Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 29/09/2026Me to Claude Code: I have a couple of changes to make Claude: That's four changes Me: Well, some are quite minor Claude: [tuts for 20 minutes about how much there is to refactor, then does a bang up job] Are we sure there aren't real human devs behind AI? 120
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 22/09/2026Some good news, turns out @reachvolunteering.org.uk has found the funding it needed and will be staying open: reachvolunteering.org.uk/closure People I mentioned it to were shocked by the news and had no idea how to plug the gap, so this sounds like a Good Thing for the voluntary sector.reachvolunteering.org.ukReach will remain open | Reach VolunteeringReach Volunteering will remain open after funders unite to secure its immediate future. 0101
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 22/09/2026I've been enjoying getting Claude to help me create right-click Quick Actions on MacOS to do fiddly repetitive stuff. Here, it takes a bunch of generically-named images, describes them and uses the <255 character descriptions as filenames. Result: better default ALT text when I upload to WordPress. 020
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 12/09/2026Nice online experience for the Bayeux Tapestry by the British Museum with full and highlights modes depending on how much of a tapestry nerd you are. h/t @janeparsons.bsky.social www.britishmuseum.org/bayeux-tapes...britishmuseum.orgThe Bayeux Tapestry online experienceFollow the story and discover the people, places and events of 1066 and the Battle of Hastings. Made for young learners, open to all. 030
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 10/09/2026This feels like some solid analysis. There's lots of reasons to worry about or object to AI, but I've not found much evidence that the terrifying environmental impact of datacentres is the slam-dunk some people reckon it is. 261
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 07/09/2026One for the Net Zero Dads/Mums: older wireless charging pads or ones without the magnets to snap devices into alignment are probably wasting more energy than you realise and risk damaging the battery. But does wired charging wear out the ports faster though? www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhKV...youtube.comHow Wireless Charging Works and Why It's TerribleYouTube video by iFixit 000
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 03/09/2026There's a special place for @jukes.ie in the hall of fame for keeping the faith with broad-church, loosely-structured, maturely-organised digital events. Thank you mate for another excellent one. 2140
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 01/09/2026Sad to hear that @reachvolunteering.org.uk is to close, as funders' priorities shift away from national and infrastructure bodies. I've found several good digital volunteering and trustee roles on the platform, and I hope someone is able to take the excellent service forward in some way. 110
Reposted by Steph GrayRobin Linacre @robinlinacre.bsky.social · 26/08/2026My son loves buses! I made an app called buslens that shows you all the places you can get to by bus from near your current location, or any other location: rupertlinacre.com/buslens/ github.com/rupertLinacr... 2165
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 26/08/2026Drive an electric vehicle? The EV Association is running its annual driver survey and looking to hear what the barriers and priorities are for EV drivers (or those looking to get one) to inform their policy work: www.surveymonkey.com/r/HV3TCS5surveymonkey.comSTEER THE CONVERSATIONDrive an EV? Thinking about it? We want to hear from you 011
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 25/08/2026Had something similar last night too when the electronics tutor held up a Nokia 3310 to the room as an example of ancient tech. Dude, that was my third phone 👴 040
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 25/08/2026Had an elderly Millenial moment of wistfulness at the forlorn Post Office counter at the back of our grungy ex-WHSmith this morning. I remember when both were beacons on the high street, bustling, exciting places to go. I know rationally how it’s the result of our choices etc etc, but still 😢 220
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 18/08/2026Absolutely banging edition of Quantum of Sollazzo this week - lots of fascinating links in there (thanks @puntofisso.bsky.social) buttondown.com/puntofisso/a...buttondown.com671: quantum of sollazzoQuantum of Sollazzo NO. 671 · Did someone forward you this email?If so, you can subscribe here.You can view this email online here. In this issue...Quantum... 010
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 17/08/2026There’s an eight inch square of asbestos in my 1970s electricity meter cupboard so after six months’ project management, my driveway/hazmat scene this morning looks like this 170
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 13/08/2026I'm on the receiving end of an increasingly unhinged AI-fuelled sales spam email thread. I really liked "P.S. Totally fine to ignore if not a fit." Also, the idea that government procurement has now adopted fastest finger first. 010
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 07/08/2026Saw Princess Di's SL500 at the Stuttgart Mercedes-Benz museum today (next to the original Popemobile - it's quite a museum). She had to reluctantly return it less than a year later, following an outcry from government and unions. I'm not sure how much soft pressure to 'buy British' helps, tbh. 000
