C.Nov 28

A random link I came across reminded me that one of my FOSS projects' README file references all of the following:

Tru64
HP-UX
Debian
RedHat
SuSE
Ubuntu
FreeBSD
NetBSD
Darwin

x86
AMD64
Alpha
PA-RISC
Itanium
PowerPC

I would like to issue a decades-late "thank you" to Hewlett Packard for operating their "Test Drive" program, that allowed me to do test builds on all of those platforms I had no other access to. [1] I was sad when they discontinued it, even if it was a pretty niche thing at the time.

I must have been one of about 3 people outside of Hewlett Packard, Intel, and Microsoft who'd ever bothered to try to build software on Itanium. [2]

How many of the above phrases would elicit blank looks from newly-minted engineers and #CompSci people these days?

[1] Meaning actual useful Hewlett Packard. The practically unrelated modern HP corporation can, of course, stick their overpriced, DRMed ink and toner in their paper-jam access holes.

[2] a.k.a. "Itanic"

#HP #HewlettPackard #TestDrive #platforms #architectures #OSes #Unix #CPUs #PaperJam #StickIt #WhereTheSunDontShine

Show threadMurdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆNov 14

@hadon
"Peachtree dish" got me. ๐Ÿ˜†

No vaccine for stupidity exactly, but that's not the problem so much as misinformation combined with a general lack of proper education in things like critical thinking. So by this analogy, these people weren't sufficiently inoculated against harmful ideas when they were young. But that doesn't mean that they can't get it later in life, it's just more difficult. Still, I'm working on it:
https://autistics.life/@murdoc/114175617261126366

#OSES

Murdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆOct 18

I'm excited to have come up with another theme for the OSES* project, inspired by a post I saw here on Mastodon a few days ago. It's a Harry Potter theme! And for those that won't have anything to do with it due to its creator, this theme has no HP content in it at all, it's all a cheap knock-off like so many things before it. (Plus the bonus of no copyright entanglements!)

(If all this seems a bit silly, remember that there are other themes in OSES than this one, and that themes are entirely optional, just a fun way to spice up what you learn in OSES. You don't have to use any if you don't want to.)

*(And if you don't know what OSES is: https://autistics.life/@murdoc/114175617261126366)

Now I present to you...

The Eldermyst Academy of Arcane Arts
"Where ancient secrets awaken"

Here at the Academy you will learn the mysteries of magic (note: no real magic taught!) and how you can use it for your benefit.

Example subjects include:
*Magical Discipline (aka Critical Thinking and Emotion Management)
*Magical Etiquette (aka Communication Skills)
*Gestalt Magic (aka Cooperation/Community)
As well as the secret of the renma ka'e, the mysterious source of all magic that lies within each of us!

We even have several houses for you to join! But unlike certain Scottish magical academies, our houses work together, not compete against each other.

Behold!

The Celestia Sanctum of Mystical Studies
"Reach for the stars, command the void"
These students are masters of the Mysteries, studying the ones known, seeking out the unknown, and relentlessly unravelling them.

The Moonshadow Conservatory of Enchantment
"Light the night with magic"
These students are the 'glue' of the Academy, organizing events, fostering relationships, help teaching, and making sure that everyone is having a good time.

The Glimmerforge Institute of Magical Arts
"Craft brilliance from raw spellwork"
This house handles more practical matters, such as securing venues for events, materials for projects, handling logistics, and devising crafty solutions to more physical problems.

The Obsidian Hall of Sorcery
"Forge destiny in darkness "
Energetic, adaptable, and creative, these students can be found assisting students and faculty in nearly any capacity where help is needed. Many have also taken a bit of a protective bent towards the other students when necessary.

The Aethergate College of Enchanters
"Open portals to new possibilities"
The affable students of Aethergate act as intermediaries between the Academy and the rest of the world, performing outreach, recruiting, and public relations.

