It takes about 4588 quasars to help you get around and get paid

I love learning about the data infrastructure that shapes the world we live in. Like all good infrastructure it's usually invisible, because it just works. But there's always something interesting to learn if you dig into the detail. For example, a few years ago when I was researching how geospatial data is accessed, used and … Continue reading It takes about 4588 quasars to help you get around and get paid →

I’m not the Leigh Dodds you’re looking for. Maybe

Did you know that dots don't matter in gmail addresses? your.name@gmail.com is the same email address as yourname@gmail.com I'm guessing most people don't because — in my experience at least — that's not how other email systems typically work. It's obviously caused enough confusion that Google had to write an FAQ about it. Anyway this … Continue reading I’m not the Leigh Dodds you’re looking for. Maybe →

Will AI hamper our ability to crawl the web for useful data?

As websites start to block Common Crawl, and as the project leans in to its role in training LLMs, will it become harder to use data from the web for other purposes?

Increasing consistency of data with FAIR Implementation Profiles

FAIR implementation profiles offer a means to increase consistency around how data is shared.

How I use my RSS reader

Some notes about how I use my RSS reader to find and read interesting stuff on the web.

Norming on Mastodon

Reminding myself that in order to build norms we need to share them. Those "preachy" posts on Mastodon are an essential part of doing that.

The complexities of working with non-domestic half-hourly meter data

Energy consumption in non-domestic properties are more complex to analyse that domestic settings. Some notes on some of those challenges, particularly around metering.

Consistency before standards

Before jumping straight into scoping and designing new standards, we should look at other quick wins to increase consistency around how data is published.

The commons: it’s OURS to GIFT

I was thinking about some of the key elements we might want to see in a sustainable, participatory, ethical data commons and this popped into my head.

Please skip Hardin, just focus on Ostrom

A few weeks ago Aljazeera published this opinion piece on "AI and the tyranny of the data commons". It's not very good. The core observation can hardly be disputed: "platforms" have hoovered up data for their own benefit. Most recently through AI. Nothing much to disagree with there and nothing you can't find in a … Continue reading Please skip Hardin, just focus on Ostrom →