FFS, Flowers

Oh, hey. I'm sometimes Trevor.

Softer, Cheaper, Slower, Smarter

Smol dogs run my life and I'm OK with it.

Trying to leave it better than I found it.

Physically and metaphorically faint of heart.

Praise Dog.

Profile pic: old goof
Profile header: smol dog in fav blanket

Public Key

npub14pv3wwx6hm290any4h39j8tnv6lgt7dj5j4cc09ejftgndt7n39strvsgs

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trevorflowers@hachyderm-io.mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs2skgh8rdta4zh7ej2mcjer4ekd059lxe2f2uv8juey45fk4lfcjcpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68ytnzvuq3gamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwv3sk6atn9e5k7y52k0a

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relay.nostr.bg

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

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Last Notes

2026-09-08 00:53:41 UTC

LG is in the news for aggressively violating the privacy of anyone near their televisions but really all of the "smart" TV manufacturers creep on us.
The next time you buy a new screen I recommend finding a model designed for commercial signage and driving it with a little PC. There are plenty of cool projects making TV apps that won't snoop.
https://hackaday.com/2026/09/06/is-this-the-year-of-the-linux-television/

2026-08-29 00:07:25 UTC

I've just started blocking brand accounts. I'm here for your first person narratives, ya dang meaty weirdos.

2026-08-21 15:56:06 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…834x I'm catching up with their last few months of videos in preparation for the relaunch. Exciting!
At some point I can see myself emptying a hull and rebuilding like they did. I probably need more experience and informed opinions before that happens, though.

2026-08-21 14:59:33 UTC

Working on #boats is like this:
https://media.hachyderm.io/media_attachments/files/117/134/080/374/887/093/original/db010e19fe3424e4.png

2026-08-15 13:28:12 UTC

FOC boards like Odrive's, though lovely, quickly drive up the material cost of mechatronic bodies. A quadruped can easily use a dozen motors so the possibility of cheaper knockoff FOC for hobbyists is appealing, if a bit risky and futzy.
Here's a video demonstrating an Ali Express special that is a close-enough clone to use many of the Odrive tuning tools: https://youtu.be/yRx7dsJmNvU
I wouldn't use them for paid work but for lightweight and low stakes prototyping they might be an option.
#mechatronicBodies

2026-08-06 00:35:51 UTC

I wonder whether anyone uses lead acid battery cells as keel ballast. Cast lead is common but that doesn't store any power does it?
Considering how hard folks work to avoid galvanic corrosion, hanging a big current source below the hull feels wrong.

2026-08-05 23:26:28 UTC

"I should buy a boat" cat but eating lunch at a workbench and thinking "I should build a boat".

2026-07-28 19:57:11 UTC

I'll be twenty photos into appreciating a gorgeous boat and then a photo of the IC engine will pop up and it's ick. Separate from all of the politics and ecology, I'm just not into fuel-burning machines. 🤷

2026-07-24 17:52:35 UTC

Groggy morning thought: Scrap punters: a fun event where people have a week to build a boat* using only tools and materials already in their possession and then we all meet up at a lake to toot around in water shallow enough to stand. Maybe there are ridiculous categories but it isn't a competition.
* for a very loose definition of "boat"

2026-07-23 19:49:15 UTC

Tell me you don't follow best practices without telling me you don't follow best practices.
#boats
https://media.hachyderm.io/media_attachments/files/116/971/016/145/532/404/original/160f7113647d624b.jpg
https://media.hachyderm.io/media_attachments/files/116/971/016/169/104/742/original/4126826ebd3278d4.jpg

2026-07-02 18:57:59 UTC

I don't know who needs to hear this but there's a cheap and cheerful boat building process called "stitch and glue" that can produce a variety of hull shapes and sizes. If you've always wanted to make a boat in your backyard/garage/bedroom then check it out.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stitch_and_glue

2026-06-17 13:48:57 UTC

I don't think it'll fit in my van but this is a lovely old bit of drilling kit.
https://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/tls/d/nordland-1920s-bickford-speed-drill/7927141502.html

2026-05-30 22:41:34 UTC

I'm pretty happy with the PocketPD as a wee bench power supply for my workbench on wheels. The new firmware comes with what look like useful features and quality of life improvements so I'll have to give that a whirl soon.
https://www.crowdsupply.com/centylab/pocketpd/updates/firmware-v2-0-released

2026-05-28 21:30:31 UTC

The goal of collaboratively creating the chip design equivalent of the Linux kernel and GNU tool chains is excellent. I hope we get there.
https://pavona.org/news/globalplatform-launches-pavona-the-first-open-silicon-distribution-with-production-grade-post-quantum-cryptography

2026-05-18 22:47:27 UTC

If one's goal is to make a web page with text that is readable by variety of people then I implore you to check how it renders on small screens such as on a phone or using the built-in developer tools on desktop browsers that emulate small screens.
I see many technically oriented people writing interesting essays on blogs and similar sites that are illegible on anything smaller than a laptop. It's a pointless waste.

