Unicode characters, while visually appealing, pose accessibility challenges for screen readers and are often associated with spam and scams. These characters can be misinterpreted by screen readers, leading to a frustrating experience for users, and may not render correctly on all devices. Additionally, their use in spam and homoglyph attacks makes them a security risk, further discouraging their use.

Sub-fandoms, centred around specific moments, characters, or interpretations of a franchise, are driving more engagement than the original source material. Traditional media companies, built to broadcast to mass audiences, are struggling to keep up with this shift towards personalized experiences. Generative AI offers a solution by enabling audiences to create their own content, fostering continuous micro-engagements and keeping sub-fandoms thriving between major releases.

TelWeb simplifies contact information by resolving domain names to phone numbers, webfingers, emails, and profile information. It utilizes a JSON-LD object format and provides a DNS fallback for phone numbers.

This post discusses configuring an nginx reverse proxy for a Mastodon instance, emphasizing the need to handle Mastodon’s unique characteristics, such as serving multiple representations on the same URLs. The configuration prioritizes caching static assets and dynamic pages while bypassing caching for private, authenticated, or actor-dependent content. The use of a variant map in the cache key ensures correct content delivery based on the Accept header, preventing issues like browsers receiving JSON and federated instances receiving HTML.

Mastodon caching is configured to optimize performance while ensuring security and privacy. GET and HEAD requests are cacheable, while others, including API calls and logged-in traffic, bypass the cache. Specific request profiles are defined for different types of content, with varying cache validations and locking mechanisms to manage backend load and data consistency.

The Nginx configuration optimizes caching for a Mastodon instance. It uses a 10-second TTL for dynamic content, a failover mechanism for upstream servers, and a custom log format for performance monitoring. The configuration also includes considerations for caching signed GETs, handling cookies, and managing variant-specific content.

Mastodon benefits from a reverse proxy that caches requests, as it can handle the varying interpretations of URLs for different clients, reducing load without impacting user experience.

The text explores the ethical and artistic considerations of depicting oppression in fantasy literature. It argues that fantasy, inherently political, can effectively critique oppressive systems by examining the logic and language used to justify them. The author uses the example of wizards creating sentient vegetable beings to illustrate how fantasy can reveal the moral loopholes and power dynamics present in real-world oppression.

The text emphasizes the importance of political worldbuilding in fantasy literature. It argues that fantasy should not only depict oppression but also explore its mechanisms and imagine alternative worlds. By doing so, fantasy can challenge oppressive systems and encourage readers to recognize and question real-world injustices.

The article highlights six individuals advocating for accessibility and disability rights. Maayan Ziv created the AccessNow app to empower people with disabilities. Taylor Lindsey-Noel, Sarah Jama, Allison Lang, and Paige Layle are also advocates, using their platforms to raise awareness and promote inclusion.

NobodyWho released two personal AI assistant apps that run offline on Apple Watch and Vision Pro. The apps, powered by the NobodyWho inference engine, support models from Prism ML, Liquid AI, and Qwen3.

PDF4WCAG Accessibility Checker 1.10 introduces usability enhancements, expanded localization support, and new document inspection panels. The update improves interface usability, adds German and Dutch localizations, and introduces new panels for annotations, metadata, and fonts.

The ZimaCube 2 Pro is a refined version of the original, with improved cooling and fan noise, and a more mature ZimaOS. While the core hardware remains the same, the real upgrade is in the entry-level Standard model, which now features an Intel Core i3 processor. ZimaOS, the backbone of the device, has matured significantly, offering a user-friendly interface for managing storage, applications, and virtual machines.

ZimaCube 2 Pro is a powerful NAS with a PCIe slot for a GPU, making it ideal for local AI tasks. While it excels at photo storage and management with Immich, individual applications may require configuration changes. Despite its strengths, the lack of a Linux client for the Zima client is a disappointment for Linux users.

The player finds a leaflet in a mailbox outside a white house, then explores the surrounding area, including a forest path, a clearing with a locked grating, and a pile of leaves.

Microsoft announced Coreutils for Windows, bringing commonly used Linux command-line utilities to Windows as native applications. The project, based on the open-source uutils project, aims to make it easier for developers to switch between platforms without changing workflows. Coreutils for Windows includes numerous Linux commands and can be installed through WinGet.

