Michael Kohl
@citizen428.net
Your friendly neighborhood anarcho-cynicalist. I do things with computers and occasionally succeed. 🇦🇹 in 🇹🇭 since 2013. Fan of 1990s pop culture. I delete old posts.
I'm more active on Mastodon: https://chaos.social/@citizen428
I'm more active on Mastodon: https://chaos.social/@citizen428
Pinned
![JOMO [dʒōmō] noun
Joy Of Missing Out; feeling content with staying in and disconnecting as a form of self-care.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ciix2acno6llejri5qnykvy3/bafkreicpts3smakeorvv4lugp25pbe3g35i5k2hz5kwg6hze7nw5br6xv4@jpeg)
Reposted by Michael Kohl
🤔 What if there were a conference without talks? Just hanging out with OSS maintainers & builders, seeing what they’re working on, and learning cool stuff by actually talking to people.
🤯 What if hallway track turned into the whole event!
💡 @tannerlinsley.com is exploring it. Interested? ⬇️
🤯 What if hallway track turned into the whole event!
💡 @tannerlinsley.com is exploring it. Interested? ⬇️
Web Forge Conf - A new kind of web developer conference
A community funded, not for profit event built for creators and the developers who use their work. Less stage. More story. All signal.
webforgeconf.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:36 AM
🤔 What if there were a conference without talks? Just hanging out with OSS maintainers & builders, seeing what they’re working on, and learning cool stuff by actually talking to people.
🤯 What if hallway track turned into the whole event!
💡 @tannerlinsley.com is exploring it. Interested? ⬇️
🤯 What if hallway track turned into the whole event!
💡 @tannerlinsley.com is exploring it. Interested? ⬇️
“Move over, Alan Turing: meet the working-class hero of Bletchley Park you didn’t see in the movies”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/12/move-over-alan-turing-meet-the-working-class-hero-of-bletchley-park-you-didnt-see-in-the-movies
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/12/move-over-alan-turing-meet-the-working-class-hero-of-bletchley-park-you-didnt-see-in-the-movies
Move over, Alan Turing: meet the working-class hero of Bletchley Park you didn’t see in the movies
The Oxbridge-educated boffin is feted as the codebreaking genius who helped Britain win the war. But should a little-known Post Office engineer named Tommy Flowers be seen as the real father of computing?
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:17 AM
“Move over, Alan Turing: meet the working-class hero of Bletchley Park you didn’t see in the movies”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/12/move-over-alan-turing-meet-the-working-class-hero-of-bletchley-park-you-didnt-see-in-the-movies
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/12/move-over-alan-turing-meet-the-working-class-hero-of-bletchley-park-you-didnt-see-in-the-movies
Replacing workers with robots controlled by underpaid operators in developing countries: the billionaire techbro’s wet dream.
https://restofworld.org/2025/philippines-offshoring-automation-tech-jobs/
https://restofworld.org/2025/philippines-offshoring-automation-tech-jobs/
Japanese convenience stores are hiring robots run by workers in the Philippines
Filipino tele-operators remotely control Japan’s convenience store robots and train AI, benefiting from an uptick in automation-related jobs.
restofworld.org
November 10, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Replacing workers with robots controlled by underpaid operators in developing countries: the billionaire techbro’s wet dream.
https://restofworld.org/2025/philippines-offshoring-automation-tech-jobs/
https://restofworld.org/2025/philippines-offshoring-automation-tech-jobs/
"Ironclad is a (partially) formally verified, real-time capable, UNIX-like operating system kernel for general-purpose and embedded uses. It is written in SPARK and Ada, and is comprised of 100% free software."
https://ironclad-os.org/
https://ironclad-os.org/
Ironclad
Ironclad is a free software formally verified kernel written in SPARK/Ada
ironclad-os.org
November 9, 2025 at 4:17 PM
"Ironclad is a (partially) formally verified, real-time capable, UNIX-like operating system kernel for general-purpose and embedded uses. It is written in SPARK and Ada, and is comprised of 100% free software."
https://ironclad-os.org/
https://ironclad-os.org/
Reposted by Michael Kohl
Huh, I was so used to always using Jane Street's Base when writing #ocaml that I haven't looked at the stdlib in a very long time. Turns out it's pretty usable now. Just updated some code and it wasn't that much effort, especially thanks to the ListLabels module. Good to keep in mind going forward.
