Fraser MacIntosh
@sdschap.bsky.social
Code Archaeologist, Standard Nerd, collector of hobbies, ADD (go figure) + various other neuro-wossnames, Bi, Poly, NB… I’m sure you get the picture…
It is 2026 and Direct Line can't work out my UK drivers' license number because my surname starts with "Mac"
My money is on a developer seeing complex regex, ignoring the comment "Don't change this regex, you haven't found a better way of doing it" and thinking, I can do this better...
My money is on a developer seeing complex regex, ignoring the comment "Don't change this regex, you haven't found a better way of doing it" and thinking, I can do this better...
January 30, 2026 at 1:30 PM
It is 2026 and Direct Line can't work out my UK drivers' license number because my surname starts with "Mac"
My money is on a developer seeing complex regex, ignoring the comment "Don't change this regex, you haven't found a better way of doing it" and thinking, I can do this better...
My money is on a developer seeing complex regex, ignoring the comment "Don't change this regex, you haven't found a better way of doing it" and thinking, I can do this better...
Andrew Wakefield, or to give him his full medical title Andrew Wakefield, has a lot to answer for.
His being struck off is not enough.
His being struck off is not enough.
UKHSA responds to the confirmation from @WHO that the UK has lost its measles elimination status.
Read more from WHO here: https://bit.ly/3YZuOFa
Read more from WHO here: https://bit.ly/3YZuOFa
January 27, 2026 at 10:31 AM
Andrew Wakefield, or to give him his full medical title Andrew Wakefield, has a lot to answer for.
His being struck off is not enough.
His being struck off is not enough.
A further posting in an occasional series of a video feedback I did in the late 90s/early 00s...
January 27, 2026 at 1:42 AM
A further posting in an occasional series of a video feedback I did in the late 90s/early 00s...
Part of an irregular series of my work in the 90s/00s as an experimental Video Show.
Video Feedback using video camera pointing at a Sony Trinitron Monitor. A VineGen Pro provides a genlock (lumakey) overlay of 3D animations.
Video Feedback using video camera pointing at a Sony Trinitron Monitor. A VineGen Pro provides a genlock (lumakey) overlay of 3D animations.
January 21, 2026 at 2:48 PM
Part of an irregular series of my work in the 90s/00s as an experimental Video Show.
Video Feedback using video camera pointing at a Sony Trinitron Monitor. A VineGen Pro provides a genlock (lumakey) overlay of 3D animations.
Video Feedback using video camera pointing at a Sony Trinitron Monitor. A VineGen Pro provides a genlock (lumakey) overlay of 3D animations.
People complaining about vibe coding because words to the effect of “you tell it what you want, not what to do and that’s not programming” could do with understanding that the Declarative programming paradigm has existed since at least 1972 with Prolog.
More commonly today SQL is also declarative.
More commonly today SQL is also declarative.
January 20, 2026 at 9:56 AM
People complaining about vibe coding because words to the effect of “you tell it what you want, not what to do and that’s not programming” could do with understanding that the Declarative programming paradigm has existed since at least 1972 with Prolog.
More commonly today SQL is also declarative.
More commonly today SQL is also declarative.
Today I used IBM Bob to solve a coding problem that's been bugging me for weeks.
How to write a regex that searches for two strings in a program (across line endings) and only returns a match if they both exist.
The answer is:
"string1(?:.|\n)*string2"
I continue to hate regex with a passion.
How to write a regex that searches for two strings in a program (across line endings) and only returns a match if they both exist.
The answer is:
"string1(?:.|\n)*string2"
I continue to hate regex with a passion.
January 19, 2026 at 12:40 PM
Today I used IBM Bob to solve a coding problem that's been bugging me for weeks.
How to write a regex that searches for two strings in a program (across line endings) and only returns a match if they both exist.
The answer is:
"string1(?:.|\n)*string2"
I continue to hate regex with a passion.
How to write a regex that searches for two strings in a program (across line endings) and only returns a match if they both exist.
The answer is:
"string1(?:.|\n)*string2"
I continue to hate regex with a passion.
Reposted by Fraser MacIntosh
Plaque on the 4th floor of building 34 at MIT. Outside the elevators. Information theory.
January 18, 2026 at 1:53 AM
Plaque on the 4th floor of building 34 at MIT. Outside the elevators. Information theory.
Harriet Harman on R4 Today, saying that parliament can’t make laws against using services like grock to make non-consensual images, because technology is moving too quickly. This is, of course, nonsense. The image & service to create and publish is the problem, not how this is achieved.
