Recent Replies
@thosch I believe that improving the digital literacy of general users is not a realistic goal.
In Japan, iPhone users are overwhelmingly the majority, and there are almost no demands to open up alternative app stores outside the App Store. I think this represents an appropriate balance based on the current level of users.
I use a Google Pixel because I want to make my own choices and decisions.
On the other hand, in the EU, regulations have forced Apple to allow third-party app stores on iOS. I had assumed that the advancement of such regulations was based on the premise that EU users have relatively higher digital literacy.
@rom I use Threema because I support and resonate with its corporate philosophy, but in general, Signal is the best choice as you described!
If you're interested, here's an article I wrote about messaging apps (it's in Japanese, but I hope you find it useful).
@rom I 100% agree. That's why I think third-party messaging apps will remain necessary for the foreseeable future.
@thosch You're right that many users may not fully understand sideloading. However, the root of this discussion stems from the U.S. government's actions, which started with concerns that TikTok is a security risk. While sideloading does come with risks, the bigger issue here might be users who are willing to take those risks just to use a potentially dangerous app. This isn't just a security issue—it’s also a matter of user literacy.
That said, I don’t think it’s entirely accurate to say that sideloading = danger. Take Threema, for example. It is available through the App Store, F-Droid, and direct download from its website. These multiple distribution methods exist not because it’s unsafe, but because it prioritizes user privacy. If sideloading were outright banned, users would lose privacy-conscious alternatives like this.
Rather than simply dismissing sideloading as unsafe, shouldn't we instead consider how an app is distributed and what security measures are in place?
That may be true for many users. However, looking at examples like Threema, we see a strong emphasis on providing users with alternatives outside of the Google Play Store. They not only offer app installation outside of Google’s ecosystem but also provide notification solutions that do not rely on Google. I appreciate this kind of approach.
Additionally, I don’t believe that app distribution platforms like F-Droid are necessarily less secure than Google’s.
@steves.life Thank you.
On Android, services like F-Droid exist to meet the demand of users who don’t even want Google to know what apps they are using. Looking at the situation in the EU, it seems that people have started to develop a similar sentiment toward Apple, which has led to regulatory pressure for sideloading. In contrast, in the U.S., the demand for sideloading may grow simply because people want to use TikTok. This difference is quite interesting.
As for iMessage, I personally hope to see better RCS support on iOS. However, the fact that Google’s RCS implementation is not a pure standard but includes proprietary elements might be one reason Apple is hesitant to adopt it. Google's reliance on its own servers and differences in encryption protocols could pose challenges that can’t be solved by simply integrating RCS. That said, improving interoperability would still be a step in the right direction, so I’m curious to see how this develops.
@manton In Japan, there is a form of sorcery called "Ushi no Koku Mairi," where nails are driven into straw dolls to curse someone. Looking at this photo, it reminded me of that, and I thought, "This looks just like a scene from a curse ritual—so scary!"
@jsonbecker I was also impressed by your site's design, so I've been experimenting with Matt's Sumo theme to create a similar look.
@nawashiro.dev おお、確かにこうした技術の転換点って多発的起こることも多いですね。 新しいOSS、とっても楽しみにしています。
@nawashiro.dev 個人的に分散型SNSをそれほど見ているわけではないのですが、大手の既存SNSが抱えるプライバシー侵害、データの中央集権化、アルゴリズムの不透明性などの問題に対するアンチテーゼとしての分散型SNSの意義は理解できます。一方で、ユーザーが求める「つながり」という観点では、発見可能性(Discoverability)や分断化(Fragmentation)に分散型SNSにはまだ課題があるように感じています。 その中で、Micro.blogのように各ユーザーが独自ドメインを持つアプローチは、現状では良いバランスを取れているのではないかと思います。
@saltydogcandyman.bsky.social I believe both the Dyna Comp and Orange Squeezer were released around 1973. Everyone used both of them back then. However, since the Orange Squeezer was plugged directly into the guitar, it was particularly noticeable when someone was using it. At first, I remember thinking "What's that orange box!?"
@nawashiro.dev Micro.blog いいですよ。この投稿もMicro.blogからレスできています。
@saltydogcandyman.bsky.social As an Orange Squeezer user, everyone was using it during the late 1970s to early 1980s when Fusion was popular. While Lee Ritenour, Dave Grohl, and John Mayer are well-known users, I just learned that Jeff Baxter used it too!
@SteveSawczyn These are all tools that help you organize knowledge using Markdown. - LogSeq - A journal-style tool where you can write down what you need and add links and tags, automatically creating nodes and building knowledge connections. Free for local use, paid for cloud sync. I use this locally. - Obsidian - Similar to LogSeq. Free for local use, requires paid option for cloud sync. - InkDrop - A tool created by a Japanese developer. Allows knowledge organization using Markdown. Paid with cloud sync included. I used this before and personally really liked it.
@jsonbecker That sounds awesome! If you come up with a track using it, I’d love to hear it!
@jsonbecker Billy Strings Wombtone! It's amazing. It has an incredibly daunting DIP switch on the side, which seems difficult to use, but it looks like it can produce intense effects akin to another pedal, in addition to the normal phase sound. Especially with the envelope control, the player can manipulate the dynamics and effects of the sound, opening up various possibilities.
@apoorplayer Thank you for your comment. You raise a good point. While crossing cultural and linguistic boundaries is challenging, I believe these challenges can lead to new creative possibilities. That's why I tend to be open-minded about such cultural exchanges, whether they're adaptations or something else.
@manton While I haven't really thought about haiku in connection with Zen Buddhism, as I mentioned earlier, the 5-7-5 syllable pattern in Japanese creates a pleasing rhythm but allows only very limited phrases to fit within its constraints.
Additionally, with the requirement to include a seasonal reference, without careful crafting, one risks producing haiku that are similar to countless others. To capture what one has seen in a unique way and convey one's feelings to others through words, you inevitably need to refine your expression within these constraints.
I believe that's what makes haiku fascinating.
@manton Wonderful! It evokes the world of Totoro!
In English, where closed syllables are common, each syllable carries more information, making the 5-7-5 rule create quite a different impression from Japanese haiku. Japanese primarily uses open syllables (consonant + vowel), which limits the amount of information that can be packed into the same number of syllables.
For example, "I love you" takes just three syllables in English, while in Japanese "aishiteimasu" requires seven syllables - and this only expresses the "love" part without indicating who loves whom (in Japanese, subjects and objects are typically omitted and inferred from context).
@jsonbecker In haiku, while the 5-7-5 syllable pattern is considered standard, slight deviations from this rule have their own terminology in Japanese: "jiamari" (excess syllables) and "jitarazu" (insufficient syllables). These variations have been utilized since the classical haiku period when they served a specific artistic purpose. Even master poets like Bashō employed such deviations when necessary for achieving particular poetic effects. As for seasonal references (kigo), they remain an essential element in most contemporary haiku circles. While some modern movements have emerged that don't require seasonal words, the majority of traditional haiku practitioners and poetry societies still consider them fundamental to the art form. Kigo can be challenging even for native Japanese speakers, and specialized dictionaries are available for this purpose.
@manton I didn't know haiku had become so widespread in English-speaking countries! Traditional Japanese haiku follows specific rules - it must have 5-7-5 syllables and include a seasonal reference. I'm very curious about how this works in English, as I can't quite imagine it.
@scattershot Thanks! The practical test looks challenging but I'm excited to take it!
@gregblee.ca Glad it helps! I recommend bookmarking it or saving as a snippet. It's one of those commands that's essential but just infrequent enough to forget 😄