Flight Sim 2024 with SayIntentions.AI ATC
YouTube video by Jonathan Beckett
www.youtube.com
January 11, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Last night I tried out SayIntentions.AI in a flight from Split to Malpensa in the Fenix Airbus A320 in Flight Simulator 2024. It still amazes me, how good AI can be. Amazing education and training tool. #msfs #msfs2024 #sayintentions #atc #flight #aviation www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq-k...
I'm guessing this isn't the best use of a Raspberry Pi 500 either (running Word 97 in Windows 98SE in dosbox-x on the Pi500) :) #raspberrypi #retro #tech #emulation
January 10, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I'm guessing this isn't the best use of a Raspberry Pi 500 either (running Word 97 in Windows 98SE in dosbox-x on the Pi500) :) #raspberrypi #retro #tech #emulation