November 1, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Huh, I was so used to always using Jane Street's Base when writing #ocaml that I haven't looked at the stdlib in a very long time. Turns out it's pretty usable now. Just updated some code and it wasn't that much effort, especially thanks to the ListLabels module. Good to keep in mind going forward.
Reposted by Michael Kohl
I’m currently halfway through season 3 of my #Babylon5 rewatch. A fascist president using a paramilitary organization and xenophobia to become dictator is not that different from watching the news though. This was supposed to be entertaining ☹️
November 1, 2025 at 9:28 AM
I’m currently halfway through season 3 of my #Babylon5 rewatch. A fascist president using a paramilitary organization and xenophobia to become dictator is not that different from watching the news though. This was supposed to be entertaining ☹️
Consistently being able to quickly output an image in the terminal turns out to be a major headache for people who use different terminal emulators on different systems. This zsh function is my current best attempt (code in alt text).
#terminal #productivity
#terminal #productivity
![A screenshot of the following ZSH function:
function imgcat() {
if [[ -n "$KITTY_OS" ]]; then
# https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/kittens/icat/
kitten icat "$1"
elif [[ -n "$WEZTERM_PANE" ]]; then
# https://wezterm.org/imgcat.html
wezterm imgcat "$1"
elif [[ -n "$ITERM_SESSION_ID" ]]; then
# https://iterm2.com/documentation-images.html, through timg
timg -pi "$1"
elif [[ -n "$GHOSTTY_RESOURCES_DIR" ]]; then
# Ghostty uses Kitty's protocol, which timg can output
timg -pk "$1"
else
# If all else fails, try sixel
timg -ps "$1"
fi
}](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ciix2acno6llejri5qnykvy3/bafkreibrz7zfs3zmjsl7ro2odx4vs3qacyia5527vk47w5mebffhp5iwv4@jpeg)
October 31, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Consistently being able to quickly output an image in the terminal turns out to be a major headache for people who use different terminal emulators on different systems. This zsh function is my current best attempt (code in alt text).
#terminal #productivity
#terminal #productivity
Space Exploration Logo Archive
https://spaceexplorationlogoarchive.webflow.io/
https://spaceexplorationlogoarchive.webflow.io/
Space Exploration Logo Archive
Space Exploration Logo Archive
spaceexplorationlogoarchive.webflow.io
October 30, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Space Exploration Logo Archive
https://spaceexplorationlogoarchive.webflow.io/
https://spaceexplorationlogoarchive.webflow.io/
I like consistent colors in my terminal, and I like #OCaml, so I threw together a quick Nord color scheme for utop:
git.sr.ht/~citizen428/nord-utop
git.sr.ht/~citizen428/nord-utop
![The following example code in a utop session show in the Nord colorscheme.
# let rec sum = function
| [] -> 0
| hd :: tl -> hd + sum tl;;
val sum : int list -> int = <fun>
# #show sum;;
val sum : int list -> int
# "Hello, " ^ "OCaml " ^ "World!";;
- : string = "Hello, OCaml World!"
# 1/0;;
Exception: Division_by_zero.
# 1 + "string";;
Error: This constant has type string but an expression was expected of type int](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ciix2acno6llejri5qnykvy3/bafkreibhr6cgi64arrtwnjbz6t335frdwwceeeb272ugu4natydkhyijxq@jpeg)
October 29, 2025 at 5:52 PM
I like consistent colors in my terminal, and I like #OCaml, so I threw together a quick Nord color scheme for utop:
git.sr.ht/~citizen428/nord-utop
git.sr.ht/~citizen428/nord-utop
3. F# — I have no specific need to target .NET, so I just use OCaml, even though I miss some F# features like active patterns
October 29, 2025 at 6:16 AM
3. F# — I have no specific need to target .NET, so I just use OCaml, even though I miss some F# features like active patterns
"What if the speed of sound were as fast as the speed of light?"
https://www.livescience.com/what-if-speed-of-sound-sped-up
https://www.livescience.com/what-if-speed-of-sound-sped-up
What if the speed of sound were as fast as the speed of light?
