iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 23h

Thoroughly enjoying The Strangers. Had to fact check @naomialderman.bsky.social and was thrilled to confirm that Daphne Isabel Maitland was indeed created by Dorita Fairlie Bruce en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorita_...

en.wikipedia.org

Dorita Fairlie Bruce - Wikipedia

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

An estimate of the basic cost to rebuild the devastated area of Nepal: 10% of its GDP, $5Bn. See www.theguardian.com/commentisfre.... In other news, last Friday - just a single say- Jeff Bezos's personal wealth increased by over $9Bn www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/.

theguardian.com

The Nepal floods seem a world away – but make no mistake, climate breakdown will affect us all | Nesrine Malik

Richer countries might have more resources to deal with catastrophe, but this problem grips the entire planet, however much leaders may want to deny it, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

I knew I kept this for a reason...

Book: The RGO Guide to the 1999 Total Eclipse of the sun, complete with mylar glasses for safe viewing.

000

Reposted by Phil Archer

Brilliant Maps @brilliantmaps.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

What A Circle With 5,000km Radius Centred On Paris Looks Like On A Mercator Map brilliantmaps.com/5000km-ra...

210945

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

I usually listen to or watch @thenewsagents.co.uk. A question: what is Jon looking at to his right and down a bit? A monitor presumably? Emily and Lewis seem able to look at each other. I know this is very much a first world problem but it's really irritating :-)

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Does anyone else wait until they've got both books in a duology, or all three in a trilogy, before reading the first one? It's the best way to remember what the heck happened earlier. Thanks to @thebrokenbinding.bsky.social!

Two books side by side, parts 1 & 2 of Peter F Hamilton's Exodus duology

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the latest defector to Reform UK: Sir Tony Blair Plausible @lewisgoodall.com ? Certainly feels like it to me.

010

Reposted by Phil Archer

Soph Warnes @thatsoph.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

I was annoyed that I couldn't find a database of David Attenborough documentaries where I could search for a specific episode by topic. So I made it. attenborough-100.vercel.app

attenborough-100.vercel.app

Attenborough at 100 — A Nature Documentary Archive

Explore nearly 5,000 episodes across 90 series — from Zoo Quest in 1954 to Secret Garden in 2026. Search by animal, habitat, location, or theme.

471684729

Reposted by Phil Archer

Kit Yates @kityates.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Headline of the Day.

21965225

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Goodbye old friend. Time to move on...

A laptop covered with many stickers, ranging from geeky GS1 and W3C ones to Skye from Paw Patrol.

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

As @waterstones.bsky.social took the trouble to tell me about @naomialderman.bsky.social's new novel, it seemed only appropriate to place my pre-order :-) Thoroughly enjoyed The Power and The Future so very much looking forward to this one. www.waterstones.com/book/the-str...

The cover of Naomi Alderman's novel The Strangers. A colour drawing of rural garden scene showing a cut-away of the soil underneath containing deep-penetrating roots that are unnaturally green.

062

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

Good news. @danaiwrites.bsky.social's Vile Lady Villains has arrived. Really looking fwd to it. Bad news, despite pre-ordering, the print run number is 002. This happens a lot with @waterstones.bsky.social. How can I ensure I have a first print run copy if pre-ordering isn't enough?

A powerful woman in Ancient Greek dress and finery holds a dagger to the throat of a 9th century Scottish queen.

Frontispiece of Vile Lady Villains showing the print run number 002.

121

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

And they say local journalism is dead.

Nigel Farage has been spotted in Spud Hut.

The cafe in Hamilton Road offers a range of jacket potatoes and salads.

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Just spent a v pleasant eve with Isabel Schuler (author of Lady MacBethad) and Rosie Hewlett (who knows a thing or three about Ancient Greek heroines) and mentioned @danaiwrites.bsky.social's Vile Lady Killers. Gruoch and Clytemnestra needed no introduction!

110

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

I'm nearing the end of Isabelle Schuler's excellent House of Barbary; a book that's been on my shelf for way too long. As I read I keep thinking "17th century Swiss Epstein!"

The cover of House of Barbary by Isabelle Schuler. A silhouette of a dagger-wielding woman sits within a bigger silhouette of a bear. Red and yellow are pied to emphasize the silhouettes

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

Vile Lady Villains duly pre-ordered from Waterstones. Before April, I really need to somehow get up to speed on Lady Macbeth. I should read the Isabelle Schuler novel that has sat on my shelf for too long. Maybe tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. C/Klytemnestra I know. @danaiwrites.bsky.social

141

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

Planning a F2F meeting for an international technical working group. USA is not an option as a venue for all-too obvious reasons.

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

"This was the whole problem with the past, that it was never really over, when the dreadful bricks of yesterday were what tomorrow would be built from." Alan Moore, The Great When.

000

Reposted by Phil Archer

Waterstones @waterstones.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

If celebrities aren’t dressing as books then explain this:

1647

Reposted by Phil Archer

TetraLogical @tetralogical.com · 05/01/2026

We're looking for a Project Manager to join our team on a fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave. This role is part-time with excellent benefits. Please read the full job description for more information: misc.tetralogical.com/careers/2026... The closing date is Sunday 11 January.

011

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Draft of the next charter for the W3C Verifiable Credentials WG is now at "refinement stage" meaning that W3C members are invited to comment. w3c.github.io/vc-charter-2...

w3c.github.io

Verifiable Credentials Working Group Charter

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

We're losing a dynamic, capable young person for entirely sensible reasons. Are you the person who could take her place? You could be *anywhere* in the world. We're good on gender equality and LGBTQ, less good on ethnic and disability diversity (not bad, just not great) www.gs1.org/about/career...

gs1.org

Programmes & Projects Assistant Manager | GS1

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 06/12/2025

Humans are lousy ay understanding scale, as in, the difference between millions, billions and trillions. So a little light recreational coding led me to create this handy guide philarcher.org/diary/2025/m...

philarcher.org

The difference between a thousand, a million, a billion and a trillion

An attempt to understand the difference between a million, a billion and a trillion

031

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

A (highly respected and much liked) colleague just began a post on LinkedIn: "Ein kleiner Barcode". Hasn't quite got the ring of Mozart about it but, you never know, it might catch on.

