The SI system

• A comprehensive (SI) units package for LaTeX, by Joseph Wright. I cannot recommend this package enough for all scientific or technical documents. CTAN.

Code examples

• Semiconductor pn-junction diagram in TikZ, by Erwann Fourmond (2016)
• Schematic TEM in TikZ, by Eric Jensen (2012)
• Oxidation of iron surface under a blob of water in TikZ, by Jason Waskiewicz (2010)
• Designing a business card in LaTeX, by Olivier Peters. Github repo.

Templates

• LaTeX packages for CVs, resumés
• PhD thesis template for Cambridge university Engineering dept. Supports LaTeX, XeLaTeX and LuaLaTeX.

Integration with R

The ability to integrate any kind of R output into our LaTeX document is very useful, and the technology has reached a high degree of sophistication with knitr and tikzDevice (on the R side) and TikZ/PGF (on the LaTeX side).

• TikZDevice, an R package for producing graphics output as PGF/TikZ code for use in TeX documents. In other words, we start in R, generate an image, and export it to a TikZ picture. tikzDevice was developed around 2009 (here's an early demo) in concert with pgfSweave (this was before knitr entered the scene).
• dvir, offers the inverse approach to tikzDevice: we start in R, generate a TikZ picture, convert that to DVI, then import (and integrate) the result back into R. dvir is less popular than tikzDevice, and is currently not listed on CRAN (in fact, it clashes with an existing completely unrelated package named dvir), but appears to have solid technical underpinnings, with LuaTeX support and LaTeX math support.

Integration with Inkscape

• SVG2TikZ, formally known as Inkscape2TikZ, is an Inkscape extension for exporting SVG paths as TikZ/PGF code.

Integration with Microsoft PowerPoint

• IguanaTeX is a PowerPoint add-in which allows you to insert LaTeX equations into your PowerPoint presentation.

Integration with git

• gitinfo2-latexmk, small tool that integrates latexmk and gitinfo2.

Integration with Zotero

• Better BibTeX, a Zotero extension that makes Zotero effective for LaTeX users.

Integration with the web

• TeX commands available in MathJax, a comprehensive list of all commands available in MathJax v2.7.1, by Carol Burns and edited by MathJax creator Davide Cervone. MathJax v2.7 is still widely used, but has technically been superseded by v3. MathJax.
• KaTeX, developed by Khan Academy. Known to be faster than MathJax, but supporting a smaller subset of TeX/LaTeX functions. Differences between the projects appear to be shrinking, though.

Cloud-based LaTeX

• TeXLive.net
• Overleaf

Other packages

• Beamer, package for producing presentations and slides. Github.
• FiXme, collaborative annotation tool for LaTeX. Github.

Tips and tricks

• On managing large documents.

Hos NixTelefon kan du spärra ditt telefonnr mot försäljning, markadsföring och insamling. Spärren görs via telefon, men är helt automatiserad.

Hos Nix Adressat kan du spärra din adress från direktreklam (post). Spärren görs online, inloggning med mobilt BankID.

Oklart om postkodlotteriets utskick upphör när man registrerat sin adress hos Nix Adressat. De har i varje fall en egen spärrfunktion.

Spärra obehörig adressändring hos Skatteverket.

Spärra möjligheten att anmäla deklarationsombud på papper hos Skatteverket.

Via Cornucopia, Cornucopia igen.

"People You May Know", an FT Film (18 min) written by James Graham on the challenges presented by big data and algorithms, is released today in collaboration with Sonia Friedman Productions and supported by Luminate.

This short film appears to be the continuation of a paper titled "The Data Delusion: Protecting Individual Data is Not Enough When the Harm is Collective" edited by Stanford's Cyber Policy Center (the report's author is the managing director of Luminate), which has an adjoining Q&A session.

I think the film is worth watching, but one should keep in mind who the producer is.
Luminate was funded in 2018 by the Omidyar Group, which is owned by Pierre Morad Omidyar, who founded eBay which in turn bought PayPal. So not exactly a video by the people for the people...

Despite the notion in the film and the paper, I think the call for collective action does not negate the validity of individual action. Feeling like you should do something about this whole data privacy nightmare?
Well, you can! Switch from Chrome to Firefox. Switch from WhatsApp to Signal (or even better, Matrix). Don't let the Facebook newsfeed be your window unto the world; use your own RSS feedreader instead. Be the change you want to see!

Via kottke.org

When considering automation apps for Android, Tasker immediately comes to mind. And although it has name recognition, it's source code is proprietary and the app requires the Google Play store on the device (beyond a 7-day trial version).

So, what FOSS automation apps are there out there?

• Easer by Rui Zhao. Source on Github (449 stars, 1295 commits), F-Droid. Note that there is also a beta version of this app.
• Automation by Jens Schröder. Source on developer's Gitea instance (88 commits), F-Droid.

