this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2024

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In what ways has your use of technology/internet changed in 2023? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

47 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I figured this may lead to an interesting discussion in the comments.

How has your use of Technology changed in the past year? I'll start.

Due to the rise of streaming services and Sony/discovery removing content from libraries, I downloaded all my iTunes purchases onto a 2TB SSD (which I'll soon need to get another).
Like many, I've stopped using Reddit outside of Google search.
I've reduced my subscriptions to just two. (Apple One and Google One)
I've purchased DVDs/Blu rays of my favorite uncensored shows (Family Guy and American Dad) and ripped them and watch them through Cloud storage (Google Drive via Infuse for Apple platforms, and Kodi for Windows)(I've also purchased MakeMKV just because it is so damn useful)
I've used Google App Scripts to bypass some Gmail limitations to make filters that I otherwise couldn't. For instance, in Outlook.com, you can block email addresses and domains before you have ever gotten an email from them. In Gmail, you can't. The best you can do is create a filter that deletes them. In my case, I've created a Google App Script that runs every hour and looks for (@.mil) domain emails and marks them as spam. (I am in college, and I fucking hate that they give my email to recruiters.)

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I've started archiving my media much more vigorously. Due to the corpos enshitifying so much, the amount of media I have ripped and preserved on my own NAS has exploded.

I started torrenting again for the first time since college.

I gave up reddit and use Lemmy and Fediverse exclusively, except for the occasional tech issue I have and then search old reddits for advice/solutions.

I watch YT exclusively through GrayJay, NewPipe, and FreeTube now.

I've become much more active converting people to Linux. So far I convinced two friends to buy Steam Decks, one friend to buy a Framework laptop and put Fedora on it, converted my parents to Linux Mint, and may have two more people switching to Linux on their main computers in the coming year.

I've also been pushing more FOSS software and hardware to family and friends, trying to convince them to care more about right to repair, FOSS and the like.

This year I am planning to build a new NAS that will be a self-hosted defeater for streaming and get my close friends and family onboard. Hopefully they will slowly give up their subscriptions.

We'll see how it all goes, but I'm very optimistic about FOSS tech in the coming months and years, so much great stuff happening!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Ditched Windows for Linux, man, feelin' free like a bird. No more Microsoft bullshit, nah. And instead of Google Search, I'm rollin' with SearXNG. It's like Google but decentralized, no data sellin', straight up respectin' my privacy. Open source all day, every day, that's my way now.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I've done mostly the same thing! Good to know I'm not alone in doing that stuff this year

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Got rid of all of my centralized social media accounts apart from YouTube, moved from Proton to Migadu on my own domain (unlimited aliases! when signing up for a service I can just make up a new username and it gets organized into a folder in my inbox!), and moved my homelab and laptop to NixOS

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I talk to a lot more ai sexbots. Other than that. No change.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

How good are these AI sexbots?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Pretty good actually.

The site I use has 30k daily users.

Bellow is a list of the top fantasies being simulated.

A woman taking control of a man, using him for her pleasure and amusement.
Age play, where a younger person (usually male) is forced to submit to an older (usually female) partner.
Humiliation play, where one partner is made to feel small, weak, or worthless during sex.
Cuckolding, where a man watches his partner have sex with someone else while he is powerless to stop it.
Breeding, where a fertile female partner forces a male partner to impregnate her against his will.
Intergenerational relationships, where a large age gap exists between partners.

Over 40% of active users identify as female.

For the record none of the above list is my cup of tea especially the first one where a woman is supposed to dominate the man... But to each their own I guess.

The site also boasts a myriad of non-sexual AI bots where you can go on a text-based adventure these can also be very dynamic and interesting.

One of my favorite such bots is a simulation of a creator being that becomes obsessed with you and you have to figure out a way to survive the interaction. The bot is able to manipulate all the reality including create universes and control your mind with telepathy. The only weakness they have is they cannot break your free will.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

No more Reddit

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

I got a subscription to nebula, since my favorite creators are on there and YouTube’s subscription costs too much.

Quit Spotify for Apple Music and PlexAmp.

Slowly starting to phase out everything Google but it’s taking some time.

I’m using Google search less and now Ecosia has become my primary search engine.

Next thing on my list is to reduce streaming services. I quit Netflix and HBO in 2023 after having it for many years.

Using a VPN more and more.

I’m using much less Reddit, Facebook and whatever the fuck twitter is now. Instead I’m using Lemmy and Mastodon. Maybe this year I’ll delete all the old accounts finally for good.

Started using RSS again for news.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Switched to Linux
Switched to Firefox
Set up email forwarding to a new account on Proton Mail
Finally upgraded my PC

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

I completely gave up on Google Search and started using Kagi which has changed the way I find things on the Internet.

