Andy Toone
@lockfarm.bsky.social
Petabytes in my day job, kilobytes in my spare time.
Maker of Beasts - https://feersumbeasts.com/ 8-bit Z80 kit
Technologist, cynical optimist, occasional CTO, regular tinkerer.
Rural hideout in UK
Maker of Beasts - https://feersumbeasts.com/ 8-bit Z80 kit
Technologist, cynical optimist, occasional CTO, regular tinkerer.
Rural hideout in UK
Pinned
Andy Toone
@lockfarm.bsky.social
· Oct 18
You're meant to share the work you're doing..
I'm particularly bad at that, and somewhat overwhelmed with stuff..
..at which point I'm meant to end on a positive note and a call to action, but really, that's the post. That's it.
I'm particularly bad at that, and somewhat overwhelmed with stuff..
..at which point I'm meant to end on a positive note and a call to action, but really, that's the post. That's it.
Took the Eurostar to Paris for the weekend. Had a cracking time, and ate very well in the Sorbonne district (recommend La Bobine and Amarvi, and La Petite Bouclerie for crepes).
Incredibly easy trip and welcoming people.
Incredibly easy trip and welcoming people.
January 26, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Took the Eurostar to Paris for the weekend. Had a cracking time, and ate very well in the Sorbonne district (recommend La Bobine and Amarvi, and La Petite Bouclerie for crepes).
Incredibly easy trip and welcoming people.
Incredibly easy trip and welcoming people.
I've got a draw full of these...
This is my attempt at a XKCD style this year:
"TTL PART NUMBERS"
"TTL PART NUMBERS"
January 25, 2026 at 9:47 PM
I've got a draw full of these...
This sort of thing is quite important. We were told @maitlis.bsky.social and the BBC had uncovered a scandal - yet it turns out the only scandal was the law firm involved making things up.
The harm done has never been addressed.
The harm done has never been addressed.
@johnhyde.bsky.social following your article about potential legal action against the Tavistock in 2022: www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/firm-pr...
I thought you might be interested in this update - An FOI has uncovered that NO legal action was ever received by PG: www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/numb...
I thought you might be interested in this update - An FOI has uncovered that NO legal action was ever received by PG: www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/numb...
Firm predicts 1,000 clients may join gender identity clinic claim
Clinic set to close after criticism over quality controls for new treatments.
www.lawgazette.co.uk
January 23, 2026 at 11:09 AM
This sort of thing is quite important. We were told @maitlis.bsky.social and the BBC had uncovered a scandal - yet it turns out the only scandal was the law firm involved making things up.
The harm done has never been addressed.
The harm done has never been addressed.
Awww... not Switch?
🚨🏺Introducing our newest game: KILN!🏺🚨
An online multiplayer, pottery party brawler! Teams of colorful spirits sculpt ceramic battle armor on a pottery wheel, and the size and shape of your pots determine your play-style and abilities. Coming 2026 (yep, THIS year)!
youtu.be/mi0iRV0U3VY
An online multiplayer, pottery party brawler! Teams of colorful spirits sculpt ceramic battle armor on a pottery wheel, and the size and shape of your pots determine your play-style and abilities. Coming 2026 (yep, THIS year)!
youtu.be/mi0iRV0U3VY
Kiln Announce Trailer - YouTube
An online multiplayer, pottery party brawler! Launching 2026
youtu.be
January 22, 2026 at 7:55 PM
Awww... not Switch?
How do we feel about MIDI interfaces? Would a MIDI controller be a fun project to play with?
I'm sure MicroBeast's inbuilt display would be kinda cool for a sequencer...
I'm sure MicroBeast's inbuilt display would be kinda cool for a sequencer...
January 22, 2026 at 7:00 PM
How do we feel about MIDI interfaces? Would a MIDI controller be a fun project to play with?
I'm sure MicroBeast's inbuilt display would be kinda cool for a sequencer...
I'm sure MicroBeast's inbuilt display would be kinda cool for a sequencer...