#OSES

Murdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป:ri: ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ (@murdoc@autistics.life)

For my second appendix to my Introduction, I'll talk about another project I'm working on, called OSES, or the Open Source Education System. It does not have anything to do with open source software however, not even computers. This is in fact just a placeholder name I've chosen until a better one comes up. It is meant to denote how it is meant to follow a similar method of development as open source software uses, which I'll describe in more detail later. The primary goal of the program is to teach people important knowledge and skills that are too often missing from the traditional education system. Examples include critical thinking, interpersonal communication, and emotion management (think like anger management, but for all emotions). While these are things almost everyone already has some knowledge and skill in already, everyone can benefit from improving them, and there is a lot to learn in these areas that most people are not aware of. OSES is not designed to replace traditional education, but instead work independent of it. It would be accessible, for free, primarily from the Internet in the form of downloadable materials (text, videos, apps, etc.). As time goes on and the program develops, it is my intention that groups will form that will assist in this training. They will be spontaneous, self-organized study groups that can range from large lecture groups to just having a study/practice partner. As many different learning styles will be accommodated as possible in order to reach as many people as possible. It is my hope that this program will not only be helpful to people's lives as individuals, but will also benefit their communities, organizations, and society as a whole. I'll describe more aspects of this project further in future replies to this post. #OSES #education #CriticalThinking

Autistics Life Community
Show threadMurdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆOct 4

@georgemonbiot.bsky.social
This is a classic demonstration of a concept I call Short Term Vs. Long Term Investment (for lack of a better name), which basically states that in most if not all cases, long term investments have better payoffs than short term ones. This "austerity" is basically a short term investment. Fixing the pothole is a long term one.

And this concept doesn't just apply for governments and business, it applies at all levels of life. Investing in your own education provides more opportunities in life. Taking care of your health saves you money in health care costs later. Buying a solid, reliable car or house will save you money on repairs later on. Even putting work into maintaining healthy relationships will pay off when you need support, emotional, physical, or even financial. The list of examples goes on.

This is a concept that everyone needs to know about, not just in theory, but in practice. So they can not only implement it in their own personal lives, but recognize its value in the decisions made by the governments that we elect (and thus help inform our voting choices). Since this concept is not widely taught in schools, I have included it in my project to supplement education, which for now I call OSES. It's designed to fill in the gaps that traditional education often misses. More information here: https://autistics.life/@murdoc/114175617261126366

#OSES

Murdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป:ri: ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ (@murdoc@autistics.life)

For my second appendix to my Introduction, I'll talk about another project I'm working on, called OSES, or the Open Source Education System. It does not have anything to do with open source software however, not even computers. This is in fact just a placeholder name I've chosen until a better one comes up. It is meant to denote how it is meant to follow a similar method of development as open source software uses, which I'll describe in more detail later. The primary goal of the program is to teach people important knowledge and skills that are too often missing from the traditional education system. Examples include critical thinking, interpersonal communication, and emotion management (think like anger management, but for all emotions). While these are things almost everyone already has some knowledge and skill in already, everyone can benefit from improving them, and there is a lot to learn in these areas that most people are not aware of. OSES is not designed to replace traditional education, but instead work independent of it. It would be accessible, for free, primarily from the Internet in the form of downloadable materials (text, videos, apps, etc.). As time goes on and the program develops, it is my intention that groups will form that will assist in this training. They will be spontaneous, self-organized study groups that can range from large lecture groups to just having a study/practice partner. As many different learning styles will be accommodated as possible in order to reach as many people as possible. It is my hope that this program will not only be helpful to people's lives as individuals, but will also benefit their communities, organizations, and society as a whole. I'll describe more aspects of this project further in future replies to this post. #OSES #education #CriticalThinking

Autistics Life Community
Show threadMurdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆOct 1

@TheBreadmonkey
Basically what the study of memetics has been doing for a while now. Ideas can "infect" people just like viruses, and the most successful ones spread like successful viruses. Everyone has an intellectual immune system that helps limit this spread, but it can vary a lot. The best inoculation against harmful ideas is critical thinking, but there are ideas that can suppress the spread of this just like an autoimmune disease (anti-science, anti-critical thinking, etc.). These can be the most dangerous as they can allow the spreading of ideas that help spread things like real disease (like anti-vax ideas).

