MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Passing through Linköping on a train. Last time I did this journey I had an interesting conversation about the possibilities of a new bit of tech - Bluetooth. Now 27 years later, my phone tells me I’m surrounded by Bluetooth devices. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 25/09/2026It’s a shame there are all these closed systems. Hooking up a car energy charger via a supplier when something isn’t quite right and I only have limited access to error messages is a bit frustrating. If @octopus.energy had a system that called a service I’d created, I reckon I could get it to work. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Some interesting framing by the Australian government- or maybe the reporting. “It’s openai’s fault that we left an insecure system online and they should have told us”. The ai is just a bit of software that is capable of trying attack vectors in an optimal tireless way. 001
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 21/09/2026I wonder why @octopus.energy uses old school email addresses when signing up for intelligent go. I might want to use multiple emails addresses for services to manage spam. Why not use oauth when linking to 3rd parties (car maker, EV charger maker)? 110
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Spent the day moving “stuff” downstairs after building work is mostly complete. 36 flights of stairs climbed and 2 miles walked. More of the same tomorrow. Eventually I’ll find my nerdy stuff. I can see the box the Spectrum and C64 live in. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Very nerdy, but now testing new home WiFi setup. I have 4 Ethernet ports. With 2 access points plugged in I have almost full coverage. Just need to sofas to sit on. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 17/09/2026All these warnings from the big bosses of AI are nonsense, right? Have they spent too much money buying all the ram? 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Arrgh, my mobile number has made its way into spammers list. I keep getting robo called from someone who sounds about 12 years old saying they are from a recruiter. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 12/09/2026Like a numpty, I didn’t back up the code I’d written to query the @octopus.energy API. The code was lost when my ssd failed. I challenged my local AI to recreate it. The API is well documented and the agent has done a great job. I’ve not even read the code - maybe I should 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 12/09/2026End of an era(ish). I’ve cancelled my subscription to the excellent paid @jetbrains.com IntelliJ. As a retired dev I no longer need all the features. Though I’ll still happily use the free PyCharm 001
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Testing plugin hybrid charging with new solar and battery. It all seems to work. About 50% faster than with regular charger. I’ll have to dig the car out as the builders haven’t quite finished outside. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 18/08/2026Apparently the wine waiter in this camper van we’ve hired is a bit of a misery guts. I’d better have a word with him. 001
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Binoculars (don’t look through) projected onto an envelope. Of course it’s gone cloudy 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Good news. Apparently there’s a tax rebate for me. Sadly, the email is from the US IRS. I suspect a scam :) 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Oh, they are felling the Cock o the north. But there are plans to replant. I wonder how many giggles it’s started maps.app.goo.gl/DH4vJEhELKAi...maps.app.goo.gl 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Changing circumstances means I have a free weekend. Was thinking of a bit of rambling is in order. Looks like the weather may be on the damp side. An excuse to replace my jacket that has a knackered zip. 100
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 05/08/2026In the future archaeologists will discover buried iPhones then investigate whats on them and that bloody U2 album will start playing 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 01/08/2026Who knew buying a sofa was so difficult. I feel 3 yr old me who threw a tantrum in Woolworths after too much shopping is bubbling up. 001
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Getting the opportunity to be bored for a while. Waiting for an engineer visit in the 8am-1pm time slot. 110
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Been on hold so long I’ve improved my my right hand writing. Still not good at joined up though. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Printing from my PC is definitely haunted. It used to be that 50% of prints would stop 1/3 down a page. Now it’s printing 2 copies of things. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 20/07/2026@adrianedmondson.bsky.social the new guy isn’t going to use a lecturn/podium. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 20/07/2026So we have a new PM. In a sign of getting on a bit, he’s the 4th PM younger than me. I wonder if all following PMs will be youngsters. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 19/07/2026I don’t like to whinge, but bloody hell Windows. To load a new card into my card reader it would seem I have to reboot the pc. It used to work. I’ve changed nothing. Grrrr 010
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 18/07/2026Been watching some rally action. Now I’m refuelled I’ll head back out to a different location 100
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 13/07/2026Apart from expected email, I’ve stopped looking email on a regular basis. I seem to have 1800 un-read. Mostly spam I suspect. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 08/07/2026Is it actually possible to get an openreach master socket moved. @vodafonegroup.bsky.social passed me over to openreach and they batted me straight back. How much is star link 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 07/07/2026Eye test day. I was too tall for the first machine. So eyes and knees tested 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 06/07/2026Funny thing about travelling for work at the end of the 90’s and early 2000’s is I missed a bunch of TV. Just happened upon Perfect Strangers by Stephen Poliakoff. A cast of stars and quite interesting so far 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 25/06/2026Oh boy, it’s got a bit toasty- and I’m in southern Scotland. 100
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 22/06/2026A neighbour is fine driving their Sky box, but the LG TV is a different beast. Complex and confusing. It even has a silly pointy thing built in to the remote. Not easy for some folk. I should book a time and see if we can disable the nonsense or at least boot into TV mode. 100
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 15/06/2026I guess it was inevitable the ban of social media for under 16s given some of the content out there. I feel sorry for the curious future engineers and scientists trying to learn about their interests outside of school. I was lucky to have an endless choice of computer & electronics mags. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 31/05/2026Had a lovely hassle free 80 mile drive through southern Scotland scenery. Of course the people behind me going steady with a horse trailer were more stressed. There really are some arses out there. I slowed down and even pulled over a few times. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 27/05/2026Bloomin Nora Windows. I was perfectly happy with the config of MY pc and the default apps. Why are you trying to take over and sell me stuff. Grrr 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 23/05/2026I’ve been standing most of the day being a volunteer. I’ve just sat in a camping chair. I fear, I’m not going to be able to get up. Send beer 100
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 22/05/2026No sign of a heatwave in sw Scotland at the moment. Still jumper weather. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 19/05/2026Have I just gone back to the 90’s (if so I want my hair back). Windows 11 has a command line text editor. How long has that been a thing? 110
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 13/05/2026Accidentally switched on bbc2. Didn’t know an anti-aging influencer was a thing. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 04/05/2026I knew there was a reason I prefer fixing sw and computers. Slightly traumatised after unblocking a sink. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 26/04/2026This doesn’t look promising. At least it was in json 500 {"error":"Internal Server Error (ref: 52d1f268-51a9-4654-b670-818e49b9823a)"} 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 19/04/2026Lovely clear sky tonight. Sadly my beast lens is packed away at the moment 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 09/04/2026These (picture from last year) guys have arrived back in sw Scotland 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 07/04/2026Mr horse has been very unwell recently. After getting kicked he had a reaction to something. He lost 75kg. Fortunately he can eat properly now and is being fed several times a day to prevent him over eating in one session. He was cuddly this afternoon - while waiting for lunch 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 04/04/2026Bugger. Forgot my playlist includes songs that reminds me of friends no longer with us. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 04/04/2026I’m not sure what the best pop song is, but I’m sure it’s by The Cure. 120
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 04/04/2026Very blowy out there now. Metoffice measured 69mph guest nearby. I do hope the roofers left the house safe. 000
MarkB @mark-burton.bsky.social · 04/04/2026Hmm, power’s gone off just as I was starting my curry making. I have wine. So not all is lost 000