Reposted by Steph GrayThe Restart Project @therestartproject.org · 03/08/2026#RepairDay is our annual chance to celebrate repair 🔧 If you have something planned to mark the occasion, add it to the map now And if you need some inspiration for how you could get involved, explore our toolkit It's all at RepairDay.org 🚀 032
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 03/08/2026Interrailing to Davos today. Can’t not picture this figure of my 1980s nightmares. He probably goes to the World Economic Forum these days, repping AI 062
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 01/08/2026As the Railway 200 team wind up their work I've written down some of the ways which made it such an enjoyable campaign to work on: stephgray.com/2026/08/the-...stephgray.comThe magic of the railwayI'll miss Railway 200, but it's reminded me how much I enjoy supporting a small team with digital in the broad sense 010
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 01/08/2026“It’s not so much that the past is a different country, more that the past was a different future. It turned out that the future did have a lot more screens in it (but less carpet on the walls).” 020
Reposted by Steph GrayJeni Tennison @jenitennison.com · 31/07/2026So I'm pretty excited by the recognition that traditional consultation doesn't cut it any more, in the Rewiring the State Cabinet Statement. 1/3 www.gov.uk/government/p... 182
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 31/07/2026I'm late to this from the @dxw.com blog but it's excellent and refreshingly uncertain about how junior developers and AI will work together in an agency environment: www.dxw.com/2026/06/what...dxw.comWhat are we going to do about junior engineers?Nicky looks at the role of junior engineers and what skills they'll need as AI progresses 033
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 23/07/2026I like the granularity of this calculator by @dantaylorwatt.com of your personal AI environmental footprint. I find the moral panic about AI on ecological grounds a bit tiresome so it's good to have some apparently well-sourced data to work with: www.dantaylorwatt.com/ai/ai-enviro...dantaylorwatt.comAI Environmental Impact CalculatorEstimate the energy, carbon and water footprint of your AI use: chatbots, image generation, video generation and agentic coding. Based on published 2025-26 measurements. 3104
Reposted by Steph GrayDr Maha @maharafiatal.bsky.social · 04/07/2026Bittersweet to mark the Fourth while a tyrant presides over and degrades our nation. But you can play The World in 1776 and remember that all over the world people have always resisted tyranny and in the long run, we will win. worldin1776.org.ukworldin1776.org.ukThe World in 1776: MapIt is March 1776. Adam Smith has just published a book 'The Wealth of Nations' that will change how the world thinks about wealth and power. North American colonists are on the verge of revolution. In... 021
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 06/07/2026"Hmm, what's that large file called rr.mp4 sitting on the server?" I asked myself... and then proceeded to rickroll myself. Well done, me from the past. 080
Reposted by Steph GrayDr Maha @maharafiatal.bsky.social · 16/06/2026It's Smith-mas Eve here at @uofgsocsci.bsky.social! Our celebration of The Wealth of Nations 250th kicks off tomorrow, focusing on slavery, empire, monopoly and justice. www.gla.ac.uk/explore/adam... A little video, chatting Smith with my colleagues, to get you in the mood:youtu.beWhat does the Wealth of Nations mean today?YouTube video by Maha Atal 143
Reposted by Steph GrayCarl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 15/06/2026Dylan, on life in your 80’s, is incredible. @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2026/06/14/o... 230119713099
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 11/06/2026Good to have a professional technical term for this: daringfireball.net/2026/05/what...daringfireball.netWhat Is a Dickover?dickover — a modal panel, popover, or curtain presented by a website or app, deliberately obscuring its own content to frustrate the user with an unwanted, unnecessary, mandatory interaction; e.g. ask... 000
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 04/06/2026Some blogging from me: on working with impact drivers vs phoning a builder and sharing my experiences developing software with Claude: stephgray.com/2026/06/impa...stephgray.comImpact drivers and Adam SmithAs I see it, craft isn't demeaned by use of a machine - there's skill in blending them together with harmony and care. 031
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 02/06/2026It's coming up to 30 years since I (ahem, loosely) studied it, and 250 since it was written: this has been a fun project to work on for the University of Glasgow. I'm so impressed how thorough and yet accessible @maharafiatal.bsky.social and team's storytelling is. worldin1776.org.ukworldin1776.org.ukThe World in 1776: MapIt is March 1776. Adam Smith has just published a book 'The Wealth of Nations' that will change how the world thinks about wealth and power. North American colonists are on the verge of revolution. In... 101
Reposted by Steph GrayDaniel Jalkut @danielpunkass.punkitup.com · 26/05/2026My take on AI is, essentially, everybody who’s against is too against it and everybody who’s for it is too for it. 2127173
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 29/05/2026@gilestur.bsky.social I see where you're coming from - often 'comms' does seem like this, but 'broadcasting positive achievements' is to mature communication what 'web design' is to digital services - a tip of an iceberg. Proper Comms is behaviour change; spin or no spin. gilest.org/notes/2026/o...gilest.orggilest.org: Working in the open ≠ comms 200
