# Chamline
> A repository for my thoughts, perspectives and interests.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).
## Pages
### About
URL: https://www.chamline.net/about/
Last updated: 2026-01-03T00:33:41.000Z
## **👋🏿 Greetings.**

My name is **Habib Cham** \- now you know where the Cham in "**Chamline**" comes from!

- 👨🏿‍💻 UK based aspiring writer/blogger.
- 📱 Consumer mobile tech enthusiast.
- 👨🏿‍✈️ (Un)Professional DadTaxi™️ driver (to my kids).
- 🤩 Big fan of Emojis & GIFs.

On the geeky side, I am a mobile consumer technology enthusiast happily entrapped in the Apple ecosystem — encompassing both software, hardware, and services. However, my love, respect, and interest in technology extends beyond Apple technologies.

Other general areas of interest include and are not limited to **sports** (football mainly - you may know it as *soccer*), **music** (which sustains me), **mobile photography**, **battery-electric vehicles** (I am no **EVangelist**, however!).

Additionally, I enjoy exploring and learning about captivating subjects in the world.

🫶 [**Be Kind, Always**!](https://www.chamline.net/be-kind-always/)

---

### **Connect:**

📧 [Email](mailto:hey@chamline.net) | 🦋 [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/chamline.net?ref=chamline.net) | 🐘 [Mastodon](https://mastodon.social/@heyChamline?ref=chamline.net)

---

[RSS Feed](https://www.chamline.net/blog/rss/)

#### 💡 What is a Feed?

“Use web feeds to ****subscribe** to websites and get the latest content in one place.”

You can do so by copying the URL from the address bar into your newsreader.

[****Learn more About Feeds**](https://aboutfeeds.com/?ref=chamline.net) **and get started!**
### Explore
URL: https://www.chamline.net/tags/
Last updated: 2024-11-03T00:19:27.000Z
Navigate through topics effortlessly. What will you discover and share today?
### Archive
URL: https://www.chamline.net/archive/
Last updated: 2026-01-02T02:37:52.000Z
_No content available._
### Blog
URL: https://www.chamline.net/blog/
Last updated: 2024-12-20T01:44:23.000Z
## Sign up for Chamline

Freshly published entries in your Inbox!

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### Books
URL: https://www.chamline.net/books/
Last updated: 2026-01-07T03:10:40.000Z
_No content available._
### Now
URL: https://www.chamline.net/now/
Last updated: 2026-01-07T10:19:01.000Z
_No content available._
## Posts
### Daisy the AI Granny: Fighting Scammers, One Dodgy Call at a Time
URL: https://www.chamline.net/daisy-the-ai-granny/
Last updated: 2025-01-05T00:38:52.000Z
[O2 unveils Daisy, the AI granny wasting scammers’ time](https://news.virginmediao2.co.uk/o2-unveils-daisy-the-ai-granny-wasting-scammers-time/?ref=chamline.net):

> Created using a range of cutting-edge AI technology and trained with the help of one of YouTube’s best known scambaiters, Jim Browning, Daisy is a lifelike AI Granny completely indistinguishable from a real person. Able to interact with scammers in real time without any input from her creators, O2 has put Daisy to work around the clock answering dodgy calls.

While Meta is busy creating [fake AI persona accounts](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/03/business/meta-ai-accounts-instagram-facebook/index.html?ref=chamline.net) to boost engagement on their platforms – for what we all know, the sole benefit is for generating ad revenue – companies like Virgin Media-O2 are using this technology for a far more noble purpose: safeguarding their customers from fraudulent phone calls.

I’ve [watched Jim](https://www.youtube.com/@JimBrowning/videos?ref=chamline.net), an experienced infiltrator and scam reporter, execute his skills for years. His scam baiting sometimes shuts down operations. Jim’s involvement with O2’s Daisy is my only hope this isn’t just a PR stunt.

The world of AI presents both great opportunities and significant challenges, and I’m still in the process of continuous deep-dive learning. As a result, I’m undecided about my perception of AI and its role in today’s world.

I never imagined the first AI-related entry on Chamline would be about an AI Granny, but here we are. I couldn’t resist documenting this[1](#fn1-26349). I genuinely hope that, despite all the potential good (and bad) AI can do, the noble positive side prevails.

---

1. I recently saw a friend whose phone call to an airline to rebook her flight was intercepted by scammers. She nearly lost over £500, plus other costs. [↩︎](#fnr1-26349)
### Enhanced Visual Search in Photos App (iOS 18 & macOS 15)
URL: https://www.chamline.net/enhanced-visual-search-in-photos-app-ios-18-macos-15/
Last updated: 2024-12-31T08:04:10.000Z
The Enhanced Visual Search feature in iOS 18, activated by default, has been overlooked amidst the furore surrounding the app’s aesthetic redesign.

I explore settings in new software updates and during the developer beta period I noticed the EVS setting was enabled by default without a prompt for permission. Tech-savvy users will immediately understand the current description of how EVS matches places in your photos with a global index ‘maintained by Apple’ to mean externally on Apple servers, which can raise eyebrows on Apples stance about sensitive data leaving your device.

The Enhanced Visual Search improves [Visual Lookup](https://support.apple.com/en-my/104962?ref=chamline.net) for Apple Intelligence. Given Apple’s current data sourcing practices for improving Apple Intelligence, it’s unsurprising to me this feature remains enabled by default for all users.

[Jeff Johnson, lapcatsoftware:](https://lapcatsoftware.com/articles/2024/12/3.html?ref=chamline.net)

> From my own perspective, computing privacy is simple: if something happens entirely on my computer, then it’s private, whereas if my computer sends data to the manufacturer of the computer, then it’s not private, or at least not entirely private. Thus, the only way to guarantee computing privacy is to not send data off the device.

Despite the ‘safeguards’ put in place applying ‘[*homomorphic encryption and differential privacy, and use an OHTTP relay that hides IP address*](https://machinelearning.apple.com/research/homomorphic-encryption?ref=chamline.net)’, siphoning this data by default without a permission prompt and a more prevalent disclosure upfront of sending this data to external servers is where privacy-conscious users will find issue.

⚙️

You can turn off Enhanced Visual Search at any time on your iOS or iPadOS device by going to Settings > Apps > Photos. On Mac, open Photos and go to Settings > General.
### Black Shield Maiden
URL: https://www.chamline.net/black-shield-maiden/
Last updated: 2026-01-05T23:27:40.000Z
From the Publisher:

> Lore, legend, and history tell us of the Vikings: of warrior-kings on epic journeys of conquest and plunder. But the stories we know are not the only stories to tell. There is another story, one that has been lost to the mists of time: the saga of the dark queen..
### Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography
URL: https://www.chamline.net/alex-ferguson-my-autobiography/
Last updated: 2026-01-05T10:36:45.000Z
_No content available._
### Navigating Social Media Flame Wars
URL: https://www.chamline.net/navigating-social-media-flame-wars/
Last updated: 2024-11-30T17:48:30.000Z
Flame wars erupt when a social networking platform sees a resurgence in new users and activity.

