I keep thinking about old projects in the Gnome2 days, when I used desktop Linux and how much fun desktop computing used to be. Everything was open – either by choice via open standards or by force e.g. reverse engineering messenger clients, which then allowed the data to be local and open. You to do cool things like Beagle (and really Nat's Dashboard app before that).

These days everything seems to be closed and or web-based. Your data is only accessible via apis that you don't control. And with the rise of mobile, we've grown to expect our data to be accessible everywhere...but really, how many times have you been hard press because you couldn't access a random file at a random place at a random time?

Has this expectation has does us more harm than good?

Often these services sell themselves as a way to simplify. Simply put all of your data into a magic directory and it will be made available everywhere. But how many people actually manage to do this? On your Mac, a lot of apps automatically save data for you, and chances are it's not in one of those magic directories.

So now you're left with a false sense of security and an increased complexity of trying to remember where your files are. Not to mention they could be deleted at anytime by someone/algorithm in a random organization e.g. Dropbox/Google closing your accounts.

Maybe it's just nostalgia and rose tinted glasses...but maybe it's not.

I posted this last year, too. But the ajisai season is my season. Better than cherry blossoms, imo.

Taking the Southern route back to Japan, which means I’ll have literally circumnavigated the globe on this trip.

Starting on a new book, Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport and while I’m reading it the woman’s phone next to me is emitting (presumably) candy crush sound effects and iMessage message noises non-stop. Makes it difficult to concentrate 😀.

A pigeon went on a bit of explore through the front door of the restaurant I was just eating at.

Picnic lunch today. Sophie would love it here. So many doggos running about.

I’ve lucked out with the weather on this trip. Almost everyday has had nice blue skies and been about 20 out.

Today’s sighting while running: Sherlock Homes! Finding all the street names  you hear when you’re a kid is a lot of fun. Baker Street is real! Drury lane is an actual place!

Another good run this morning.

Really beautiful park.

The great thing about going for regular long-ish runs like this in the morning is I can eat whatever I’d like for breakfast.

The restaurant staff are understanding me better too and now bring me the big coffee instead of a small coffee and an inevitable refill.