Numeric Citizen Blog

Anthropic cements its position as the not-OpenAI with no-ads pledge — The Register

Anthropic has committed to keeping its Claude AI model ad-free, emphasizing user trust and avoiding potential conflicts of interest that could arise from advertising. The company believes serving ads in chat sessions could introduce incentives that might compromise the AI’s helpfulness and neutrality, distinguishing itself from rivals like OpenAI who are exploring ad-supported models. This decision aligns with Anthropic’s principle-driven approach and focus on maintaining user privacy and genuine assistance.

How long will it last? In today’s tech world, cynicism prevails.

2026-02-05 ∞

Having a great time in Egypt so far. Internet connectivity is spotty which explains why I’m not posting more photos. You will be flooded in due time!

2026-02-05 ∞

Fact: airports aren’t created equal. 😩

2026-02-06 ∞

Better Siri is, yet again, a little farther off — BirchTree

Making a meaningfully better, LLM-enhanced Siri seems to be very tricky.

Well, probably but changing the software strategy over and over might prove to be the real culprit here.

2026-02-12 ∞

Traveling to Egypt and Jordan: Some of My Random Travel Notes

• One of my favourite things while flying is seeing a plane go in the opposite direction at a distance, ideally close enough to feel the raw speed of the plane added to mine.

• I loved Egypt, but the chaos of Cairo can be overwhelming and tiring. I prefer the relative calm of Jordan’s cities. I may be getting too old for some scenery.

• WhatsApp is a dominant communication platform worldwide, except in North America. Too bad it is so awkward to navigate and is owned by Meta.

• Taking pictures of the scene from my hublot is a good time killer and can produce fascinating images. I have so many of them.

• Posted many pictures on my personal and custom-made photo-sharing website, and it worked beautifully. Of course, a selection of my photos was also posted on my Glass page. More to come in the next few weeks.

• My personal custom-built RSS web app proved to be super handy when I wanted a quick overview of the news.

• These notes were gathered and written using Raycast for iOS before being edited and published. Raycast > Tot, in my opinion.

• I encountered several planes equipped with electronically activated polarization shields on the windows, which produce unusual lighting effects both outside and inside the cabin. Some shields do not completely block external light. Additionally, these shields are centrally controlled during flight, which can be frustrating.

• Most airports remain and will always be customer-hostile and unfriendly. It seems to be getting worse every year, everywhere, as air travel continues to increase.

• I brought my newly acquired Ubiquity Travel Router with me, but it was of no use; all hotel Wi-Fi, including the cruise ship, allowed many devices to connect with a single activation.

• Taking a break from the intensity of the digital world is salutary. But I’m glad to be back online now.

2026-02-13 ∞

I would pay to have a widget that shows an up-to-date view of Claude’s credit usage.

2026-02-13 ∞

I’m still tweaking my RSS Flow web app using Claude Code. It’s addictive and fun. It’s becoming the exact RSS reader I always wanted.

2026-02-14 ∞

Do we know if Apple upgraded the local Apple Intelligence model since its initial release? In case they didn’t, it’s no wonder why Apple is so far behind as others are releasing new models at a rapid pace, even those destined at being run locally.

2026-02-14 ∞

When I was a teenager, programming languages like LOGO made computers and programming very accessible. In today’s world, I would argue that, to some degree, vibe coding does the same: it makes computer programming more accessible in a much more complex digital landscape.

2026-02-14 ∞

The Rise of Cognitive Dept

Margaret-Anne Storey introduces “cognitive debt” as a concept that may be more threatening than technical debt in AI-augmented development. Unlike technical debt (which lives in code), cognitive debt is the erosion of shared understanding that resides in developers’ minds. Drawing on Peter Naur’s concept of a program as a “theory” distributed across teams, the article argues that as AI and agentic tools push for development velocity, teams risk losing their collective understanding of why systems work the way they do. Even if AI generates technically clean code, teams can become paralyzed when no one can explain design decisions or anticipate the consequences of changes. The author calls for intentional slowdowns, collaborative practices, and serious research into measuring and mitigating this growing challenge.

“As generative and agentic AI accelerate development, protecting that shared theory of what the software does and how it can change may matter more for long-term software health than any single metric of speed or output.”

2026-02-15 ∞

If Apple does a “Snow Leopard”- style release with iOS 27 (and hopefully macOS 27), then I’m all in. Software quality has taken a nosedive in recent years, and it’s no longer aligned with Apple’s “It just works”. Apple needs to do something about this. I cannot count how many times people have come to me and said, “Apple’s hardware is top-notch, but the software is such crap.”

I bet Apple will use some level of AI to inspect code and apply AI-based suggestions and recommendations.

2026-02-15 ∞

I Am the Great Glassholio! — Spyglass

Meta plans to add facial recognition to its smart glasses, which would let wearers identify people and get information about them via an AI assistant.

