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@FourQ ♿

@FourQ@mastodon.online

mastodon 4.8.0-nightly.2026-10-06

@FourQ@mastodon.online

Ranty old man, supporter of the underdog, RFID implantee, automation enthusiast, Doctor Who fanatic, maker & tinkerer, disabled, CRPS sufferer, father, husband.
https://bsky.app/profile/fourq.bsky.social

69 Followers

58 Following

24 Posts

Joined April 27, 2022

@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 2mo ago

Replying to

@OT_MacDonald@infosec.exchange That's absolutely ridiculous. You can't even give them away because nobody would blindly accept networking tech from a random person on the internet. If we penalised companies for any tech thrown into landfill then, and perhaps only then, would they suit you and take notice. On our side, just favour companies with cradle to grave policies including repurposing / unlocking ______, or useful hacks like root access or other admin level tools. Then share it far and wide

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 3mo ago

I'm looking for personal recommendations for properly cleaning phones charging ports. My dad's phone has been blasted with anti static compressed air but he puts it in trouser/cardigan pockets and hasn't charged today. Knee jerk thought goes to cleaning putty but I don't know if it'll get stuck. All thoughts are welcomed. Thanks.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 9mo ago

Replying to

@mhoye Kazoos make everything better. Sad Kazoos are the sound of 1980's TV. If a picture says 1000 words then a Kazoo conveys 1000 emotions. Hell, we used to have full blown conversations with Kazoos.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 4mo ago

Replying to

@janamarie@mystical.garden They're great. It's good to see a perspective of a proper IR camera. A NoIR camera is available on a Pi but that's just a normal camera with no IR filter. It makes your IR shots feel semi-familiar (not a completely alien look) but they're not as intense. Certainly not the same. I love the vibrant pink leaves. Apparently a sign of a healthy plant. Thanks for sharing them.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@batterpunts@mastodon.social I knew more than I expected. What I didn't know, angle I held the phone at, is concerning. It got done things wrong though. Firefox Focus v8 (not new versions), not Firefox, but it's built on the same engine. I need dark mode, not light. Additionally I have 'Force dark mode' in Developer Settings enabled. Screen size is way off. I'm not sure where it got that from. That site gets serious props for its dark background. It's an amazing site which must be shared. It's now law.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@nina_kali_nina@tech.lgbt That's a grand thread. Happy nostalgic trip but so much more detail. I had something very similar as a kid but I'm pretty sure it has 2 rows of LCD. The power button was where the Q/W buttons are on yours. My printer adapter wasn't for a thermal printer (serious envy there) but for the dot matrix printer used with the BBC Micro. I remember having to go to a specialist lighting shop in Newcastle for 3x CR2032's. A whopping £20 in 89/90ish.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

The BBC special honouring Sir David Attenborough was simply excellent. You can watch it here if you missed it
David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002w132

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@holger I need an accessibility plugin called Dark Reader. There aren't that many sites that really don't work with Dark Reader these days but man, Giving What We Can definitely qualifies.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@coldclimate Nice alt-text, I would've missed the cat Marmite on a croissant sounds bloody delicious. You realise this is going to be investigated fully? Must get some croissants on the shopping list.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@AberDerBart@chaos.social That's amazing. It's clear to see where the time has gone. I didn't even spot the smaller leaves until the 4th loop. If you ever put it in an Instructables competition I hope you get something. Very cool

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 6mo ago

Replying to

@cstross Would it be okay to link to this from BlueSky? It's an important issue but certainly not my place to post the link elsewhere.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 6mo ago

Replying to

@saltywizard@beige.party Whoever came out with this, I salute you.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 16mo ago

Replying to

@Natasha_Jay@tech.lgbt While I agree with this, there are flaws already in place. Young drivers ignore the signs we already have, guys especially. Any more signs and we risk the remaining drivers ignoring the lot. 😡

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 9mo ago

Replying to

@geekmomprojects @themariday Serious geek points earned there! I tried in vain to follow Matt Parker's guide years ago but my health stopped me very early on. I've had a Raspberry Pi Zero, ESP8266 and now a Pi Pico with downloaded scripts for some effects, but you've done it - you've lived the dream! You've got to respect anyone capable of mapping something as dynamic as a tree which changes year on year. They look so cool.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 6mo ago

Replying to

@LDJ I'm glad you specified BST. I'd forgotten we're now UTC +1. It completely slipped my mind. 🙄

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 6mo ago

Replying to

@LDJ The worst part is I remember putting clocks forward, and even remind people about it. I just forgot about it being BST.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 6mo ago

Replying to

@cstross Thanks Charlie. The character limit can be frustrating sometimes. Other times a downright bloody nuisance.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@protonprivacy It's a step way too far. They'd control all data for everyone. Everything is online, your family, friends, employer, bank, house, shopping, doctors, the lot, and it's only getting worse. Everything has an app, whether it's needed or not & you're simply expected in 2026 to be online. But they could cut you off for any reason. Lock you out of everything. You'd be more at their mercy than you are now. All because they have your ID linked up. It's alarming that's not too far fetched.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@LDJ The fess is BS. Gmail ignores the full stop. My dad's googlemail was set up with the full stop in his name, if you forget it the email still reaches him.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@metacurity That is terrifying. My condition has an autoimmune component, you won't know how bad it affects you until it affects you. If I wear a face mask and refuse to remove it are they going to grab my wheelchair handles and drag me out? Do I have to take in letters from the hospital showing my condition, confirmation that I cannot walk before they accept that I need the wheelchair or are they going to jump on a 'faking it' bandwagon and say I was walking on _____ date?

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 4mo ago

From British Telecom today:
From today, you’ll be upgraded to Cyber Threat Protect, powered by Norton, the market leader in digital safety. Running quietly in the background, it helps keep your digital life safe by detecting scams and monitoring the dark web for your personal information.

I can see how it might be of benefit but I don't want our internet traffic monitored by a third party, and definitely not Norton.

We didn't opt in to this. I wonder if opt out is even an option. More work.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

Happy 100th birthday to Sir David Frederick Attenborough. You've changed the knowledge of the animal kingdom, educated generations, and inspired so many to follow your great footsteps. Thank you for all you've done. 8/5/1926 truly was a day that changed the world.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 9mo ago

Replying to

@parismarx@mastodon.online It'll be interesting to follow the BBC v trump closely re iplayer servers. If trump gets arsey will the BBC have to host somewhere else? I think they're AWS & Google ATM.

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@FourQ ♿ @FourQ@mastodon.online

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@nickithenoodle@mastodon.social Ban accessibility overlays? I think I've misunderstood. Do you mean things like high contrast, inverted colours, zoom functions, screen reader compatible overlays, other language options?

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