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Chris
@chris_colvin@mastodon.social
mastodon
4.7.0-beta.1
Web developer and photographer in Grand Rapids, MI
#webdev #photography #grandrapidsmi
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Joined September 20, 2025
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What’s interesting about #BraveOrigin to me is that, if this had been the original product and were priced at more like $30, I think it’d have been quite popular. I’ve seen plenty of people, including myself, say that they’d pay for a simple, private browser that isn’t propped up by Google in some way.
But, to launch it years down the road at $60, still using Chromium… Sorry, but I’m good with the various free options that basically give me the same without the background and drama.
They’re not even hiding anymore. The last three ads I’ve seen/heard for AI agents have all said something along the lines of, “Your next hire is our agent.” So, the next time someone tries to tell you they’re not trying to replace you with AI… They are.
Some quick clips from my hike yesterday.
I love starting my messages with, “Hey man, no rush, but…” and then checking if they responded every 30 seconds.
Really enjoying these posts from Jim Nielsen… Rethinking “solved” problems with new solutions.
Just a few shots in South Haven today.
In the Age of AI, Maybe Don’t Proofread?
You ever need to make a decision, do days of research, make your decision, then two days later second guess that decision? Yeah, that’s been me on repeat for like 5 years lol
Happy #WorldBookDay - I recently started on The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan. It’s delightful and insightful so far.
An interesting side-effect of using a magnetic phone wallet that I did not anticipate: it makes my phone heavy and annoying to use, which has regularly made me want to put my phone down rather than pick it up 😅
Replying to
@chris@westmichigan.social
@chris@westmichigan.social unfortunately, yeah. Though, looking more into it… May be due to a combo of older hardware plus modern codecs? Weird that Firefox seems to be worse for me, then. Looks like a good opportunity to dive in and learn more!
I want to use Linux instead of Windows.
I want to use Firefox instead of Brave.
I want to use Darktable instead of Lightroom.
I want to use Open Maps instead of Google Maps.
But…
I also want to play games with my friends, play videos without killing my battery life, stitch photos into a panorama without giving up my sanity, and find a nearby restaurant with good reviews quickly.
Forever in a state of never feeling free 😅
Replying to
@Landsil__dup_45429@infosec.exchange
@Landsil@infosec.exchange so true! Only recently started giving it a try and, as someone with AF tech from 12 years ago, it’s tough! I’ve gained a lot of respect for bird photographers in the last year 😅
Replying to
@marcoarment__dup_2255@mastodon.social
@marcoarment@mastodon.social the last year has trained me to believe this means AI something haha
Replying to
@hokiewalrus@mastodon.social
@hokiewalrus@mastodon.social @jsnell@zeppelin.flights @marcoarment@mastodon.social @caseyliss@mastodon.social same here, but maybe I’m not concerned about getting that much info out of it? Just start workout, end workout, fill rings haha
RE: @chris_colvin@mastodon.social
Thanks, everyone! Seems like the vast majority are definitely minimizing their Google use, with most reporting just 1-3 apps/services, and a lot of people pointing to YouTube and Maps as the "stickiest" apps. That begs the question... What would need to happen for open source alternatives to these to really gain traction? Maybe they never will, and maybe that's ok.
Huff Park, February, 2026 #blackandwhite #olympusem10 #ttartisans #westmichigan
I want to use Firefox with uBlock Origin, but some sites perform just horribly on my Pixel 10. This site, for example (mastodon.social) scrolls very chunky. Anyone else have this or know a fix?
Mastodon seems to be a very pro-privacy, anti-Gopgle place. So, be honest... How many Google apps and/or services are you (intentionally) using these days?
Additionally, are you trying to reduce that number?
Warm day at Pickerel Lake, but still plenty enough ice to take a quick walk on the lake.
Trying something new with the black and white, square crops... Not 100% sold, but I enjoy composing for square crops. It makes sense somehow.
Taken with the Olympus OMD E-M10 and Ttartisan 25mm f2.
#photography #blackandwhite #west_michigan #naturephotos #winter
Replying to
@nixCraft__dup_2318@mastodon.social
@nixCraft@mastodon.social yes, but also even a cashier at Costco should make a living wage and not have their job looked down upon.
Replying to
@chris_colvin@mastodon.social
@Gargron heck just today I was trying to use Mastodon on my Pixel 10 with Firefox and scrolling my timeline was like a slideshow. No issues on Chromium browsers.
Replying to
@Gargron__dup_1@mastodon.social
@Gargron@mastodon.social unfortunately ram usage is only part of the equation. Especially on mobile, Firefox (and/or Waterfox) regularly scroll terribly, break sites, or just load extremely slowly. As a web dev it's also frustratingly slow at implementing new standards. I want to use something other than Chromium, but it's becoming rather difficult.
Replying to
@luftvaffel@oslo.town
@luftvaffel@oslo.town I know Gnome gets a bad rap amongst the more "elite" Linux enthusiasts due to being bloated, opinionated, or whatever, but it is easily my favorite DE. It looks great, almost always works out of the box, and includes meaningful niceties for someone who uses their desktop like a desktop (and not a glorified terminal emulator).
Replying to
@nixCraft@mastodon.social
@nixCraft@mastodon.social omg the "Someone asked" link probably doxxing the person who asked is just 👌