Other non-free automation apps for Android (not recommended)

• Tasker
• Automate by LlamaLab
• AutomateIt
• MacroDroid
• RuleBot by KF Software House (Hong Kong)

Two wheels

Cargo bikes

• Xtracycle, extra sturdy electric bikes with longer-than-normal rear wheelbase to carry two children or lots of cargo.
• Convercycle, a bike that transforms to cargo bike, via Core77
• En informativ presentation av nätverket "Cykla med lastcykel"

Lastcykelguiden, en märkesoberoende guide till lastcyklar och lastkärror.
Peppe Hämeenniemis presentation om lastcyklar (PDF) från Cykelfrämjandets cykelträff aug 2022.

Three wheels or more

• Electric tricycle that leans into corners, a concept from BMW (not produced yet). Cargo area between the two rear wheels, and the front is able to tilt in curves. Chain-based drive mechanism that looks complicated.

Per Alström är professor i ekologi och genetik och har i sin forskning kartlagt hela sju nya fågelarter.

• Skogsfåglar
• Sammanfattning

There's an app that can identify bird species from their song or even by photo:
Merlin. Developed by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and covers birds across most of the world. Thanks to Helen Fields for the tip.
Big downside - the app won't start until you provide an email address. It appears it won't continue working past five days unless the email address is confirmed. Why are you being snoopy, Cornell? Not nice.

Shelter is a Free and Open-Source (FOSS) app that leverages the "Work Profile" feature of Android to provide an isolated space that you can install or clone apps into.

• https://f-droid.org/app/net.typeblog.shelter
• https://fdroid.typeblog.net/
• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.typeblog.shelter

https://k7r.eu/shelter-take-a-break-from-work/

Directories of alternatives

1. https://switching.software - a list of easy-to-use alternatives to well-known software.
   Ethical, easy-to-use and privacy-conscious alternatives to well-known software.
   The source code for its website is published on Codeberg (meaning you can suggest changes, etc.).
2. https://www.privacyguides.org - lots of categories. The website itself is built from a public Github repo. Via https://mastodon.neat.computer/users/privacyguides/statuses/113002199475214098
3. https://guide.yuuire.com/recommendations/software/foss-alternatives - list of open source and privacy-friendly apps. Website's source code on github
4. https://divestos.org/pages/recommended_apps - F-Droid recommended apps by divestos.org.
5. https://european-alternatives.eu - European alternatives for digital products.
6. https://selfh.st/apps - A directory of self-hosted software.

Other lists of directories

• https://mastodon.uniteddiversity.coop/@josef/114081033687587936

Another nice initiative by Aral Balkan of Small Technology Foundation.

This project was acquired by Alphabet in 2013 and shut down by the same in Feb 2020.

The project leaves after it this almost 2h long documentary.

https://x.company/projects/makani/

Via /u/Chris_in_Lijiang.

Handla begagnade datorer, smartphones & annan IT-utrustning och bidra till en cirkulär ekonomi!

Svenska försäljare

• Godsinlösen Nordic AB (ReturHuset) har fysiska butiker i Staffanstorp och Skogås. Säljer begagnad elektronik.
• Inrego AB köper från företag, säljer begagnad elektronik till privatpersoner.
• Nordway Store AB, en kedja av fristående IT-återförsäljare, säljer begagnad elektronik. Har en LO-"branded" variant.
• Refurbed GmbH, "marknadsplats" som säljer begagnad elektronik. Företaget är baserat i Wien, Österrike.
• Refurbly AB, säljer begagnade mobiler.
• iXPress AB säljer begagnade iPhones, Samsung.
• MobilFynd, Ecommerce Sweden AB, säljer nya och begagnade telefoner från diverse märken.
• Nordic Teknik House AB säljer begagnade mobiler och surfplattor, men även annan elektronik.
• Kimbrer, köper begagnad IT-utrustning, främst från företag.
• IT-Auktion Nordic AB. Säljer ny och begagnad IT-utrustning. (Auktion, på alla vinnande bud tillkommer provision 17.5%). Tar endast emot produkter från företag (ej privatpersoner).
• Teknikdelar (Spares Europe), säljer bland annat begagnade mobiler (mest iPhones, några Samsung). Nyligen uppköpta av ClasOhlson.

International sellers

• eSolutions, sells phones (new or refurbished) preloaded with /e/OS (degoogled Android OS).
• https://buy.gazelle.com (most phones on offer appear to be carrier-locked)

https://www.islamiskaforbundet.se/ramadan-inleds-den-13e-april-2021/
https://islamiskaforbundet.se/doc/Pressmeddelande%20fr%C3%A5n%20Sveriges%20Imamr%C3%A5d%20(Svenska).pdf
https://www.islamiskaforbundet.se/bonetiders-kalla/
Den här videon förklarar hur och varför tidpunkten för fajr går från astronomisk soluppgång till en uppskattad tid mellan 11-12 Ramadan

https://www.islamiskaforbundet.se/ramadan-inleds-den-13e-april-2021/
https://islamiskaforbundet.se/doc/Pressmeddelande%20fr%C3%A5n%20Sveriges%20Imamr%C3%A5d%20(Svenska).pdf
https://www.islamiskaforbundet.se/bonetiders-kalla/
Den här videon förklarar hur och varför tidpunkten för fajr går från astronomisk soluppgång till en uppskattad tid mellan 11-12 Ramadan

BankID will not work (at least not with Swedbank) unless the device it's on has enabled Android ID (a unique device identifier from Google). I've tested and confirmed this on a Nexus 5 running LineageOS v14.1 with microG.