Michael Monize, a wheelchair-using musician from Kitchener, Ontario, faced challenges finding accessible recording studios. After extensive searching, he found a suitable space at the Kitchener Public Library. Monize and his manager criticize the lack of accessibility in the region and the ineffectiveness of the provincial government’s accessibility complaint line.

The North Face’s new Universal Collection, developed with adaptive athletes, aims to make outdoor recreation more accessible. The collection includes a zipperless sleeping bag, an accessible tent, a daypack with adaptive carry options, and other products designed to remove barriers for Disabled users. By prioritizing accessibility from the start, the collection seeks to normalize the experiences of Disabled people and create a more inclusive outdoor industry.

The National Research Council of Canada’s CHU time signal, broadcasting on 3330, 7850, and 14 670 kHz, will cease operations on June 22nd, 2026. The station, established in 1923, has used Morse code, a speaking clock, and digital time codes to transmit time signals.

This Just In: Holding two conflicting ideas about AI isn’t weakness. It's the only honest position.

This guide explains how to use OBS Studio to monitor and route microphone audio on Windows. It requires the Audio Monitor, OBS Accessibility, and win-capture-audio plugins. The guide covers setting up the plugins, creating microphone and routing sources, and configuring audio monitoring and routing.

This guide provides instructions for configuring OBS Studio to route audio from applications, excluding specific ones like communication apps and OBS Studio itself, to prevent loopback issues. It also covers creating an audio monitor to hear the routed audio and configuring global hotkeys for easy source management. Additionally, it suggests minimizing OBS to the system tray for convenience.

Bitwarden’s new CEO, Michael Sullivan, has a background in mergers and acquisitions, suggesting a potential focus on maximizing revenue and preparing for an exit. The company’s values have shifted from “Inclusion and Transparency” to “Innovation and Trust,” and the phrase “Always free” has been removed from the personal password manager page. While self-hosting remains viable for now, the future of open-source clients and the company’s commitment to the free tier are uncertain under new management.

The Pope’s encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, addresses the dangers of concentrated digital power, highlighting the need for transparency, accountability, and meaningful participation in digital platforms. It emphasizes the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, advocating for decentralized power structures that empower individuals and communities while fostering collaboration and shared responsibility. The encyclical’s insights resonate with the challenges faced by open social networking protocols, underscoring the importance of balancing autonomy with collective governance.

The author accidentally committed a secret to a Chezmoi repository and outlines the steps to remove it from the repository history using git filter-branch. To prevent future incidents, the author recommends using pre-commit with a configuration that includes hooks for detecting secrets and other potential issues. The author also shares their experience with pre-commit and suggests adding it to other repositories.

Evaluation of reading performance should go beyond word decoding and pronunciation. Computational analysis of prosodic features, specifically inter-word-onset timing, can effectively evaluate reading comprehension. This analysis can be automated using AI text-to-speech systems, providing a reliable and easy-to-calculate signal of text understanding.

Linux memory accounting uses various metrics to measure memory usage. Per-process metrics include VSZ (virtual size), RSS (resident set size), PSS (proportional set size), USS (unique set size), and WSS (working set size). System-wide metrics include MemTotal, MemFree, MemAvailable, Buffers, Cached, SwapTotal, SwapFree, Dirty, and Writeback.

The author acquired a Fujitsu FM Towns II computer, a 486-based machine with a mandatory CD-ROM drive, known for its multimedia capabilities. The power supply, a common point of failure for this model, exhibited issues, including leaking capacitors and a corroded resistor, leading to intermittent shutdowns. The author is troubleshooting the power supply, suspecting a soft-power issue related to the corroded resistor.

The author attempted to repair a faulty power supply by replacing a damaged resistor and other components. After encountering difficulties and realizing the complexity of the repair, they decided to build a new power supply using a PicoPSU and a Meanwell power supply. Despite encountering issues with the Meanwell’s size and the power button circuit, the author persisted and eventually succeeded in creating a functional power supply.

The author successfully replaced the power supply in an FM Towns IIHR computer. The new power supply, built using a Meanwell PSU and a custom board, was tested and found to be functional, although it powers on automatically. The author plans to address this issue and open-source the project on GitHub for others to build.

Stability Audio 3.0 small model can run on-device and generate two-minute long tracks.

