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Suzy McHale’s Journal: 2026

January

Thursday 1/1: No Dad anymore; visited Mum; wishing for the old Apple

This will be my first year without my Dad (4/10/2025 entry). There is an unfillable void where he used to be, both physically and psychologically.

Visited Mum at Camberwell Gables this morning. Being a public holiday, public transport is less frequent (frustratingly!) but I got there and back, though the train journeys (three line changes each way) seemed interminably long. I left at 7:50 a.m. to walk to Patterson Station, got a Frankston line train to Richmond Station, changed platforms as usual for a train bound for Camberwell Station, changed again for an Alamein line train. Spent perhaps ½-hour with Mum; made a phone call to her cousin Dawn Harbour (who turns 99 this July!) then to my sister up in Townsville. Then back home again on the reverse route, arriving around 11:30 a.m.. Quite tired and hungry!

Walked a total of 4.8 km/7,477 steps today, according to my iPhone’s native Health app. I am still feeling fatigued from yesterday’s (31/12/2025 entry) marathon 14.5 km/20,615 steps!

“And Stay Out,” Garrett Murray, 29/12/2025. He posts about his nostalgia for the Apple company of old, and the quirky playfullness of its products from that era (1990s-2000s).

Post extract:

I sometimes think about what we lost along the way as Apple chased ultra-simplicity and luxury. Jony Ive spent a decade slowly removing any trace of personality from every product Apple released. Apple went from the original translucent-colored plastic aesthetic of the “Bondi blue” iMac G3 and the Power Mac G3 “Blue & White” to the more refined and unique design of the iMac G4 to… a bunch of aluminum rounded rectangles for decades. Chasing thinness, removing ports, simplifying everything down to metal and glass with no differentiation.

I have an iMac G4 sitting on my garage workbench, and simply moving the display around is a source of delight. On a shelf nearby, a beaten up graphite “Clamshell” iBook G3 makes me smile every time I open it. Booting up Mac OS 9 and clicking around, listening to the old hard drive chug… is this simply nostalgia? Perhaps. But there is undoubtedly so much personality in the design of these products.

There’s no doubt current Apple hardware is built with unparalleled precision. Their glass is able to survive devastating falls. The speed of their custom chip architecture blow the competition away, the beauty and density of their displays makes looking at a regular 1x LCD hilarious. But it’s all formulations of the same materials, in slightly different shapes, all serving the same purpose. Apple has more operating systems today than ever, but most are variations on the same core version of iOS. This isn’t a bad thing, per se, but there’s a feeling of same-ness that permeates everything Apple makes today.

Walking into the SoHo NYC Apple Store around 2004 was like entering a playground. I would stand in a crowd of like-minded enthusiasts and watch Jobs’ MacWorld keynotes on the large projector in the rear of the store. We’d wait in lines for hours to get the latest model of the then-new iPhone. Software came in boxes, headphones had cables, and everything oozed with Apple’s unique design aesthetic. It truly felt like a golden age as every year macOS gained new, exciting (and playful!) features like Exposé, fast-user switching, Spotlight, Safari, and more.

Today, Apple Stores are highly controlled, extremely polished metal, oak and glass clean-rooms with row after row of rectangular objects and very little playfulness. Employees ask you which device you need and then guide you to add one or more white accessories. Every year we get a few colors – pastels in non-Pro devices, muted colors in Pro devices – and maybe one unique product version with a singular variation. This past year that was the iPhone Air. A while back it was the iPhone X. In between were several years of rectangles in various minor color options.

I also miss that old Apple; I loved the strawberry iMac G3 when Dad bought one (but he sadly moved on to a Windows computer after a year or two). 8/9/2024, 1/11/2024 entries.)

He quotes Louis Mantia in that blog post; Louis is not one of my favored people due to his apparently prickly and easily-offended personality (5/12/2025, 6/12/2025 entries), though he has had some salient comments about Apple’s direction (26/7/2025 entry).

Friday 2/1: Phone chats; tech regression; Mac ad

Rang my aunt – my deceased Dad’s sister – yesterday afternoon for one of our regular chats, then an acquaintance from the church Dad attended rang yesterday evening! John & Sharon had mailed a Christmas card to my parents not knowing of their sad demise and Dad’s passing, so I mailed one back updating them. Had a long chat anyway! They migrated from China a couple of decades ago, I think.

“Woman Announced She’ll Switch to Old Tech in 2026—Thousands Are Joining Her,” Newsweek, 14/12/2025. Another mention of this stupid trend. I love my iPhone and have no desire to stop using it; it is my portal to the outside world, as has been my experience of using computers and the WWW generally. Born in 1970, I grew up with all this clunky inconvenient analog technology that seems to be a fad amongst the current young generation; I have no desire to return to using it!