Meta being meta. Creepy.

2026-02-15 ∞

Matt Shumer writes in “Something Big is Happening”:

The AI labs made a deliberate choice. They focused on making AI great at writing code first… because building AI requires a lot of code. If AI can write that code, it can help build the next version of itself. A smarter version, which writes better code, which builds an even smarter version. Making AI great at coding was the strategy that unlocks everything else. That’s why they did it first.

Clever. Exciting. But scary, too.

2026-02-16 ∞

We're Making a Big Mistake

I believe that IT workers who are also passionate about gen AI are making a major misjudgment. We wrongly assume that the advances we observe in our field, such as the autonomous or semi-autonomous development of applications, also translate to sectors like medicine or law. This is a false generalization.

The field of IT heavily relies on strict formalism: the raw material consumed by LLMs. In the legal field, for example, this is not the case: it is much more complex. Laws, regulations, and judgments are generally written and presented in standardized forms, but the content is far from being as digestible formalism as lines of code written in a programming language. In my opinion, we should remember that when we share our enthusiasm for gen AI. We must be lucid while also setting the right expectations for decision-makers and lawmakers.

2026-02-16 ∞

I bought Current. I’m not sure it’s for me. It doesn’t support Inoreader. It might be in a future version. Information density is too low. I like some of its design decisions. It seems that some useful features will come the more I use the app. I’ll see.

2026-02-17 ∞

Using Claude Code, I added an OPML export feature to my RSS Flow webpage so that I could move my feeds into Current so that I could compare the reading experience of a RSS river… let’s see.

2026-02-18 ∞

How many new RSS readers can we get in a week? I’m counting two so far. Might be a third one coming soon? Cc @manton

2026-02-18 ∞

New MacBook with ‘fun colors’ sounds like the best Mac for most people — 9to5Mac

It’s pretty simple: if you can get a MacBook that’s the most affordable by far, comes in fun colors, and will do everything you want—why would you choose anything else?

I’m warming up to this. Could be a boon to my travel gears.

2026-02-18 ∞

At this point, I have to admit, the only reason I’m keeping ChatGPT is its image-generation and analysis capabilities.

2026-02-18 ∞

9to5Mac’s article “Another AirPods Pro 3 model is coming, with one rumored upgrade”:

Apple is rumored to be developing a new, higher-end version of AirPods Pro 3 featuring infrared (IR) cameras to enhance AI capabilities and potentially support visual intelligence and hand gestures. This upcoming model is expected to be similar to the current AirPods Pro 3 but will likely come at a higher price point. The IR cameras are anticipated to help users better understand and interact with their external environment.

Oh, as an AirPods Pro 2 owner, I might want to hold up my next purchase. I’m just curious about the appeal of this upgrade.

2026-02-18 ∞

9to5Mac’s article “Google launches Snapseed camera for iPhone with pro manual controls, retro film”:

Snapseed, a photo editing app by Google, has launched a new camera feature for iOS with manual adjustments, professional mode, and various film emulation styles. The updated app allows users to customize their photos with real-time filters and provides a full editing stack that enables post-capture modifications. The app is free and available in the App Store, with plans to update the Android version in the future.

I never quite understood why Google is making such an app. It’s great but… why?

2026-02-19 ∞

When I Retire...

One of my nieces’ friends works in IT and recently contacted me for advice about his career in this field. This isn’t the first time I’ve received this kind of request. Over the past year, two other colleagues have also asked me for similar career advice. I have to admit, I really enjoy it. I like listening to the concerns of the younger generation and, to the best of my knowledge, advising them to help them flourish even more.

I have over 30 years of experience in IT, and I’m starting to think about retirement and what I will do once my career is over. I have to admit, offering my advice for free to younger people is something I would really love to do.

2026-02-19 ∞

It’s funny how my interactions with my colleages is evolving since I’ve been using AI. My requests to them are looking more and more like prompts: I give them a context, state my needs and expectations and provide the expected end results, in that order. All the time. 🫣

2026-02-19 ∞

Early this morning, using Craft Agents, I created a new skill that enables me to save my Micro.blog Bookmarks into a Craft collection. The agent figured out the Micro.blog API, the new collection schema and how to move things around. So cool. Any questions?

2026-02-19 ∞

About This Tempting Light MacBook

If the rumors turn out to be true, Apple will announce a new entry-level MacBook line on March 4th. Why is this relevant to me? Well, I’m really curious to see what Apple will offer in terms of technical specifications and overall design, because I might be tempted to get one. But why? I already have an M2 MacBook Air 15”!

The short answer: to use while travelling instead of bringing my M4 iPad Pro! But I’ve always said that the iPad is a perfect device to bring on trips! That’s true, but it still lacks one thing: the flexibility macOS provides. Yes, we’re back to the Mac again!

