Hacker Public Radio

The two HPR hosts based in Edinburgh got together over Mumble on the evening of Sunday 23rd August 2020 to have a chat during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• MrX
• Dave Morriss

This is the second half of the conversation. For the first part see HPR show 3167.

Some of the topics we discussed:

• Listening to podcasts
  • MrX’s recent show Keeping track of where I am
  • Using phone-based apps like Antennapod
  • Rockbox (free music player firmware) on Sansa Fuze, Sansa Clip, Clip+, Clip Zip, etc

• Mobile phones and tablets
  • MrX likes his Nokia 5310
  • Dave is interested in the PinePhone
  • MrX has a Samsung Galaxy tablet (and did an HPR episode about it: hpr3030 :: My new Samsung tablet)
  • Smart devices want to make you a victim!

• Digital data versus pieces of paper
  • Dave is using a Google spreadsheet shopping list which he can share with his kids who are shopping for him
  • There’s still a desire to keep things on paper though
  • The tendency to hoard bits of paper

• Using Windows
  • Multiple (virtual) desktops on Windows 10, a counter-intuitive design
  • Outlook as a mail client (with Exchange) is very poor compared to open source options

• 3D printing
  • OpenSCAD: The Programmers Solid 3D CAD Modeller
  • A Slicer: software for converting a 3D model into instructions for a 3D printer in the form of G-code.

• The current pandemic
  • Lockdown controls exposure to the virus and limits cases
  • Fewer cases means the health service can cope better
  • Sheltering keeps vulnerable people safe until a vaccine is available
  • Herd Immunity is when the majority of people are immune to the virus and don’t transmit it to vulnerable people
  • Long-term effects of COVID-19
  • Asymptomatic carriers of the virus

• HPR listening and contributing in the time of COVID
  • Current times tend to make it harder to keep up to date with shows
  • It’s also harder to make time to make contributions at the moment
  • Issues with motivation

• Miscellaneous
  • MrX’s car needing attention due to rust
  • Dave’s anecdote of his neighbour losing power late one night