ChatGPT summary:

A woman named Ava from the U.K. plans to switch to older technology in 2026, including using flip phones, DVDs, MP3 players, and disposable cameras. Her goal is to reduce what she sees as the negative effects of modern technology, especially social media and smartphones, which she believes contribute to burnout, social disconnection, and anxiety. Ava started a movement to encourage others to follow her lead, with over 200,000 people joining the cause. She uses social media to spread the message despite her desire to move away from it.

Ava argues that reduced smartphone use could improve mental health by decreasing exposure to misinformation, stress, and unrealistic societal expectations. She believes that eliminating constant social media and streaming service consumption will lead to more creativity, better social connections, and healthier lifestyles. Ava acknowledges that the switch might be challenging, but she sees it as a step toward reducing media overconsumption. The movement encourages people to embrace offline activities and a simpler, more mindful way of living.

In an Apple history book I am reading, The Apple Revolution: Steve Jobs, the counterculture and how the crazy ones took over the world by Luke Dormehl, there is mention of an ad for the Macintosh in Newsweek magazine for December 1984. Someone uploaded it to the Internet Archive, so it can be viewed there!

Saturday 3/1: Power lines > trees; paring down Apple product bloat

Thirteen weeks since Dad’s passing (4/10/2025 entry).

Weather heating up. Forecast for next Wednesday is nearly 40°C.

“Expert slams state’s limited trial for power line tree pruning,” The Age, 2/1. Fallen branches and trees downing overhead power lines are a major contributor to power outages here – and storms and strong winds are frequent – so this push by environmentalist fanatics to slash the minimum clearance between trees and power lines is not a welcome proposal! I do not care about providing habitat for native fauna – as I have griped before (23/5/2025, 10/10/2025, 28/12/2025 entries), possums are a major nuisance and plague in urban areas. Large trees should not be planted under power lines in the first place, and the established ones should be felled. Replace them with low-level trees or shrubs.

“What Do You Want to See From Apple in 2026?,” MacRumors, 2/1. As well as pausing operating system releases until the current buggy OS Tahoe is addressed, one of my wishes is to reduce the ridiculous number of products! (Previously: 10/9/2024, 21/4/2025 entries.) What Steve Jobs did on returning to Apple: “The board named Jobs as interim CEO and he immediately reviewed the product lineup. Jobs canceled 70% of models, ending 3,000 jobs and paring to the core of its computer offerings.” (Wikipedia); “Moving forward, Jobs’ strategy was to produce only four products: one desktop and one portable device aimed at both consumers and professionals. For professionals, Apple created the Power Macintosh G3 desktop and the PowerBook G3 portable computer. For consumers, there was the iMac desktop and iBook portable computer.” (Entrepreneur). There are now a ridiculous number of iPhone models: With the introduction of the iPhone 16e and ‌iPhone Air‌ in 2025, the expected debut of the first foldable ‌iPhone‌ in 2026, and the continued presence of older models like the iPhone 16 and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, there could be at least eight distinct ‌iPhone‌ models on sale from Apple by the end of 2026. (“No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest.”) If Apple wanted to show real “courage,” iPhones would be reduced to perhaps two versions, both having the mostly the same features (perhaps the Pro version would have more features) and differing in size only. Even reduce color choices to, say, classic silver and dark space gray. Same with the MacBook: one Air version and one Pro version. iPad: similar to iPhone, two iPad versions: basic and Pro. One desktop iMac. (Space grey and silver color choices for all models.) And so on. Focus on the customer and cut all the superflous product and services distractions; return to Apple’s core mission and ethics. Shareholders would not like this, so perhaps Apple could buyback shares so it holds a majority and is not so beholden to maximizing profits for shareholders.

Sunday 4/1: Visited Mum

Decided to visit Mum at Camberwell Gables this morning. Public transport is free on weekends until 1 February so will take advantage of it! I do little on Sunday mornings anyway as nothing opens until later (10 a.m.). As on Thursday (1/1 entry) I had to change trains three times, and they are less frequent so waiting times are longer, but at least the Alamein line is operating.

Cooler today, but Wednesday to Friday are forecast to be in the high 30s, which will be difficult to endure. Any extreme weather – heat, rain, cold – makes walking much more unpleasant. I am trying to get my daily step count up to at least 10,000, so I just have to endure this.

