James Bell
@sarcainian.bsky.social
(he/him) @sarcain@ruby.social (Mastodon)
Web head, reader, cook, rubyist and all that.
Web head, reader, cook, rubyist and all that.
Reposted by James Bell
IT'S HERE
February 13, 2026 at 9:57 PM
IT'S HERE
Reposted by James Bell
I'm trying to give indie TTRPGs some love on Polygon but it's tough because they don't do the sort of traffic as D&D stories. But one of the best part of my job is talking to game developers about their passion for the hobby. Here's a piece on Nimble: www.polygon.com/nimble-dunge...
D&D alternative Nimble returns to Kickstarter with a big expansion
Designer Evan Diaz talks about respecting everyone's time and making memories
www.polygon.com
February 13, 2026 at 9:46 AM
I'm trying to give indie TTRPGs some love on Polygon but it's tough because they don't do the sort of traffic as D&D stories. But one of the best part of my job is talking to game developers about their passion for the hobby. Here's a piece on Nimble: www.polygon.com/nimble-dunge...
Reposted by James Bell
was Pam Bondi trying to un-hibernate Auto-Tune the News?
February 13, 2026 at 6:52 PM
was Pam Bondi trying to un-hibernate Auto-Tune the News?
Reposted by James Bell
Please help with this, they don't even need to be good examples, feel free to send us the bad ones too! This is gonna take *years* but the more examples we have now the sooner we can start getting to the really detailed discussions.
Browser developers are working on custom form controls ( `appearance:base`), the next giant task is looming: customisable input type=date/datetime/color pickers.
These are huge and have wildly varied UI. Send me your examples, I'd love to see them and build up a body of these pickers.
These are huge and have wildly varied UI. Send me your examples, I'd love to see them and build up a body of these pickers.
February 13, 2026 at 10:08 AM
Please help with this, they don't even need to be good examples, feel free to send us the bad ones too! This is gonna take *years* but the more examples we have now the sooner we can start getting to the really detailed discussions.
Reposted by James Bell
I regret to inform you (and especially @cyberleagle.bsky.social) that the hackneyed fallacy of “the internet is an unregulated Wild West” is doing the rounds again, today, yes *after* the OSA.
news.sky.com/story/beth-r...
news.sky.com/story/beth-r...
Beth Rigby: The constant challenges I face keeping my kids safe in the new Wild West
Like millions of parents up and down the country, raising my kids amid the rise of social media, gaming platforms, and AI has been like navigating the Wild West. Can the government really do anything ...
news.sky.com
February 12, 2026 at 7:40 AM
I regret to inform you (and especially @cyberleagle.bsky.social) that the hackneyed fallacy of “the internet is an unregulated Wild West” is doing the rounds again, today, yes *after* the OSA.
news.sky.com/story/beth-r...
news.sky.com/story/beth-r...
Reposted by James Bell
So, the latest wave of LLM tools for coding enable building systems that abstract away the whole "coding" part entirely. If there are going to be software factories, how do you make them *worker-owned* factories? www.anildash.com/2026/02/11/c...
Coding agents as the new compilers - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
www.anildash.com
February 12, 2026 at 3:45 AM
So, the latest wave of LLM tools for coding enable building systems that abstract away the whole "coding" part entirely. If there are going to be software factories, how do you make them *worker-owned* factories? www.anildash.com/2026/02/11/c...
Reposted by James Bell
100 passports left for London. Get them at the next LRUG meeting.
February 11, 2026 at 11:16 AM
100 passports left for London. Get them at the next LRUG meeting.
Reposted by James Bell
I tried to take a photo of a grasshopper on my windshield, but now it looks like a gigantic bug destroying the town.
February 10, 2026 at 6:10 AM
I tried to take a photo of a grasshopper on my windshield, but now it looks like a gigantic bug destroying the town.
Reposted by James Bell
“I urge the government to back the World Service, to act decisively and confidently about what we can achieve in this space, and to act soon”
- Tim Davie, BBC Director-General.
A dire warning about the World Service running out of money in just 7 weeks time.
- Tim Davie, BBC Director-General.
A dire warning about the World Service running out of money in just 7 weeks time.
BBC World Service faces funding cliff edge in seven weeks, says Tim Davie
As trust in Russia and China’s state broadcasters grows, director general warns of the dangers of cutting back the service
www.theguardian.com
February 10, 2026 at 2:32 PM
“I urge the government to back the World Service, to act decisively and confidently about what we can achieve in this space, and to act soon”
- Tim Davie, BBC Director-General.
A dire warning about the World Service running out of money in just 7 weeks time.
- Tim Davie, BBC Director-General.
