One month of using Manjaro KDE
February 20, 2021 - Reading time: 3 minutes
It has been a month since I exclusively started using Manjaro KDE as my daily driver. Although hindered by my low performing laptop (Intel i3 3rd gen), the experience and responsiveness has been a welcoming change. Even with all the fancy widgets, translucency and software extras, I have noticed how well the operating system responds to my workflow.
Apple Maps drove me round the bend (literally)
February 6, 2021 - Reading time: 2 minutes
It's been a few days since posting on here. Life has been busy and work has been exhausting. This week, I discovered how bad Apple Maps actually is to use as a Sat Nav. On two occasions in the past four days I have had to rely on Apple maps on my iPhone to find locations unfamiliar to me.
Let me just say I am not impressed with how the mapping service tried to send me down a one way street and for suggesting to me to make a U-turn (multiple times) on a busy road close to Manchester United FC in Stretford, England.
📢 Announcement - RSS and Atom feed added to minimlr.com
February 2, 2021 - Reading time: ~1 minute
I have added a RSS and Atom feed to my website. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.
RSS feed - https://minimlr.com/feed.rss
Atom feed - https://minimlr.com/feed.atom
A purposeful phone layout
February 2, 2021 - Reading time: 5 minutes
Since returning back to an iPhone at the end of December 2020, I had to reacquaint myself with iOS. The last time I used an iPhone was a second hand 5c in 2016. A lot has changed in four years plus. I'm not complaining though because my transition from Android to iOS was much smoother than expected. It feels like a lot of features on Android have been copied by the fruit themed company. One feature in particular caught my eye - widgets. I always found the ability to use my own launcher, icon set and KWGT widgets was liberating as well as useful. I had managed to create the ideal layout to get the most from my phone and to reduce my phone addiction. Could the same be true for iOS in 2021? I hoped so.
Why can't I find you on WhatsApp?
February 1, 2021 - Reading time: 2 minutes
One day. It only took one day! I thought it would take longer but I received a 'standard text' from a close one to ask why can't I find you on WhatsApp? My answer was short - I don't have WhatsApp anymore. Moments later, a quick but short follow up message explained my reason for leaving and how I am still contactable via iMessage and email (less desirable method) if they want to send an image.
There's no point being virtuous about it all. Everyone has their reasons for their decisions. I'm not in the game to lecture people why they should or shouldn't use a specific service. I think the shock of me not being on WhatsApp highlights the how much we take communication for granted. For my non-techie family and friends, being accessible via mainstream social media platforms is a given. An expectation. Maybe I am the crazy one. The tin-foil hat wearing paranoid type?
Regardless of WhatsApp's owners and the privacy concerns, the service and features of WhatsApp are great. The app helped shape the landscape when a certain fruit themed was stealing the show. WhatsApp allowed users from both smartphone camps to communicate without the OS politics getting in the way. I think this is why I like Signal. It uses Open Whisper System and the Signal Foundation have slowly built up its fan base (the fanbase has somewhat grown quicker in the past month). I'm sure Signal messenger will eventually build its own suite of features to make it stand out from the rest.
## This post is part of #100daystooffload challenge - visit https://100daystooffload.com/ for more information ##
WhatsApp has finally been deleted!
January 31, 2021 - Reading time: 2 minutes
After much debate and discussion with friends, family and internet folk, I have finally decided to delete WhatsApp. Facebook, FB messenger and Instagram went ages ago (technically 90 days) but I kept hold of WhatsApp due to others not willing to migrate to other services such as Signal messenger. It was about time I stuck to my own principles. So I deleted the messaging service I have used for years due to the overwhelming evidence Facebook were not going to respect user's data.