That's why critical thinking is one of the core subjects in my OSES project, which is designed to teach people how and why they should do this. We can even use the study of memetics to help "spread" this idea to the greatest number of people. One can think of it like learning 'intellectual self-defence'.

https://autistics.life/@murdoc/114175617261126366

#OSES

Murdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป:ri: ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ (@murdoc@autistics.life)

For my second appendix to my Introduction, I'll talk about another project I'm working on, called OSES, or the Open Source Education System. It does not have anything to do with open source software however, not even computers. This is in fact just a placeholder name I've chosen until a better one comes up. It is meant to denote how it is meant to follow a similar method of development as open source software uses, which I'll describe in more detail later. The primary goal of the program is to teach people important knowledge and skills that are too often missing from the traditional education system. Examples include critical thinking, interpersonal communication, and emotion management (think like anger management, but for all emotions). While these are things almost everyone already has some knowledge and skill in already, everyone can benefit from improving them, and there is a lot to learn in these areas that most people are not aware of. OSES is not designed to replace traditional education, but instead work independent of it. It would be accessible, for free, primarily from the Internet in the form of downloadable materials (text, videos, apps, etc.). As time goes on and the program develops, it is my intention that groups will form that will assist in this training. They will be spontaneous, self-organized study groups that can range from large lecture groups to just having a study/practice partner. As many different learning styles will be accommodated as possible in order to reach as many people as possible. It is my hope that this program will not only be helpful to people's lives as individuals, but will also benefit their communities, organizations, and society as a whole. I'll describe more aspects of this project further in future replies to this post. #OSES #education #CriticalThinking

Autistics Life Community
Juergen M. BrucknerSep 24

One reason more to switch to #OpenSource

#windows #computer #oses #endoflife

Murdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆJun 28, 2025

Ok, so this is cool idea I ran into that underlies a lot of other things I'll end up talking about, so I'll have this to refer back to. I got it from the book Waking Up by Charles Tart.

The idea is a model used to describe the relationship between the body, mind, and emotions. The metaphor is that of a horse-drawn carriage. The horse represents your emotions, the driver is your mind, and the carriage is your body.

Now the first thing about this is that all three are necessary in order to get where you want to go. If the carriage is broken (i.e. you are sick or injured), obviously you won't get very far. If the horse is sick or injured (i.e. you can't find the motivation), you won't get very far either. And if the driver doesn't know where they are going, or how to get there, then while you may cover a lot of ground, you won't end up at your intended destination.

The second point to this model is that not only do the three need to be in working order, but they each need to be sticking to the job they are best at. The driver can't drag the horse and carriage because they are not strong enough. And while a horse could be pretty smart for an animal and reach destinations easily within sight, they cannot read a map, or understand directions, so any farther destination or more complicated route is beyond the horse. And of course the carriage cannot do either of those jobs.

This is important because too often people are under the impression that the mind and emotions are some kind of mutually exclusive choice. Take for example this quote from the first Jurassic Park movie:

"But you can't think your way out of this John, you have to *feel* it."

But relying on your emotions to make decisions for you is just as much of a mistake as relying on pure reason to motivate you. Your mind and emotions both have a job to do, and they both have to be working, and working together at that. I'm sure that everybody has felt what it's like when your mind and emotions are in conflict, but the solution is not to just pick one over the other.

What is the solution then? Well it's not just a simple choice, it's a process, a set of techniques designed to improve the relationship between your mind and emotions so they can learn to work together instead of against each other. It's covered by the related subjects of Critical Thinking and Emotion Management, which you can find on your own. But in order to make it easier and more accessible, I'm working on a collaborative project called OSES which you can read about here: https://autistics.life/@murdoc/114175617261126366

And yes, there is a lot more that can be said about this model, layers, exceptions, etc., but this was just meant as an introduction to the idea for a social media post so that people know what I'm talking about when I refer to it elsewhere, and so I don't have to repeat myself.

#OSES

Murdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป:ri: ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ (@murdoc@autistics.life)