Monday 5/1: A rant against royalty; joyless design; against https

Privileged parasites: “King overtakes Princess Anne as hardest-working member of Royal family,” The Age, 4/1. The King has overtaken his younger sister to be named the hardest-working member of the Royal family in 2025, despite undergoing weekly cancer treatment. He conducted more engagements last year than the industrious Princess Royal, including traversing the country, hosting three high-profile state visits and travelling to Italy, Canada and Poland. The phrase “working royals” is an oxymoron! They have never done a day’s real work in their privileged lives. Let them try working in retail, in a factory, as a carer for the elderly or disabled, then get back to me about real work! I have posted many times (previously: 1/5/2023, 14/1/2024, 6/2/2024, 23/12/2025 entries) about my contempt for the institution of royalty, and thatt it should be abolished in this modern age.

“The royal family is edging toward modernity – but in 2026, the public will expect yet more transparency,” Guardian, 30/12/2025. No – a modern society has no place for this archaic institution at all.

ChatGPT article summary:

This year, King Charles has faced both personal challenges and opportunities. While he’s received welcome news about his cancer treatment being reduced, his role as a diplomat has grown stronger. He’s been involved in international relations, including visits to the Vatican, Canada, and Australia, while supporting Ukraine. He’s also hosted numerous state visits, earning praise for using the monarchy’s influence to support UK foreign policy.

The king has also been praised for being open about his health, breaking from the traditional secrecy of the British monarchy. His health updates, including treatment for prostate issues and cancer, have increased his public relatability, with his approval rating at 62%.

However, controversy surrounds his brother, Prince Andrew, whose scandals continue to tarnish the royal family. Andrew’s connection to the Epstein case and lack of transparency has raised public questions about the monarchy’s accountability. This reflects broader concerns about transparency, with some questioning the monarchy’s ability to function in a modern, democratic society.

A report revealed the growing financial power of the monarchy, highlighting the large sums Charles receives from public and private sources. Questions are being raised about the mixing of personal and public wealth, and whether the monarchy should face more scrutiny, especially with its exemptions from certain laws.

For the monarchy to remain relevant, the king may need to embrace greater openness, both in terms of finances and accountability, to rebuild trust and maintain its position in modern society.

The Thailand royal institution is even worse; its harsh Lèse-majesté laws are notorious and execrable.

“Does “Luxury Design for the Rest of Us” Even Make Sense?,” Adam Engst at TidBITS, 3/1. A post adding to that mentioned in my 1/1 entry. In my 9/11/2024 entry I also felt that current Apple products are no fun.

ChatGTP summary:

The text discusses how Apple’s design philosophy has shifted over time, moving from products designed for a wide audience to ones increasingly focused on luxury. Louie Mantia, Garrett Murray, and Jason Snell argue that under Jony Ive’s leadership, Apple began prioritizing luxury aesthetics – craft, precision, and materials – over products that felt more accessible and personal. Mantia suggests that Apple’s designs became more about appealing to the wealthy, including the design team itself, rather than serving the broader public. Murray expands on this by pointing out how Apple’s products became more uniform, removing unique elements for sleek, minimalist designs. Snell criticizes the over-focus on luxury and how it disconnected Apple from the average user. The author of the post reflects on their personal nostalgia for earlier Apple designs, such as the colorful iMacs and the tactile experience of older products. They argue that Apple’s recent design choices – prioritizing minimalist luxury – sacrifice the warmth and character that once made Apple’s products stand out. The piece concludes that Apple’s shift towards luxury design overlooks the diverse preferences of its users, suggesting the company should return to designs that consider both functionality and personality.

Tuesday 6/1: A long walk; manifestation real or not? Keep the Internet on!

Weather heating up from today. The real heatwave begins from tomorrow, with Melbourne forecast to reach 41°C, and high 30s on Thursday and Friday. Don’t know if I will walk to the libary and back tomorrow! I did walk to Southland SC and back this morning, then to the library and back, so my legs feel a bit wobbly! 10 km/14,000+ steps to Southland and back, then about 1.5 km/2,386 steps to the library (same for returning home).

“Does manifesting your dreams work? Well, no – but also, yes,” The Age, 5/1. In my 23/10/2025 entry I mentioned the concept of manifestation, that if you focus on what you wish for, it will eventually be granted in some form. Skeptics predictably regard it as “magical thinking” or self-deception. But there is nothing wrong with trying some positive thinking – turning negative thoughts into positive ones – though this is challenging when one is depressed or has been afflicted by adverse circumstances. I won’t discount the idea entirely, as I don’t discount there being more to the world than the reality around us.

ChatGPT article summary:

The text discusses the concept of manifestation – the idea that focusing on goals with thoughts and affirmations can bring success. It highlights celebrity examples like Lady Gaga, Matthew McConaughey, and Jim Carrey, who attribute their achievements to manifestation practices. However, it also suggests that hard work and talent play a significant role, as pointed out by Kate Winslet in her interview about her movie Lee.

