Manton Reece

It feels like the AT Proto tooling has gotten much more mature in the last year. I was able to create a new PDS account on my own server, sign in from Bluesky, and it “just works”. 🪄

→ 5:11 PM, Aug 7
Also on Bluesky

Planning a major expansion to how AT Proto works in Micro.blog. Just as every account gets a fediverse handle by default, I’d like to host a PDS for new users. People could keep it or bring their Bluesky-hosted account instead (which is how it already works).

→ 4:57 PM, Aug 7
Also on Bluesky

In the context of the EchoFeed shutdown, I noticed this post on Numeric Citizen about depending on single-person services, including Micro.blog:

What is the future of Micro.blog if something bad happens to its founder? What is the continuity plan? Micro.blog has done everything it can to enable data portability and ownership, but moving things around, even if you own most parts, is not as easy as it sounds.

This is worth answering publicly. A few years ago, I started forming an organization to more openly manage the aspects of Micro.blog that I control, but it stalled. I will get back to it.

→ 12:38 PM, Aug 7
Also on Bluesky

On the OpenAI donut as pet
John Gruber thinks the OpenAI device might be very different than a smart speaker:

I couldn’t give two shits about an OpenAI “smart speaker” if the point is just to play music and podcasts, but a handheld cross between R2-D2 and C-3PO, that could be fucking cool.

It’s a pet, it sounds like. A revolutionary pet, if they pull it off. And people love their pets.

I’m expecting a device that’s more useful than a robot companion, but I think John gets closer with the R2-D2 comparison than most people who have speculated about this. It’s going to be able to do things, unlike the Friend pendant, for example.

Apple’s strength with Siri AI is being able to leverage on-device app data. OpenAI’s strengths are a more expansive memory, more conversational live voice, and integration with agents.

Here’s a feature list that I think the device will focus on:
- Asking questions about anything.
- Daily scheduled reports about anything.
- Very good conversational voice, powered by GPT-Live.
- Brainstorming projects, with handoff to Codex when code needs to be reviewed.
- Integration with email, calendar, and other ChatGPT skills.
- Note-taking and reminders.
- Basic companionship. OpenAI has learned a lot¹ since GPT-4o’s disastrous sycophancy. This will be part of the “people love their pets” aspect.
- Playing music and podcasts… maybe. Only if there’s a partnership with Spotify.
Some people will find this useful. Some people will find it dystopian. It’s been pretty clear that OpenAI has been working toward this since Sam Altman’s one-word “her” tweet in 2024.
From an OpenAI blog post yesterday about guardrails for teens using ChatGPT: “…we trained the model to avoid romantic roleplay, age-restricted challenges, and presenting itself as a substitute for real-world relationships. In addition, we applied age-appropriate boundaries around sexual content, eating disorders and body-image risks, age-restricted goods, dangerous activities, and graphic violence. Finally, the model encourages connection with trusted people when a teen may need support.” ↩︎
→ 11:53 AM, Aug 7
Also on Bluesky

Ryan Barrett blogging some good news about clean power:

We added 849 TWh of generation overall in 2025, an increase of 4.5%, but GHG emitting (ie fossil fuel) generation shrank by 0.2%. Clean energy covered the gap and then some.

🌎

→ 11:30 AM, Aug 7
Also on Bluesky

Great blog post from Terry Godier about the unpredictable nature of the App Store:

On the web, if I build something that works within the standards, it works. Whether people use it is up to them. On iOS, there is another question entirely: whether Apple decides it should exist.

→ 10:45 AM, Aug 7
Also on Bluesky

Wavelength 2.0 for iOS has now been waiting for review at Apple for 6 days… I just have a feeling they are trying to figure out if they can force me to use in-app purchase somehow. Google approved it in a day.

→ 10:32 AM, Aug 7
Also on Bluesky

Spent a little time this evening adding another database backup location. My primary database server has been so reliable, but eventually I know my luck will run out.

→ 8:16 PM, Aug 6
Also on Bluesky

Mark Gurman reports on OpenAI’s upcoming device:

The product — essentially a smart speaker without a display — will be shaped like a doughnut that’s roughly the size of a hockey puck […] The battery-powered item will be designed to work in different positions — in a user’s hand, say, or placed on a nightstand or kitchen counter.

Can’t wait to see this. 🍩

→ 3:50 PM, Aug 6
Also on Bluesky

I’ve switched Micro.blog’s Standard.site content format to the Markpub.at lexicon. It includes just Markdown, not HTML, but should be compatible with other AT Proto apps now.

→ 3:36 PM, Aug 6
Also on Bluesky

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