Why the anxiety, anger, and aggression towards other networks? Why the detestation, hostility, and querulous attitude?

A lot of wasted energy!

I cannot see any immediate cessation of hostilities, sadly. The internet will continue to internet!

Whether you prefer [Mastodon](https://joinmastodon.org/?ref=chamline.net), [Bluesky](https://bsky.social/about?ref=chamline.net) or [Threads](https://www.threads.net/?ref=chamline.net), be where you feel valuable and get value from. Learn to enjoy the good things you value, and let others enjoy what is valuable to them.

Free your mind from the state of other networks that don’t conform to your ideals of a social networking platform.

🧘🏿‍♂️ Avoid the unnecessary stress and look after your mental health.

I wrote my thoughts about the state of social networking platforms in this new world, which remains unchanged:

> What do I currently think?  
> I have been on Mastodon for more than six months and Bluesky for a little over a month. I genuinely like both networks and have no ill wish to see either fail or become obscure.  
>  
> My focus and interest lie in observing and learning about the stages of building these networks from conceptualising, designing, deploying, harnessing and maintaining growth.  
>  
> Heading into the new world of social media decentralisation, I have no interest in making predictions neither for relevance nor notoriety about the future of these platforms – I could not give a damn about ‘I was right’.  
>  
> Whatever is written in the stars for the respective networks, I hope the fortunes are good – because we all win when there are multiple successful social media platforms on the open web to suit the needs of the many.

You can read the entire post here:

[Social Media separation anxiety and adoptionAs we go through separation anxiety (Thanks, Twitter), we should all seek a place we feel welcomed, respected, valued, protected and safe.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e6/51/e651cf54-17b9-4578-bd5c-1392f8f10905/content/images/icon/ChamlineAvi-1-1.png)ChamlineHabib![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e6/51/e651cf54-17b9-4578-bd5c-1392f8f10905/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_2690.jpeg)](https://www.chamline.net/social-media-separation-anxiety-and-adoption/)
### Steve Jobs
URL: https://www.chamline.net/steve-jobs/
Last updated: 2026-01-05T10:33:58.000Z
_No content available._
### On Markdown Writing Text Editors
URL: https://www.chamline.net/on-markdown-writing-text-editors/
Last updated: 2024-11-27T20:06:26.000Z
For more than a decade, I’ve used and switched between Byword, 1Writer, iA Writer and Ulysses, to name a few[1](#fn1-30955). Byword was the first that clicked with me and became my default. Unfortunately, Byword development slowed down while other Markdown apps like iA Writer gained momentum and subsequently became my default Markdown writing app. That was until I came across [Ulysses](https://ulysses.app/?ref=chamline.net), it clicked with me in a way no other text editor had, and it became my default. I continued to hold iA Writer with high regard, however.

In efforts to limit recurring app subscriptions, I considered switching back to iA Writer (a one-off payment universal app on iOS and iPadOS) when Ulysses switched to a subscription model in 2017\. Ulysses’ future set offered more capabilities than its counterparts when it comes to blog platform integration, and that was a huge draw for me.

I continued using Ulysses but never allowed the subscription to auto-renew to give me the opportunity to revisit and checkout iA Writer and evaluate whether I can sacrifice the use of Ulysses’ excellent blog platform integration with Ghost, like adding blog metadata such as tags, excerpts, images with description and Alt Text, and configuring the post URL, among many other post creation features. Another feature I love is making changes to published posts from within Ulysses, which are automatically pushed to the blog, updating the post. I love the convenience of handling the above (and more) using Ulysses.

My Ulysses yearly subscription renewal was due at the end of July, during my [unplanned hiatus](https://www.chamline.net/unplanned-writing-and-publishing-hiatus/). I went through the evaluation process again, considered renewing at £39/year or switching to iA Writer, this means forking out the one-off costs of £49.99 for the macOS version of iA Writer.

**Why rely on text editors and not use Ghost CMS directly?** I’ve always preferred using third-party text editors for writing. Crafting a blog post in a CMS and losing it all due to technical issues or other reasons can erode trust in the CMS if you’ve ever experienced this unfortunate situation. While many CMSs have advanced backup systems now, the apprehension of relying on them persists. Text editors provide me with tranquillity.

Given iA Writer’s excellence, it’s sensible to use it and not worry about recurring yearly subscriptions. On that note, I’ve decided to make the ultimate sacrifice of leaving behind the convenient Ulysses features that I’ve grown to love and switching to [iA Writer](https://ia.net/writer?ref=chamline.net) [2](#fn2-30955).

I will miss Ulysses, a lot. I am, however, excited to start using and learning all about iA Writer again.

⌨️

**This entire post was written and edited using iA Writer*.

---

1. My attempts to use [Drafts](https://getdrafts.com/?ref=chamline.net) and [Bear](https://bear.app/?ref=chamline.net) (both great apps) were futile, neither clicked with me [↩︎](#fnr1-30955)
2. I reserve the right to revert this decision if the strong draw of Ulysses’ excellent blog integration features pulls me back. [↩︎](#fnr2-30955)
### Unplanned Writing and Publishing Hiatus
URL: https://www.chamline.net/unplanned-writing-and-publishing-hiatus/
Last updated: 2024-12-08T22:22:27.000Z
Despite my [blogging endeavours](https://www.chamline.net/2024-blogging-endeavours), I have fallen into a writing and publishing hiatus over the past four months. Given the amount of blog posts I consume daily — one of the sources of inspiration and thought triggers, I didn't feel compelled to write. Nevertheless, I decided not to force the issue and allow for the desire to return, naturally. 

The hiatus could’ve been longer had it not been for the fact my Ghost subscription auto-renewed, which lead me to log back into my Ghost Pro account after a couple of months. Whilst taking care of my subscription setup, I decided to tidy things up and reconfigure the site. I also spent time reading the published posts, and what do you know, it triggered the desire to write, and I started digging into my drafts folder to pick up where I left off.

The unplanned hiatus is over! 🙌🏾

### Ghost Features

With Chamline remaining on the Ghost platform for the foreseeable future and taking the hosting costs into consideration, I have decided to make the most of the platform's features.

[Membership](https://www.chamline.net/#/portal/signup) features have been activated to give readers another avenue to receive freshly published entries directly to their inboxes. Perfect for those that don’t use social media or [RSS](https://aboutfeeds.com/?ref=chamline.net) (which you should) to keep up to date. Membership also allows access to start or join conversations with post commenting, should you feel inclined. Whichever method you choose to keep updated with Chamline, thanks for following along.