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

TIL: One denier equals a mass of 1 gram per 9 kilometres of length. Betcha didn't know that.

000

Reposted by Phil Archer

TetraLogical @tetralogical.com · 31/10/2025

The W3C is calling for speakers for the W3C Workshop on Smart Voice Agents, an online conference from February 25 to 27, 2026. They’re looking for contributions on voice interaction, smart devices, and related standards. Read the full details at: w3.org/2025/10/smartagents-workshop

w3.org

W3C Workshop on Smart Voice Agents

005

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

I'd say it's head and shoulders above most SF books I've read in recent years.

020

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Another video from me about QR Codes with GS1 Digital Link and why treating them like just another marketing QR Code will lead to problems or failure youtu.be/2VFsVfYd6Z0

youtu.be

Why QR Codes powered by GS1 are more than a marketing tool

YouTube video by GS1

000

Reposted by Phil Archer

TetraLogical @tetralogical.com · 16/09/2025

Tesco has been nominated for the Best Accessibility award at the Zeroheight Design System Awards for its Digital Design System, developed with TetraLogical's accessibility specialists. Read more and cast your vote at: awards.zeroheight.com/voting/a11y-...

awards.zeroheight.com

Best Accessibility

183

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

I agree with every word @lewisgoodall.com says in this youtu.be/Z9VITp0x5lM although my children have asked me to return all those "Best Dad ever" fathers day cards.

youtu.be

Lewis Goodall vs Iain Dale: Twitter in meltdown over inheritance tax idea

YouTube video by LBC

010

Reposted by Phil Archer

TetraLogical @tetralogical.com · 08/08/2025

Retail sites often fail blind shoppers. Could agentic AI fill the gap? Tools like Innosearch can find products, describe images, and add items to your basket. @tink.uk explores further: tetralogical.com/blog/2025/08... #Accessibility #AI #AgenticWeb #InclusiveDesign #UX #DigitalInclusion

055

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Lots of open positions at GS1 Global Office right now at all levels. Brussels, New Jersey, hybrid, remote... are any of these you or someone you know? www.gs1.org/about/careers

gs1.org

GS1 Careers | GS1

Find here all GS1's job openings and how it is like to work with GS1.

021

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

This is the multiverse where my semi-automatic purchases of books by Adam Roberts as they're published crosses the manifold. I wonder whether *this* Adam Roberts' readers enjoy @adamroberts.bsky.social's work. #mustPayMoreAttentionToDetail

The cover of a book called Food Person by an author called Adam Roberts

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

A minor anniversary of absolutely no significance to anyone but I've now been at GS1 longer than any other job I've done - and that seemed worth a mention philarcher.org/diary/2025/8...

philarcher.org

8 years at GS1

I was very obviously upset to leave W3C. 8 years on, I'm happy about the switch

010

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

I was looking forward to reading a Neal Asher novel for the first time. Having read the frontispiece, I need to wash my hands, literally and figuratively philarcher.org/diary/2025/p...

philarcher.org

Nailing your political colours to your business is bad business

If you're selling something, my advice is: keep your politics to yourself

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

This content of this article is both fascinating (mountain collapses!) and v worrying at a time when far right politics is urging ever more fossil fuel use. It's also *brilliant* Web design, made for scrolling on your phone www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...

bbc.co.uk

Swiss glacier collapse: How the village of Blatten was wiped off the map - BBC News

Nine million cubic metres of rock and ice came crashing down on Blatten after a landslide.

010

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

A couple of hours early but I don't want to let tomorrow's date go by unremarked. 15 years ago on 25 May 2010 there was a revolution in Web design philarcher.org/diary/2025/r...

philarcher.org

15 Years of Responsive Web Design

Noting the 15th anniversary of an article that changed the way websites are designed

310820

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

It's been a long slog by a group of dedicated and brilliant people. Thank you. This is an important step for DIDs and VCs as a technology but more importantly for privacy-preserving data exchange with integrity www.w3.org/news/2025/th...

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

As a bibliophile and collector of signed first editions, I've pre-ordered the signed edition from Waterstone's. Will hope for opportunity to get a personal dedication added from my old boss too, although I rarely see him these days.

010

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

To my shame, I didn't know Linus Torvalds invented Git - I only knew his name as the inventor of Linux. This is quite an anniversay.

100

Reposted by Phil Archer

Adam Roberts @adamroberts.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Smaller than I thought. Not surprising it sank, really.

4341

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Finally got a moment to update a post about signed first editions philarcher.org/diary/2021/s.... All those links to now deleted Twitter accounts needed to be sorted. And, oh, delighted to be off to Hull in May www.visithull.org/whatson/hull... - maybe I'll be able to get some more signatures

visithull.org

Hull Noir: Charlotte Philby

Hull Noir and Hull Libraries present… Dirty Money by Charlotte Philby Wednesday 7 May 7 – 9pm Hull Central Library + livestreamed to an online audience An investigation into an upmarket escort agency ...

000

Phil Archer @philarcher.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

I had reason to look up the origin of the phrase "trust but verify" earlier. It orginates from Russia: doveryai, no proveryai (доверяй, но проверяй). The phrase and its origin seem very apposite for today's situation en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trust,_...

en.wikipedia.org

Trust, but verify - Wikipedia

010