Notices by Dan Shuman (bluegreenandfree@mastodon.energy)

@gabriel Ooh, that way I can select for someone who knows linux too... I like it

@rspfau Honestly I have come back around on chunky. Thin electronics are overrated. Get me durable, get me ports, get me heat dissipation. I'm a fan of Dell hardware too.

@rspfau Oooh, this is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for, awesome. Thank you!

Does anyone make anything like a netbook these days? Small laptop, sub-13" screen, light on specs (which doesn't matter when you are unchained from Windows) mainly for productivity work.

I know the usual answer is "tablets" but I really am looking for a laptop. Don't get near as much done on tablets, and I want Linux and to be able to use without a table. I know anything would likely be much more expensive than they were in their heyday.

#FOSS #Linux #Computing

I finally did it. My Duolingo renewal was coming up so I canceled it. Could not give them more money after they went all in on AI and replacing human workers.

Been using it for 9 years, happily paying for it for most of that time, and gradually it replaced all games I used to keep on my phone. I will miss it, the habit of low-key working on languages, and pour one out for my streak of 4+ years.

Anyone know of any language learning apps (paid is great) that are good and not AI?

@waltbaldwin @skinnylatte That is really good to know, thank you! I will have to explore it. Saw it when looking around and have heard of the Pimsleur method, will have to see if it seems like a good fit.

I like that they have a lot more language options than Babbel. A bit more expensive than replacing our family plan for Duo, but most things are and you get what you pay for.

@inthehands Is this on the U of M campus?

ICE abducted someone on the Augsburg campus yesterday.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/12/08/augsburg-university-president-ice-illegally-detained-student-didnt-show-warrant

This is a long shot, but a family member is trying to get the word out:

The union leadership of the Dakota County United Educators union of teachers and staff in school district 196 in the Twin Cities is doing some shady stuff with the new contract, and the vote is on Monday August 25.

If you or anyone you know is in the DCUE, vote against the new contract and spread the word!

Here is the quick site with info about it:
https://dist196vote.my.canva.site/

#MNastodon #MN

Saw this go around, and made me even happier for putting in the effort to get comfortable with RSS as a news feed. It has been well worth it.

(Personally been enjoying Capy Reader from F-Droid; tried a few online-based ones for portability, but success came when I eventually realized I like the simplicity and anonymity of a local-only reader, and I really only look at it on my phone anyway.)

As always, @pluralistic is a must-read (though good luck keeping up).

https://doctorow.medium.com/you-should-be-using-an-rss-reader-76aed31151f9

@derek Not offhand, but when I've looked into agents, I thought Publisher's Lunch newsletter was pretty helpful in seeing who's out there and what they rep. Might still be a free version.

@ct_bergstrom You were not kidding.

@kingrat While I'm happy to interact and discuss about books on Bookwyrm, my goal is more to discuss books elsewhere (Mastodon, maybe linkedin if not too heretical) and then be able to direct to my presence on Bookwyrm. So I'm not terribly bothered to end on a small instance or one where there's not a ton of interaction on the instance. My main preference then is somewhere that will be maintained and available for a long time.

Anyone have any recommendations for Bookwyrm instance(s) oriented around climate change and climate action? (But happy with a well-run generic instance too!)

Looking to join one to start tracking and recommending reads on those topics, including climate justice, sustainability, solarpunk, economics, and circular economies, but also overlapping a bit with technology, history, democracy, politics, finance, and potentially other tangentially related topics.

#Bookstodon #EnergyMastodon

@derek What do they do or recommend? Currently dealing with it too.

@inthehands @anildash Was there ever any doubt?

To my shame, I've only recently caught on to how amazing loaning ebooks and audiobooks from a local library and Libby/Overdrive are. Checked out something that's been on my reading list a long time and put some things on hold and it's a great addition to drive time or doing the dishes. If we have to suffer through time in a metal box or do chores, it might as well be packed with learning and/or entertainment.

#Bookstodon #Libraries