I wrote this last year, but the consequences of concentrating financial control into a handful of payment networks are more obvious than ever. If Peter Thiel is the problem, Bitcoin is definitely not the solution.
feersumbeasts.com/bitcoin.html
feersumbeasts.com/bitcoin.html
Today's Thesis
Bitcoin solved the wrong problem.
feersumbeasts.com
January 22, 2026 at 6:23 PM
I wrote this last year, but the consequences of concentrating financial control into a handful of payment networks are more obvious than ever. If Peter Thiel is the problem, Bitcoin is definitely not the solution.
feersumbeasts.com/bitcoin.html
feersumbeasts.com/bitcoin.html
Suddenly my pitch for "The Great Pottery Throwdown" but for people building retro technology doesn't seem so ridiculous, eh?
Watch as our teams hack Big Track, build Space Invaders and design weird new gadgets! (I'm willing to cry on camera if someone uses a Z80 particularly well - take that Keith)
Watch as our teams hack Big Track, build Space Invaders and design weird new gadgets! (I'm willing to cry on camera if someone uses a Z80 particularly well - take that Keith)
I've read some bollocks-laden pitches from production companies in my time, but 'Alan, at 50, is approaching a difficult reckoning in his life: does he want to buy a castle or not?' is top tier. Astonishing.
Alan Carr, chateau man
January 22, 2026 at 1:05 PM
Suddenly my pitch for "The Great Pottery Throwdown" but for people building retro technology doesn't seem so ridiculous, eh?
Watch as our teams hack Big Track, build Space Invaders and design weird new gadgets! (I'm willing to cry on camera if someone uses a Z80 particularly well - take that Keith)
Watch as our teams hack Big Track, build Space Invaders and design weird new gadgets! (I'm willing to cry on camera if someone uses a Z80 particularly well - take that Keith)
As someone who builds global scale infrastructure, I'm keenly aware that we have a very poor track record when it comes to handing tech giants enormous sums of money to provide questionable public services.
So it seems a good idea to challenge the corporate lobbyists and improve our digital lives.
So it seems a good idea to challenge the corporate lobbyists and improve our digital lives.
America sneezes. We catch a cold.
And the UK is overexposed.
As long as foreign tech runs our digital infrastructure, our systems can be used as leverage or disrupted on Trump's say so.
Tell your MP to support the motion for #DigitalSovereignty ⬇️
action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-governm...
And the UK is overexposed.
As long as foreign tech runs our digital infrastructure, our systems can be used as leverage or disrupted on Trump's say so.
Tell your MP to support the motion for #DigitalSovereignty ⬇️
action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-governm...
Protect Britain’s Digital Backbone — Ask Your MP to Act
Take action! What’s the problem? The UK’s digital backbone. The cloud services, data systems, and platforms that underpin government, public services, and democratic processes is dangerously reliant…
action.openrightsgroup.org
January 22, 2026 at 12:51 PM
As someone who builds global scale infrastructure, I'm keenly aware that we have a very poor track record when it comes to handing tech giants enormous sums of money to provide questionable public services.
So it seems a good idea to challenge the corporate lobbyists and improve our digital lives.
So it seems a good idea to challenge the corporate lobbyists and improve our digital lives.
I think the next thing for MicroBeast BIOS: boot options stored in non-volatile RAM. So you can set it to auto boot to CP/M, auto restore your second disk and disable LED output for fast serial terminals.
There will be a CP/M utility SETOPTS to configure things, and maybe a menu in the Monitor.
There will be a CP/M utility SETOPTS to configure things, and maybe a menu in the Monitor.
January 18, 2026 at 10:13 PM
I think the next thing for MicroBeast BIOS: boot options stored in non-volatile RAM. So you can set it to auto boot to CP/M, auto restore your second disk and disable LED output for fast serial terminals.
There will be a CP/M utility SETOPTS to configure things, and maybe a menu in the Monitor.
There will be a CP/M utility SETOPTS to configure things, and maybe a menu in the Monitor.
This looks like a good idea - a kitchen mixer that's repairable, made from recycled materials, uses standard jars and is open source.
What can we make next?
www.openfunk.co/pages/re-mix
What can we make next?
www.openfunk.co/pages/re-mix
re:Mix
Blend smoothies, nut butters & more in a customisable and durable design.
www.openfunk.co
January 18, 2026 at 8:41 PM
This looks like a good idea - a kitchen mixer that's repairable, made from recycled materials, uses standard jars and is open source.