### Site theme and functions

I much prefer the minimal approach in terms of look and feel for the site. Given how Ghost is geared towards Creators, the majority of the themes are designed for Magazine style publications, focusing on huge featured image previews. I am a visual person and that appeals to me, but not to the point it overshadows the most important thing, the writing. This made it tricky finding a theme that ticks all the boxes for my 'less is more' approach to how I want the site to look.

I was pleased, however, to come across the [Kyoto theme by Themex](https://themex.studio/kyoto/?ref=chamline.net) that ticks a lot of boxes. It is minimal, it has unique tailor-made page features that would suit my plans to add [Slash pages](https://slashpages.net/?ref=chamline.net) to the site such as; Now page, a Timeline page designed to showcase a ‘linear view of milestones and notable moments’ — a page I’m thinking will be handy for documenting my health and fitness progress. 

I have created a [Books/Reading](https://www.chamline.net/books/) Page to display books I’m currently reading and a Library of completed reads. I plan to do the same for Movies/TV Series. Not forgetting a dedicated mobile photography gallery page, which I’m expecting will need a bit more work to build the way I want.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with the new look and feel of the site. Now on to the writing and publishing!
### My Trust in Tech Companies
URL: https://www.chamline.net/my-trust-in-tech-companies/
Last updated: 2024-07-08T15:31:05.000Z
[Michal Zelazny, *writing on his Untitled Blog*](https://www.michalzelazny.com/blog/me-and-the-internet?ref=chamline.net):

> I trust myself and nothing more, there’s no company that can convince me they’re trustworthy. Not anymore.

I started to seriously evaluate my use of services from tech companies in the early 2010s. In particular, how they handled data collected from my use of their service, considering the moral and ethical practices in which most tech companies operate.

Let’s be clear, tech companies are driven by business-profit first and foremost, how they incorporate moralistic and ethical practices into their operation may be at the mercy of the companies business profit mission, among other reasons.

I, personally, unequivocally have no 100% trust in any tech company currently to unilaterally get it right all the time balancing moralistic, ethical and legal practices in which they operate. It's tough for any company to fulfil this trifecta of business operating principles all the time.

I trust some more than others, and will continue to place a good degree of trust in any tech company until they give me reason(s) not to. It is a simple case of going with the lesser of the evils for me right now.
### Blogging Workflow and Tools
URL: https://www.chamline.net/blogging-workflow-and-tools/
Last updated: 2024-06-30T15:45:00.000Z
With the continued resurgence of blogging, I love and appreciate the enthusiasm many bloggers have put into helping newcomers adopt this medium; from writing guides on choosing the right blogging platform, to blog posts with unfeigned encouragement reminding writers to forego perfectionism and write from the heart. Write like a human.

To accomplish all that, it does help to have the right tools and workflow. You can have it as [simple](https://r.dallaway.com/posts/my-blogging-workflow?ref=chamline.net) as can be (open your blogging platform's CMS, start a new post, type away and hit publish), or depending on your requirements and skill set, have it as [complex](https://rknight.me/blog/my-blogging-workflow/?ref=chamline.net) as you can handle. 🤪

Robert Birming has recently been exploring [why he](https://birming.com/posts/why-write?ref=chamline.net) and [others write](https://birming.com/posts/why-we-write?utm%5Fsource=substack&utm%5Fmedium=email) and *how* they do it. He has been diligently curating a list of bloggers sharing their [blogging workflows](https://birming.com/posts/our-blogging-workflow?ref=chamline.net). I have been following along and discovering the different methods and tools bloggers have adopted to help them write and publish to their sites. I hope many others join and share the workflows and tools they use to create and publish blog posts.

In the spirit of sharing, here is my current blogging workflow and tools:

## 🛠️ Tools & Services

**Hardware**: Mac mini + Apple Studio Display, iPad Pro (2022 M2) & iPhone 15 Pro Max

**Software**: Apple Notes, [Ulysses](https://ulysses.app/?ref=chamline.net), [Dark Noise](https://darknoise.app/?ref=chamline.net) (Important to set the mood to concentrate)

**Blogging Platform**: [Ghost](https://ghost.org/?ref=chamline.net)

**Fuel**: Coffee & Music if not using Dark Noise

## 📥 Capture and Editing

All organic blog post ideas with their accompanying summaries are captured using Apple Notes on whichever device I happen to be using at the time. For linked posts, I highlight the portion of the article I wish to quote, bring up the share sheet to add the quoted snippet with its link, my initial thoughts, and save to my Ulysses ‘Linked’ draft folder.

All writing and editing are organically done using Ulysses. I proofread and attempt to correct all grammar and styling to the best of my ability. I cross-check my editing using Ulysses’ ‘Revision Mode’ feature, which additionally checks for spelling and grammar. I used to copy the text into Grammarly for extra clarity checks. Ulysses now has an Advanced Text Check using [LanguageTool](https://languagetool.org/?ref=chamline.net), an online service which offers spelling, grammar and consistency checks, which now removes the need to use Grammarly since they both offer the same service — one less step and helps maintain simplicity.

## 🌐 P.O.S.S.E.

[Post On Own Site, Syndicate Everywhere](https://indieweb.org/POSSE?ref=chamline.net).

Once all editing is done, the next step is to publish and distribute to the socials, which is all done through the excellent [EchoFeed](https://www.chamline.net/echofeed-send-your-posts-all-over-the-web/). I have it currently set up to post new entries to Mastodon and Bluesky, with Threads being worked on as of writing this.

And that’s it. I’ve kept the workflow as simple and streamlined as can be. It’ll be interesting to see with plans to turn this blog into more of a website hosting different mediums how the workflow setup will evolve over time, so this entry will be a good throwback in the future.

Happy Blogging. 👨🏿‍💻
### Social Media ‘Post Brain’
URL: https://www.chamline.net/social-media-post-brain/
Last updated: 2024-05-17T20:27:02.000Z
[Rach Smith, *on Post Brain*](https://rachsmith.com/post-brain/?ref=chamline.net):

> Post Brain is when you go about your day constantly scanning for anything you can turn in to content, or what would make a great “post”.

**Post Brain**. What a great name. I like it.

I don’t have any factual evidence, but I’d wager the majority of active users on social platforms circa early 2010s onwards probably experienced some sort of Post Brain. I certainly did during my highly active daily Twitter use — I think it’s fair to call mine exclusively ‘*Twitter Post Brain*’ since it was the only network this effect had a hold on me. Furthermore, I can, however, declare that almost 50% of the Post Brain content ended up sitting in my drafts and later on lost momentum, and got deleted.

