Notices by Ernie Smith (ernie@writing.exchange)

@killyourfm free tip: Bazzite DX has some more tooling like this to make it dev friendly (it supports Docker and VS code for one thing)

Apparently Affinity is seriously considering making a legit Linux version. Huge. https://techcentral.co.za/affinity-for-linux-canvas-next-big-move-could-reshape-the-desktop-software-market/

@Infoseepage It’s possible that HEVC is asking for $$$ from Intel/AMD AND the OEMs, which is just trash. They should not get money just because you used a physical chip.

@Infoseepage There’s no reason this should be at all visible to the consumer, and the fact that the OEM can decide if it stays ensures it will be.

The HEVC organization is raising its licensing fees by four cents per unit, so HP and Dell responded by disabling HEVC hardware support in its business laptops—tanking the ability for these laptops to do anything with video.

Straight-up: This is a scandal.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/11/hp-and-dell-disable-hevc-support-built-into-their-laptops-cpus/

@killyourfm Cheers for reviving Linux for Everyone! Look forward to seeing what you do with it!

Thoughts on the new Affinity? Good, or a trap?

@shanselman Rad! Over/under on Qbasic getting a similar treatment?

@mattl It is technically on Linux (via Proton) but it does not have a native Linux port. I agree, it’s strange.

Crashing on Balatro was driving me nuts—basically the game would often blow up on me in Wayland, forcing a logout. It was frustrating.

Found a solution: Run it through the LOVE runtime. A little complicated to set up, but it works flawlessly.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3220403989

You can even keep your saves—just create a symlink from the Proton version in the LOVE folder and it will save your games and send them to Steam.

This works essentially because Balatro is made with a cross-platform tool. For whatever reason there is no Linux version offered, but it runs a lot better using the runtime, including getting native Wayland support.

@mattl alt.mattl

Screw it, this sucks. Let’s go back to Usenet.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/29/mastodon-says-it-doesnt-have-the-means-to-comply-with-age-verification-laws/

@feld @gray @mischievoustomato shout-out to teenage pentesters everywhere

Despite many, many (many!) complaints about it, attempts to block or filter the internet keep coming up. Why do we keep doing this?

https://tedium.co/2025/08/26/internet-content-filters-history/

refreshed @tedium

“A teenager with a desire to work around a restriction is a hell of a pentester.”

https://tedium.co/2025/08/26/internet-content-filters-history/

Essential piece on the U.K.’s invasive role in online free speech.

https://torrentfreak.com/uk-govt-finds-ideal-pirate-bay-poster-boy-to-sell-blocking-of-non-pirate-sites-250824/

Kind of impressed that nobody seems to be talking about the Subway sandwich thing over here. That may be the most insane viral video I’ve seen in quite some time.

@mattl @tedium The CEO of AOL on top of the SEO of AOL. Like it.