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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧

@drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
48 followers 13 following 964 posts

Refugee from The Winchester. Amateur lot of things including astronomy, photography, and mucking about with classic cars (owner). Leccy car owner. Owned by two […] [bridged from mstdn.social/@drs1969 on the fediverse by fed.brid.gy ]

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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 14h
Why would you want to get into a robot taxi instead of one driven by a human? What's the incentive for the user?
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Reposted by drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧
Osma A 🇫🇮🇺🇦 @osma.fishpool.org · 19h
Cloudflare posted their own in-depth analysis of the effects of Yandex strikes. Search crawler automation verified, bots started migrating, and footnote: traffic has recovered to 85% pre-strike level. Last night Ukraine did a second pass. blog.cloudflare.com/yandex-outage
blog.cloudflare.com
Yandex outage: Data shows that instead of going dark, malicious bots went on the move
When strikes hit Yandex data centers, many assumed Russian bot operations went dark. Cloudflare data reveals that while search crawling stopped, malicious bots simply migrated to other networks.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 15/10/2026
Wow. AGAIN with the (deliberately in my view) misleading statements. Both hospitality dinners WERE declared when they happened. Furthermore, the recent update references two meetings that were these dinners. So the fact that the Greater Manchester Combined Authority dropped a meal from Aug 2017 […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 14/10/2026
I @#£%^&* HATE those !@#££% PASSKEYS!!!! Anti-pattern UI EVERYWHERE I have a perfectly good password manager. But no. First Samsung, then Amazon hijack my attempt to login a total of 5 times, trying to trick me into a passkey instead of my chosen method. With anti-patterns like that, no you […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 14/10/2026
@feijoa
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 14/10/2026
No she didn't. She said it felt like Alzheimers. Get. It. Right.
flipboard.com
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 14/10/2026
Leaving the hype aside... Couple of interesting things. AI's passing information to future model instances is worth pondering. But this kinda says you don't need a massive data centre... what you could do is distribute your LLM models across a network & use spare compute to do things you want […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026
When an LLM flips someone the bird and cranks Motörhead up to 11, then maybe there’s something going on. When an LLM spontaneously shows someone a drawing of something it was thinking about. Maybe something is going on. Till then.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026
Geoffrey, when there’s proper evidence of an LLM spontaneously daydreaming or otherwise engaging in undirected, unprompted activity, then maybe you have a point. I’m not aware of any models autogenerating prompts and then acting on them, without ANY initial starting prompt […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026
Gonna see how things look at 30mins and if good, move to the next part of the mosaic. M31 way to big to all fit in the sensor.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026
Right then. Collecting photons from M31. Wondering if some creature over there is collecting photons from here. Or will be in 2.7 million years time, or right now is collecting photons from when we were yet to be, and our Australopithecus ancestors were shaping tools in Africa.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026
Study commissioned and paid for by company wanting new Oil and Gas fields in North sea, claims that it would be a good thing. That's not a 'study'. That's PR. And ITV News are being disingenuous by not making that clear in the headline.
flipboard.com
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 12/10/2026
A truly terrible argument. So bad it looks like apologia or shilling. In the UK, planned AI datacentre build out has Energy and Water (part of climate lads) requirements equivalent to the entire countries current energy consumption. That's just the UK. Cherrypicking a weather model, which is […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 12/10/2026
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 11/10/2026
Nationalism has falsely appropriated the term 'Christian' would be a better title. You can't classify these idiots as religious when they don't do any of the things associated with practising that religion. Christian nationalism in Britain driven by people who seldom go to church, says report | […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 11/10/2026
Here's a timelapse of last nights #Aurora taken from North Oxfordshire. 51 degs north. This covers about an hour and as you can see at the end, things were dying down in my neck of the woods at least. #Astrophotography youtu.be/wDS8oiNMxZU?is=3Ufs4Xsrjr-…
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
This. No colour. Unless its a very strong storm indeed. Compare this to the pic i posted earlier in my timeline. I could see the rightmost pillar with the naked eye. The lwftmost was washed out in the light pollution. Relax your eyes. And averted vision often […] [Original post on mstdn.social]
A black and white view of tonights aurora, simulating what can most likely be seen with the naked eye in good conditions.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
3/ (unless it's a massive storm, in which case look up!) Your phone camera is massively more sensitive than your eyes. Use it. Visual... Looks a bit like...
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
2/ Dress up Warm Get the Glendale web app (it's the best) Find a spot with a view of the northern horizon. Away as much as possible from street lights and light pollution. (I have a hill I can go up - easy visual there can be not visible from my house) You want to be able to see the big Dipper […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
Seeing as there has been a geomagnetic storm. And hopefully we'll have a few more visible from the UK. Here my quick guide to #Aurora hunting. 1/
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
Here's an unprocessed shot from tonights geomagnetic storm. Purple rays were visible with the naked eye (no colour, white streaks). North Oxfordshire. 10s iso 1600 and f2.8 17mm #Aurora
The Aurora seen tonight, 10th Oct 2026 from North Oxfordshire. Unprocessed. Straight off the sensor.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
Looks like the #Aurora show is ending. Activity dying down. Just a green and purple glow now.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
Live view. Sony slr #Aurora Oxfordshire
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
#Aurora visible naked eye. No colour yet. Northern horizon nth oxfordhire
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
#Aurora. North Oxfordshire. Right Now!
Aurora from north oxfordshire
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
No. IT. BLOODY. DIDN’T Bad code, was sent live without any proper testing or adherence to recognised standards of governance on the release of code to a live environment. BBC Stop anthropomorphising software.
flipboard.com
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
Why would this relatively simple matter require Palantir AI to uncover? There's lots of ways to do image analysis. This feels like somebody got some Palantir PR into a news report.
flipboard.com
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
God lord. This story just gets worse and worse. These systems are unsafe at any speed.
neuromatch.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
BBC Director General doesn't seem to understand that an AI generated 'episode' of Dr Who, must by definition be a massive copyright infringement. On the IP he is supposed to be protecting. There's no 'fair use' here - it's UK copyright. BBC Boss Walks Back 'Doctor Who' AI Comments […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Iridescent clouds now. Quite the sky show this afternoon.
Iridescent clouds just to the right of a cloud hidden sun.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Skyscape
Panoramic skyscape. Oxfordshire
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Another picture of this cloud formation.
Wispy cloud streams away from a central ridge of cloud. Very unusual.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Right then. Any #meteorologist s or #cloud (sky) experts know,what these clouds are? Overhead right now here in Oxfordshire. A very defined line and then wisps fan out from that line. Further away are other narrow wisps
Strange fan like clouds in the sky over Oxfordshire
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Just took the MGA out for a SPLENDID 30 mile country drive. Did my mental health a world of good.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 07/10/2026
Second star to the right, and straight on 'till morning Mrs Hamilton. Go dance the skies on laughter-silvered wings. Margaret Hamilton, computing pioneer who led software development for the Apollo program, dies at 90 | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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Reposted by drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧
David Gerard @davidgerard.circumstances.run.ap.brid.gy · 07/10/2026
www.reddit.com/r/SneerClub/comments…
Shitgenstein