What can we make next?
www.openfunk.co/pages/re-mix
What can we make next?
www.openfunk.co/pages/re-mix
Watched the Adam Project last night as an undemanding film - enjoyed it. Nice to see something that stands on its own and isn't trying to fit in a franchise or part of a bigger story.
January 18, 2026 at 10:27 AM
Watched the Adam Project last night as an undemanding film - enjoyed it. Nice to see something that stands on its own and isn't trying to fit in a franchise or part of a bigger story.
Elon Musk - Carsie Blanton Official Music Video
YouTube video by Carsie Blanton
www.youtube.com
January 17, 2026 at 3:20 PM
This is why I think the bursting of the AI bubble will be more contained than some people believe - it's not actually being "used" in any serious capacity in general business despite the hype and ubiquity of 'AI tools' in online life.
Experiment suggests AI chatbot would save insurance agents a whopping 3 minutes a day
Experiment suggests AI chatbot would save insurance agents a whopping 3 minutes a day
Does that kind of time saving actually pay for itself?
Researchers at Dakota State University, in partnership with regional insurance carrier Safety Insurance, devised an experimental chatbot called "Axlerod" to assist independent insurance agents. Whether that assistance was substantial is up for some debate.…
dlvr.it
January 16, 2026 at 11:32 PM
This is why I think the bursting of the AI bubble will be more contained than some people believe - it's not actually being "used" in any serious capacity in general business despite the hype and ubiquity of 'AI tools' in online life.
In these uncertain times, I'm actually struggling to think of an institution I trust.
That's a really weird thought to have.
That's a really weird thought to have.
January 16, 2026 at 9:37 PM
In these uncertain times, I'm actually struggling to think of an institution I trust.
That's a really weird thought to have.
That's a really weird thought to have.
The important difference AI enables is that no-one with any braincells needs to be anywhere near this sort of project. The marketing team can ignore the sarcastic input of the annoying development droids, and can just spam customers with their brilliant ideas.
What a time to be alive!
What a time to be alive!
aside from the madness of uploading a photo of your party to a chatbot to order pizza
every single one of these features is EASILY achievable without any "ai" at all
faster, more efficient, and DEFINITELY more cheaper (plus more reliable) too
THIS IS JUST A BOG STANDARD SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT TASK
every single one of these features is EASILY achievable without any "ai" at all
faster, more efficient, and DEFINITELY more cheaper (plus more reliable) too
THIS IS JUST A BOG STANDARD SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT TASK
?????
January 16, 2026 at 8:50 PM
The important difference AI enables is that no-one with any braincells needs to be anywhere near this sort of project. The marketing team can ignore the sarcastic input of the annoying development droids, and can just spam customers with their brilliant ideas.
What a time to be alive!
What a time to be alive!
This sort of "testing" is wildly misleading.
Systems like this can appear amazingly reliable, right up to the point when suddenly they're not. And at surprisingly low speeds, that sudden switch can be a life or death event.
Systems like this can appear amazingly reliable, right up to the point when suddenly they're not. And at surprisingly low speeds, that sudden switch can be a life or death event.
Testing Super Cruise in the rain shows just how far driver assistance systems have come.
I Tested GM’s Super Cruise In Heavy Rain. It Was Surprisingly Competent
Super Cruise’s performance in inclement weather sheds light on how driver assistance systems are evolving in consumer vehicles.
insideevs.com
January 15, 2026 at 10:04 AM
This sort of "testing" is wildly misleading.
Systems like this can appear amazingly reliable, right up to the point when suddenly they're not. And at surprisingly low speeds, that sudden switch can be a life or death event.
Systems like this can appear amazingly reliable, right up to the point when suddenly they're not. And at surprisingly low speeds, that sudden switch can be a life or death event.
Late night thought: A sound chip consisting of <N> cores, each of which is a extremely simple CPU that outputs mono audio, and runs at exactly 100x it's current audio frequency. Each core can take a signal from another core, route it and modify it.
A sorta DSP designed for writing synths...
A sorta DSP designed for writing synths...
January 14, 2026 at 10:49 PM
Late night thought: A sound chip consisting of <N> cores, each of which is a extremely simple CPU that outputs mono audio, and runs at exactly 100x it's current audio frequency. Each core can take a signal from another core, route it and modify it.
