Giles of the JungleMay 21, 2025

@neil I feel like I'm being chased around the Internet by a slimy AI slop monster that's insidiously engulfing everything I use. It used to be I could just ignore the rubbish bits of the net I didn't like, but no longer.

I hate being forced to move just to avoid all this, not to mention the time involved in learning new tools. And who's to say the services/products I move to won't also succumb?

It's exhausting.

And it takes a huge chunk of enjoyment out of being a fan of tech and computers.

Show threadJohanna JaniszewskiMay 21, 2025
@gilester45 @neil that is so true! "If you don't like it, don't use it" is not working, because that crap is shoved into my face everywhere.
Show threadAdvanced Persistent TeapotMay 21, 2025
@JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil same deal with always-online cars. I -do not want- a continuously-phoning-home car. But do I get that choice for any car newer than 10 years old? No I do not.
Show threadSteve Hill 🏴󠁧󠁒󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡ΊMay 21, 2025
@http_error_418 @JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil my VW has an "offline mode", but who knows how "offline" that really is. I would like to be able to replace the SIM and reliance on VW's (unreliable) servers with a SIM of my choice and a connection to my own server... Not only because of data protection concerns, but because I don't think manufacturers should be able to hold you to ransom with obscene subscription costs to use the "online" functions of the car you paid tens of thousands for.
Show threadSheddi

@steve @http_error_418 @JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil
Oh this so much.

Mrs Sheddi has an electric VW. It has an API that our EV charger can connect to, so the charger can know how full the battery is and can automatically charge by the right amount. (There are good battery-life reasons not to simply "charge until full" every time.)

VW want Β£90 a year to give us access to our own car's info.

May 21, 2025 at 7:52amWeb
Show threadAdvanced Persistent TeapotMay 21, 2025

@sheddi @steve @JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil waitwaitwait

So when it charges, the charger connects OUT TO THE INTERNET in order to know the state of the car it is charging, instead of having a way of directly querying the car through a physical connection you are ALREADY MAKING

Show threadSheddiMay 21, 2025

@http_error_418 @steve @JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil
Yes, that seems to be the case!

The charger and the car both connect (via their individual cellular data services) to their respective cloud servers, which then do whatever tango they've agreed.

All the while there's a physical (& electrical) connection between the two of them.

Show threadAdvanced Persistent TeapotMay 21, 2025
@sheddi @steve @JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil I think I feel a bit sick
Show threadSteve Hill 🏴󠁧󠁒󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡ΊMay 21, 2025
@http_error_418 @sheddi @JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil for AC charging, comms is really simple - the supply signals (through simple PWM) how much current it can supply and the car draws up to that current. There is no communication the other way. For DC charging there is a proper digital network and the car tells the charger stuff like state of charge, and can present an X509 certificate to pay.
Show threadSteve Hill 🏴󠁧󠁒󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡ΊMay 21, 2025
@http_error_418 @sheddi @JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil the DC charging spec has been extended to support AC charging with proper bidirectional comms, so this problem will go away, but for now that newer standard has not been widely implemented. Smart tariffs like Intelligent Octopus Go need to know the state of charge so they can schedule charging dispatches for cheaper energy prices, so for now that is usually done by checking the SoC over the internet. It's horrible, but will be fixed.
Show threadSteve Hill 🏴󠁧󠁒󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡ΊMay 21, 2025
@sheddi @http_error_418 @JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil we have a first edition ID.3 and get the connected services for free. charging for those services was not mentioned at all when we bought the car, bur since they have started charging for some cars it is totally unclear whether they will suddenly impose a charge on us in the future for something that we always expected to be free.
Show threadSteve Hill 🏴󠁧󠁒󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡ΊMay 21, 2025
@sheddi @http_error_418 @JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil although IMHO, worse than that is the trend for car manufacturers to build in all the hardware and then charge a subscription to use the hardware that *you already own*. E.g. famously BMW charge people a subscription to use their seat heaters, and I think VW have started doing some of that crap too.
Show threadSteve Hill 🏴󠁧󠁒󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡ΊMay 21, 2025
@sheddi @http_error_418 @JohannaMakesGames @gilester45 @neil (and I'm sure if your "subscription seat heaters" physically broke, you would be paying for the repair, so it isn't as if the subscription fee is sone kind of maintenance contract, it is just an excuse to rip off their own customers)