I noticed that it's still possible to install the BankID app and setup a new Bankid without first registering the device with Google (i.e., without enabling Android ID), but any authentication attempts with BankID will fail. Unless Android ID is enabled, that is.

Enligt BankID:s systemkrav så krävs lägst Android 6 med Google Play Services (eller Huawei Mobile Services).

Freja eID also requires Android ID to work.

• https://lists.dfri.se/listan/msg01875.html
• https://plexus.techlore.tech/applications/bank-id

Markdown

• JupyText: Jupyter notebooks as Markdown documents
• Generate Google Slides from Markdown
• CriticMarkup - plaintext editing markup for humans

R Markdown

• https://github.com/rstudio/rmarkdown
• R Markdown: The Definitive Guide by Yihui Xie, J. J. Allaire and Garrett Grolemund (2020)
• Authoring books and technical documents with R Markdown by Yihui Xie (2021)
• Create blogs and websites with R Markdown
• Writing reproducible geoscience papers using R Markdown, Docker, and Gitlab by Daniel Nüst, Vicky Steeves, Rémi Rampin, Markus Konkol, Edzer Pebesma (2018)

pandoc

• https://pandoc.org/extras.html
• https://github.com/LaurentRDC/pandoc-plot
• A pandoc-based layout workflow for scholarly journals by Piero (2018)

Quarto

Quarto, by RStudio, sorry, Posit, a new scientific and technical publishing system.

Something to consider, especially if you are new to the field and aren't already invested in the earlier systems.

Adopted by the Journal of Cheminformatics (Aug 2020)

• First adoption by a scientific journal announced in editorial by Egon Willighagen
• Blog post by Willighagen on the same subject
• CiTO updates (another blog post by WIllighagen)
• Citation Typing: progress but we need more uptake
• CiTO updates #4: annotations in datasets
• FAIR blog-to-blog citations
• CiTO for blog citations

BioMedCentral on the CiTO Pilot (seems to only include Journal of Cheminformatics, for now).

Usage of CiTO is spreading. This page keeps track of CiTO annotation in Wikidata.

What about adoption by tools?

Willighagen offers rudimental instructions for BibTeX (but probably only suitable for Journal of Cheminformatics at the moment) as well as for Google Docs + Zotero (not really working) in this github repo.

Markdown template with CiTO for the Journal of Cheminformatics.

The best tool with support for CiTO: pandoc scholar

Pandoc Scholar appears to be our best bet at the moment if we want to use CiTO in our manuscripts.

Krewinkel A, Winkler R. 2017. Formatting Open Science: agilely creating multiple document formats for academic manuscripts with Pandoc Scholar. PeerJ Computer Science 3:e112 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj-cs.112

Other notes

It looks like support for CiTO should happen at the document processing tool stage, and not in our reference managers (Zotero, etc.).
I wonder if something like Biber/BibLaTeX should add support for CiTO, or if that's the wrong abstraction level.

Martin Fenner has a blog post from 2011 (Google Cache) where he shows how to use CiTO with a Wordpress plugin, unfortunately both the post and the plugin appear to have gone offline.

Recently, ORCID promoted Scite_ on their blog. But Scite describes itself as a Brooklyn-based startup (I assume that's code for venture capital-backed), although it also acknowledges funding from public institutions such as NSF and NIH. Scite uses "a deep learning model" to identify "citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence" (so they really only classify the citation as supporting or contrasting). In contrast to Scite, CiTO is an open standard that anyone can build on. Although Scite is currently much glitzier and fancier than anything CiTO can provide, we should encourage everyone to use CiTO (if they care about citation classification).

Direktlänkar till ljudfilerna (spela upp i t.ex. VLC):

• Första delen, 53:53
• Andra delen, 45:11

Av Salih Tufekcioglu.

• https://dns-lookup.jvns.ca/.
• https://zone.vision (queries the authoritative nameservers for a domain directly)
• https://mxtoolbox.com (oriented towards MX/SPF queries)
• https://toolbox.googleapps.com/apps/dig/#A/

Via Julia Evans.

Guides and how-tos

• Introduction to Ansible playbooks
• Playbooks vs roles, and explain the difference between task, role, play and playbook
• How to install and configure Ansible on Ubuntu 18.04 - DigitalOcean
• Linux hardening using idempotency with Ansible

Ansible playbooks and roles

• I haven't published all roles that I've written, but all the roles that I do publish are collected at codeberg.org/ansible
• Ansible module (Python code) to install R packages, by yutannihilation
• Ansible role to install TeXLive
• https://ansible.jeffgeerling.com/
• https://robertdebock.nl/ansible.html

Related

• https://12factor.net