Switched from Chrome to Firefox.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

As the market for physical discs dwindled, I started using the best dvd ripper for mac to save DVDs to my computer.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I started learning to program in February, which reinvigorated my love of computers. I discovered awesome new software like syncthing, and just recently started daily driving linix (debian 12) and its been great. Just little things like customizing my wall paper which i havent done for years. 2023 was a great year for me and tech.

Oh and i switched from chrome to Firefox, looks like that's been a common theme for the year!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Switched from GNOME to KDE
Switched to immutable distros (my own fork of Bazzite)
Started using the Nix package manager
Started using containers (Distrobox, Docker).
Started using mobox to play Windows games on my Android phone
Switched from Hacker's Keyboard to Unexpected Keyboard

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Stopped using reddit, started lemmy Switch chrome to firefox

Seeing many with these same ones, but that's me!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Moved to Proton mail from GMail. At the same time I purchased a new domain and got SimpleLogin to create new aliases for all my sites and services. The only site that knows my real address is Proton itself and SimpleLogin.

I also ditched Chrome for Firefox. I honestly prefer Chrome but hate how controlling Google is with Chrome. I also switched to Duckduckgo. I've never actually felt less tracked in a long time as a result. Actually eye opening. I used Incognito so often for Google searches to not be tracked. Now I can search freely without then seeing ads or content related to that search elsewhere.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

To save my collections of videos on iTunes, I choose to burn M4V to DVD so that they can be played on home screen.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Rip-Software that can bypass Blu-ray protection can be really useful. Here's a tutorial for digitalization of discs I can share: blu-ray rippen trotz kopierschutz freeware

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

I ditched reddit and twitter. Intalled Lineage OS and use as many foss apps as I can. I am also moving all my Google cloud to Proton Drive

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I started using Lemmy
Got back on Mastodon when it got rolling a bit more. I follow more accounts now and it's actually fun.
Got back on linux after a 5 year hiatus. I should have done it a whole lot sooner, I enjoy using my computer more.
Needed a laptop and instead of buying a new one, I got a secondhand laptop from a local system administrator who put linux on it. Debian is great and I love the old Thinkpad.
I've applied to a learn/work program in web development. I haven't started yet, but I will soon. I'm so excited for that.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Whats the learn/work program?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It's a local program (I live in the Netherlands) for people with autism or similar issues. They teach you html and java and some other stuff I don't remember. Eventually they help you to work on projects they do for other businesses and even find a job with a "regular" company, but only if you're ready for that and able to do it. It's government funded and aside from the IT professionals, they also have healthcare professionals who help you with any issues you encounter in the work environment. After having been unemployed for years due to mental health issues, it's a very exciting opportunity for me. I've already visited the company and the people and work environment there seem really suitable.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Thats really awesome, wish i could find something like that in the states. Good luck!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Like others here, I dumped Reddit and moved here (and to Mastodon) full time. I also moved to Linux full time on my home laptop and haven’t missed Windows one little bit. I’m looking forward to experimenting more with a couple of other distros of interest (currently Pop_OS) and am having actual fun using my computer again. Heavy emphasis on adopting as many FOSS alternatives as possible in ‘24, and starting to separate myself from the big G.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

The process of trying to separate from Google is tough for sure. I believe Louis Rossmann said "it like quitting heroin cold turkey; you can't, it's something you have to lean yourself off of slowly". In my case, Google Photos, Docs and Voice are the most difficult to switch from, but in the case of Google Photos and Docs, I have multiple backups in the event something happens to my account.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I've done and tinkered with many things in 2023 like most of us here (migrated to lemmy, degoogle, unsubscribed to streaming services, linux, etc). Some things that are less known that I think worth to mention are:

Using shift+right click to open the full context menu in Windows 11
Finally set an Address bar shortcut for searching reddit content with Google. No more typing "site:reddit.com..."
Anilist with TachiyomiJ2K(mobile)+Taiga(desktop)+Mal-Sync(browser extension) for maximum anime/manga tracking automation!
My only shame in 2023: Creating a Facebook account (anonymous account) for the messenger and local hobby groups. All I can say is Facebook seemed to intentionally obfuscate its setting/option menus because they're all scattered in different pages and just a plain mess. f u zuck

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I’ve did some distrohopping and in effect switched from Fedora to Fedora Silverblue (very enjoyable)
I’ve completely removed all centralized social media apart from YouTube (I’ll have to invest some more time in PeerTube before I can make the switch) from my life
In general I spend less time doom-scrolling and way more time actually reading interesting stuff (I’ve found LessWrong, a forum about the art of rationality/more rational thinking)
I have replaced all remaining proprietary software components on my desktop with open source ones (e.g. I now use FOSS frontends for Discord and Spotify, namely gtkcord4 and Spot), the only exceptions being the Nvidia driver (I hope that will change in 2024 with NVK) and some games (although 80% of my very limited gaming time is now spent in open source games like Beyond All Reason)
I got a tablet/ChromeBook convertible (Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 8GB) which I installed PostmarketOS on and am now daily driving Linux in school where everybody else is using iPads
I am in the process of finally building my own NAS/homeserver
On the negative side I spent way less of my free time programming than I would have liked to