Manifestation gained popularity with the 2006 book The Secret, and it resurfaced on social media during COVID, with influencers sharing tips. Despite its popularity, psychologists caution against viewing manifestation as a form of “magical thinking.” A study from the University of Queensland found that strong belief in manifestation could lead to risky behavior, like poor financial decisions.

Critics argue that online success stories often ignore failures, creating a biased view of manifestation. The idea behind manifestation, like attracting success through focused thinking, is compared to the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon – where you notice things related to your goals because your brain is primed to do so.

While manifestation itself is seen as pseudoscience, tools like visualization, often used in sports psychology, are supported by research. Positive thinking, which is part of manifestation, can help build a solution-focused mindset but won’t guarantee success. Experts suggest that optimism and self-compassion are key to achieving goals, encouraging a more balanced approach to pursuing them.

“Readers reply: should we turn the internet off?,” Guardian, 5/1. A deliberately provocative question – you can probably guess my indignantly negative response! Some (Luddite) readers predictably agree; others defend the Internet: Honestly, without the internet I would be isolated and alone. That sums up my feelings too! As I said in my 2/1 entry, my devices – my MacBook Air and my iPhone – are my magical portals into a boundless world.

Wednesday 7/1: Hot; visited Mum; grief attacks

Three – well, two – days of hellish heat: over 40°C today and Friday in Melbourne (with a brief 30°C or so “respite” tomorrow). Much hotter inland. Visited Mum this morning at Camberwell Gables; did not stay long as outside was already heating up. At least the nursing home has good air conditioning for the frail elderly there.

Had a delay for the Frankson line train at Richmond Station on the way home. The hot weather seems to send the public transport system into meltdown, frustratingly!

Too hot to walk anywhere far, so no library today.

“It’s a common but distressing part of grieving. Here’s how to manage a grief attack,” The Age, 7/1. I have experienced these after Dad’s passing on 4/10/2025.

ChatGPT article summary:

The article explores “grief attacks,” sudden and intense surges of anguish that can occur after losing a loved one. Using the experience of Jane Griffin, whose husband died after years with Lewy body dementia, it describes how ordinary triggers – or even quiet moments – can provoke overwhelming anxiety, panic-like physical symptoms, and deep emotional pain. Researchers liken grief attacks to panic attacks layered with profound grief, often involving yearning, despair, or disrupted thinking.

Recent research shows these episodes are common among bereaved people and can range from brief and manageable to severe and debilitating. While they can be dangerous or disruptive if frequent or prolonged, experts note that grief attacks can also be a normal and even therapeutic part of grieving, helping individuals confront suppressed emotions or mourn missed milestones.

The article also outlines coping strategies, such as slow belly breathing, grounding physical movements, cold water, visual focus, and gradual exposure to grief triggers. Ultimately, experts emphasize that healing from loss is not about “moving on,” but about learning to maintain a continuing bond with the deceased in a healthier way.

Thursday 8/1: Heat hell; bat bane

A brief respite for Melbourne from the hellish heat of yesterday, but another blast from the furnace is forecast for tomorrow before a late cool change. I managed to resist turning the loungeroom air conditioner on (expensive to run, inadequate house insulation means that cooling effects are shortlived). I have a portable fan, which made trying to sleep a little more bearable, but the old weatherboard house heats up late in the day and the heat lingers overnight. I am still in limbo as regarding my housing future (18/12/2025 entry), and do not have the money to spend on the extensive repairs and maintenance the house increasingly needs (22/12/2025 entry).

“The megabats of Adelaide: SA adjusts to new and growing colonies of flying foxes,” The Guardian, 29/1/2024. Article from two years ago about nuisance fruit bats that should be culled (28/12/2025 entry) but are protected as they are a native species and misguided environmentalists prioritize animals over humans. They can also cause power blackouts: But while on their hunt, they can cause damage. The young tire more easily and find resting spots along power lines, leading to power outages. Shoot the damn creatures!

Friday 9/1: Second Hell Day; Apple becomes evil? Steve Jobs not perfect; American innovation can’t be imitated

Hell day №2 is here. Perhaps foolishly, walked to the library to write in my MacBook Air. Not looking forward to the walk back, though it is only around 20 minutes or so! Furnace-hot out there already, though the morning began much cooler. A gusty dry northerly wind, meaning bushfire hazards around the State.

