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Just Staci<p>new app on new device. let's see how that goes. i'm <a href="https://retro.pizza/tags/experimenting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>experimenting</span></a> with my <a href="https://retro.pizza/tags/android" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>android</span></a> ebook reader as a prelude to experimenting with an android privacy-focused phone, with an alternative OS, probably e/os. i'm also learning android because i've always been an iphone user!</p>
C.<p>But we can simplify this.</p><p>I'm not putting finished effects into standalone metal <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/boxes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>boxes</span></a> at this point; I'm <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/experimenting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>experimenting</span></a>, not producing a product. So I have a simple <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/modular" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>modular</span></a> system I cooked up to connect arbitrary effects <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/experiments" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>experiments</span></a> together. One of the things it does is handle the power-supply stuff, so each effect board doesn't need to do any of that. It just receives a nice 0V and buffered <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/Vcc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Vcc</span></a> (9V) it can rely on, along with a buffered 4.5V to use as a <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/bias" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>bias</span></a> voltage when AC coupling <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/signals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>signals</span></a>, since this is a single-supply system.</p><p>So we can chop out all the power stuff from the schematic, which fills basically a ninth of the image - divide it into 3 rows and 3 columns, like the Brady Bunch intro, and the left-middle square is basically the power section.</p><p>But there's a bigger chunk we can strip out. Boss (and many other) pedals of the era frequently used "soft switching" to enable / disable the effect while playing. If you go back in time, real physical <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/switches" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>switches</span></a> were used, so the signal was actually totally disconnected from the effects circuitry when in the "off" position. This is called "true <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/bypass" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>bypass</span></a>", as opposed to the soft switching.</p><p><a href="https://mindly.social/tags/Soft" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Soft</span></a> <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/switching" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>switching</span></a> involves having two signal paths through the effect. One applies the characteristic effect, and the other basically just buffers the signal and bypasses the rest of the effect stuff. This is implemented with transistors and latches.</p><p>2/x</p>
If we use Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT or a few other AI models we are using AI that has data centres in the US. If we use Le Chat by Mistral or MyAI (Beta) by Swisscom we are using AI that is based in Europe, or Switzerland. The data stays here.
The first thing to note is that MyAI is in public beta. It is still at a 0.0. version number rather than a 1. something version. As such this means that it can answer questions but we can't yet give it default data to work with like we can with Claude, Gemini and other AI solutions.
It cannot generate images or provide you with maps. It can answer a question such as "Could you help me write a password generator using javascript?" with ease. It is aware of Hugo, the open source project so could help you generate a theme.
It is available in French, German, Italian and English and I played with it in English.
It is good that Le Chat by Mistral, MyAI by Swisscom and AITools is available via Infomaniak. We have three options of local AI models to experiment with and use, and this will grow with time.
Uploaded the first full track I've done on my lunchbox #eurorack#modular#synth since completing it last night (are they ever truly done?). It's been a long ongoing project, now I can focus on making #music, #experimenting.
It is an #ambient#minimalist track. One unusual piece is the use of a pulsar vco. It is called "Pulsar Salad" (it is a lunchbox synth, after all). You can find it on #soundcloud
Normally I like to go for a run in the afternoon, after I have had a productive morning. This morning I went for a run first. This afternoon I have to go to an indoor meeting, which doesn't fill me with euphoria. I feel an e-mail would achieve the same thing within a few minutes. Having said this I have skipped that meeting for three or four years so I feel obligated to go this afternoon.
A morning run is not an absurd thing to do. It gets the blood flowing, and gets you to wake up properly, before a coffee has been drunk, and then the rest of the day is open to indoor activities. In theory it could also be a fantastic time to find blogging inspiration. Unfortunately this morning that did not work. I still spent more than an hour trying to think of something to write.
Ghost Migration
Last night I was toying with the idea of migrating to Ghost, to experiment with the Ghost Blogging platform. I was able to get it to work via younohost, but wanted to install it natively on a Pi. It took a while but eventually I got it to work, after some trial and error. The latest version of Ubuntu did not play well with a Pi4 but the LTE version did. I would have continued playing but it was dinner time.
Another challenge I met is that when I tried to export from my current WordPress install with the Ghost plugin it failed more than once. I need to find a way to get the data out. I suspect that a plugin is blocking the export. With more experimentation I will resolve this issue
Hugo and WordPress
WordPress suffers from being everything to everyone, so it has become slow and heavy. Hugo, on the other hand is very fast to load, and quick to update but it requires a workflow that requires running hugo, uploading files and more. Every time I update a post I have to update hundreds of static pages for my blog. By switching to Ghost I would be using a simpler, more specific CMS that is good for simple daily blogging.
And Finally
Going for a morning run, instead of an afternoon run is easy. Migrating from WordPress to Ghost requires jumping through a few hoops so there is a learning curve that I am exploring. It just requires a day or two of experimenting.
Added Greek yoghurt, banana, and raspberry jam...not too shabby!
More yoghurt and fruit next time, still a touch of a grainy texture (think there always will be a bit), but a VAST improvement on my first one, this may be an option for me, yay!
Call for Participation out for HackThePromise 2025 deadline May 31.
The atmosphere we're (hopefully) going for is old-creepy-Victorian-Daguerreotype-adjacent-esque. 
#photography #experimenting #everydayaschoolday #creative #fun