A sorta DSP designed for writing synths...
A sorta DSP designed for writing synths...
I was late to work because these two decided I had to solve a riddle first...
January 14, 2026 at 10:21 PM
I was late to work because these two decided I had to solve a riddle first...
Instead of big bets with low chances of changing the world, why not fund small projects that change people's lives?
Zuckerberg could have made 73,000 people millionaires, or paid nearly $40,000 to each and every single registered charity and non-profit in America.
Zuckerberg could have made 73,000 people millionaires, or paid nearly $40,000 to each and every single registered charity and non-profit in America.
Let’s check out what hsbc has said in the past!
January 14, 2026 at 9:09 PM
Instead of big bets with low chances of changing the world, why not fund small projects that change people's lives?
Zuckerberg could have made 73,000 people millionaires, or paid nearly $40,000 to each and every single registered charity and non-profit in America.
Zuckerberg could have made 73,000 people millionaires, or paid nearly $40,000 to each and every single registered charity and non-profit in America.
A UI is a contract with the user.
FreeCad: "..and pray I don't alter it further".
Never has a single click felt so fraught with imminent disaster.
You liked your model? Watch as it collapses into an alternate dimension...
Undo won't save you now, newbie...
FreeCad: "..and pray I don't alter it further".
Never has a single click felt so fraught with imminent disaster.
You liked your model? Watch as it collapses into an alternate dimension...
Undo won't save you now, newbie...
January 14, 2026 at 6:46 PM
A UI is a contract with the user.
FreeCad: "..and pray I don't alter it further".
Never has a single click felt so fraught with imminent disaster.
You liked your model? Watch as it collapses into an alternate dimension...
Undo won't save you now, newbie...
FreeCad: "..and pray I don't alter it further".
Never has a single click felt so fraught with imminent disaster.
You liked your model? Watch as it collapses into an alternate dimension...
Undo won't save you now, newbie...
2026 timeline so far.
GamersNexus is doing more in depth analysis of Palantir than mainstream media. It's funnier too.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Idb...
GamersNexus is doing more in depth analysis of Palantir than mainstream media. It's funnier too.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Idb...
Palantir Crashes Out in Response to GN
YouTube video by GNCA - GamersNexus Consumer Advocacy
www.youtube.com
January 13, 2026 at 4:50 PM
2026 timeline so far.
GamersNexus is doing more in depth analysis of Palantir than mainstream media. It's funnier too.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Idb...
GamersNexus is doing more in depth analysis of Palantir than mainstream media. It's funnier too.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Idb...
For those of us concerned about independent creators and businesses being locked out of public spaces, this is frankly terrifying.
The unholy alliance of Google, payment gateways and global retailers sees us only as consumers and wage slaves.
www.theregister.com/2026/01/12/g...
The unholy alliance of Google, payment gateways and global retailers sees us only as consumers and wage slaves.
www.theregister.com/2026/01/12/g...
Google rolls out agentic commerce in Search and Gemini
: You can check out anytime you like, but please don’t ever leave
www.theregister.com
January 12, 2026 at 9:18 PM
For those of us concerned about independent creators and businesses being locked out of public spaces, this is frankly terrifying.
The unholy alliance of Google, payment gateways and global retailers sees us only as consumers and wage slaves.
www.theregister.com/2026/01/12/g...
The unholy alliance of Google, payment gateways and global retailers sees us only as consumers and wage slaves.
www.theregister.com/2026/01/12/g...
I'm not sure what the dog is up to, but that is definitely not a Picasso.
January 12, 2026 at 2:40 PM
I'm not sure what the dog is up to, but that is definitely not a Picasso.
How have I only just seen this?
I think the internet was (for once) saving me from the insanity.
Now we just need to feed the position back into Mario, so that gravity adjusts accordingly and...
I think the internet was (for once) saving me from the insanity.
Now we just need to feed the position back into Mario, so that gravity adjusts accordingly and...
January 12, 2026 at 9:44 AM
How have I only just seen this?
I think the internet was (for once) saving me from the insanity.
Now we just need to feed the position back into Mario, so that gravity adjusts accordingly and...
I think the internet was (for once) saving me from the insanity.
Now we just need to feed the position back into Mario, so that gravity adjusts accordingly and...