The best team in Australian digital journalism is looking for a newbie*. Come work with us! https://careers.abc.net.au/en/job/505140/digital-journalist-story-lab

* Not necessarily an actual newbie — some experience would help, but you should apply regardless!

Semi-periodic reminder that the DM feature here is utterly broken and should not be regarded as "private" in any meaningful sense. And its semantics seem designed to violate the principle of least surprise.

Example: ANYONE mentioned in a message, not just tagged at the start, is a recipient. So if you send someone a DM that says "That @mattblaze guy is an ignorant moron", I get a copy.

I was reminded of this behavior just now.

Microsoft wants 2025 to be the "year of the Windows 11 PC refresh." They want up to 400 million perfectly good computers running Windows 10 to become e-waste. Why? So Microsoft can have their cake ($140-$200 for a Windows 11 license) and eat it (your data) too

It's time to switch sides, and break away from this cycle of endless upgrades. Our new guide walks you through installing a Linux-based operating system—keeping your computer secure long after Microsoft walks away

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Install+Linux+on+a+Windows+PC/196722

The collapse of First Brands (it’s not just you, few had heard of them) is *probably* not the pin that pops the current bubble, but it’s entertaining. Wall Street will reliably engage in lethal/suicidal business practices given the chance.

But that bubble-popping pin is incoming.

Matt Levine: https://newsletterhunt.com/emails/203482
The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/oct/10/first-brands-wall-street

The canceling of ICEBlock is more evidence, were any needed, that the Web is the platform of the future, the only platform without a controlling vendor. Anything controversial should be available through a pure browser interface.

#USpolitics

Netscape Navigator 2.0 was released 30 years ago today.

This version introduced a number of new features:

• Plugins! This was the first time a web page could make sound, via RealAudio.
• Incremental display of progressive JPEGs on slow dialup connections.
• Animated GIFs that were actually useful.
• HTML frames.
• JavaScript! That wasn't my fault, but you still have my apologies.
• And of course my baby, the first release of Netscape Mail and News:

https://jwz.org/b/ykvY