A pertinent-to-Apple quote from Paul Graham’s long-running essays:

But the other reason programmers are fussy, I think, is that evil begets stupidity. An organization that wins by exercising power starts to lose the ability to win by doing better work. And it’s not fun for a smart person to work in a place where the best ideas aren’t the ones that win. I think the reason Google embraced “Don’t be evil” so eagerly was not so much to impress the outside world as to inoculate themselves against arrogance.

That has worked for Google so far. They’ve become more bureaucratic, but otherwise they seem to have held true to their original principles. With Apple that seems less the case. When you look at the famous 1984 ad now, it’s easier to imagine Apple as the dictator on the screen than the woman with the hammer. (“Apple’s Mistake,” November 2009)

Apple is even worse in that regard now, and Google has long since become evil. It’s a sad example of becoming what one once feared/hated. Is it inevitable with corporations? A thought I had: A company founders once it loses its founder. Certainly true in the case of Apple – it is very successful financially and for its stockholders, but has long lost its moral and spiritual focus since Steve Jobs’ too-soon passing.

For some reason, a Hacker News member posted a 2018 article about the memoir of Steve Jobs’ first daughter (“The memoir by Steve Jobs’ daughter makes clear he was a truly rotten person whose bad behavior was repeatedly enabled by those around him”). Don’t know what the purpose of the post was (the OP perhaps dislikes SJ) – The article made a lot of sense in 2018. If I was Lisa I would want my story to be heard. And so in turn I empathize and want to hear her story. I’m not sure why it is being reposted in 2026, though. (subjectsigma) and that Steve and his first daughter had a dysfunctional relationship early in their lives is not denied. I have read the book already (22/7/2024 entry).

Another quote from Paul Graham: Hackers are unruly. That is the essence of hacking. And it is also the essence of Americanness. It is no accident that Silicon Valley is in America, and not France, or Germany, or England, or Japan. In those countries, people color inside the lines. (“The Word ‘Hacker’, April 2004) He expounds on that in the essay “How to Be Silicon Valley,” May 2006. Quick ChatGPT summary: The essay discusses the key factors necessary to recreate the success of Silicon Valley elsewhere, arguing that it’s not the geography, buildings, or bureaucratic efforts that define the region, but rather the right mix of people, particularly two groups: nerds (technologists, innovators) and rich people (investors). These two groups, when present in a location, can drive the creation of a tech hub. To create a new Silicon Valley, focus on attracting top universities, a magnetic town with personality, and a combination of young talent and investors. Let the ecosystem grow organically, avoiding over-planning and bureaucratic intervention. Ultimately, a new tech hub needs to become the type of place where founders and investors want to live and work – not just a place for startups to get funded.

America has a culture of risk-taking and innovation that other countries can’t match. Reading accounts of hackers and similar tech people in the 1970s to the 1990s is fun and fascinating (21/12/2025 entry). There is also personal nostalgia for that period as the culture of then was what I grew up with (though, alas, I did not begin using a computer until 2001, when I was 30).

Saturday 10/1: Survived Hell Day; royal manipulation; expensive cat

Yesterday was brutally hot – Melbourne reached 43°C. I made it back home from the library yesterday; only a 20-minute walk but it felt like walking through a furnace, in a very dry heat. I had to cave in and put the lounge room air conditioner on until the evening; I did keep it at 26°C or so, which uses less power than a lower set temperature. It still felt pleasant compared to outside! There were also gale-force winds. A cooler change blew through after 6 p.m., bringing some thunder and lightning with a little rain overnight. The ash in the sky from the bushfires burning around Victoria got mixed in with the rain, so that cars parked outside were covered with dirty ash. Could smell the smoke in the air this morning. Still a strong wind, but cooler south-westerly, so a relief.

I walked to Southland SC and back – around 45 minutes each way – and was so tired when I got home that I skipped walking to the library today. I covered 10.4 km/15,000 steps anyway!

Privileged parasites (previously: 5/1 entry): “On her 44th birthday, Princess Catherine is quietly reshaping royal life after cancer,” ABC News, 9/1. The article blatantly states the deliberate manipulation of public opinion: Such heavily curated set pieces are designed to show family life intertwined with royal service and have become a cornerstone in William and Catherine’s media strategy. On Instagram those images translate into hundreds of thousands of likes and millions of followers globally. Prince Harry may be testing the thread of unconditional love that is supposed to connect a parent and child. But in royal life, that thread is stitched into a complicated tapestry, frayed by protocol, duty and terms set by the king. It’s a different, deliberately more contemporary approach to marketing the Windsor brand and in the UK it’s working. Sadly, the public are so conditioned to regard a monarchy as a normal part of life there, rather than the injustice of overstretched taxpayer funding being spent on those who have not earned their position by merit. And again, the laughable reference to “working” royals with their public engagements. They have never done a day’s real work in their privileged lives.