[I think my Twitter Post Brain died when I started losing the energy and joy of having Twitter as a part of my daily online social presence.](https://www.chamline.net/so-long-twitter-thanks-for-the-140-chars-2/)

To a certain extent, Post Brain still exists in me. The difference now? Instead of scanning my surroundings for something relatable to turn into a social media post, I pay attention to blog posts and articles I read on the web. I’m constantly looking for anything of relevance that triggers and sparks my thinking into jotting down whatever thoughts I may have to add to the conversation. My Ulysses draft folder is filled with quoted snippets from articles and blog posts I’ve read. Combing through my linked draft folder a few days ago, the thought occurred to me, “I ought to create a ‘Linked’ tag for linked posts and add it to the navigation menu.” [So I did](https://www.chamline.net/tag/linked/).

It’s rare nowadys that I constantly scan my environment for text-based content to post on the various social networks I am on. With my efforts to return to mobile photography, however, I scan my environment a lot for photo opportunities as I build a collection ready to edit and post on the site here. So I guess that Post Brain is still active, somehow.
### Developing Consistent Writing Habits
URL: https://www.chamline.net/developing-consistent-writing-habits/
Last updated: 2025-01-08T01:16:18.000Z
[💻 On Writing Routines | Notes from the Underground](https://notes.krueger.ink/on-writing-routines/?ref=chamline.net):

> There are writers out there who write for hours every day. Others write when the urge strikes them. Then there are people like me who need structure, need a schedule of sorts, to keep them writing regularly.

[Journaling](https://www.chamline.net/apple-journal-app/) and [blogging](https://www.chamline.net/chamline-one-year-blogversary/) constitute the bulk of my writing right now, of which the latter requires more dedicated time and attention since it is getting publicised. I tried, and struggled, to establish writing routines that involved setting out a particular time of the day to sit and brainstorm topics and ideate on them on a blank canvas. A lot of the time, there's a mismatch between my energy and mood based on the time of day. Attempting to write, during this time, can feel forced, resulting in frustration and half-baked thoughts which are counterproductive.

Instead, I take every opportunity as ideas and thoughts form on topics and empty those thoughts into the Notes app on my iPhone as I go along, not worrying about grammar, structure, or word count. A habit I’ve developed with this approach is adding snippets of relevant info to remind me what my train of thought was at the time of writing.

This approach makes it easier to pick up and continue writing once I transfer the brain dumps to my blog post writing app Ulysses and expand on them to the limits of what my mental capacity allows. I have found this approach to be less stressful and bear more fruitful results, which has a positive effect on my writing habits.

> My advice? Write whenever you can. Don’t worry about the word count. Just get the words down. Even if it’s only sentences here and there, you’ll be surprised at how influential those few sentences can be on your writing habits.

I am by no means dismissing the idea and importance of establishing a writing routine that involves a dedicated time slot. I can understand how integral it is, with individual requirements considered. The whole point is to write at every opportunity you get, as [Kerri](https://social.lol/@philomath?ref=chamline.net), a writer, advised.
### Chamline One Year Blogversary
URL: https://www.chamline.net/chamline-one-year-blogversary/
Last updated: 2024-05-05T16:01:15.000Z
Based on the frequency and number of posts published, a publisher *extraordinaire* I am not. Regardless, I have received a respectable showing of interest and appreciation for the posts. This is despite the fact I have yet to write anything significant that delivers critical expertise breaking down and providing expert analysis of particular topics in a punditry fashion. A skill and know-how that helps elevate the prominence of blogs on the web — if that’s your aim.

### What’s behind the low number of published posts on Chamline?

Approximately 23 blog posts in one year.

That’s one week or month of posts on many blogs I follow. If that’s you, I respect your penchant to write and publish so frequently. 🫡

I can give you the spiel about quality over quantity, how busy life is, or not having enough to write about, but I shan’t. If anything, I find writing the easy part, I can empty my thoughts and write a rough draft of 200–1000 words on many topics within a ten-minute window on many occasions. Editing it, however, takes time and without the right energy and frame of mind, I procrastinate a lot.

Depending on the subject, during editing, I can be indecisive about structuring posts and think far too much about how it may read to others, or what others will think about it. This may be down to the fact when I chose Ghost as the blogging platform, I came to the realisation it's a platform with finely crafted publications geared towards building audiences. Although I had no plans to concentrate on building an audience per se, I do have what I can describe as a high desire to make sure whatever I decide to hit publish on, is written concisely. I’m not trying to create a perfect picture book of blog entries here, but, by the same token, I’d like to make sure the blog remains respectfully produced, which again, leads to a lot of indecisiveness on what to publish.

Another reason is I second-guess myself a lot of the time whether I have enough thick skin to publish anything even remotely controversial that could invite unwanted provocations. I have nothing against constructive criticism. I love it when people express their opinions and challenge your thinking and perspective in a way that positively builds on the conversation, enlightening and providing nourishment for the soul in the process. I will welcome that any time!

But, we all know the internet is not a bed of roses. Rogue players are out there cracking their fingers ready to pounce and switch into keyboard warrior mode, ready to deliver their harmful rebuttals to whatever piece of material you dare publish that doesn’t meet their views and beliefs. I have a lot I wish to share regarding the state of the world, for example, but given my current mental state of mind, I rather protect that and steer away from anything that could deteriorate that state of mind.

Despite not ticking all the boxes in my [blogging endeavours](https://www.chamline.net/2024-blogging-endeavours/), I remain increasingly riveted to the world of blogging; be it following and reading other people's blogs or continuing to endeavour to make more of an effort to edit and publish what I have been writing myself.

### The future of Chamline

As I mentioned in the [inaugural post](https://www.chamline.net/introducing-chamline/), the aim of the blog was clear to me. It will remain an open blog, although from time to time, a particular topic will receive more attention than others, Chamline will not be a niche blog. There are other topics of interest to me that I have yet to finish writing and hit publish on; sports, photography, electric vehicles, music, health and fitness, and in technology terms — the world of AI, to name a few. There are many more topics that I would like to start delving into, too.

Chamline is here to stay.

Despite the yearly hosting costs given how infrequently I published within the first year, Chamline will remain on the [Ghost](https://ghost.org/?ref=chamline.net) blogging platform for the foreseeable future for the simple facts:

1. I love Ghost as a blogging platform
2. It is a platform with tools that cater to my plans to turn the site into more than a blog.

For example, I want a photography section to host and showcase my mobile photography as a starting point, then slowly incorporate other media content formats I have in mind but will share in due course.

Meanwhile, to start making the most of Ghost features, I will be activating the email subscription option soon to provide another avenue for people who do not use RSS to follow the blog via email.

## Gratitude

I have truly enjoyed writing, publishing and engaging with people, either directly or through the Socials, whenever a post has been published. Long may this continue to be a fruitful engagement and experience.