Reposted by Steph GrayGavin Freeguard @gavinfreeguard.com · 21/05/2026Thrilled that @policycamp.bsky.social, a one-day unconference for policy practitioners, is happening! - Thursday 23 July, 1000-1630 - University College London Apply for tickets now: policycamp.org.uk A massive thank you to everyone who helped shape our thinking. Please share widely! 058
Reposted by Steph GrayCJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 21/05/2026Record number of overseas applications for British passports in early 2026 - presumably because the Home Office began insisting that dual nationals need one to travel to the UK (rather than using their Australian or Canadian passport, say) 297
Reposted by Steph GrayDr Maha @maharafiatal.bsky.social · 15/05/2026Corporate power today is scary, but not new. In WHEN COMPANIES RULE, I recount its 400-year history from the East India Company to Amazon, what motivates the oligarchs who would be kings, and what we can do about them. Out in November, pre-order now: cup.columbia.edu/book/when-co... 55922
Reposted by Steph GrayGiuseppe Sollazzo @puntofisso.bsky.social · 12/05/2026NEW project: a #dataviz of #Eurovision lyrics. The question: was "do #ESC lyrics follow world news"? TL;DR sort of, but not quite :-) The result is this #scrollytelling article, inspired by @puddingviz.bsky.social 's style. Methodology and code linked. puntofisso.net/eurovision/ 63615
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 08/05/2026Not now, Facebook memory from 8 May 2015. The subsequent twists and turns were a whole lot scarier. 020
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 08/05/2026Nodding approvingly at this: darbysaxbe.substack.com/p/in-defense...darbysaxbe.substack.comIn defense of husbandsThe great housework convergence is here 000
Reposted by Steph Grayshri @shrikhalpada.dev · 20/04/2026I built an interactive guide on how Shazam (the music identification app) works! This is the next installment in my newly coined "How The Heck?" series, where we explore everyday tech that can feel like magic (QR Codes, GPS, and now this one). Hope you enjoy it! perthirtysix.com/how-the-heck... 1022359
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 28/04/2026Today's find via the @puntofisso.bsky.social newsletter treasure trove/bargain bin: some practical things to experiment with for people looking to boost their site GEO: evilmartians.com/chronicles/h...evilmartians.comMaking your site visible to LLMs: 6 techniques that work, 8 that don't—Martian Chronicles, Evil Martians’ team blogMost AI SEO advice is unproven. We tested what ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity actually read on our own site. Six LLM visibility techniques that worked, eight that didn't, and the metrics to tell the ... 010
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 23/04/2026I'm on a 70-strong Zoom call of middle aged folks with a mega Miro whiteboard and it is utter, glorious chaos. Lockdown vibes. 070
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 15/04/2026A random Facebook feed post from Michael Rosen may just have saved my summer holiday (my passport's valid until January but issued in May 2016...). It's not just 3 months' validity that matters, folks! 097
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 10/04/2026While looking for open licensed 18th/19th century views of London this week, I came across this corking view of the Crystal Palace dinosaurs by George Baxter, c.1854. They're a phenomenon now, must have been crazy back then when they really dominated the landscape 120
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 10/04/2026I'm enjoying using Claude artifacts to build myself little tools and shortcuts. I've ended up doing social media as a community centre volunteer, and my new 'Frequent Flyers' artifact helps me crop a usable section from the steady stream of A4 flyers I get sent, and generate an accompanying caption. 120
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 07/04/2026My friend Matt has been iterating his really interesting secret-keeping product, Tidy Affairs. You can try it out for free with a 7 day trial using the code TIDYTRIAL. I think it has potential to fill a gap in how we prepare for the end in a digital world: tidyaffairs.comtidyaffairs.comSecure Digital Legacy Planning — Tidy AffairsTidy Affairs is a private, secure way to share information with the people you trust. Your modern, digital letter of wishes. 010
Reposted by Steph GrayCommunity Living Magazine @communitylivingmagazine.com · 31/03/2026*NEW* stories in April, including positive stories to balance the bad times. Articles with and by: @touretteshero.bsky.social @oskabright.bsky.social @maryohara1.bsky.social @georgejulian.bsky.social @sabasalman.com and many more. communitylivingmagazine.com 032
Steph Gray @lesteph.com · 02/04/2026A propos of nothing, what's the first thing you listened to music on? Apart from a brief stint with a dubious robot-shaped radio with scary red eyes, this Hitachi did me for my first 7 or 8 years. 010
Reposted by Steph GrayRachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 02/04/2026I've been professionally observing how people use tech since the 90s, and it is simply not possible to make universal digital tools. Some things work or are necessary for some people some of the time, nothing works for everyone all of the time. And yet, something in us wants us all to be the same. 3253