Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 02/05/2026The nascent HTML-in-Canvas API is exciting to me not because of flashy effects, but because it extends the semantics that the DOM can (tractably) represent — as a tiny example, it's possible to show an element in multiple places, cheaply, under arbitrary transforms. folkjs.org/demos/html-i... 2051685
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 26/02/2026"The 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 inherited the organisational form of the 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: self-contained, manufactured at a distance from its users, designed for a general market." 010
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 23/02/2026Still one of the paragraphs I'm proud to have had a part in writing. From the ever-nascent libcomp.org (the great phrase "rendered computationally passive" is from Melanie Hoff's "Always Already Programming") 0155
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 16/02/2026"Just as the invention [of industrial automation] had the paradoxical effect of turning more [people] into full-time industrial workers, so has all the software designed to save us from administrative responsibilities turned us into part- or full-time administrators" — David Graeber 162
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 16/02/2026What are your favorite visual critiques of software? On my mind right now are: 1. "The long tail of user needs" 2. diSessa's monolithic apps vs computational media 3. (a recent favorite by @todepond.com) "wish these apps could talk to each other" 38117
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 11/02/2026Enclosure [of agency supported by file-app separation] worked through the existing material form — first by hollowing it out (proprietary formats and internalization), then by abolishing it entirely (cloud platforms) 094
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 04/02/2026Googling for “a world without apps” has great contrast in its top two results: 1. An Apple WWDC intro equating a world without apps to a literal apocalypse 2. A keynote from Michel Beaudouin-Lafon arguing we should abolish apps in favour of a substrates-oriented computing 1466
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 28/01/2026Emoji is neoliberal, not working class. We have 👮 police, 🏦 banks, 💹 stocks go up, 👔 office necktie, 🏛️ government, ⚖️ law, 🤴👸 royalty but no wages stub, no union card, no "on strike" sign, no pink slip. there's a levitating businessman emoji 🕴️ but no picket sign. 3518
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 13/07/2025I enjoyed making the sketches for this post, they're just custom html elements I chucked straight into the markdown. This post was low stakes, just describing a thing I did. Next time will be spicier. 0416
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 21/03/2025Here’s a multimodal protocol that uses QR codes to stream data and audio to “backchannel” acknowledgement of received chunks. About 1-2KB/s Multimodality helps when there’s an asymmetry, like here where you need to aim the phone camera. 181
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 16/03/2025Another low-tech and very local-first webRTC signalling approach for folk canvas with @chrisshank.com, this time over sound via ggwave (using MFSK) folk.systems/canvas/netwo... (careful of volume) 2347
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 16/03/2025A tiny protocol to stream data over QR codes in both directions at once. Each device confirms receipt of the previous chunk, so it handles interruptions smoothly. Made this for webRTC signalling and other things as part of the Folk Canvas project with @chrisshank.com 3394
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 11/03/2025What if hypertext were zoomable? Then you could zoom forever, in circles... I made this the other day and came up with a data structure that allows the coordinate origin to move through the graph, to keep memory fixed and avoid floating point precision limits. folk.systems/canvas/space... 77710
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 14/02/2025Had a fantastic and surprising hang out with @wintergatan.bsky.social recently seeing Book of Mormon in NYC. Thanks for the great conversations Martin! Hope we get to hang out again sometime. 030
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 14/02/2025Alright. Very extended internet holiday over, for real this time. Hey again! I’ve been away, err, working super hard… 030
Orion Reed @orionreed.com · 14/04/2016Finishing the sound design for short #1 (Well, 4th short). But now we're releasing a short every two weeks. We hope. 000