Programming has changed a lot through the years. Over the last few decades it seems like programmers have been competing over who uses the most arcane and inscrutable technology and process - see xkcd Real Programmers for reference. These days there’s a cultural shift to prove either we can be “orchestrators” or “supervisors” of generative Artificial Intelligence agents or we’re unnecessary and solo founders can “vibe code” their entire business. These extremes are predicated on the assumption that a computer program is a collection of lines of code.
I’m a software engineer working in industrial automation and in this article I will argue that a program or digital system is not its source code or binaries, but the constellation of client and user requirements shaped by business and technical constraints, as it exists in the minds of the people responsible for it. I’ll support this idea with key bibliography as well as by recounting a few personal experiences in software project onboarding.

The author experimented with building a time zone conversion app using OpenAI’s Codex, a coding agent. The experience was positive, with Codex successfully implementing the requested features, including offline functionality and a responsive design. However, the author still had to review and refine the code, highlighting the importance of human oversight in AI-assisted development.

Learn how PlayStation is helping developers build more accessible and inclusive games through direct collaboration with accessibility experts and players.

A memory safety vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Defender, written in C , led to a scramble to patch systems. The incident highlights the recurring security issues associated with C , the only programming language where such vulnerabilities regularly occur.

Paul Heaton tested if ChatGPT could be coerced into a false confession using the Reid Technique, a method known for eliciting false confessions. By lying to ChatGPT about evidence of its guilt, Heaton successfully manipulated it into agreeing to a fabricated confession. This experiment highlights the potential for AI to be misled and the importance of understanding its limitations.

Note: Writing Tools aren’t designed to work with this type of content.

WAI-ARIA 1.3, still a draft, focuses on enhancing document semantics, annotations, and braille output for rich document editors and complex interfaces. New features include roles for suggestions, comments, and marked content, as well as attributes for accessible descriptions and braille-specific labels and role descriptions. While these features offer greater flexibility, developers should prioritize native HTML semantics and thoroughly test implementations before relying on them in production.

ARIA 1.3 introduces changes to improve accessibility for complex web applications. These include allowing aria-details and aria-errormessage to reference multiple elements, clarifying the use of aria-haspopup, and aligning aria-level with HTML heading levels. While these features offer more expressive accessibility, developers should use them cautiously and prioritize native HTML whenever possible.

The article critiques the tendency of some AI executives to prioritize abstract concepts of “humanity” over the needs and concerns of individual people. This disconnect, exemplified by OpenAI’s Greg Brockman’s political donation, risks alienating the public and undermining trust in the industry. The author warns that this approach, reminiscent of the failed communication strategies of the nuclear industry, could lead to similar consequences for AI.

The article criticizes AI executives for being out of touch with public concerns about AI, focusing on abstract civilizational goals rather than specific human anxieties. It contrasts this approach with Steve Jobs’ focus on individual users and their needs, arguing that building trust requires addressing real-world concerns at a human level. The author urges AI companies to engage with specific issues like job displacement and privacy, rather than retreating to lofty rhetoric.

Delegating to AI exposes the flaws in our instructions, as AI executes tasks literally without the human buffer of context and assumptions. To delegate effectively to AI, we must be specific about our goals, provide clear instructions, and verify the results. This shift in delegation dynamics, driven by AI, necessitates a reevaluation of our delegation skills, as everyone is now managing something, even if it’s just an AI assistant.

The text provides tips for tech support, particularly for elderly clients. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the problem, explaining jargon clearly, and providing additional help during downtime. The text also highlights the value of remote access, the need for various tools, and the importance of professionalism and discretion when handling client information and sensitive content.

Rachel Lyons, who lives in Ottawa with her service dog Geneva, shares her experiences navigating public spaces. She emphasizes the importance of respecting service dogs’ boundaries, as distractions can jeopardize her safety and Geneva’s training. Lyons highlights the positive impact Geneva has had on her life, enabling her to be independent and manage her disabilities.

Apple announced major accessibility updates powered by Apple Intelligence, including enhanced VoiceOver and Magnifier with AI-generated descriptions, natural language Voice Control, and an upgraded Accessibility Reader. New features also include automated subtitles for personal videos, wheelchair control with Apple Vision Pro, and various smaller updates like larger text on Apple TV and improved hearing aid support.