A dire warning about the World Service running out of money in just 7 weeks time.
Reposted by James Bell
Ok. My diagramming app's logged-out mode is somewhat useful now. You can edit the playground model, and share public read-only links. Free to use! Any feedback welcome. eventlanes.app
Eventlanes
Visual modeling tool for your event-driven apps
eventlanes.app
February 10, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Ok. My diagramming app's logged-out mode is somewhat useful now. You can edit the playground model, and share public read-only links. Free to use! Any feedback welcome. eventlanes.app
This is happening - this Thursday!
It's 2026, January has passed, so ScotRUG is here to bring you together to chat about Ruby in Scotland. Josh Pencheon will speak about his experiences in Ruby in both the civil service and the private sector, and tell us a bit about what he's learned along the way: www.meetup.com/scotrug/even...
20 years cutting Ruby: reflections on public vs private sector, Wed, Feb 4, 2026, 7:00 PM | Meetup
Josh Pencheon has been using Ruby for 20 years, and has worked with it in the civil service and the private sector. He's going to share some of his experiences with us, the
www.meetup.com
February 8, 2026 at 11:27 PM
This is happening - this Thursday!
Reposted by James Bell
It's 2026, January has passed, so ScotRUG is here to bring you together to chat about Ruby in Scotland. Josh Pencheon will speak about his experiences in Ruby in both the civil service and the private sector, and tell us a bit about what he's learned along the way: www.meetup.com/scotrug/even...
20 years cutting Ruby: reflections on public vs private sector, Wed, Feb 4, 2026, 7:00 PM | Meetup
Josh Pencheon has been using Ruby for 20 years, and has worked with it in the civil service and the private sector. He's going to share some of his experiences with us, the
www.meetup.com
February 3, 2026 at 10:25 PM
It's 2026, January has passed, so ScotRUG is here to bring you together to chat about Ruby in Scotland. Josh Pencheon will speak about his experiences in Ruby in both the civil service and the private sector, and tell us a bit about what he's learned along the way: www.meetup.com/scotrug/even...
Reposted by James Bell
Rudy is out here very much living "we can just do things" with a "for each other" emphasis.
February 8, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Rudy is out here very much living "we can just do things" with a "for each other" emphasis.
Reposted by James Bell
Calm it cat. You're not Alan Rickman at the end of Die Hard.
February 8, 2026 at 10:40 AM
Calm it cat. You're not Alan Rickman at the end of Die Hard.
Reposted by James Bell
Reposted by James Bell
Revealed: Wealthy use loophole to conceal value of more than £300m in Scottish land sales #landreform #greenlairds👇🏾🌲🏔️ www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Wealthy use loophole to conceal value of £300m in Scottish land sales
Prices paid for large estates not being disclosed on official register, land reform advocates say
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:34 AM
Revealed: Wealthy use loophole to conceal value of more than £300m in Scottish land sales #landreform #greenlairds👇🏾🌲🏔️ www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Reposted by James Bell
Sir Guenter Treitel came to the UK on the Kindertransport. He became the foremost authority on English contract law.
Famously, he held the Rolling Stones to their contract to play the Magdalen Ball in 1964 for £100 - they had suddenly become superstars after being booked as unknowns in 1963.
Famously, he held the Rolling Stones to their contract to play the Magdalen Ball in 1964 for £100 - they had suddenly become superstars after being booked as unknowns in 1963.
Magdalen launches Sir Guenter Treitel Scholarships.
Each year, three Sir Guenter Treitel Scholars will be provided with full funding (fees and maintenance) to study the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) at Magdalen College.
Read more: www.magd.ox.ac.uk/news/magdale...
Each year, three Sir Guenter Treitel Scholars will be provided with full funding (fees and maintenance) to study the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) at Magdalen College.
Read more: www.magd.ox.ac.uk/news/magdale...
February 6, 2026 at 3:53 PM
Sir Guenter Treitel came to the UK on the Kindertransport. He became the foremost authority on English contract law.
Famously, he held the Rolling Stones to their contract to play the Magdalen Ball in 1964 for £100 - they had suddenly become superstars after being booked as unknowns in 1963.
Famously, he held the Rolling Stones to their contract to play the Magdalen Ball in 1964 for £100 - they had suddenly become superstars after being booked as unknowns in 1963.
Reposted by James Bell
They didn't even top the bill
February 6, 2026 at 4:04 PM
They didn't even top the bill
Reposted by James Bell
They've essentially killed @heroku.com. If Rails developers want something better, seriously check out @hatchbox.io. It's honestly amazing, and Chris is a super-nice guy. I use it for @pagecord.com and couldn't be happier.
www.heroku.com/blog/an-upda...
www.heroku.com/blog/an-upda...
