Kev QuirkModify

2026-01-13 18:49:00

I think a lot of this Linux revival is thanks to a perfect storm going on in the OS space, namely:

• Microsoft forcing many users to buy new hardware because of arbitrary hardware requirements, as well as forcing users to have an online accounts.
• Apple completely screwing up MacOS Tahoe with their Liquid Glass update.

I’ve been back on Linux (specifically Ubuntu) since I bought my Framework 13, and I’ve been very happy. The only issues I’ve really had are with some apps being blurry under Wayland, but I’ve been able to easily work around these issues. Sal has had some similar problems with Wayland, but has also managed to work around them.

My son also runs Linux on his iMac, and I’m about to replace Windows 10 on my wife’s X1 Carbon with Ubuntu too. So we’re going to be a Linux household very soon.

And you know what? It’s fine. My son doesn’t know (or care) that he’s running Linux. My wife will be in the same boat - as long as she can check her emails, browse the web, and manage our finances in a spreadsheet, she’s good.

Linux based operating systems are great, and I’m thrilled they’re going through this revival. If you’re thinking about switching, I’d implore you to do so - remember you can always try before you “buy” with a live USB. So there’s no commitment required.

If you do switch, please remember to donate to your distro of choice. ❤

2026-01-06 20:28:00

I’m not sure where I first heard about Joan and her superb writing, but I’ve been following her for around a year or so now, I think.

Anyway, I was catching up on my RSS feeds and came across this post from a few days ago. It’s fantastic, as it most of what Joan puts out.

Start a blog. Start one because the practice of writing at length, for an audience you respect, about things that matter to you, is itself valuable. Start one because owning your own platform is a form of independence that becomes more important as centralized platforms become less trustworthy. Start one because the format shapes the thought, and this format is good for thinking.

I couldn’t agree more.

2026-01-05 21:42:00

Two days ago I published a simple survey asking how you read the content I put out on this site. Here's the results of that survey.

Originally I was going to leave the survey running for at least a week, but after less than 48 hours, I received an email from Zoho telling me I’d hit the monthly response limit of 500 responses. If I wanted more responses, I’d have to pay.

Nah. 500 responses is enough to give me a good indication on how people consume my content, so I was good with that. Also, 500 responses in less than 48 hours is bloody brilliant. Assuming only a small proportion of readers actually responded (as that’s usually the case with these things) that means there’s a healthy number of you reading my waffle, so thank you!

The results

The survey simply asked “how do you read the content I put out on this site?” and there were a handful of options for responses:

• RSS
• Mastodon / Fediverse
• Email
• Occasionally visit the site
• Something else

If someone selected the last option, a text field would appear asking for more info. There were a few people who used this option, but all were covered by the other options. People just wanted to add some nuance, or leave a nice message. ❤

So I updated all the something else responses to be one of the other 4 options, and here’s the results:

A highly accurate pie chart

What this tells me?

Well, quite a lot, actually. It tells me that there’s loads of you fine people reading the content on this site, which is very heart-warming. It also tells me that RSS is by far the main way people consume my content. Which is also fantastic, as I think RSS is very important and should always be a first class citizen when it comes to delivering content to people.

I was surprised at how small the number was for Mastodon, too. I have a fair number of followers over there (around 13,000 according to Fosstodon) so I was expecting that number to be a bigger slice of the pie.

Clearly people follow me there more for the hot takes than my waffle. 🙃

This was a fun little experiment, even if it did end more quickly than I would have liked. Thanks to all ~500 of you who responded, really appreciate it.

See, you don’t need analytics to get an idea of who’s reading your stuff and how.

2026-01-04 20:35:00

I've yearned for a Blackberry form-factor for years, and now Clicks have made that wish come true. I had to pre-order one!

If you don’t know what the Clicks Communicator is, this 12 minute video should help:

BlackBerry’s design will always have a special place in my heart. I much prefer a physical keyboard over a touchscreen, and I’ve said many times that smartphones are far too big these days.

The Clicks Communicator is smaller and it has a proper QWERTY keyboard. It is all very BlackBerry, and I love that.

The team have also teamed up with the Niagara Launcher developer to deliver a more focused UI. That was yet more good news for me, as I already use Niagara Launcher on my Pixel 9a.

It felt like a match made in heaven, so I pre-ordered one immediately.

Companion device?

In all honesty, I do not understand why Clicks are marketing the Communicator as a companion device. I assume they are positioning it as a slimmed down alternative for people who still want a flagship phone, but that framing feels odd.

It will be running full fat Android 16, and their FAQ confirms (in the very first question, no less) that the Communicator can be used as a primary device. That is exactly how I intend to use it.

The companion device messaging is confusing. At first, I assumed it was something closer to the Light Phone, but it is not that at all. It’s a normal phone. I am not a marketer, so perhaps there is a strategy here that I am missing, I just hope it does not hurt their sales.

Either way, I am genuinely looking forward to receiving my Clicks Communicator later this year. I will, of course, write about it once it arrives.

Has this cool new phone piqued anyone else’s interest?

2026-01-03 21:35:00

I'm trying to get an idea on how people consume the waffle I put out, it should only take 5 seconds to respond, and I'd be very grateful.

It’s well publicised that I don’t run any kind of analytics on this site. For me, engagement is far more important. But I’m trying to better understand how you fine people consume the waffle I spit out into the world.

The only reason I want to do this is that I think it will be interesting to know. I could temporarily add tracking to the site, but that feels icky to me; I’d rather have something that’s opt in. So I’ve created a really simple form that you can fill in. It only has 1 question, so should take no more than a few seconds to complete.

If you’re a regular reader, I’d be very grateful if you could take a few seconds out of your day to cast a vote please. The form is embedded below, but it may not embed properly in some places (like on the RSS feed), so just in case here’s a direct link to the form too.

I’ve removed the embedded form now, as I’ve already hit the maximum amount of responses that Zoho allows on their free forms package. Thanks to everyone who responded!

2026-01-01 02:48:00

I'm glad to see the back of 2025, so let's focus on 2026.

As I write this, it’s 18:49 on New Year’s Eve. I’m sat in the lounge, with the fire going, annoyed that our NYE plans have been ruined by me having the flu.

I feels like an appropriately shitty end to a very shitty year.

In 2025, I:

• Worked way too much
• Spent too much time away from home travelling for work
• Neglected those I love
• Helped my Mum, where possible, through recovering from a heart attack
• Lost my sister

Yeah, it’s been rough. But toward the end of the year I made some decisions to make my life more sustainable. So I’m going to try and not dwell on the past, but instead look forward to the future.

As I look to 2026, I want to:

• Eat healthier and lose weight
• Exercise more
• Spend more time with loved ones
• Stop being such a shitty friend and make more of an effort

There’s more I want to do, but if I can get these done, I’ll consider 2026 a win.

We’ll see…