For my second appendix to my Introduction, I'll talk about another project I'm working on, called OSES, or the Open Source Education System. It does not have anything to do with open source software however, not even computers. This is in fact just a placeholder name I've chosen until a better one comes up. It is meant to denote how it is meant to follow a similar method of development as open source software uses, which I'll describe in more detail later. The primary goal of the program is to teach people important knowledge and skills that are too often missing from the traditional education system. Examples include critical thinking, interpersonal communication, and emotion management (think like anger management, but for all emotions). While these are things almost everyone already has some knowledge and skill in already, everyone can benefit from improving them, and there is a lot to learn in these areas that most people are not aware of. OSES is not designed to replace traditional education, but instead work independent of it. It would be accessible, for free, primarily from the Internet in the form of downloadable materials (text, videos, apps, etc.). As time goes on and the program develops, it is my intention that groups will form that will assist in this training. They will be spontaneous, self-organized study groups that can range from large lecture groups to just having a study/practice partner. As many different learning styles will be accommodated as possible in order to reach as many people as possible. It is my hope that this program will not only be helpful to people's lives as individuals, but will also benefit their communities, organizations, and society as a whole. I'll describe more aspects of this project further in future replies to this post. #OSES #education #CriticalThinking

Autistics Life Community
Show threadMurdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆJun 15, 2025

4/x
Another optional but important aspect of OSES is the Open Source Education Community (OSEC) (also a placeholder name). The main purpose of this community is to be a place to enact what you've learned in OSES (walking the talk, practicing what you preach, etc.). Initially, the most common use will most likely be to find study and practice partners or groups (for example learning how to communicate by yourself is not nearly as effective as practicing it with other people).

Another aspect is the Asynchronous Exchange Network (AEN). This will provide a platform by which people can offer goods and services to other members of the community for free. Maybe you need help moving, or a haircut, or a specific, old computer part, help shopping, whatever. If you have a need, you can put it on the network and see if anyone is willing to help. And, if there is something that you want others on the network to know you are willing to help with, then you can put it on the AEN too. There will be some sort of review/rating system in order to help with trust.

There are potentially many other ways that OSEC can be used to benefit both its members and the rest of society just waiting to be developed as more people join.

#OSES #MutualAid

Show threadMurdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆJun 14, 2025

3/x
An important aspect of all OSES materials is that they be vetted for accuracy. This makes OSES the most useful it can be to the most people possible, by remaining completely objective.

However, completely objective things can be dull and boring for some to learn about, so I've added something that might help with that. They're called Themes, and they act just like changing the wallpaper on your computer desktop or phone's homescreen: it changes the look and feel of what you're learning, without changing the actual content. Themes are entirely optional, but if you decide to use one, you will still be learning the same things as any other student of OSES, they just might have some different names, with additional "window dressing" around them to make them more fun.

One example of a theme would be the military theme (no name yet). This theme would be of interest to anyone who prefers a highly structured and disciplined learning environment, military buffs, or even current or past members of an actual military. Learning would be like being in a military academy, and may involve uniforms, drills, military songs, as much as the members want to indulge in. There would of course be no military operations, real or simulated; this unit would be purely a "peacetime" affair.

For a more fun alternative, fans of the Star Trek franchise can join the OSES version of Starfleet Academy, where they will learn things like Vulcan Logic (critical thinking) and Interstellar Diplomacy (interpersonal communication). Dressing up in uniform or Vulcan ears would be entirely optional but fun ways to make study groups more interesting.

There's other theme ideas too, like one for engineers, a religious theme, a Matrix theme, a goth theme, and more. New themes can be suggested just like with any other part of OSES.

And again, let me say that Themes are entirely optional. Learning OSES without one is just as valid.

#OSES

Show threadMurdoc Addams ๐Ÿง›๐Ÿป ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆJun 13, 2025

2/x
One question about OSES might be, where does all this information come from? This is not intended to be my vast accumulated wisdom that I am giving to the world like some kind of guru. Instead, yes, I have a few things that I've learned that could be helpful to others, but more importantly, there are many areas I can see that most people could benefit learning more about, even me.

So this is where OSES is like open source software, in that anyone can contribute to it. Have you ever been taught something by a parent, friend, or even teacher that was not part of your normal school learning, but has helped you out in some aspect of your life? Maybe it's a math trick, or a way to help calm yourself down when agitated, or maybe how to better listen to what someone else is trying to say? It could be in almost any part of your life, and if it could benefit others knowing it, then it may be included in OSES where it can spread to many people and make a difference in their lives. Even if there isn't anything like that that you can think of to contribute, your feedback on the existing information and materials can help improve them too.

In this way, OSES becomes an "intelligent organization", one that learns and evolves, constantly improving itself. Every person that joins makes the whole greater, and helps everyone else that is already joined, or will in the future. This is called the "network effect".

#OSES #education