“Woman who lost home in Koolewong bushfire reunited with cat seriously injured in blaze,” ABC News, 6/1. Beloved cat Sassy has been reunited with her owner after being badly burnt during bushfires that razed a number of homes on the state’s Central Coast last month. Crowdfunding efforts helped cover the $50,000 vet bill, which included amputations and skin grafts. Her owner Siew Lee Seow’s home was destroyed in the blaze and is beginning the long process of rebuilding. A feel-good story, but the owner has seriously misplaced priorities – raising $50,000 to save a badly-burned cat? It had its tail amputated, some toes removed, and ears partly burned off. Burn scar tissue will also cause lingering pain.That money could have gone towards funding the woman’s new home.

Sunday 11/1: Visited Mum; Omarchy controversy; no Linux on Apple Silicon

Much cooler today, even cold – but I can walk outside without feeling about to melt! Visited Mum this morning at Camberwell Gables. Had to change train lines four times today due to maintenance works between Caulfield and Parliament stations on the Frankston line. So: Patterson Station (Frankston line)→ Caulfield → Richmond (Pakenham line) → Camberwell (Alamein line) → Riversdale. Reverse to return home. Journey went smoothly, though quite long (over an hour each way). Wanted to ring my sister so she could speak to Mum, but she initially did not answer my messages, so I figured she might have been affected by the copper cable thieving incident affecting phone and internet services in Townsville suburbs (as well as a cyclone – though thankfully, Tropical Cyclone Kagi passed southwards of the city). Fortunately she was not affected, as she messaged me back – she had been out walking and not take her iPhone. I wanted to return home by then, so will try again next visit.

Came across “A Word on Omarchy,” a detailed critique of the currently trending Arch Linux configuration that is Omarchy. (Commentary on the post at Hacker News and Lobsters.) Both the post author and the Omarchy creator get very polarized opinions for different reasons. I linked to one of David Heinemeier Hansson’s pro-American posts in my 12/8/2025 entries; he has a similar later entry, “Europe is weak and delusional (but not doomed),” 9/12/2025 – short ChatGPT summary: The article argues that Europe is facing significant challenges due to economic stagnation, weak tech industry growth, and increasing censorship. While European leaders push for more control over social media and speech, they fail to address the continent’s declining economic and military power. Europe’s GDP is lagging behind the US, and energy costs are high, hurting competitiveness. The article suggests that Europe could avoid a bleak future by reforming energy policies, attracting skilled immigrants, reducing censorship, and creating a more integrated economy. Without urgent changes, Europe risks falling further behind. (Relevant post: 9/1 entry.) David incites controversy amongst some because of his apparently libertarian views (he does not seem “right-wing”).

I would not mind trying a Linux distro myself, given how onerous MacOS and iOS are becoming (“iOS 26 Shows Unusually Slow Adoption Months After Release,” MacRumors, 8/1). But (ChatGPT summary again): You can’t install Linux normally on a MacBook Air M3 because: Apple Silicon requires custom Linux support; M3 hardware is too new; drivers and boot support are incomplete; Apple’s boot/security model blocks standard installers. The Asahi Linux project is an attempt to address this, but it so far only covers the older M1 and M2 versions, and not fully for these, as much as I can understand. I don’t have another laptop or desktop now to try Linux on, and the huge jump in RAM and storage drive prices has made them unaffordable for many: This surge is primarily driven by high demand from AI and data centers, leading to supply shortages and higher prices for consumers. (Why everything from your phone to your PC may get pricier in 2026,” BBC News, 2/1)

Monday 12/1: More David Hansson on Apple’s decline; trying out <q> tag

Sunny and cool today. No wind, for a change.

A couple more blog entries – rants against Apple – from David Hansson (11/1 entry): “Apple has no one left who can say no,” 14/9/2025 (ChatGPT summary: Apple’s Project Titan, which aimed to create a car, was ultimately canceled in 2024 after a decade and $10 billion spent without a finished product. Meanwhile, Tesla succeeded with multiple car launches. The only positive outcome from Project Titan was CarPlay Ultra, but it’s a disaster. A review of the Aston Martin Vantage, featuring CarPlay Ultra, revealed the software to be extremely laggy, buggy, and prone to crashing—making it dangerously unreliable. The core issue is a lack of leadership and accountability at Apple, where managers prioritize meeting deadlines over product quality. This problem extends beyond CarPlay Ultra to issues like the iPhone alarm bug. The company’s decline is attributed to a failure to maintain high standards, with Tim Cook’s leadership criticized for prioritizing profits over quality and innovation. The article argues that Apple needs strong leadership to regain its commitment to excellence.); “The great falls of Boeing, Intel, and Apple,” 22/9/2025 (ChatGTP summary: The text argues that Boeing, Intel, and Apple declined after appointing CEOs without engineering or product backgrounds, claiming it takes about a decade for such leadership changes to erode a company’s culture. In each case, cost-focused or operational leadership is blamed for weakened innovation, major strategic failures, and loss of engineering pride. The author concludes that great technology companies require hands-on, product-driven leaders to sustain long-term excellence.). He began using Linux in 2024 (after a brief foray into Windows).

