Thoughts and ideas of a dyslexic designer/developer
Some of you know I record a podcast with a few friends once a month called #Techgrumps. Due to the awful things which have/are happening with the Internet Archive, we made the decision to mirror it to RSS.com.
You can now subscribe/resubscribe to the feed here. or listen online here. I’m slowly adding the new feed to the long list of podcast sites/services.
If you are interested in being part of the podcast, just add #techgrumps to a social media network and someone will find it.
Recently I was interviewed on the Plutopia News Network. Podcasters talking on other podcasts, indeed. But good to discuss with people I have never met before.
Its an interesting interview, with a bunch of twists and turns, big thanks to the 2 hosts and regular Techgrumper and writer at Netwars Wendy Grossman.
I just watched the McLuhan Lecture 2024 with Cory Doctorow and Frederike Kaltheuner, after we talked about it on the upcoming Feb 2024 Techgrumps podcast.
Also been thinking about dating, as I edit my book. Its clear to me my thoughts of the dating industry’s endemic corruption is still valid but if I apply enshittification it fits perfectly and is very descriptive of the problem.
New platforms offer useful products and services at a loss, as a way to gain new users.
Its clear the social dating apps changed everything for many people. People can’t even imagine signing up to a site without the app now.
Once users are locked in, the platform then offers access to the userbase to suppliers at a loss, and once suppliers are locked-in, the platform shifts surpluses to shareholders.
Indeed, you can see this in the type of adverts you see in and outside the apps. Interestingly don’t forget they are collecting even more date everytime its used or to be fair is learning more about your use of the phone if you gave it the permissions its requested.
Once the platform is fundamentally focused on the shareholders, and the users and vendors are locked in, the platform no longer has any incentive to maintain quality.
Bingo, so many people tell me how Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid, etc, etc… quality has gone down.
We all know its not going to get any better… Welcome to enshittification
A long time ago, I was part of a podcast called Techgrumps. It ran for 69 episodes and even started a spin off called lovegrumps.
In 2015 we kinda let it slip, and as others have pointed out a lot happened in between (Brexit, Trump, Boris, the Covid pandemic, etc, etc…)
Back in the saddle, in 2023 (8 years later), myself, David and Alan get together to discuss Twitter crazyness, The fediverse, AI, Lastpass and so much more.
The format hasn’t changed, its still unscripted and just us talking into our microphones on a Sunday night. This time we are going for a monthly format so make sure you are subscribed to the RSS feed – https://techgrumps.wordpress.com/feed/
Beware there is a lot of adult language on all the podcasts.
Want to be on the show? There are details here.
The Lovegrumps is finally back, with a critical eye on dating apps. Ideal 2 weeks before I stand on stage at TedXManchester and talk about online dating and much more.
We’re back after almost a year of silence, this time to talk about those new fangled dating apps… with Ian, Hwayoung, Tom and David..
Mpeg3 and Ogg on Archive.org
Myself and Chris were walking back from Sunday roast dinner, and we got talking about Podcasting. The current media darling is a thing called Serial.
I have always maintained that podcasting is different from radio and part of the confusion (as such) is radio shows using podcast distribution to deliver content. Most of the professional stuff is radio shows using podcasting distribution, which is a real shame. I remember my cry out for more British podcasts even.
…there were not enough amateur British Podcasts. I know theres the BBC podcasts and the Guardian podcasts which both have got a lot of success in this area but theres nothing like TwiT or Revision3’s series of video podcasts
Now of course that was 4 years ago and things have shifted. Chris pointed out the raff of amateur to professional media on youtube. But the big question remained… what is the difference between a podcast and radio show?
Well I struggled to remember the arguments about podcasting when the BBC first did its podcast trial, to replay back at Chris. The verge video reminded me exactly what the point I should have made more clearly.
Its not about production, its about depth! I eluded to it but never actually said depth. With Radio you need to be broad, with podcasts you can be so niche it hurts.
Talking of niche audiences and podcasting, we launched the Lovegrumps podcast this weekend. Lovegrumps is like Techgrumps but about love, sex and relationships. Audio only and wondering if audioboo, mixcloud or soundcloud might be better places to put the podcast?
If this is the 3rd era of podcasting, then its certainly time to evolve… Expect intro music and other production stuff next time.
Oh by the way, the verge are wrong. Perceptive Radio is clearly the future of radio… Just imagine what could be done with Perceptive Podcasts!
You may have heard or subscribed to Techgrumps in the past, and we are thinking about bringing that back. However there’s an appetite to do a version of techgrumps for love, sex and relationships.
Think geeks talk sexy crossed with Techgrumps with discussion and ranting. I think the pick up artist will be the main theme of this first podcast.
To kick it off, we are recording this Sunday evening/night maybe on Hangouts. If you are interested in taking part, get in touch with me or tommorris on twitter.
Its also a Manchester only affair, as you’d expect with it being LIVE… Ian,Josh and guest Nathan eat breakfast while waxing lyrical… about exploring Sci-Fi elitism and a concept to replace the Royal Mail with UAVs all live on Sunday 20th November…
You can download it in Mpeg3 or Ogg Vorbis
After all the comments and blog posts about secure book, rob best added real steganography to Securebook.
I paid the money for the full version and will be posting some secret messages to my flickr and twitter friends in the near future.
Its clearly amazing how this project has progressed and I’m really happy to have had a tiny helping hand in making this what it has become. Now I need to run this pass some to the guys at work to see what they think. But in the mean time Rob really needs to get this in front of Schneier and Steve Gibson on the security end and Danah Boyd and Stowe Boyd on the social tip.
I’m wondering if there is a interesting tie up with Google plus’s automatic uploading of photos and securebook’s social steganography? On #Techgrumps it was already mentioned that this would be great for those taking and sharing sensitive photos if there camera was later seized. Not only would your photos be online straight away, but they would also include hidden and secret information which you could only see if your a friend.