I met a traveler from an inland state
Who said: Two vast and humming racks of steel
Stand in the cornfield. Near them, on the plain,
Half buried in weed, a broken server face lies,
Its stilled fans, its dulled and blinking lights,
Tell that its builders knew the hype well
Which once ran through these halls, now cold and still,
The hands that fed them and the minds that made:
And on the switchroom wall these words remain:
“My name is Jensen Huang, CEO of CEOs:
Look on my cloud compute, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that great digital ruin, boundless and bare
The autumn fields stretch flat and far away.
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Reposted by drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧
Bruce Lawson ✅ ♫ ♿ ✌️♂️✊ @brucelawson.vivaldi.net.ap.brid.gy · 06/10/2026
If I don't keep my car roadworthy and crash into yours, it hasn't gone "rogue", it's my negligence and I'm responsible. If my dog attacks you, I am liable. There are no rogue AIs, just negligent AI companies. Prosecute them.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 06/10/2026
I see Paul Krugman is cherry picking data and talking utter nonsense. Again. Economists. Stop. Cherry. Picking. Data. And. Learn. What. A. Null. Hypothesis. Is. As. Well. As. A. Confounding. Variable. Also, back your stupid theories up with evidence.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 06/10/2026
@eliocamp In the UK, yes. Computer misuse act covers accidental as well as malicious hacking. Precise details of what one did, would determine whether charges were pressed.
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 05/10/2026
Quick boost there of Laura ‘I’m impartial me ‘cos I work for the BBC’ Kuenssberg on Sunday, writing for the BBC news website… Here’s John Crace describing the capacity of the main hall at the Conservative Party conference […]
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Reposted by drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧
drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 03/10/2026
RE: flipboard.com/@bbcnews/politics-oea… Wow. If you want proof Laura is a Conservative, and thus abusing her position as a BBC journalist, this is the article for you. Labour Party conference was at the Liverpool Experience Centre […]
mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 03/10/2026
RE: flipboard.com/@bbcnews/politics-oea… Wow. If you want proof Laura is a Conservative, and thus abusing her position as a BBC journalist, this is the article for you. Labour Party conference was at the Liverpool Experience Centre […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 05/10/2026
@liedra.net Did you see the Timnit Gebru toot about the utterly blinkers network in the SF area these people all come from? Mindblowing
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 04/10/2026
After they have paid for it. Or have negotiated some appropriate usage conditions eg for research or non-commercial usage of content in a model. This isn't difficult. Some of us were dealing with issues like this back when we were building semantic knowledge graphs. It's just software and […]
mstdn.social
Original post on mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 03/10/2026
RE: mastodon.social/@arstechnica/117378… Godspeed Mr Windler.
mastodon.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 03/10/2026
@koen_hufkens no ikea knowledge. fwiw here in the UK, I home brewed and expanded my DIY solar setup. Used an AP Systems microinverter (widely available in Europe I believe, I imported mine) And I sourced some Q Cells panels, which are not too heavy (20 kg each). If you can, you want to […]
mstdn.social
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Reposted by drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧
Terrible Maps :bot: @terriblemaps.zpravobot.news.ap.brid.gy · 30/09/2026
The best-selling music act from each English county
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 01/10/2026
RE: flipboard.com/@bbcnews/top-stories-… OMG! The Bank of England boss is an idiot. Netscape was a browser company not a search company. They were bought by AOL when Google was just launching. They were done for by Microsoft abusing […]
mstdn.social
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 30/09/2026
Public Service Announcement Redo the thermal paste on your laptop cpu and gpu. Prepare to be slightly astonished. My Dell XPS15 is, um, whisper quiet. Previously it would spin up the fans with furious abandon, to the extent that it was offputting to work on. An hour spent removing the heat […]
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drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧 @drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 30/09/2026
"TEMU SKYNET" Yeah, made me laugh.
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