Alan Levine

@cogdog
16 Followers
93 Following
601 Posts
I once liked twitter. An early 1990s builder of the web and a blogging advocate, Alan Levine barks at http://CogDogBlog.com on web storytelling, photography, bending WordPress, and exploring the serendipity of the infinite internet river.
Calling Cardhttps://cog.dog
Bloghttps://cogdogblog.com
GitHubhttps://github.com/cogdog
Alan LevineDec 5, 2022

Right Command Key is My New Spacebar
In the ongoing commitment to keep use of my trusty old 2012 Macbook Pro, after a battery replacement last May, the latest challenge was the loss of my spacebar.

I did my diligence in watching YouTube videos of various people demonstrating how to pop of the spacebar and clean\inspect. As pried open in the toot above it was pretty grungy with dirt and hair and who knows w
https://cogdogblog.com/2022/12/right-command-key-is-my-new-spacebar/

Alan LevineDec 5, 2022

This tech is cool! Karabiner-Elements https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ #cogdogcooltech

From my stuff tagged "cooltech" bookmarked in pinboard https://pinboard.in/u:cogdog/t:cooltech/

Karabiner-Elements

Karabiner-Elements A powerful and stable keyboard customizer for macOS. Download v15.9.0 Toggle Dropdown Download v15.9.0 For macOS 26 Tahoe For macOS 15 Sequoia For macOS 14 Sonoma For macOS 13 Ventura Download v14.13.0 For macOS 12 Monterey For macOS 11 Big Sur Download v13.7.0 For macOS 10.15 Catalina (10.15.6 or later) Download v12.10.0 For macOS 10.15 Catalina For macOS 10.14 Mojave For macOS 10.13 High Sierra For macOS 10.12 Sierra Download v11.6.0 For macOS 10.11 El Capitan Download v10.22.0 For macOS 10.11 El Capitan For macOS 10.10 Yosemite For macOS 10.9 Mavericks Learn more Privacy Supported systems macOS 26 Tahoe macOS 15 Sequoia macOS 14 Sonoma macOS 13 Ventura Both Intel-based Macs and Apple Silicon Macs are supported. Predefined rules by community Release notes GitHub Sponsor Easy to use You can configure simple key mappings from GUI.

Karabiner-Elements
Alan LevineDec 4, 2022
Nate AngellDec 3, 2022
What's up with #creativecommons and #AI? Check out our work in policy: https://creativecommons.org/2022/12/03/our-work-in-policy-at-cc-artificial-intelligence/ and our recent panels with experts talking about how AI inputs and outputs intersect with the public commons: https://creativecommons.org/2022/12/02/experts-weigh-in-ai-inputs-ai-outputs-and-the-public-commons/
Our Work in Policy at CC: Artificial Intelligence - Creative Commons

As the year comes to a close, we’re spotlighting Creative Commons’ public policy work, recapping what we’ve done and looking ahead to the new year. In this edition, we turn to our work on artificial intelligence (AI). Recently, you might have seen the news headline “Art Made With Artificial Intelligence Wins at State Fair,” or…

Creative Commons
Alan LevineDec 2, 2022

This tech is cool! Exceptions for Instructors in U.S. Copyright Law https://librarycopyright.net/resources/exemptions/index.php #cogdogcooltech

From my stuff tagged "cooltech" bookmarked in pinboard https://pinboard.in/u:cogdog/t:cooltech/

Educational Exemptions in the U.S. Copyright Code

Alan LevineDec 2, 2022
David N. WrightDec 2, 2022
One thing I am learning from my work with AI writers is just how much assessments are asking for writing; as if critical thinking can only be exemplified by writing. I’m going to be emphasizing more oral assessments. I think conversation might be the new assessment model for me.
Alan LevineDec 2, 2022

Should Alt Text be Visible/Accessible for All?
There has been over the last few (insert measure of time) better awareness and attention given to making information in media available (aka accessible) for the visually impaired, via alt text or image descriptions (not a new topic 'round here). But here is something counter intuitive...

I suggest that alt text / media descriptions should be indicated, visible, and copi
https://cogdogblog.com/2022/12/alt-text-for-all/
#image_accessibility

Alan LevineDec 1, 2022
dogtraxDec 1, 2022

"Do you tell friends in your band that you're a sixth grade teacher?" she asked.
Students come out sometimes with unexpected questions, which is why I love being with them in the classroom. We had been talking about my band.
"Of course. They all know I'm a teacher," I replied.
"They don't make fun of you?"
That made me laugh.
"No. Not in front of me." We all laughed at that. "Why would they?"
"I don't know. Is being a teacher cool?" she wondered.
"Darn right it is!" I shouted.

#smallmoments

Alan LevineDec 1, 2022

This tech is cool! Consensus - Evidence-Based Answers, Faster https://consensus.app/ #cogdogcooltech

From my stuff tagged "cooltech" bookmarked in pinboard https://pinboard.in/u:cogdog/t:cooltech/

Consensus AI-powered Academic Search Engine

Consensus is a new breed of academic search engine, powered by AI, grounded in science. Find the best papers while getting instant insights and topic synthesis.

Consensus: AI Search Engine for Research
Alan LevineDec 1, 2022
Dress up your email spam with a sprinkling of "AI" (cuing Clay Shirky old definition of social software)
Alan LevineDec 1, 2022
AlekDec 1, 2022

In early November, @aral wrote a post showing how Mastodon network stops being economically sustainable in cases where users with many followers communicate relatively often.

Aral describes his own case, of sending about a hundred posts, and having 20 thousand followers - forcing his admin to move him to a custom plan, higher than 50EUR a month (for a one user instance).

20K is quite a bit, but not much. this suggests that the Mastodon network can soon possibly break (technically or economically) under increased load.

And it also confirms urgent need to model the economics of this space.

https://ar.al/2022/11/09/is-the-fediverse-about-to-get-fryed-or-why-every-toot-is-also-a-potential-denial-of-service-attack/

Is the fediverse about to get Fryed? (Or, “Why every toot is also a potential denial of service attack”)

Every time I post something that gets lots of engagement, I essentially end up carrying out a denial of service attack on myself. What does this say about the design of Mastodon and ActivityPub and the future of the fediverse?

Aral Balkan