My last trip abroad confirmed that my iPad was very suitable, but I sometimes wished I had the flexibility of a MacBook for certain tasks, as well as a larger keyboard. If the new MacBook offers reasonable power, dimensions close to those of the old 12” MacBook, a lightweight, and a fair price, I might be tempted.

I owned the 11-inch MacBook Air (as explained here), and I loved it. My hope is to see a blend between the 11-inch MacBook Air and the 12-inch MacBook.

It seems like it’s been a long time since I’ve been excited about the prospects of a new Apple product.

2026-02-20 ∞

Matt Birchler’s “[Apple will kill iPadOS] article: (https://birchtree.me/blog/apple-will-kill-ipados/)”:

Matt argues that Apple should discontinue iPadOS and instead fragment it into two distinct operating systems: iOS for casual iPads (iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air) and macOS for the iPad Pro, creating clearer software distinctions across the product lineup. This reorganization would address the current problem of one OS trying to serve devices ranging from 8” tablets to 13” laptop-style screens, and would make sense once foldable iPhones that expand to tablet size arrive. Matt contends that recent iPadOS updates have primarily added Mac-like features anyway, and that macOS’s UI elements are already compatible with touch input, making a touch-enabled macOS on iPad Pro a logical next step.

I don’t see that happening anytime soon. Way too much investment in iPadOS. While Matt isn’t wrong per se, I think we need to look at this from the normal, non-tech user’s perspective.

2026-02-21 ∞

More MacBook Expectations

Here’s what I want for the upcoming entry-level MacBook:

• Size and design: thin and less boxy than two iPad Pro on top of each other.
• Just under 13-inch retina display.
• Full-size keyboard flush with the left and right device edges.
• 8GB of RAM with a 12GB option available.
• 256 GB of fast storage (120 GB/s) with a 512GB upgrade option.
• One fast USB-C port and MagSafe.
• Very thin bezel around the display to minimize the overall device size. Fingers crossed for a notch-less design.
• External display support (a bit far-fetched, though).
• Colors similar to the current iMac desktop.

What I don’t expect:

• Headphone jack
• Thunderbolt support
• More than one display
• Nano texture option
• Glowing Apple Logo on the back of the display
• The return of the wedge design
• Cellular option

Starting price: 599 US$.

2026-02-22 ∞

Apple is Testing These iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Colors — MacRumors

While it was previously rumored that Apple was also considering purple and brown finishes for the iPhone 18 Pro models, Gurman said he believes that those color options are “just variants of the same red idea — given that the tones are fairly similar.” In other words, it sounds like those two color options will not actually be offered.

I’m getting more and more nervous about Apple’s plans for the iPhone 18 Pro colors…

2026-02-22 ∞

I have such a hard time explaining to people around me (family, friends and colleagues) that platforms like Meta are no good and that we should avoid them. 😔

2026-02-22 ∞

Microsoft finally makes OneDrive look like a Mac app as it gets an all-new UI — 9to5Mac

The all-new OneDrive Activity Center embraces the Swift UI design language, including support for Liquid Glass on macOS 26 and native accessibility options like VoiceOver and Full Keyboard Access.

Can we say: finally?

2026-02-23 ∞

Apple is shipping a UI whose core identity depends on effects that many users can’t tolerate, so Apple has to provide ‘escape hatches’—which implies the identity is optional, and therefore poorly grounded as a universal interface language. 🙄

2026-02-23 ∞

Ouch, 2025 was a tough year for Apple. I consider writing my own opinion on this, but it seems everything has already been said. Overall, it was a difficult year for Apple on many levels. Unfortunately, this isn’t yet clear in their financial reports; if it were, the executives might see things differently.

2026-02-23 ∞

Apple accelerates U.S. manufacturing with Mac mini production - Apple

What the Apple press release seems to depict are workers building 2U rack servers. No Mac mini in sight. 🧐🤨

2026-02-24 ∞

The recent rumors about Apple incorporating touch support into macOS for the M6 MacBook Pro, expected around fall 2026, seem a bit odd. I’m somewhat skeptical about Apple’s abilities lately, particularly after the Liquid Glass reveal. Incorporating an adaptive touch mode on the Mac feels unusual to me. In recent years, Apple made so many changes to macOS to make it look more like iPadOS. I wonder why it needs to add adaptive UI on top of that. And, introducing an M6 MacBook Pro less than 12 months after introducing new M5 models also feels strange.

2026-02-24 ∞

I like this image for a few reasons. First, it feels a bit like the early nineties, with some mid-century design elements. But this PowerBook Duo station on the integrated desk reminds me of when I was working at an Apple Dealer; I could use a PowerBook Duo in this exact configuration. It was a great and novel product at the time.