I’d like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who has shown kindness and appreciation for my efforts in writing and producing Chamline.

🙏 Thank you.
### EchoFeed — Send your posts all over the web
URL: https://www.chamline.net/echofeed-send-your-posts-all-over-the-web/
Last updated: 2024-04-13T12:43:15.000Z
If you have a blog, or multiple blogs, and have a presence on multiple social networks and platforms, you probably are in the circle of publishers that wish to have their content automatically distributed to those networks and platforms.

Meet [EchoFeed](https://echofeed.app/?ref=chamline.net), by [Robb Knight](https://rknight.me/?ref=chamline.net).

**WHAT DOES IT DO?**

> It supports reading RSS and Atom and JSON feeds and then posting those items to Mastodon and Micro.blog and Bluesky and GitHub and LinkAce. Or it can send them as Webmentions and Webhooks.

**Simple**.

There are already a few services providing solutions for this exact thing at varying levels — MastoFeed, Micro.blog, for example. What makes EchoFeed stand out, however, is the granular customisation of variables you can attach to the post content EchoFeed sends out; title, summary, link, author, tags, and hashtags to name a few.

Bonus: There’s an option you can activate where the EchoFeed Amplify account on Mastodon will boost your shared post sent from the Echo(es) you set up.

I’m using blogging as the main example here, but you can, of course, use this service to fetch and post to other networks and platforms as long as there’s an RSS, Atom or JSON feed it can fetch from.

I’ve set up one Echo (so far) with this blog to automatically post to my Mastodon account to test it out and make adjustments with the content variables where necessary. Having recently simplified and [aligned my social presence online](https://www.chamline.net/aligning-my-social-presence-online/), I will be sure to sign up for the EchoFeed Pro to set up multiple echoes and take advantage of the easy distribution of new blog posts on socials.
### Aligning my Social Presence Online
URL: https://www.chamline.net/aligning-my-social-presence-online/
Last updated: 2025-12-30T16:29:05.000Z
You know the drill: a new social platform crops up, you check it out and sign up for an account for whatever reason; early adopter and name placeholder, the people you interact with the most online have joined — FOMO etc. You now have multiple networks to tend to, each vying for your attention, some in their dreaded algorithmic way.

My interest in witnessing the breakdown of siloed social networks and the rise of decentralised networks gives me curiosity and calls for my presence on new networks. So evidently, and of course, yours truly has an account on some of these new networks. Managing your presence online on all these different networks can be overwhelming, at times, especially if you have multiple accounts on each.

### Simplifying

One of my approaches to creating accounts on social platforms is to have a personal account, and an account for this blog for presence—and for those that may not use RSS (or want to follow my personal account just to keep updated on Chamline blog posts) to have another way of keeping updated with new posts if social platforms are the place they keep up with sites/blogs.

Even though the Chamline accounts on these platforms were all automated to deliver the latest blog posts, to simplify things even more, I have decided to do away with those accounts and post all new updates to my personal accounts. I am currently exploring making full use of the Ghost subscribe by email feature to receive newly published posts via email, again, for those who may not use RSS or Social Media much.

I could’ve easily left the automated accounts and forgotten about them, but I don’t think they are necessary at this point. Having just one account on these networks makes life a lot more manageable—one less account to tend to. It is possible to create verified usernames on Bluesky by using an existing domain. Similarly, on Mastodon, you can join multiple servers using the same username and verify the domain link in your bio. Therefore, the name placeholder is less concerning at this stage.

### Bluesky, Threads and Mastodon.

As for my participation on the networks, my Bluesky engagement waned six months or so into the beta period. I went eight months without posting there, only returning to see what was happening after the invitation-only was dropped and registrations opened to the public. Checking out my timeline and some Feeds I follow, I can see communities thriving in their own way. So it gives me hope it is here to stay.

Threads? With WhatsApp the exception, I haven’t used any other Meta product knowingly and intentionally for more than a decade—I’ve had my reservations about the company. In the interest of observing and continuing to learn about this new shift to social networks, I had to put aside my reservations about the company, for now. I’ve been a lurker extraordinaire over there since I created my account when Threads launched and locked it in private mode, with no attempts to follow individuals or post anything. Ahead of Federation opening up to this side of the pond in the UK, I have started using the account, publicly.

This brings us to Mastodon, the platform that seemed to have captured my attention and interactive interest; from engagement to communities that match my online interests and such (I have a strong feeling the same will probably be true with Threads, as I’ve seen the majority of people I follow on Mastodon actively using Threads). As of writing this, Mastodon is my preferred network right now. The network that clicked with me without much effort, but considering I am about to give Threads an extended try, who knows if it’ll topple Mastodon as my preferred network to be most active on?

Whatever the case, I continue to be pleased these networks exist. I just want to be able to connect with like-minded people who share the same interests (or learn and discover new interesting things). It doesn't matter which platform it happens on, as long as I find engagement and peace there.

🫶🏾 See you out there, friends.
### On journaling and the Apple Journal App
URL: https://www.chamline.net/apple-journal-app/
Last updated: 2024-11-14T22:06:57.000Z
Despite numerous attempts, I have never been one for journaling regularly. At least not in the traditional pour-your-heart-out writing down your deepest, most sensitive secrets in a physical paper diary, and then spending a lifetime worrying, and doing all you can to safeguard said diary from falling into the wrong hands.

The last time I attempted journalling regularly was purely because of my love of trying out and using finely crafted apps on iOS. In this case, Day One when it landed on iOS. I loved the app and what it offered and, of course, wanting to use it, I started yet another attempt at journaling, nothing personal or sensitive—most of the entries were work-related events I wanted to record. Over time, the desire faded, and I stopped, then picked it up again on a trip to Cyprus in 2015\. Looking at my Day One, the journaling on that trip lasted a couple of days, with less than five events logged.

I was almost sure I was done with attempts to make journaling stick. That was until Apple announced the Journaling app. My interest was piqued purely by what the app would offer and what new ways of journaling Apple was going to introduce. As it turned out, Journaling Suggestions; created using on-device intelligence based on how you use your phone which groups events like outings based on location, suggestions from photos, media you consumed, situational questions that encourage you to reflect and more.

My initial impression was, *”This is truly brilliant”*, perfect for users like myself who have always struggled to come up with something suitable to want to journal about. Having these suggestions front and centre provided the much-needed ‘influence’ and encouraged you to want to create a record about them in your journal. I’m glad that Apple made the API available for use by third-party apps. Journaling Suggestions is a brilliant feature that has me logging entries into my journal, far more than I’ve ever done.

### Less is more

I love the simplicity of the Journal app. Compared to the more established journaling apps on iOS that have had time to iterate and add additional features over time, the Journal app is ‘barebones’, but this is not a reason to dismiss it as if it is inadequate or unfit for purpose. It may not come out of the gate with all the bells and whistles sherlocking every other journaling app before it, but I appreciate what it has going for it right now, for starters.