January 14, 2026 at 9:03 AM
Harriet Harman on R4 Today, saying that parliament can’t make laws against using services like grock to make non-consensual images, because technology is moving too quickly. This is, of course, nonsense. The image & service to create and publish is the problem, not how this is achieved.
Sigh… I’m pretty sure the grain wouldn’t have run the initial story, had there been a better understanding of science reporting at the Graun or UK news in general.
It seems that the evidence for the presence of high levels of microplastics in the human body may have been overstated: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘A bombshell’: doubt cast on discovery of microplastics throughout human body
Exclusive: Some scientists say many detections are most likely error, with one high-profile study called a ‘joke’
www.theguardian.com
January 14, 2026 at 8:13 AM
Sigh… I’m pretty sure the grain wouldn’t have run the initial story, had there been a better understanding of science reporting at the Graun or UK news in general.
DAMN YOU SELINUX!
I shall not be taking questions.
I shall not be taking questions.
January 12, 2026 at 1:31 PM
DAMN YOU SELINUX!
I shall not be taking questions.
I shall not be taking questions.
Visiting Pittsburgh over new year went to see the Winter Mausoleum on New Year’s Day, also known as “the titty sphinx”
January 9, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Visiting Pittsburgh over new year went to see the Winter Mausoleum on New Year’s Day, also known as “the titty sphinx”
I should also remind people that #CarterUSM covered Rent by #ThePetShopBoys.
You're Welcome...
(again, apologies to my neighbours for the loudness)
youtu.be/1omqMqpyj4Y?...
You're Welcome...
(again, apologies to my neighbours for the loudness)
youtu.be/1omqMqpyj4Y?...
Rent - Carter USM (Pet Shop Boys Cover)
YouTube video by Music Without Borders
youtu.be
January 9, 2026 at 12:32 AM
I should also remind people that #CarterUSM covered Rent by #ThePetShopBoys.
You're Welcome...
(again, apologies to my neighbours for the loudness)
youtu.be/1omqMqpyj4Y?...
You're Welcome...
(again, apologies to my neighbours for the loudness)
youtu.be/1omqMqpyj4Y?...
I feel I need to remind people that #ThePetShopBoys covered Where The Streets Have No Name by #U2.
You're Welcome...
(apologies to my neighbours for the loudness)
youtu.be/Jt2j79pca7c
You're Welcome...
(apologies to my neighbours for the loudness)
youtu.be/Jt2j79pca7c
Pet Shop Boys - Where The Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)
YouTube video by PetShopBoys Parlophone
youtu.be
January 9, 2026 at 12:29 AM
I feel I need to remind people that #ThePetShopBoys covered Where The Streets Have No Name by #U2.
You're Welcome...
(apologies to my neighbours for the loudness)
youtu.be/Jt2j79pca7c
You're Welcome...
(apologies to my neighbours for the loudness)
youtu.be/Jt2j79pca7c
Reposted by Fraser MacIntosh
This is like an old fashioned Gawker blog but somehow British and high-brow. I'll take it. www.ft.com/content/ad94...
Who’s who at X, the deepfake porn site formerly known as Twitter
A look inside Elon Musk’s big tent
www.ft.com
January 6, 2026 at 5:03 PM
This is like an old fashioned Gawker blog but somehow British and high-brow. I'll take it. www.ft.com/content/ad94...
So, farewell then HP-UX out of support as of 31st Dec 2025.
HP-UX was the first UNIX I used professionally, migrating from HP-UX Legato Networker to Windows NT4 Veritas NetBackup in the late 90s.
The remaining of the big three System V RISC UNIX are IBM AIX and Oracle (nee Sun) Solaris.
HP-UX was the first UNIX I used professionally, migrating from HP-UX Legato Networker to Windows NT4 Veritas NetBackup in the late 90s.
The remaining of the big three System V RISC UNIX are IBM AIX and Oracle (nee Sun) Solaris.
January 6, 2026 at 11:49 AM
So, farewell then HP-UX out of support as of 31st Dec 2025.
HP-UX was the first UNIX I used professionally, migrating from HP-UX Legato Networker to Windows NT4 Veritas NetBackup in the late 90s.
The remaining of the big three System V RISC UNIX are IBM AIX and Oracle (nee Sun) Solaris.
HP-UX was the first UNIX I used professionally, migrating from HP-UX Legato Networker to Windows NT4 Veritas NetBackup in the late 90s.
The remaining of the big three System V RISC UNIX are IBM AIX and Oracle (nee Sun) Solaris.
In furthering my career as some sort of code archaeologist, I have just completed a PL/I course. My mainframe neckbeard will surely follow shortly…
For those not in the know, PL/I (PL One / Programming Language One) is about the same age as COBOL, but suited to more scientific tasks.
