Toby Kurien

Three months after discovering the Gemini protocol, I'm still super excited about the possibilities it offers, especially the ability to escape the user-hostile web.

A #loadshedding solution I've been playing with: Blue Nova 280Wh LFP battery + 300W inverter.

WebApps is my #OpenSource #Android app I am most proud of.

Analysis of how Google's FLoC can hurt users.

Not super proud of this, but when it's a choice between tossing out an old tablet because of a broken USB charging port, or an ugly fix to save it, I'll do the ugly fix.

This article explains why a few kilobytes of macOS updates ends up as gigabytes of downloads and 45 minutes of updating.

'People often ask: “What’s the next Covid?”

I have added a section to my #gemini capsule gemini://tobykurien.com for aggregating what people are saying about Gemini, e.g. tweets, toots, and now also the Gemini mailing list, where most of the announcements and spec discussions take place.

"Culture I/O is a website about utopia as seen through the haze of the dystopian present.

New blog post!

The definition of doomscrolling, according to Urban Dictionary is: When you keep scrolling through all of your social media feeds, looking for the most recent upsetting news about the latest catastrophe.

FreeHacker is an ezine "created to help the spread of DIY culture in cyberspace".

This Sojourner #pwa is a beautiful way to browse and bookmark talks from the #fosdem '21 schedule.

Few years ago I moved my personal projects from #Git to #Fossil, and can recommend it.

My #Gemini capsule is up!

A well written blog post (from a Google dev advocate) about using machine learning for baking, resulting in inventing a new dessert.

"This means in two to five years we may be able to surf the internet or talk on our 900 MHz phones while walking down the sidewalk in nearly any city whose occupants own Amazon or other competing devices."

Some thoughts on the #Gemini protocol: Gemini is to the web what reading a book is to watching TV.

"These all use some form of local radio signal.

Awesome talk about the ideas and possibilities behind the Beaker Browser, a peer-to-peer browser.

"On the Internet, your rate of learning is limited not by access to information, but by your ability to ignore distractions" The Paradox of Abundance - David Perell https://perell.com/note/the-paradox-of-abundance/

Bumper harvest of cherry tomatoes from my #aquaponics #diy

You may be in a quandry about deleting WhatsApp, because EVERYONE is on it.

Facebook really wants your data!

Contact tracing is so dangerous, it gives governments an irresistible tool for tracking, surveillance and control.

My fav gadget of 2020: the LCD writing tablet.

Using some simple scripts, I have automated the process of publishing microblogs to my static-generated website (which uses #Pelican).

Now watching 0xcon talks from last month.

Interesting new protocol: "Gemini is a new internet protocol which: Is heavier than gopher; Is lighter than the web; Will not replace either; Strives for maximum power to weight ratio; Takes user privacy very seriously" Project Gemini FAQ https://proxy.vu…

Another epic Joburg sunset, taken yesterday afternoon

Tiny World is an amazing documentary with incredibly beautiful photography.

Pavel Durov, the creator of Telegram blogged this: Consume Less.

Flowers in the yard

Raspberry Pi portable PC #diy

To be or not to be :-)

Beautiful Joburg sunset

The #gpcoronavirus #covid19 dashboard has been updated with a powerful hotspot analysis provided by @WitsUniversity which will hopefully assist @GautengProvince with the second surge.

Holiday reading for the geeky: NODE zine contains articles about interesting open source, decentralized, censorship-resistant and cutting-edge technologies.

List1 Local Mentions CityPowerJhb loadshedding

My #aquaponics runneth over!

Right, clearly that first post revealed some kinks that needed working out.

First micro-blog post on my own site, which will hopefully be syndicated to social media via #IndieWeb tech!

I live an anti-consumerist lifestyle - one that is focused on maximizing health, time, and money rather than the acquisition of stuff.

What is it?

Part 1 It started with me wanting to, in true Mustachian fashion, bike to work.

The backstory I've been commuting with an e-scooter for over 2 years, but there was room for improvement: An #escooter is great for < 5km trips on fairly level terrain.

Xtendroid is an open source Android DSL I wrote to make writing Android apps easier, more productive, and most importantly, much more fun!

African Business Network magazine, Volume 3 Issue 4, featured me on the cover!

Android Freelance Developer I build native Android apps, and I am one of the top Android developers in South Africa, having started Android app development back in 2010.

Pledger is an app aimed at enabling micro-volunteering by listing NGO's or NPO's with causes ("deeds" in Pledger parlance) by location.