We often depreciate things because it doesn’t meet the standard set by the highest in their category. None more so than in the world of online tech punditry, where it is easier to denigrate new pieces of software if they don’t match what was here before it. Meriting new pieces of software and recognising its existing form as the most suitable to help provide balance across the board seems to go against certain pundits' critique sense.

I've learnt over the years not to expect a fully baked app out of Cupertino when it comes to Apple default apps. Apple always seems to release the most basic functional app that caters to iPhone users; be you a new adopter or day one iPhone user. Improvements are then made over time for feature parity. See Notes and Reminders apps.

I have no doubt the Apple Journal app will be improved over time, but as it stands — for logging entries without layers of complexity — for my use case, **it is brilliant**.
### My Favourite Apple TV Plus Shows and Movies
URL: https://www.chamline.net/my-favourite-apple-tv-plus-shows-and-movies/
Last updated: 2024-11-14T22:08:40.000Z
I used to have Cable TV services provided by Virgin Media at a discounted rate, thanks to my employment with the company at that time. However, changing jobs and moving to a new house allowed me to review my cable service usage and cost. I decided to cut the cord and made the switch to streaming services instead. I opted for Netflix as my main streaming service, given its extensive collection of TV shows, movies, and documentaries. Not only that, but I found it to be a great option.

### The introduction of Apple One

As part of my Apple One Premier subscription, I get access to the full Apple TV+ catalogue of TV shows, movies, and documentaries to watch on a multitude of devices using the Apple TV app available on those platforms. Although the catalogue is not as vast as Netflix’s, the quality and diversity of shows have, for the most part, been on point and to my liking, thus making me consider unsubscribing from Netflix and other streaming services. I haven’t completely cut ties, however, rather than maintaining a continuous monthly sub on the other streaming services, I just subscribe (and immediately cancel the sub) whenever a series I’m interested in watching is available on those platforms.

Apple TV+ Plus is now my main TV and Movie streaming service thanks to the tie-in with Apple One and, frankly, some rather good shows to watch — not many have the clout of Netflix's popularity, but very well respected and recognised shows if the number of award show nominations and wins is to go by.

### The pick of the bunch

I intended to do an end-of-year ‘Favourite Movies & TV Shows of 2023’ like all the cool kids were doing, but never got around to finalising this post. But hey, I don’t think there’s ever the wrong time to publish and share such a post.

I’ve refrained from providing summaries on why I favoured these to avoid spoilers, I probably wouldn’t do them justice, for that, you should listen to the [Magic Rays of Light](https://www.chamline.net/magic-rays-of-light/) Podcast for better analysis of the shows.

So without further ado, here are the TV shows and movies — in no particular order— I’ve enjoyed the most on Apple TV+ so far.

**TV Shows**:

- Silo
- See
- Shrinking
- Bad Sisters
- Slow Horses
- The Morning Show
- Tehran
- Criminal Record
- Lessons In Chemistry
- Ted Lasso
- For All Mankind
- Hijack
- The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey

**Movies**:

- The Banker
- Greyhound
- Tetris
- Killers of the Flower Moon
- Finch
- Flora and Son

Although on the documentary side, I’d give a deserved shout-out to **Earth at Night** and **Little America**.

I wouldn’t claim to be the king of binge-watching TV Show series but, it sure is my preferred method, and I have watched and thoroughly enjoyed plenty of shows on Apple TV+. Far more than the pick of the bunch I’ve listed above.

I picked the above because I very seldom rewatch TV Show series in particular. I’d gladly rewatch all of the above if time permitted and my Up Next queue wasn’t growing larger.

Do you have a list of favourite Apple TV+ shows? I’ll be happy to hear from you about your favourite shows you’ll recommend. I may just discover something new that may have fallen from my radar.

You can reach me on [Mastodon](https://mastodon.social/@habibcham?ref=chamline.net) or via [email](mailto:hey@chamline.net). Thanks in advance.
### Overwhelming Tech Fatigue
URL: https://www.chamline.net/overwhelming-tech-fatigue/
Last updated: 2024-07-24T10:04:36.000Z
[My disillusionment with technology — Silvia Maggi](https://silviamaggidesign.com/personal/tech-disillusionment/?ref=chamline.net):

> Technology no longer excites me. To be precise, I’m not able to feel enthusiastic about new technology anymore. Might be because I’m getting older.  
> I went through many digital tools and hardware in the past, had my favourites, and was prepared to defend them when needed (Apple vs Microsoft, iPhone vs Android). I was a *fangirl*.

Every so often, I go through phases feeling the same way! I remember shortly after the pandemic lockdowns, my enthusiasm about technology was so low I got rid of my gadgets and kept my iPhone and a pair of earphones only — can’t live without my music listening.

I spent a considerable portion of the lockdown free time at home geeking and nerding out on technology for hours daily. The break from keeping up with technology was much needed. Furthermore, returning to everyday normal life with a renewed focus on work required regimented discipline, and geeking out was a distraction I could do without to help me concentrate on rebuilding all that was lost with work due to lockdowns.

Getting rid of the gadgets themselves was only one part of the detox and declutter. The software side needed to be taken care of as well, starting with news aggregators and readers; my RSS feed in particular, followed by podcasts, culling the amount of tech podcasts I subscribed to, and redirecting focus on other areas of interest which worked a treat. My RSS Feed subscriptions now have been much more intentional; subscribing to sites/blogs that offer analytical commentary on the goings-on in the world of technology, making it easier to keep up with my feed.

Keeping up with the world of technology through media publications can be overwhelming and tiresome — especially from the firehose sites — let alone getting yourself entangled in the tech culture wars that you witness online regularly. It can be exhausting.

It’s good to have a break and detox occasionally, allowing your brain to process and understand the goings-on in the world of technology to help cultivate more mature fresh perspectives. 

How often do you pause, and consider taking a break?
### Be Kind, Always.
URL: https://www.chamline.net/be-kind-always/
Last updated: 2024-07-12T12:27:43.000Z
[Towards a quieter, friendlier web • Cory Dransfeldt](https://coryd.dev/posts/2024/towards-a-quieter-friendlier-web/?ref=chamline.net):

> **You can, and should, choose to be kind.** Empathy is paramount and extending grace to whoever it is you're talking to can only help.

The web can sometimes be a very hostile place, subject to your chosen circle; communities you join, people you follow on said communities, how you conduct and portray yourself online etc can all influence your behaviour online, not to mention whatever real-life behavioural shifts you may be experiencing that could easily influence and dictate your choices of reproach to events online.