2026-05-17 22:30:49 UTC

Anybody want a folding engine hoist? For a bag of good coffee beans I will deliver in the greater Seattle area.

2026-04-12 15:11:02 UTC

Ok, scifi film fans. My search chops failed to find the name of a film where someone stranded on a distant planet tries to scavanged parts from a Russian rover with a big bear animation on its UI. The bear repeatedly speaks error messages in Russian which the protagonist doesn't understand.
🐻
Do you know what film this is? It's at least twenty years old, I think.

2026-04-02 23:38:44 UTC

With four crew it's crowded but if I had this space all to myself I think I'd be fine.
#artemis
https://media.hachyderm.io/media_attachments/files/116/337/738/294/275/048/original/4929d892517e823c.png

2026-03-26 01:08:57 UTC

The FreeCAD 1.1 release notes' Sketcher section alone is enough convince me to update. Group dragging! https://wiki.freecad.org/Release_notes_1.1#Sketcher_Workbench
Multiple solid bodies in the Part Design workbench is a feature that has matured enough to be turned on by default. 🎉

2026-03-20 15:08:32 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…ynd9 oh, no! I hope everyone escaped.

2026-03-19 23:39:26 UTC

I had to set up a temporary bench in the middle of the shop space to crate up the remaining four Alto display replicas commissioned by Dr. Kay. When these ship to their new museum homes I will be out of client work and truly retired.
Well, I say that but there is one more longshot project that may come in. It's kind of a dream piece of retrocomputing reproduction so I can't really turn it down as long as I have the tools and health.
#shopLife #retrocomputing (sorta)
https://media.hachyderm.io/media_attachments/files/116/258/445/346/937/434/original/aa863ac20c93cb75.jpg
https://media.hachyderm.io/media_attachments/files/116/258/446/298/764/689/original/214b0d493e083107.jpg

2026-03-01 21:04:41 UTC

Groggy morning thought: a browser extension that blocks domains controlled by the user's choice of billionaires and media conglomerates. It could also be a PiHole (or equivalent) blocklist, I suppose, but not everyone can/wants to run PiHole.
Keeping track of the domains* would be an unending game of whack-a-mole but surely enough people would be willing to join the Patreon of the hero doing it to make it a nice side gig.
* who will watch the watchers?

2026-02-23 18:53:14 UTC

I don't know who needs to hear this but if you're looking for a lightweight alternative to Calibre for reading epub then check out Foliate. It's available in many Linux package managers and does just the one thing: display books. Calibre is too much of a lifestyle when I just want to read a dang book.

2026-02-22 01:41:27 UTC

The best advice I have for new nerds: Refuse to pay rent.
Don't subscribe. Don't lease. Don't use their cloud. Don't slip down the freemium slope. Don't create accounts on their services.
Buy it once. Run it local. Avoid commercial software.
It'll be a huge pain and you'll be an outsider but it'll be endless, interesting, and hard fun that'll pay you back with a curious mind and an understanding of the fabric of our intellectual infrastructure that will make you light-years more capable, useful, and healthy than the "AI" zombies.

2026-02-10 12:49:34 UTC

If you're thinking about taking your small group out of Discord and you want to self-host then check out Zulip: https://zulip.com/self-hosting/

2026-01-16 14:55:11 UTC

Hugs to people in the Meta VR team. You made great hardware and system software but your leadership blew it both ethically and strategically.
https://www.theverge.com/tech/863209/meta-has-discontinued-its-metaverse-for-work-too

2025-12-28 15:18:49 UTC

This is a fun interpretation of the C64 design for a modern laptop. https://youtu.be/H5QQ0ECfwyE
I don't currently have the ergs for it but a BeBox laptop running HaikuOS could be good fun. It's in my "maybe someday" file.

2025-12-20 00:28:29 UTC

It's come to my attention that some people believe the Y2K bug was a hoax and/or scam. If someone in your life is such a person then here's a video that may help.
It's a great example of how preventative maintenance is one of humanity's most destructive blind spots.
https://youtu.be/0KSzBT_XxJ4

2025-11-29 15:13:30 UTC

As we enter a period in which gifts are given, often to children, I would like to give a gentle suggestion: Refrain of taking anything from a child's hands in order to show how the thing works, no matter how the learning process goes. Instead, point and ask questions.

2025-11-28 02:35:50 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…wfqx The W3C is captured by the simple tactic of the big corps sending 10 people for every 1 from other groups. Having any effect in standards is a full time job and it's expensive to travel to the meetings so few small groups have a chance to have influence.
Google having 75%+ browser share means they no longer need to negotiate, too.