I am trying out the rather obscure <q> tag for inserting quotation marks around short quotes. Gwern Branwen seems to have had mixed results with using it (a neat use of an obscure semantic HTML element, but divisive and a maintenance burden), so I will see how it goes and replace the tag with normal quotes if I change my mind.

Tuesday 13/1: Haircut; cleaned washing machine filter; kei trucks

Walked to Southland SC and back, so rather tired! Had my hair trimmed. Weather is mild but overcast; rain due tomorrow.

Decided to have a go at cleaning the filter of the washing machine as black specks of gunk were being expelled with a rinse, and the filter had not been cleaned since the machine was bought on 15 October 2015 (an LG Inverter Direct Drive 7.5 kg, model WTG7532W). This was a rather laborious task as the machine is placed in a corner, and I had to move a wooden cabinet Dad made out of the way first (photo). Both are quite heavy, so I wriggled the cabinet out first, then partly wriggled the heavy machine so I could access the filter outlet – placed very inconveniently in the far bottom right-hand corner at the back of the machine and thus very difficult to access. I did manage to shift them, pulled the filter out, rinsed some gunk out and slotted it back in. Mission accomplished, so I feel rather good about achieving such a mundane task! (There was also a decade’s worth of dust and cobwebs behind both structures, so I vacuumed these up.) Hopefully I have not dislodged any water hoses. This sort of maintenance is where I really miss Dad; I do not have the physical strength to maneuver such heavy objects.

The clothes dryer is situated over the washing machine; Dad somehow got it up there onto rather fragile-looking supportive fittings years ago. I do not like having it up there as it will be impossible for me to get it down when it eventually needs removing! If the struts give way, the dryer will fall and damage the washing machine and floor.

I have spotted two parked kei trucks while out walking! These are cute mini-trucks, imported from Japan here. One is a Suzuki Carry.

Wednesday 14/1: Wrapped Tesla; Asahi Linux on M3 progress report; Apple’s SAAS creep

Spotted a gorgeous iridescent Tesla while in Bentleigh today. I have seen it in the neighborhood before. The wrap (which I presume the color is, rather than an actual respray) is a two-toned pink/blue that changes depending upon the viewing angle, similar to shot silk.

Regarding my Asahi Linux post on 11/1, an update: “Asahi Linux Has Experimental Code For DisplayPort, Apple M3/M4/M5 Bring-Up Still Ongoing,” 25/12/2025. (ChatGPT summary: At the 39th Chaos Communication Congress, Asahi Linux developer Sven Peter provided an update on the progress of Linux support for Apple’s M3, M4, and M5 SoCs. While significant advancements have been made for Apple M1/M2 hardware – such as USB3, SMC, and audio support – major challenges remain in integrating the display controller and GPU functionality. DisplayPort support is being worked on with experimental patches, and while Apple M3 support is progressing with new contributions (like running DOOM on M3 hardware), support for the M4 and M5 SoCs faces even more hurdles due to changes in hardware and broken reverse engineering tools. It will likely be some time before these newer devices are fully supported in Asahi Linux and the mainline kernel.)

The Apple company is gradually becoming more and more – to use a much-overused word – enshittified, with its increasing focus on subscription services. “Apple Introduces New ‘Creator Studio’ Bundle of Apps for USD$129 Per Year, MacRumors, 13/1. Apple Creator Studio subscribers will also receive access to exclusive AI features and premium content across not only the Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator Pro apps, but also the iWork apps Numbers, Pages, and Keynote, and the Freeform app later this year. The iWork apps have long been free – included with the operating system – but this move seems like an insidious creep towards subscriptions for anything more than basic features. I hate the “software as a service” model, and both Apple and Microsoft now use it as their main form of revenue. A comment from the article: ‘One more thing‘ has become ‘One more thing to subscribe to‘ under Cook. (macaddiict)

Thursday 15/1: Rearranging files

Overcast, drizzly and a bit humid today; unsettled weather. Same forecast for the next few days, then warming up again – though no more 40°C days for the near future.