Practising kindness is one of the staples of my very being, especially online to others whose only means of interaction with you is via strings of texts on a screen. Nevertheless, we should all constantly, without fail, always check and remind ourselves that whomever we are interacting with, irrespective of the subject, gender, race, or sexual orientation, there is another human on the other side of that screen. 

Constantly remind yourself of your core values (if you have any, and you should) in how you should want to be treated. Broaden those values beyond how **you** would like to be treated and practice the core values that should widely apply to the civility of being human.

I get immeasurable immense joy when I put the above into practice and it results in an uncompromising sequence of events that turns difficult interactions into more amicable discourse that leaves both parties feeling the joys of kindness.

Be kind, Always.

✌️🫶
### Pioneering Spatial Computing with Vision Pro
URL: https://www.chamline.net/apple-vision-pro/
Last updated: 2024-07-12T12:32:22.000Z
Friday, Feb 02, ‘24 — the day Apple Vision Pro preorders arrived at consumers' front doors, thus marking the beginning of a journey luxuriating over a new computing paradigm with the hope that it delivers on its promise and more.

I have admired and appreciated the VR headset space from afar for quite some time now, but with the current offerings mainly geared towards gaming — and me not being a *’traditional gamer’* — the attraction was lost. Apple’s promise of a VR/AR headset geared more towards computing reignited my interest in wanting to explore them again.

However, for me, buying the Vision Pro right now would only satiate the early adopter FOMO, as I have no unfeigned **need** for the device given my current computing use case. Besides, **the price**, phew!

## Hard-wear

Price aside, and although I am not currently bowled over by the hardware design footprint, I love the modularity. Apple conforming to the prevailing trend in VR headset design is likely due to technological constraints and [regulations](https://repair.eu/news/big-win-for-right-to-repair-with-new-eu-rules-for-batteries-but-legislators-must-get-the-implementation-right/?ref=chamline.net) that limit their ability to explore more innovative hardware design approaches that align with their traditional thin and light design philosophy.

![Image Credit: Dan Winters, via the Wallpaper.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e6/51/e651cf54-17b9-4578-bd5c-1392f8f10905/content/images/2024/02/Image-04-02-2024--12-20-1.png)

Image Credit: Dan Winters, **via the Wallpaper*.

With that said, the hardware technology cramped inside the [Vision Pro aluminium and glass housing](https://www.ifixit.com/News/90137/vision-pro-teardown-why-those-fake-eyes-look-so-weird?ref=chamline.net) is pretty impressive. The [Apple Design Team](https://www.wallpaper.com/tech/apple-vision-pro-review?ref=chamline.net) behind the Vision Pro deserves credit and adulation. I have been marvelling at the work behind the Vision Pro as I’ve never done with any other Apple Product I’ve witnessed the birth of in my lifetime. And given Apple's penchant for iterating on hardware design, you can bet a bottom dollar a more compelling Vision Pro will set the trend in the VR/AR headset space.

## Visions, Divided

The Apple Vision Pro with its attempts at pioneering Spatial Computing as we’ve never seen has divided opinions and simultaneously raised scepticism and optimism. I have loved circling between the extreme dismissal of Vision Pro to the absolute fanboyism unabashedly swooning at the prospect of incorporating Vision Pro in their daily lives. And I couldn’t be happier about the latter.

Apple’s reputation for revolutionising products in the tech industry has set the bar high that with every new product category launch for the company, people expect to be amazed and wowed beyond belief, (damn you, iPhone!). The reactions from the nerdy tech enthusiasts and the public have been mixed. It is to be expected given the niche market for VR headsets.

Despite high expectations, I recognise and respect Apple's bold move in venturing into spatial computing instead of following the trend of VR gaming headsets. Knowing your strengths is key.

As a prospective user who hasn’t yet seen and interacted with the device firsthand, and with my limited business expertise, I am not equipped with the necessary tools to forecast the prospects of Apple Vision Pro in the marketplace. But boy am I glad this product exists to offer a different computing paradigm.

I wish Apple well with its endeavours to leverage Vision Pro in revolutionising a new way of interacting with technology.
### Visiting Cool Websites
URL: https://www.chamline.net/visiting-cool-websites/
Last updated: 2024-05-15T02:03:57.000Z
Catching up with my RSS feed today, and came across a post by Evan Sheehan lamenting how RSS is at odds with one of his — and mine — favourite things; visiting cool websites.

[Evan Sheehan — RSS](https://darthmall.net/weblog/2023/rss/?ref=chamline.net):

> I think RSS is great, but I sometimes feel like it’s at odds with one of my favorite things about the web. For one thing, I see less of my friends’ cool websites. A lot of the websites in my feed reader are really nice to look at. Some of their owners do periodic redesigns which are fun to see. I feel like I’m missing out a little on these lovely personal websites because I nearly always interact with them through my feed reader, which flattens all of the personality into a minimal, legible view.

I am a big proponent of using [RSS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS?ref=chamline.net) to curate [website feeds](https://aboutfeeds.com/?ref=chamline.net) you wish to follow and get updated when new content is published. I currently (and for a very long time) use the excellent [Reeder 5](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/reeder-5/id1529445840?ref=chamline.net) as my RSS newsreader aggregator, which serves as a catch-all for all the feeds I am subscribed to. When it comes to reading the content, Reeder has a splendid user-friendly reading interface with a good offering of important accessibility features.

As much as I enjoy the Reeder reading experience within the app, I enjoy reading the content even more on the publisher's website or blog. Thankfully, Reeder makes this process easy; once I hit the title of the post from the list it launches the content, and a simple swipe right to left launches the content on the publisher's site using the In-app safari browser. Depending on the article — if long-form posts — I can tap on the article title link to launch the content in the default mobile Safari browser, bypassing the need to swipe right to left.

I am a big fan of personal sites, they speak to me, along with the content, style of writing, look and feel of the site. It gives me an instant connection to the person behind the site, an immediate recognition and familiarity.

Best believe when I say I read 95% of **your** content, on *your site*. The only exception is when the need to reduce eye strain is required and your site doesn’t have a dark mode, in which case I revert to reading the content inside Reeder.
### Magic Rays Of Light
URL: https://www.chamline.net/magic-rays-of-light/
Last updated: 2024-01-16T07:45:03.000Z
A handful of Apple TV Shows have companion podcasts. I’ve listened to the odd episodes from a few that someone shared the details to online, but never felt compelled to subscribe and listen regularly.

I came across Magic Rays of Light in early 2023, gave it a shot (Episode 71) and immediately loved the passion and synergy between Sigmund and Devon discussing all things Apple TV: From deep dives with expert analysis and reviews of Apple TV Shows and Movies to sharing their thoughts about the software operating the Apple TV and the hardware itself. Even some Apple Arcade gaming thrown in. Insta-subbed.