An Update on Heroku
Today, Heroku is transitioning to a sustaining engineering model focused on stability, security, reliability, and support. Heroku remains an actively supported, production-ready platform, with an emph...
www.heroku.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:39 PM
They've essentially killed @heroku.com. If Rails developers want something better, seriously check out @hatchbox.io. It's honestly amazing, and Chris is a super-nice guy. I use it for @pagecord.com and couldn't be happier.
www.heroku.com/blog/an-upda...
www.heroku.com/blog/an-upda...
Reposted by James Bell
New blog post: Book Review: Diversifying Open Source - An Open Standards Playbook for Inclusive and Equitable Tech Projects by Paloma
https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/02/book-review-diversifying-open-source-an-open-standards-playbook-for-inclusive-and-equitable-tech-projects-by-paloma-oliveira/
It …
https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/02/book-review-diversifying-open-source-an-open-standards-playbook-for-inclusive-and-equitable-tech-projects-by-paloma-oliveira/
It …
Book Review: Diversifying Open Source - An Open Standards Playbook for Inclusive and Equitable Tech Projects by Paloma Oliveira
It is refreshing to read a political polemic which contains useful actions the reader can take. Too many books about the social problems with technology end up being a diagnosis with no cure. Paloma Oliveira's new book (with technical review by my friend Dawn Foster) is a deep dive into how we can all make Open Source more inclusive and equitable. Unlike most tech books, it doesn't follow the …
shkspr.mobi
February 6, 2026 at 1:15 PM
New blog post: Book Review: Diversifying Open Source - An Open Standards Playbook for Inclusive and Equitable Tech Projects by Paloma
https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/02/book-review-diversifying-open-source-an-open-standards-playbook-for-inclusive-and-equitable-tech-projects-by-paloma-oliveira/
It …
https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/02/book-review-diversifying-open-source-an-open-standards-playbook-for-inclusive-and-equitable-tech-projects-by-paloma-oliveira/
It …
Reposted by James Bell
My latest for This Is Not A Drill on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Kyiv due to Russia's winter bombardment of Ukraine's energy sector.
Available at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Available at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
The Winter War — How Ukraine is facing Russia’s cruelty
Podcast Episode · This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler · 05/02/2026 · 18m
podcasts.apple.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:43 PM
My latest for This Is Not A Drill on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Kyiv due to Russia's winter bombardment of Ukraine's energy sector.
Available at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Available at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Reposted by James Bell
This morning someone has caused me to recall this delightful Parliamentary debate, on young people being so obsessed with screen time that “that they resort to theft, blackmail and vice to obtain money to satisfy their addiction”.
Check the date.
hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1981...
Check the date.
hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1981...
Control Of Space Invaders And Other Electronic Games - Hansard - UK Parliament
Hansard record of the item : 'Control Of Space Invaders And Other Electronic Games' on Wednesday 20 May 1981.
hansard.parliament.uk
February 6, 2026 at 8:02 AM
This morning someone has caused me to recall this delightful Parliamentary debate, on young people being so obsessed with screen time that “that they resort to theft, blackmail and vice to obtain money to satisfy their addiction”.
Check the date.
hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1981...
Check the date.
hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1981...
Reposted by James Bell
Joanna is one of the best to ever do it. She stepped in for a legend (Walt Mossberg) with her own style and take on the tech world; let's hope whoever steps up at the WSJ has half the success she's had.
Some personal news. For real. After 12 years at @wsj.com I’m leaving.
I’m starting my own consumer tech media company, building a new home with the same mission I've always had: help real people navigate the tech changing their lives + have fun while doing it.
Sign up! www.thisismynexthing.com
I’m starting my own consumer tech media company, building a new home with the same mission I've always had: help real people navigate the tech changing their lives + have fun while doing it.
Sign up! www.thisismynexthing.com
Home | This Is My Next Thing
Joanna Stern
www.thisismynexthing.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:47 PM
Joanna is one of the best to ever do it. She stepped in for a legend (Walt Mossberg) with her own style and take on the tech world; let's hope whoever steps up at the WSJ has half the success she's had.
Reposted by James Bell
Reposted by James Bell
It's Sixmas Eve, a time for rivalries, anticipation and giving. Our gift to you all this year is a story, it's a history story, one that hopefully we can all come back to during times when our inspiration is low over these next few weeks...
February 4, 2026 at 9:00 PM
It's Sixmas Eve, a time for rivalries, anticipation and giving. Our gift to you all this year is a story, it's a history story, one that hopefully we can all come back to during times when our inspiration is low over these next few weeks...