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The following is a 'stream of consciousness' (micro *log style).
finger ruario@happynetbox.com
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Basic Mastodon bots
So I have a couple of Mastodon "bots" (automated accounts). They do not do much. They just watch for never version of various software and post if a new version appears. An example being the following which tracks a handful of desktop web browsers:
@browserversiontracker@vivaldi.net
I just thought I would explain how it works as it is actually fairly simple. I located various public sources for the current version number for a given piece of software. For Google I would use the Google versions json information and construct a URL like this.
Google Linux stable versions [json]
Or for Firefox versions I would use this.
Once I have good sources of reliable information for all the software I wish to track I setup a shell script that pulls them using curl. This information is then parsed with local tools. That can be a tool dedicated to the format the information is published in or at a push I could just use a regex to extract what I need with things like grep and sed. Once I have version numbers for each software I compare them with file on disk that has the version numbers I already knew about. If there are any new versions a post is created and posted with Toot TUI and I update the local file.
There is a little error handling (e.g. for cases where I have trouble getting information due to stuff like network problems) but basically… that's it!
At the end of the day it is the authors of the various tools I use who have done all the hard work, I just tie it all together with "duct tape" (well a tiny shell script) that is run regularly on a cron job from my work machine (since that is always on anyway).
I don't know if this is helpful to anyone, or if anyone will ever read this but if it is and you do, there you go. 😉
I'll be back to the family cabin for the weekend for more work improving things there. I really need to pack to save myself time after work tomorrow. So… of course I am procrastinating and writing this instead of actually doing that. 😆
So a couple years back I needed to use a VPN related to stuff at work. In the end I decided to just pay for it myself as it was easier than expensing it and I figured I might also use it for a few things at home, i.e. getting around geoblock filters for streaming. 🤫
Anyway, I never really did do it for the latter and after six months or so I no longer really needed it for my job either. On going to cancel it, it seemed like I could but it would cancel immediately and I would not get my money back for unused usage (I'd paid upfront for a longer time period in expectation of using it more). In the end I decided to wait until it was closer to renewal in case I did need it again. Of course I forgot and it renewed for another extended period! Nooo…
Fast forward to tomorrow, it was due for renewal again, and again, I'd forgotten but the card I used to sign up with initially had expired and been replaced. Thus I received an email from them that said something like
Just a heads up — your credit card is expired.
Credit card expired: 12/2023
To continue without interruptions, go to your Account and update your card details.
LOL… this made my day. No need to cancel. I felt like I had won the lottery! 😆
Need to call into the doctors with my youngest. No major issue just a small follow up, so late into work. Looks like it will be a nice (rainy) ride in. 😉
Well… a security update for Vivaldi stable stream and a new snapshot. My work for the evening is done methinks. Night all!
Minor update (5) for Vivaldi Desktop Browser 6.8
Closing in – Vivaldi Browser snapshot 3446.4
Yesterday evening on the commute back home a car came alongside me and honked his horn and shook his head as he drove by. We were the only two people anywhere near that section of the road. I was not out in the middle of the lane. I was not wobbling around or flailing my arms and my speed (according to Strava GPS data) was approximately 20km/h. So not fast but probably no slower than a typical, casual cyclist.
I can only presume he did not like the fact that I was unicycling in the road. Perhaps he considered this dangerous? However he was the one who stunned me with a loud, unexpected noise and close passed me (as stated there was nobody in the opposite lane, so it would have been easy for him to cross lanes and do a nice wide pass). Thus I feel it was actually him who was inducing any risk. And who was the risk too exactly? Certainly not him in his steel cage, which at worst would have gotten a scratch if we collided. I on the other hand could have been seriously injured in such an event. Luckily for me, having done unicycle commutes for years now (much of it with traffic around me), I am not easily spooked by traffic noises, even if someone honks right next to me. I was surprised yes, but it did not affect my balance or throw me off course.
Anyway, I should probably add that stuff like this is a very rare occurrence for me here in Oslo. Most people actually ignore me, some give me a wide birth (I guess because they assume a unicyclist is unpredictable) and quite a few smile. Indeed the majority of honks I have received in the past have been once they have make eye contact and are usually accompanied by a happy wave, a thumbs up or sometimes even a picture (side note: do not take pictures while driving). But I guess… there is always one. 🤷🏼
Still some pain in the knee. Today I think I will go with the 29 inch uni with 100mm cranks. Probably just as quick (if not quicker) but less risk since I am more comfortable with this setup.
I am late into work again, so I need to get my head down once I do get to the office. 😉
Snapshot today, maybe?
Well the short cranks bit me. Or should I say I had an accident on the way home. I was in a bit of a rush to get back as I needed to prepare a presentation. As I cycled along there was a couple walking along in front of me. They were on the pedestrian path but seemed like they were drifting into the cycle path. I attempted to slow down but struggled with leverage on the short cranks and before I knew I was on the ground. I tore open an old wound (scare) on my hand and banged up my knee. I then sort of rolled over on to my back and laughed a little.
The couple I was catching up to turned around and came over to me and asked if I was alright. I told them my usual,
It's OK, I do this all the time! 😆
Oh well, while my hand is a bit cut up and my knee hurts a little, all in all I came off rather well. Though… perhaps I should start wearing protection again when I try these "new" setups. You'd think after 47 years in this world I'd learn. 😜
I pulled another creepy tick off my cat. It's been a while since he last had one but still it is always annoying. I worry he will get sick. Mostly likely it is fine but there is always that potential. We had him up at our family cabin on Saturday. I wonder if that is where he picked this one up. Certainly you can get ticks around here but it seems more likely out in the woods.
First day back to school here in Norway. Both the kids were fine. They wished they had more holiday but it was more disappointment than dread. My eldest planned out a specific outfit and was frustrated about some unexpected stains but seemed to get over it and was happy when a friend came to greet them on the way in.
I need to get into the office myself but I will likely switch over the cranks of my 24 inch unicycle to the new short (80mm) cranks I recently bought. I doubt these will be better than the cranks already mounted but I wanted to try something different.
Really nice to have the kids back. I think they are a little sad that today was the last day of their summer holiday and to be honest so was I. Even though I have been back at work now for a couple of weeks, the fact that it ends for them also sort of makes it feel like my holiday is finally over to be honest.
The kids have been away with their grandparents for a week, so pretty excited to have them back. Though I suspect the excitement will be one-sided. My wife and I will be glad to see them, I am not sure they will care. 😆
Stop playing with my cat, Pathduck, it will only confuse you! 🤪
Ok, I really need to start updating this again because I mentioned I use it on the Vivaldi forums! 😆
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