commit ce981c2ed7048c94319608e70c4632f6015f38e4
parent b5ace3325a640f7ae8f86fce486828bfab6f4b6d
Author: Eamon Caddigan <eamon.caddigan@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2025 21:44:45 -0700
Add weeknote for 2025-W15
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diff --git a/content/posts/weeknotes/2025-w15/index.md b/content/posts/weeknotes/2025-w15/index.md
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+---
+title: "Weeknote for 2025-W15"
+description: "Alt text, useful offline computing tools, and fed news"
+date: 2025-04-07T08:59:00-07:00
+draft: false
+categories:
+- Weeknotes
+---
+
+## The whys and hows of alt text
+
+This piece nominally targets journalists posting to social media, but it does a
+great job of explaining why alt text is important and has guidelines for
+composing good descriptions. I could do a better job myself of composing alt
+text for the data graphics I’m called to produce[^slides], so I’ll be referring
+back to this for guidance. Joe’s a pro at this game!
+
+[Joe Murphy --- Social media alt text for journalists](https://joemurph.com/article/detail/social-media-alt-text-for-journalists/)
+
+## Tinker WriterDeck OS
+
+I had never heard of a “WriterDeck” before I came across this project, which
+bundles a simple, beginner-friendly terminal text editor with Debian Linux to
+enable the installation of a “distraction-free writing experience” on most
+laptops. [The announcement
+thread](https://infosec.exchange/@tinker/114275612808527606) has more great
+resources, such as this [list of of WriterDeck friendly
+software](https://www.writerdeck.org/writerdeck-software.html). I don’t do
+enough writing to have a great need for something like this, but it’s
+delightful to see.
+
+Because here’s the thing: Microsoft has already announced that they will stop
+releasing security updates for Windows 10 in October this year, which is
+currently running on a lot of old and cheap computers that won’t be able to
+upgrade to Windows 11. This EOL will create a glut of unused
+computers[^insecure] that are perfectly capable of useful tasks that don’t
+require Windows, and I would rather see these computers get put to any use than
+get sent to a landfill (or sit in a basement or garage for ten years and then
+get sent to a landfill). Single-purpose distros like this might help folks milk
+more years of service out of these.
+
+[Tinker Writer Deck](https://tinker.sh/)
+
+## Trail Sense for offline navigation
+
+Speaking of offline things, I also recently learned about the Trail Sense app.
+Designed for hikers and geocachers, it seems generally useful for anyone who
+wanders around outside. It’s open-source, doesn’t collect personal data, and
+may even save your life if you find yourself lost without signal (although its
+primary use case is for preventing you from getting lost in the first place).
+
+I haven’t had the chance to take it on a hike yet but I put it on my phone
+right away. I appreciate that its offline-design means that it should work in
+airplane mode. I usually turn my phone off when I’m hiking to conserve energy;
+if I get into trouble---and happen to have signal---I don’t want to be low on
+battery. Heck, it might be worth keeping this on an old SIM-less phone; another
+great way to extend the useful life of older hardware. Be sure to check out
+[the list of recommended companion
+apps](https://kylecorry.com/Trail-Sense/guide?id=tool_recommended_apps)
+
+[Trail Sense](https://kylecorry.com/Trail-Sense/)
+
+## What’s new in federal government
+
+My unnamed agency is among those which saw mass layoffs[^rif] on
+Tuesday---April Fools’ Day. My immediate group was spared, but I’m grieving for
+the hard-working colleagues who are having their livelihoods threatened. The
+scope of my work will be impacted by this and the [recently announced cuts to
+contract
+spending](https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/03/g-s1-58145/hhs-fda-cdc-cuts-spending),
+which arrive just as we’re undertaking major infrastructural improvements. The
+long and short of it is that (as long as I don’t get caught up in one of these
+mass-firings) I will likely spend much of the next couple years bringing folks
+who use older proprietary technologies up to speed on Python, Spark, and newer
+proprietary technologies (that I won’t name lest that be considered a lapse in
+ethics).
+
+[^slides]: Yes, you can and should add alt text to slide decks!
+
+[^insecure]: It will also create a glut of insecure computers, so look forward
+ to more and bigger botnets!
+
+[^rif]: Everybody in the office on the news refers to these as _RIFs_ (for
+ “reduction in force”), but I think we should push back on using a cutesy
+name for something that will cause unknowable damage to many people’s lives.