2026-02-25 ∞

Samsung Launches Galaxy S26 Ultra With Built-In Privacy Display and New AI Features — MacRumors

New to the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a built-in “Privacy Display” that makes it harder to view what’s on the screen when looking at the phone from a side angle. It’s clear when looking at it head on, but someone sitting next to you will have a hard time seeing your phone’s display. Privacy Display works at the pixel level, controlling how pixels disperse light. It can be set to activate only for certain apps or situations like entering a PIN, and there are partial and maximum privacy options.

I want Apple to copy this. So clever and quite useful for someone like me who commutes on public transport.

2026-02-25 ∞

Leaker Says Apple’s Lower-Cost MacBook Will Have These 8 Limitations — MacRumors

While the leaked files are real, this source currently lacks an established track record, so these claims should still be treated with some skepticism.

Well, this information pretty much aligns with the definition of an entry-level Mac.

2026-02-26 ∞

I’ve been working hard on a few presentations lately at work and one of the most satisfying thing is when I remove words or phrases without changing the message.

2026-02-26 ∞

The speed at which Anthropic is adding new stuff to Claude and Claude Code on the desktop is impressive. Is OpenAI even competing?

2026-02-26 ∞

Micro.blog + RSS = ?

Micro.blog is set to launch soon what could be its most exciting new feature yet: an integrated RSS reader. If I’m not mistaken, this could significantly change how I use the service. I currently follow many Mastodon accounts from news sites, so their updates are pushed to my timeline. With a possible RSS integration, I could use the RSS feeds directly, eliminating the need to follow the Mastodon account. I don’t know how the new feature will integrate with the rest of Micro.blog features, but I’ll find out very soon. I can’t wait. Why? Because I’m a fan of Micro.blog and of RSS.

2026-02-26 ∞

Three ways new Apple products next week will modernize iPhone, iPad, and Mac — 9to5Mac

That would mean that every new iPhone, iPad, and Mac supports Apple Intelligence for the first time — oh, and Apple Vision Pro, too.

Instead of downplaying Apple Intelligence, Apple is doubling down on it. They must be confident, even after such a false start in 2024.

2026-02-26 ∞

Fastmail is preparing to launch an updated photo gallery functionality in approximately two weeks. I wasn’t certain they would keep updating this feature, so I’m glad it’s still available and that it keeps improving. I have a few test images there, but with my own web app for sharing photos now, I’m unsure whether I would switch to Fastmail’s version, since my version and Fastmail’s are quite similar.

2026-02-27 ∞

Building a custom branded Ghost theme for my main website with the help of Claude Code seems like an achievable goal, right?

2026-02-27 ∞

While waiting for Micro.blog next chapter, I’m playing with RSS feeds display strategies. This view is called “Journal”. Built using Claude Code and hosted on Vercel.

2026-02-27 ∞

I would love to build the dream bookmark manager for myself, just like I built an RSS reader and a photo-sharing website. I love AnyBox, but it’s not integrated with the rest of my workflow and doesn’t have a web version. This bookmark manager could be integrated into my RSS reader and gather data from Micro.blog Bookmarks, too. Still a lot to think about.

2026-02-27 ∞

It’s sad to see the US act of war against Iran, a sovereign country, with the help of their “friends” from Israel. The cherry on the sundae: Russia condemning US aggression. Look who is talking… 😤 What a world we are living right now… nothing new but… still.

2026-02-28 ∞

How I Write Code With AI:

I use AI coding assistants extensively, but I don’t vibe code

I do too, but I’m not sure to understand the difference.

2026-02-28 ∞

Why Objective-C:

Anyone new to Objective-C thinks it’s difficult and maybe a bit harsh because [[those squareBrackets] lookInsane:YES].

Once you get past that, which takes a day or two given a good-faith effort, you’ll realize how small a language it is, how easy to hold in your palm and turn around and understand all sides of it. And you’ll appreciate how easy it is to make good decisions when you don’t have a surplus of language features to choose from.

I had many great moments writing in Objective-C (2009-2013) while experimenting with iPhone app development. As someone who learned a bit of C++ in university computer science courses, I thought Objective-C was indeed more approachable. When I peek at Swift code these days, my thinking goes like this: “I’m too old for this shit!”

2026-02-28 ∞

Flickr’s URL Scheme:

Flickr deserves a lot of praise for a number of technical advances that I wish had seen wider adoption. Their API was one of the first and honestly still one of the most enjoyable to actually use as a developer. It’s still full of incredibly interesting API calls that you wouldn’t expect from it unless you read carefully. Did you know, for example, that flickr API will provide you with the bounding box co-ordinates of different types of places? From a neighbourhood all the way up to a continent?

Maybe one day, Glass will add these, too?

2026-02-28 ∞

You might have noticed more linkposts than usual here today. The reason is that I’m testing this new RSS thing in Micro.blog… or part of Micro.blog future offering. It’s pretty solid.

2026-02-28 ∞