Preston von GabbleduckEnterprise tech worker focused on ethical advancement of the industry. Heavily into #DataProtection – of the storage/availability kind (particular emphasis on #backup and #recovery). Blog and publish books on it, just for ongoing nerdery on the topic.
Also a huge #PowerPlate fan & user.
Posts are my own, unassociated with any employer. Links at https://linktr.ee/backupbear
Preston von GabbleduckMe: "#Frankenstein ... wow, what a monster."
Them: "That's a popular misconception, Frankenstein was the scientist."
Me: "That's a popular misconception. Frankenstein was the classic #techbro who didn't give a damn about the consequences of what he did and ignored all common ethical considerations. By all reasonable modern-day measures he was indeed the damn monster."
Preston von GabbleduckPersonal theory: LLMs deliver all of the enthusiasm of a 7-year old breathlessly describing a stegosaurus while less than the guaranteed accuracy of the same.
Preston von GabbleduckGood morning #Melbourne
Preston von GabbleduckMe: "I finally achieved Inbox Nero."
Them: "Don't you mean Inbox Zero?"
Me: "No, I played some music while I burnt it all down."
Them: "That sounds way better. How do I sign on?"
Preston von GabbleduckDear $retailer. Just because I bought 3 products from you in an order should not mean I have to:
- Unsubscribe from your inspo emails
- Unsubscribe from your updates
- Unsubscribe from your exciting-new-collaboration-with-another-product emails
- Unsubscribe from your emails asking me to review product 1
- Unsubscribe from your emails asking me to review product 2
- Unsubscribe from your emails asking me to review product 3
- Unsubscribe from your emails asking me to rate your company
- Unsubscribe from your emails asking me to rate my general shopping experience
Signed,
Every. Internet. User.
Preston von GabbleduckI wish there were a way I could explain to Apple Music that people rubbing bowls does not, nor will it ever be sounds that allow me to "focus" or "relax".
Preston von GabbleduckI've been thinking of late of updating my advice for folks who might be considering working - let's say, "different" - hours as part of their job. And so I've updated my thoughts on what it's like to work in enterprise IT in the hour of the wolf.
https://artisanalgeek.blog/2025/202508-enterprise-it-hour-wolf.html
Preston von Gabbleduck#AskFedi Can any #Newcastle NSW folk remember the name of a bookstore that was in the city (around Cooks Hill, maybe) in the late 90s to early 00s run by a number of near-retirement ladies? Fairly certain its name started with a P. (Husband just noted he thought it might have been on Bolton Street.)
Preston von GabbleduckMe: Copies Item 1, pastes into Edge.
Edge: Sure here's Item 1.
Me: Copies Item 2, pastes into Edge.
Edge: Sure here's item 1.
Me: Clears Item 1, Copies Item 2 again using CTRL-C, pastes into Edge.
Edge: Sure, here's Item 1.
Me: Clears item 1, Copies Item 2 again, this time using Right-Click/Copy, pastes into Edge.
Edge: Sure, here's Item 1.
Me: Clears everything from Edge, accidentally pastes before doing anything else.
Edge: Sure, here's item 2.
(later that day)
Coroner: "We rule that #Microsoft killed the deceased by inducing a heart attack."
Preston von GabbleduckDear Restaurants:
If your "homepage" is a Facebook page and on the Facebook page you offer a Linktree Link and I click that and it offers me a link to your Menu and that link takes me back to your Facebook page with an album showing two photos, and both of those photos are for your drinks menu rather than your food menu ...
... I've well and truly given up and decided you're just too exhausting to deal with.
Preston von GabbleduckMe: "#Frankenstein ... wow, what a monster."
Them: "That's a popular misconception, Frankenstein was the scientist."
Me: "That's a popular misconception. Frankenstein was the classic #techbro who didn't give a damn about the consequences of what he did and ignored all common ethical considerations. By all reasonable modern-day measures he was indeed the damn monster."
Preston von GabbleduckPersonal theory: LLMs deliver all of the enthusiasm of a 7-year old breathlessly describing a stegosaurus while less than the guaranteed accuracy of the same.
Preston von GabbleduckGood morning #Melbourne
Preston von GabbleduckMe: "I finally achieved Inbox Nero."
Them: "Don't you mean Inbox Zero?"
Me: "No, I played some music while I burnt it all down."
Them: "That sounds way better. How do I sign on?"
Preston von GabbleduckDear $retailer. Just because I bought 3 products from you in an order should not mean I have to:
- Unsubscribe from your inspo emails
- Unsubscribe from your updates
- Unsubscribe from your exciting-new-collaboration-with-another-product emails
- Unsubscribe from your emails asking me to review product 1
- Unsubscribe from your emails asking me to review product 2
- Unsubscribe from your emails asking me to review product 3
- Unsubscribe from your emails asking me to rate your company
- Unsubscribe from your emails asking me to rate my general shopping experience
Signed,
Every. Internet. User.