Tim
@spodlife.bsky.social
Software engineer, occasionally emerges from the murky depths to be sociable, do photography, and maybe ride a bicycle.
Sorry, no DMs on here.
Sorry, no DMs on here.
The news of its cancellation was a real gut punch to the Acorn fans. I focused on Linux after that.
February 10, 2026 at 10:20 PM
The news of its cancellation was a real gut punch to the Acorn fans. I focused on Linux after that.
Acorn Phoebe enters the chat
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_...
#/media/File:Acorn-Phoebe-Case.jpg)
Phoebe (computer) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
February 10, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Acorn Phoebe enters the chat
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_...
Hmm, seems quite software heavy, but what do I know. I also graduated in Mech Eng and have been in software ever since.
February 9, 2026 at 9:16 PM
Hmm, seems quite software heavy, but what do I know. I also graduated in Mech Eng and have been in software ever since.
A friend of mine graduated in Mech Eng back in the '90s and has worked for Ansys (just merged with Synopsys) ever since. They have this UK placement starting August 2026: careers.synopsys.com/job/horsham/...
Job Title: Intern - Year in industry - Software Engineering placement C# at Synopsys
Learn more about applying for Job Title: Intern - Year in industry - Software Engineering placement C# at Synopsys
careers.synopsys.com
February 9, 2026 at 9:13 PM
A friend of mine graduated in Mech Eng back in the '90s and has worked for Ansys (just merged with Synopsys) ever since. They have this UK placement starting August 2026: careers.synopsys.com/job/horsham/...
My current job has a large library of maths heavy processing routines, some of which has comments about how it was auto-converted in the 1990s from Fortran to C with f2c. The variable names are as cryptic as 'F' and 'XX'.
February 7, 2026 at 11:08 AM
My current job has a large library of maths heavy processing routines, some of which has comments about how it was auto-converted in the 1990s from Fortran to C with f2c. The variable names are as cryptic as 'F' and 'XX'.
Ooh, fast Fourier transforms. Those are the basis of MP3 audio compression.
February 6, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Ooh, fast Fourier transforms. Those are the basis of MP3 audio compression.
Is this set in the same universe as Charlie Brooker's Touch of Cloth?
January 28, 2026 at 10:08 PM
Is this set in the same universe as Charlie Brooker's Touch of Cloth?
Brilliant you're collecting pound signs instead of dollars.
January 19, 2026 at 6:08 PM
Brilliant you're collecting pound signs instead of dollars.
"Content Not Available
Content not available in your region.
Learn more about Imgur access in the United Kingdom"
You must be using one of those Vee Pea Ens I've heard about.
Content not available in your region.
Learn more about Imgur access in the United Kingdom"
You must be using one of those Vee Pea Ens I've heard about.
January 16, 2026 at 9:36 PM
"Content Not Available
Content not available in your region.
Learn more about Imgur access in the United Kingdom"
You must be using one of those Vee Pea Ens I've heard about.
Content not available in your region.
Learn more about Imgur access in the United Kingdom"
You must be using one of those Vee Pea Ens I've heard about.
Maybe! Steve Bell, for years for The Guardian, drew David Cameron as a condom filled with spam.
(An image search for the artist and subject should do it)
(An image search for the artist and subject should do it)
January 13, 2026 at 3:59 PM
Maybe! Steve Bell, for years for The Guardian, drew David Cameron as a condom filled with spam.
(An image search for the artist and subject should do it)
(An image search for the artist and subject should do it)
Now you've reminded me of the late Clive James describing a young Arnold Schwarzenegger as looking like a condom full of walnuts.
January 13, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Now you've reminded me of the late Clive James describing a young Arnold Schwarzenegger as looking like a condom full of walnuts.
I mis-read as "clever clogs" 🐶
January 12, 2026 at 6:32 PM
I mis-read as "clever clogs" 🐶
I knew straight away it was going to be an oast house, as the other option of a pair of pottery kilns was far less likely.
December 31, 2025 at 2:39 PM
I knew straight away it was going to be an oast house, as the other option of a pair of pottery kilns was far less likely.
It feels more risky to dispose of a big log when the pipe doesn't continue to a processing plant miles away, but instead to holding tank under the bed.
December 24, 2025 at 7:42 PM
It feels more risky to dispose of a big log when the pipe doesn't continue to a processing plant miles away, but instead to holding tank under the bed.
Do you actually use these tools to develop and debug programs?
December 24, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Do you actually use these tools to develop and debug programs?
We were there, in pretty much that exact spot, two years ago. It is a lovely area.
December 22, 2025 at 5:11 PM
We were there, in pretty much that exact spot, two years ago. It is a lovely area.
Sadly carbon monoxide was a large component of town gas in this country until North Sea propane was commercialised in the mid 20th C.
December 16, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Sadly carbon monoxide was a large component of town gas in this country until North Sea propane was commercialised in the mid 20th C.