Simultaneous thunder and lightning is only the beginning.
www.livescience.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:04 AM
"What if the speed of sound were as fast as the speed of light?"
https://www.livescience.com/what-if-speed-of-sound-sped-up
https://www.livescience.com/what-if-speed-of-sound-sped-up
Interesting:
reddwarf.app
"Red Dwarf is a Bluesky client that does not rely on any Bluesky API App Servers. Instead, it uses Microcosm to fetch records directly from each users' PDS (via Slingshot) and connect them using backlinks (via Constellation)"
#atproto #decentralization
reddwarf.app
"Red Dwarf is a Bluesky client that does not rely on any Bluesky API App Servers. Instead, it uses Microcosm to fetch records directly from each users' PDS (via Slingshot) and connect them using backlinks (via Constellation)"
#atproto #decentralization
Red Dwarf
an appview-less Bluesky client using Constellation and PDS Queries
reddwarf.app
October 29, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Interesting:
reddwarf.app
"Red Dwarf is a Bluesky client that does not rely on any Bluesky API App Servers. Instead, it uses Microcosm to fetch records directly from each users' PDS (via Slingshot) and connect them using backlinks (via Constellation)"
#atproto #decentralization
reddwarf.app
"Red Dwarf is a Bluesky client that does not rely on any Bluesky API App Servers. Instead, it uses Microcosm to fetch records directly from each users' PDS (via Slingshot) and connect them using backlinks (via Constellation)"
#atproto #decentralization
If you're looking for a TUI email client, I can heartily recommend aerc.
https://aerc-mail.org
I recently made the switch from NeoMutt and am very happy with it.
#productivity #terminal
https://aerc-mail.org
I recently made the switch from NeoMutt and am very happy with it.
#productivity #terminal
October 26, 2025 at 2:16 PM
If you're looking for a TUI email client, I can heartily recommend aerc.
https://aerc-mail.org
I recently made the switch from NeoMutt and am very happy with it.
#productivity #terminal
https://aerc-mail.org
I recently made the switch from NeoMutt and am very happy with it.
#productivity #terminal
“Hacking Formula 1: Accessing Max Verstappen's passport and PII through FIA bugs”
#infosec #f1
https://ian.sh/fia
#infosec #f1
https://ian.sh/fia
Hacking Formula 1: Accessing Max Verstappen's passport and PII through FIA bugs
We found vulnerabilities in the FIA's Driver Categorisation platform, allowing us to access PII and password hashes of any racing driver with a categorisation rating.
ian.sh
October 26, 2025 at 5:10 AM
“Hacking Formula 1: Accessing Max Verstappen's passport and PII through FIA bugs”
#infosec #f1
https://ian.sh/fia
#infosec #f1
https://ian.sh/fia
Reposted by Michael Kohl
So now Mark’s creeper specs do what they are intended to do and the company can claim users are circumventing the “guardrails” and violating the TOS. Everyone gets what they want, except for the rest of us, who get screwed.
New: a $60 mod to Meta's Ray-Ban glasses disables the privacy LED light. This is supposed to light when people are filming with the glasses. We bought the mod, verified it works. Now you can never be sure whether someone wearing Meta Ray-Bans is filming you or not
www.404media.co/how-to-disab...
www.404media.co/how-to-disab...
A $60 Mod to Meta’s Ray-Bans Disables Its Privacy-Protecting Recording Light
Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses usually include an LED that lights up when the user is recording other people. One hobbyist is charging a small fee to disable that light, and has a growing list of customers ar...
www.404media.co
October 23, 2025 at 1:11 PM
So now Mark’s creeper specs do what they are intended to do and the company can claim users are circumventing the “guardrails” and violating the TOS. Everyone gets what they want, except for the rest of us, who get screwed.