For those not in the know, PL/I (PL One / Programming Language One) is about the same age as COBOL, but suited to more scientific tasks.
January 5, 2026 at 4:09 PM
In furthering my career as some sort of code archaeologist, I have just completed a PL/I course. My mainframe neckbeard will surely follow shortly…
For those not in the know, PL/I (PL One / Programming Language One) is about the same age as COBOL, but suited to more scientific tasks.
For those not in the know, PL/I (PL One / Programming Language One) is about the same age as COBOL, but suited to more scientific tasks.
My New Year’s resolution is 1024x768, non-interlaced.
January 5, 2026 at 11:33 AM
My New Year’s resolution is 1024x768, non-interlaced.
Reposted by Fraser MacIntosh
At the risk of stating what should be obvious: sharing potentially illegal images, (or screenshots containing images) because you’re horrified that they exist, or to prove they exist, is STILL SHARING THEM.
Do not do it.
Protect yourself AND those whose feed your post might cross.
Do not do it.
Protect yourself AND those whose feed your post might cross.
January 2, 2026 at 1:55 PM
At the risk of stating what should be obvious: sharing potentially illegal images, (or screenshots containing images) because you’re horrified that they exist, or to prove they exist, is STILL SHARING THEM.
Do not do it.
Protect yourself AND those whose feed your post might cross.
Do not do it.
Protect yourself AND those whose feed your post might cross.
RIP Lou Gerstner former IBM CEO ‘93-2002, widely regarded with saving the company. Sad news.
December 29, 2025 at 7:38 PM
RIP Lou Gerstner former IBM CEO ‘93-2002, widely regarded with saving the company. Sad news.
A late, yet very strong entry in the “worst religious take of the year” category from EdgeRunner737: Accusing The Pope of being holier than thou in his Christmas Eve message of helping the poor.
December 25, 2025 at 9:28 AM
A late, yet very strong entry in the “worst religious take of the year” category from EdgeRunner737: Accusing The Pope of being holier than thou in his Christmas Eve message of helping the poor.
Yorkshire Christmas fact:
You can sing “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night” to the tune of Ilkley Moor Bar Tat.
You can sing “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night” to the tune of Ilkley Moor Bar Tat.
December 21, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Yorkshire Christmas fact:
You can sing “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night” to the tune of Ilkley Moor Bar Tat.
You can sing “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night” to the tune of Ilkley Moor Bar Tat.
If ever there was a missed opportunity for a pun in a headline.
Louvre museum shuttered by…
Management blindsided by…
www.reuters.com/world/openin...
Louvre museum shuttered by…
Management blindsided by…
www.reuters.com/world/openin...
France's Louvre museum closed as workers begin rolling strike
The Louvre in Paris was closed on Monday after staff began a rolling strike to demand better working conditions and urgent renovations, disrupting access at the world's most-visited museum at one of t...
www.reuters.com
December 16, 2025 at 9:25 AM
If ever there was a missed opportunity for a pun in a headline.
Louvre museum shuttered by…
Management blindsided by…
www.reuters.com/world/openin...
Louvre museum shuttered by…
Management blindsided by…
www.reuters.com/world/openin...
Well… The AeroGlass update for my iPhone is in. Somehow apple have made the already piss-poor alarms function even worse. So you can see a single word of the actual reminder. The only way to find out what it says it to open the app, which cancels all of the ongoing snoozes.
December 13, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Well… The AeroGlass update for my iPhone is in. Somehow apple have made the already piss-poor alarms function even worse. So you can see a single word of the actual reminder. The only way to find out what it says it to open the app, which cancels all of the ongoing snoozes.
Just dropped the kids off at school and it seems that the Oxfordshire village we live in has had flags of St George attached to lamp posts overnight.
If you have to put flags onto lamp posts under cover of darkness, you are doing it for the wrong reasons.
If you have to put flags onto lamp posts under cover of darkness, you are doing it for the wrong reasons.
December 10, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Just dropped the kids off at school and it seems that the Oxfordshire village we live in has had flags of St George attached to lamp posts overnight.
If you have to put flags onto lamp posts under cover of darkness, you are doing it for the wrong reasons.
If you have to put flags onto lamp posts under cover of darkness, you are doing it for the wrong reasons.
Reposted by Fraser MacIntosh
Harassment, 'untruthful' evidence, and 'unusual' legal questions. Our reporter Xander Elliards looks at nine points from the Sandie Peggie ruling that the rest of the media has left out
December 9, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Harassment, 'untruthful' evidence, and 'unusual' legal questions. Our reporter Xander Elliards looks at nine points from the Sandie Peggie ruling that the rest of the media has left out