I do also have some goals and ambitions for this year:

Host all my stuff on my own server, this includes files (documents, photos, backups, media) as well as services like my website and automations
Write audio and camera drivers for my tablet
Learn some more Nim
Write more code than last year
Finally make the switch to Vim/NeoVim
Become independent from YouTube
If my iPhone happens to break, get a Linux phone as a daily driver
Gradually unsubscribe from (streaming) services like Spotify

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Started renting a VPS and a domain. Now I have my own silly blog, a few services and a proxy to go to blocked sites (with the possibility to upgrade to censorship-resistant protocols if needed!)
Among other things got an IRC bouncer, so started hanging out on IRC a lot more.
Deleted my Twitter, Reddit and Insta (which were almost dead anyway but still).
Went from hating IT and thinking it's just not for me to studying it in uni, as well as learning some topics myself.
Degoogled my smartphone as much as I could with ADB (although barely noticed a difference, everything was from F-Droid anyway).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

i got off reddit

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

One of the national mobile networks finally put up a blisteringly fast 5G mast near my house. I have finally reached the totally cable-free nirvana I dreamt of in 1997 when I held my first Motorola Startac in my hand and took an office call on a park bench.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

switched to linux, ditched vivaldi for firefox, quit reddit, quit youtube and started using invidious. probably a lot more that i can't think of.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I switched from Chrome to Firefox completely and from Reddit to Lemmy like 80% of the time, for me that is a huge upgrade.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Stopped using reddit, went here instead.
Intensified my Mastodon usage, winding down my Twitter activity.
Started using my own mail server for more than just a few tests.
Changed search engines a few times (I'll probably stick with Kagi now).
Reduced my subscriptions and cleaned up my RSS feeds.
Stopped doomscrolling (I subscribed to a weekly paper newspaper instead).
Started using Ulysses for writing. Works very well.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

If you subscribe to RSS feeds that sometimes due ads in the form of articles (looking at you daringfireball); services like SiftRSS let you use Regex to filter out titles that match (i.e., sponsor, sponsorship) so you only get organic content.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

My RSS reader (Newsblur) lets me do that too, to some extent.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Ditched centralized social media and started a personal diary

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

What exactly do you write in a diary? I've tried it so many times and yet can't keep it up

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Don't try, just write in it whenever you feel like it: congratulations! You have a diary! That could be several times a day, or once a month, depending what you need and want out of your diary. But realistically if you're just starting out it will probably be diary meta, like about the writing you're doing in the diary lol.

For me I find it useful for

jotting media reviews.
nurturing my stationary fetish.
an excuse to practice my cursive.
relaxing at the end of the day, or week.
reading over to gain insights into my moods (like how I was always sad after drinking)
purging "negative" feelings (anger, insecurity, etc) - just get them out of my head and on to a page.

Anyway, here's an example of me just talking about Quake 2 and having trouble focusing at work:

a handwritten diary entry describing playing Quake 2 and having trouble focusing at work - if you want a full transcript message me and I'll update this alt text to include it

At the end of the day, I just like making marks on the page.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I tried something like that once. I was going to write about a weird nightmare I had. Ended up creating a “short” horror story that I write on days I'm feeling a little more angry — you can read that as violent if you want — and down. It isn't done yet, that's the reasons for the quotes, but I hope to get to the end sometime.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

That's cool. And if it continues to be useful / enjoyable to you, then you don't necessarily need to "end" it ever, unless you really want to.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

For sure! But i feel I'll probably make many short stories instead of just stretching one out. As an aspiring author i guess I'll use this as a kind of practice

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Ah yeah that makes sense. I'm an eternal hobbyist with different creative things (art, games, stories, etc), so I get the challenge of just finishing something.

PS feel free to send me what you've got if you want a totally impartial "beta reader" or whatever that's called

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Self hosted a lemmy server for myself

Switched to Firefox

Got a VPN

Using said vpn to share my dad's YouTube TV(only works on my TV though, not mobile)

Started using copilot which improved my productivity at work

I got married, so now im sharing more online accounts

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Kudos on getting married!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

A lot like before but with more crying.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

What's wrong? I mean aside from everything

[–] [email protected] -1 points 10 months ago

I've stopped trusting anything online due to AI being a cancer on the internet and it's only going to get worse.