Decided to put my personal files (myself and family) in the personal/ subdirectory, so a tedious morning moving files and images, and doing multiple searches through the HTML tags to correct folder paths (I still may have missed some internal links as I am doing this manually). It’s a mentally exhausting task, so my brain is fried for the rest of the day!

Friday 16/1: Windy walk

A strong, blustery south-east wind blowing all night and day. I walked to Southland SC and back. Used Apple Maps to suggest a route home; it guided me on a different route than what I normally walk, but the time taken was not any longer.

Saturday 17/1: Technological ennui

Still a strong blustery south-east wind blowing through the night and today. Very annoying! Perhaps the wind is partly why I have been feeling irritable the last couple of days.

“My 2025 in review,” Riccardo Mori, 14/1. On his disillusionment with the technology scene generally; a sort of technological ennui. (ChatGTP short summary: In 2025, the author experienced a gradual but fundamental break with technology, driven by fatigue, lost trust, and disillusionment with Big Tech’s increasingly user-hostile direction. This rupture prompted a broader personal reassessment, revealing how an obsession with tools had displaced creativity, particularly in writing and photography. Rather than sparked by a single event, the shift emerged from years of accumulated discomfort and the realisation that technology had come to dominate life instead of serving it. Seeking alternatives, the author turned to simpler and older technologies, physical reading, Android, Linux, and especially indie gaming communities that felt more respectful and restorative. By year’s end, they felt directionless but certain they no longer identified with where mainstream tech is headed, and hope in 2026 to reduce its grip and reconnect with more humane, offline forms of creativity.) Akin to what I am feeling as regards Apple (14/1 entry). The stress and grief of the last year with my parents – and, worst of all, Dad’s passing on 4/10/2025 (15 weeks ago, now) – exacerbated this.

Sunday 18/1: Visited Mum; Linux tradeoffs; sour Apple

Sunny today and warming up. The annoyingly strong south-east wind that was blowing constantly the last two days has at last eased.

Visited Mum this morning at Camberwell Gables. Free public transport until 1/2. I rang my sister, then Mum’s cousin Dawn Harbour, so they could chat (separately). Mum turns 88 on 4/2, and Dawn turns 99 on 27/7. I didn’t go to see Mum during the week due to fatigue, but Di Pompilio and her daughter Jan (17/12/2025 entry) visited on Thursday.

The idea of switching to Linux because of the enshittification of the other two major operating systems, Windows and OSX, is having a moment. There are tradeoffs whichever platform is used. “Linux: should I?,” ldstephens, 17/1. (ChatGPT summary: The author reflects on a growing wave of Linux enthusiasm among people they follow, including longtime Mac users, which has tempted them to consider experimenting with Linux again. Although they have some prior experience with Linux and now have the time and means to explore it, they recognize that switching from macOS would disrupt an ecosystem and lifestyle they value. Concerns about friction with Apple services, less polished software, and the loss of the seamless “just works” experience make the idea less appealing. Ultimately, they decide to resist the temptation, acknowledging that not every available opportunity needs to be pursued.) On a similar theme, “Linux Is NOT the Developers Paradise You Have Been Told It Is,” Darren Horrocks, 11/12/2024. (ChatGPT: The article argues that while Linux is powerful and flexible, it’s often overstated as a developer’s paradise. It highlights drawbacks such as hardware and software compatibility issues, time-consuming tinkering, a fragmented ecosystem, a steep learning curve, and limited acceptance in corporate environments. The conclusion is that Linux can be great for certain developers, but it’s not ideal for everyone, and the best operating system depends on individual needs rather than ideology.)

A great comment at Michael Tsai’s blog: I fantasize every now and then of macOS or iOS’s source code being fully leaked, thanks to a hacker or a government screw up in a case like this, so that then motivated folk can make an unauthorized hard fork of it. (Bri)

From last year, “How Tim Cook Sold Out Steve Jobs,” Anil Dash, 9/11/2025. (ChatGPT: The text argues that Tim Cook betrayed Steve Jobs’ legacy by publicly flattering and appeasing Donald Trump, something the author believes Jobs – an immigrant’s son shaped by counterculture and anti-authoritarian values – would never have done. It contrasts Jobs’ rebellious, anti-institutional ethos with Apple’s current leadership, criticizing Cook’s deference as unnecessary, humiliating, and strategically weak. The author contends Apple had the power to stand up to political pressure by rallying its users and defending open markets, and warns that appeasement undermines Apple’s ethics, credibility, and innovative spirit.) Tim Cook’s presenting that tacky award to the President soured Apple in the eyes of many of its users.