Got my first PR to @tangled.org merged. A tiny change, but a good way to slowly familiarize myself with the codebase.
Add alt text to follow card #696
Closes https://tangled.org/@tangled.org/core/issues/266.
Adds the username as `alt` attribute to the follow card.
tangled.org
October 22, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Got my first PR to @tangled.org merged. A tiny change, but a good way to slowly familiarize myself with the codebase.
Reposted by Michael Kohl
Newsletter: Anatomy of a crypto meltdown
October 2025 brought the most dramatic crypto flash crash of all time, but it was only a dress rehearsal for the systemic crisis the industry is building toward.
www.citationneeded.news/anatomy-of-a...
October 2025 brought the most dramatic crypto flash crash of all time, but it was only a dress rehearsal for the systemic crisis the industry is building toward.
www.citationneeded.news/anatomy-of-a...
Anatomy of a crypto meltdown
October 2025 brought the most dramatic crypto flash crash of all time, but it was only a dress rehearsal for the systemic crisis the industry is building toward.
www.citationneeded.news
October 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Newsletter: Anatomy of a crypto meltdown
October 2025 brought the most dramatic crypto flash crash of all time, but it was only a dress rehearsal for the systemic crisis the industry is building toward.
www.citationneeded.news/anatomy-of-a...
October 2025 brought the most dramatic crypto flash crash of all time, but it was only a dress rehearsal for the systemic crisis the industry is building toward.
www.citationneeded.news/anatomy-of-a...
"How I Reversed Amazon's Kindle Web Obfuscation Because Their App Sucked"
https://blog.pixelmelt.dev/kindle-web-drm/
https://blog.pixelmelt.dev/kindle-web-drm/
How I Reversed Amazon's Kindle Web Obfuscation Because Their App Sucked
As it turns out they don't actually want you to do this (and have some interesting ways to stop you)
blog.pixelmelt.dev
October 22, 2025 at 12:39 PM
"How I Reversed Amazon's Kindle Web Obfuscation Because Their App Sucked"
https://blog.pixelmelt.dev/kindle-web-drm/
https://blog.pixelmelt.dev/kindle-web-drm/
Just wasted an hour before I realized that you can't just start sshd on macOS the normal way if you use nix-darwin. 🤦♂️
October 21, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Just wasted an hour before I realized that you can't just start sshd on macOS the normal way if you use nix-darwin. 🤦♂️
After the shocking news of Daniel Naroditsky**'s** untimely death at only 29, agadmator remembers him with this review of one of his great games. RIP Danya!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uitl2inW5g
#chess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uitl2inW5g
#chess
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
www.youtube.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:51 PM
After the shocking news of Daniel Naroditsky**'s** untimely death at only 29, agadmator remembers him with this review of one of his great games. RIP Danya!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uitl2inW5g
#chess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uitl2inW5g
#chess
I have now also resurrected the other old #ocaml article and converted the code examples from #reasonml :
https://citizen428.net/blog/ocaml-module-functors/
https://citizen428.net/blog/ocaml-module-functors/
Module Functors in OCaml - citizen428.net
Note: A version of this article was originally written for Human Readable magazine in March 2020. That site no longer exists, so I decided to republish it on this blog. In the process I also converted the example code from ReasonML to OCaml syntax and updated the text to reflect those changes.
Since functional programming’s move into the mainstream, many developers have embraced concepts like higher-order functions. OCaml take this a step further and extends the concept to the module level. This article explores module functors, a powerful feature that offers a functional approach to code sharing, dependency injection, and more.
citizen428.net
October 21, 2025 at 9:51 AM
I have now also resurrected the other old #ocaml article and converted the code examples from #reasonml :
https://citizen428.net/blog/ocaml-module-functors/
https://citizen428.net/blog/ocaml-module-functors/