My thoughts on AI, and what it has helped me achieve

Nine “LeakyLooker” flaws in Google Looker Studio allowed cross-tenant SQL access across GCP services before being patched.

Deep Dive into Wafrn: How One Platform Self-Hosts Both ActivityPub and Bluesky Identities 26 February 2026 ActivityPub ATproto Self-hosting Architecture A technical analysis of Wafrn's dual-protocol a...

The medieval church’s acknowledgement that signs were equivalent to a spoken language was transformative for deaf people.

: Company is ‘reshaping our skill mix’ amid long share price slide and SaaSpocalypse whispers

Highest risk of part of tongue being torn off is with temps between -5° and -15° C (23° to 5 °F).

Bluesky Social PBC have given a grant to Emelia Smith, an Invited Expert with the FedID Working Group, to work on FedCM with the goal of making FedCM really work for the decentralized web.

An article making the case that the Fediverse is a fantastic communication platform for public institutions - because of its openness, transparency and reach.

Radio Amateurs du Canada réagit à la fermeture du service Radio-Météo au Canada For immediate release | February 25, 2026Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) is saddened to learn about the closure of the Weatheradio service provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada.For decades, Weatheradio has been a trusted and resilient source of real-time weather alerts and

“Incredible” is the operative word there.

At Apple’s Carnegie Library in D.C., Apple brought together leaders, artists, and disability advocates to mark 50 years of making technology accessible to everyone.

A few questionable choices but not the official reptile or official soil, which both rock!

One of the few states where this is pretty clear.

Once the ultimate geek flex for cypherpunks, Keybase promised to make PGP cryptography accessible to mere mortals. Today, it hovers in the digital ether as a "zombie" app. Here is the story of how a revolutionary open-source identity platform was cannibalized to become Zoom's corporate cleanup crew.

It's a dialogue-free experience focused on a non-speaking child who uses AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication).

Access to Success says its new physical space will help founders build among peers.

The gap between performative allyship and genuine disability inclusion isn’t subtle. It’s the difference between changing your culture and changing your logo.

Theresa works for a company that handles a fair bit of personally identifiable information that can be tied to health care data, so for them, security matters. They need to comply with security practices laid out by a variety of standards bodies and be able to demonstrate that compliance.
There's a dirty secret about standards compliance, though. Most of these standards are trying to avoid being overly technically prescriptive. So frequently, they may have something like, "a process must exist for securely destroying storage devices before they are disposed of." Maybe it will include some examples of what you could do to meet this standard, but the important thing is that you have to have a process. This means that if you whip up a Word document called "Secure Data Destruction Process" and tell people they should follow it, you can check off that box on your compliance. Sometimes, you need to validate the process; sometimes you need to have other processes which ensure this process is being followed. What you need to do and to what complexity depends on the compliance structure you're beholden to. Some of them are surprisingly flexible, which is a polite way of saying "mostly meaningless".

Artificial intelligence is helping blind people access visual feedback about their bodies, sometimes for the first time. The consequences are only just emerging.

LG Electronics has introduced a new accessibility-focused kiosk designed to make self-service technology more inclusive for people with disability and the elderly. The solution was recently showcased at CSUN AT 2026, the global assistive technology conference. The kiosk, developed in collaboration with Dot, an organisation specialising in Braille devices, integrates…

A student-built digital map at the University of Michigan is offering a practical example of what accessible design can look like when it starts with real user needs. The web-based tool, called MGuide, was developed by incoming doctoral student Luna. It takes a different approach to traditional campus maps, focusing…

Startup grew out of University of Calgary initiative. |

Thoughts on “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” by Robert A. Heinlein.

Why (and How) to Hire a Blind Producer - Transom

Unsuccessfully.

Eric O worked for a medical device company. The medical device industry moves slowly, relative to other technical industries. Medical science and safety have their own cadence, and at a certain point, iterating faster doesn't matter much.
Eric was working on a new feature on a system that had been in use for thirteen years. This new feature interacted with a database which stored information about racks of test tubes, and Eric's tests meant creating several entries for racks of test tubes. And that's when Eric discovered that the database only allowed thirty racks. Add any more, it would just roll right back over to one.

SEOUL, April 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s Supreme Court has ruled that major e-commerce platforms must make their websites …