Hi all! I’m overdue for another [Bridgy Fed]( ) status update. Bottom line up front: [we’re now bridging video on Bluesky]( )! Out from Bluesky works now, in will work as soon as they finish their user rollout, hopefully within days. Also, [Bridgy Fed can now ask people to bridge their accounts]( )! This is the [infamous]( ) [“discoverable opt in,”]( ) and it’s finally launched. If you want to follow someone, but they’re not bridged, send their handle to Bridgy Fed in a DM or chat message, and it will message them to say you’re asking. (Only once; it won’t send another message if someone else asks.) We send a couple other DMs now too, a [welcome when you bridge your account]( ), and an [FYI when you reply to someone but they won’t see it because you’re not bridged ]( ). It’s been a busy couple months. I was all set to post this weeks ago, after I [put the finishing touches on DMs]( ), but then [Brazil]( ) [happened]( ). [3M new users and 10-20x usage increase in just a few days!]( ) Amazingly, even though Bluesky team hosts all the difficult-to-scale parts themselves, not in the cloud, they’d still planned for this kind of surprise and handled it ok. Bridgy Fed though, not so much. It stayed up and serving, but [Bluesky => fediverse got slower and slower]( ). Tough timing, too, I was busy with other things and couldn’t find much time to work on it, so after a week it was almost 3 days (!) behind. Fortunately, I finally managed to speed it up – props to [Ilya]( )‘s [libipld]( ) library, among other things! – and after it [worked through the backlog]( ), we were back in business. Anyway. [Since last time]( ): video, DMs, usage spike, and other features and bug fixes too: <li><a href="https://github.com/snarfed/bridgy-fed/issues/12#issuecomment-2302776658">Improved Pleroma</a> <a href="https://github.com/snarfed/bridgy-fed/issues/1300">and Flipboard</a> compatibility.</li> <li><a href="https://github.com/snarfed/bridgy-fed/issues/1192">Improved style of web =&gt; Bluesky bridged posts</a>, also now <a href="https://github.com/snarfed/bridgy-fed/issues/1191">try harder to include an image</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://github.com/snarfed/bridgy-fed/issues/1060">Drastically improved monitoring and alerting.</a></li> <li><a href="https://github.com/snarfed/bridgy-fed/issues/1243">Stricter authorization for AP <code>Undo</code>s.</a></li> <li><a href="https://github.com/snarfed/bridgy-fed/issues?page=2&amp;q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aclosed+sort%3Aupdated-desck">…and lots more bug fixes.</a></li> As usual, feel free to ping me with feedback, questions, and [bug reports]( ). You can follow the [*now* label on GitHub]( ) to see what I’m currently focusing on. See you on the bridge!
ok now it’s a party image
> > Bad defendants make bad law. > Love it. Heard recently for the first time via [Alex Stamos]( ) on the [8/30 Moderated Content podcast episode]( ) on Pavel Durov getting arrested. Sounds like maybe a variation on the [*hard cases make bad law*]( ) legal adage?
The [Field Notes]( ) motto: > > I’m not writing it down to remember it later, I’m writing it down to remember it now. >
Unexpected lovely experience at #xoxofest: [I’ve worked in climate full time for the last few years]( ), and [in health and bioinformatics for many years before that]( ), and I got to share those experiences with very competent, interested people and encourage them to join in themselves. There are lots of wonderful climate scientists, doctors, and researchers. They’re hungry to work with good tech people to build new and better tools. You don’t need any domain knowledge; your tech skills alone are enough. [Jump in, the water’s fine, we need your help!]( )
what do I do if my kid might be turning into Elon Musk [](image ) image
I’m headed to [XOXO 2024]( ) tomorrow! I’m excited, XOXO is legendary, but I’ve never been before, and this is the first one they’ve put on since 2019. I caught it just in time, too, they say this will be the last one ever. Drop me a line if you’ll be there too, I’d love to say hi!
[]( ) []( ) Heading to [XOXO 2024]( )? Join us at the IndieWeb + Fediverse Meetup during [XOXO Social](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KFBKgyMCKCj_7vfgZ0dkHdpzTUt1Z11qd1LRuzm5Th4/edit )! Friday 8/23 11:30a, [Rogue Eastside](https://www.rogue.com/rogue-eastside-pub-pilot-brewery/ ). See you there!
I think talent is probably overrated. Talent is fixed mindset. You’re born with it, it’s in your genes, it’s a gift. Practice is growth mindset. Anyone can learn, put in the work, practice hard, and get better. It takes drive, and some people start out with advantages, but talent isn’t required. Talent exists, sure. Some people are naturals. But we overestimate its impact. I think much of what we see as talent is actually motivation. When you want something so much that you work day and night at it, that’s hugely powerful, more than anything in your genes. (And maybe that is in your genes!)
Whenever I need to optimize and I think I know where to start, I’m wrong. Not always, but close enough. Measure first. Then optimize. Every time. ([background]( ))