Over the next 33 episodes (104 released episodes as of writing this), Magic Rays of Light became my [Monday commute companion](https://mastodon.social/@habibcham/111246273779223436?ref=chamline.net) as each episode I listened to continued to deliver and retained my interest. All made possible by the hosts' passion-driven authentic love for TV Shows and Movies, and their ability to delve beyond what's on the surface of these shows.

Their professionalism is unquestionable.

I often wondered how long until the Show garnered enough credit and recognition as one of, if not the best Apple TV podcast out there and got scooped by a Network. Seems like MacStories has been listening, and keeping an eye on the Show's progress as they recently [announced](https://www.macstories.net/news/we-are-bringing-magic-rays-of-light-our-podcast-about-apple-tv-to-macstories/?ref=chamline.net) Magic Ray of Lights, along with its hosts (who will both continue to produce the show), are joining Macstories’ podcast lineup.

[Devon Dundee, *writing on his personal blog*](https://devondundee.com/blog/macstories?ref=chamline.net):

> I am thrilled to be joining the MacStories team! It’s a site and a team that I’ve revered for years, so it’s an honor to come aboard. Sigmund and I will continue producing the podcast we love to make, now under the MacStories banner.

I couldn’t be more thrilled for Sigmund and Devon now being a part of one of the most respected publications in the Apple tech publishing circle, and I wish them well in their new home.

If you listen to podcasts and enjoy watching TV Shows and Movies on Apple TV, then check out, [subscribe and listen to Magic Rays of Light podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/magic-rays-of-light/id1522854547?ref=chamline.net).

I think it’s fitting to end this post by borrowing their trademark episode-closing farewell:

> “Stay safe, watch some Apple TV, play some Apple Arcade, and have a great day”
### The Rebirth of Blogging Geekdom
URL: https://www.chamline.net/the-rebirth-of-blogging-geekdom/
Last updated: 2024-05-13T07:31:58.000Z
The effortless, hassle-free microblogging on social platforms combined with the dopamine-filled instant ‘*Likes*’ gratifications had a gravitational pull that proved hard to separate from, for some, resulting in many personal blogs languishing.

Something about 2023 brought about the resurgence of blogging as a medium in ways we haven’t seen since the dawn of social media platforms stealing away the thunder of writing and publishing to personal blogs. Even more astonishing is the number of bloggers taking to their blogs, evangelising the creation of personal blogs.

It truly is great to see such encouragement. More so, the sheer number of people positively responding to the calls and starting their websites and blogs as we continue to witness the walls around siloed social media platforms crumble while the open web rejoices:

[Colin Devroe](https://cdevroe.com/2023/01/11/blogging-is-alive?ref=chamline.net):

> Oh man am I happy! People that hadn't written on their blog in a long time are blogging again. Websites that hadn't been updated in many years, some over a decade, are being spruced up and published to again. And popular news outlets are publishing articles about blogging.

[Cory Dransfeldt](https://coryd.dev/posts/2024/your-site-your-home-your-web/?ref=chamline.net):

> The most interesting outlet, to me, has been a resurgent interest in personal websites, blogs and digital gardens. We lost platforms for expression and connection that were convenient, but which we never owned.  
> …  
> What we have, is an opportunity to rethink how we present ourselves online, how we connect and at what pace we choose to do so. We can still write, we can still post, we can still share and we can still talk to one another.

I can feel the inexorable march towards the rebirth of blogging Geekdom: New blogging communities form based on shared commonalities and passions; be it a community of fine nerdery about technology, sports, domesticated skills, or whatever niche topic you specifically want to blog about, your community is out there, large or small. And despite the internet having a habit of rogue gatekeepers trying to keep you at bay, it is important to remind yourself that; we all started somewhere, and you do not owe it to anyone to prove you belong if your enthusiasm and passion are authentic.

> Anyone trying to purposely erect border fences or demanding to see ID upon entry to the land of Geekdom is missing the point. They have no power over you. Ignore them and dive headfirst into the things that interest you. Soak up every experience. Lose yourself in the pursuit of knowledge. When you finally come up for air, you’ll find that the long road to geekdom no longer stretches out before you. No one can deny you entry. You’re already home.  
> – [Hypercritical](http://hypercritical.co/2014/01/14/the-road-to-geekdom?ref=chamline.net)

One of the most beautiful aspects of geek culture is its inclusivity. It's a space where differences should be celebrated and diversity embraced. I feel it is important that, with the current momentum the rise of blogging is witnessing, we cultivate unwavering support from those who can, to help newcomers take the right strides in their blogging journeys. Each one teach one, as we embark on rejuvenating blogging and blogging communities on the open web.
### Accessibility Improvements on Chamline
URL: https://www.chamline.net/accessibility-improvements-on-chamline/
Last updated: 2024-01-14T00:51:54.000Z
For Accessibility reasons, to help reduce eye strain, I have been looking into blog themes that offer Light and Dark mode switching options. A bonus point if it also switches automatically based on user device settings.

Although I used RSS clients which collate all new posts from feeds and provide a reading experience from within the app, when it comes to reading, my preference is to read published posts on the actual blog/website.

> [I love reading blogs. The more personal the blog in terms of the writing style and the look & feel, the better](https://www.chamline.net/2024-blogging-endeavours/).

I loved the simplicity of the previous [Ghost theme](https://ubud.aspirethemes.com/?ref=chamline.net) I had on Chamline, it ticked plenty of boxes for my liking, except it didn’t offer Light and Dark mode switching options. It was either plug-and-play or I customised it to a permanent Dark mode, or whatever background colour I wished. I didn’t find it ideal but stuck with it as I settled into this blogging journey.

[Reflect, by High Five Themes](https://ghost.org/themes/reflect/?ref=chamline.net), offers the above. I like the clean, simple, almost minimalistic look and feel. The way it lists blog posts on the homepage is not to my liking, however, so as of writing this, I'm currently using the grid layout (when viewed on desktop or tablets). I will be diving through the theme files in the coming days to make further customisations.

📢

***UPDATE** *: A few days after publishing this post, I switched to the Tuuli Theme by Bright Themes.*

## URL Structures

The previous theme was a Newsletter theme with a landing ‘Home’ page, meaning you have to set up a ‘Blog’ page for your blog post listings. This had an effect on the RSS Feed url, which was on /blog/rss. Going forward, I will be paying particular attention to the url structure of any future themes I may wish to use for the blog to make sure it doesn’t have any unnecessary slug structure. Keeping it simple.

The new RSS Feed: <https://www.chamline.net/rss/>

I have set up redirects so hopefully you do not have to subscribe again to the new RSS Feed. [Implementing redirects](https://ghost.org/tutorials/implementing-redirects/?ref=chamline.net) on Ghost is a Lab experimental feature, so I'm not sure if it works. If you have been subscribed to the previous RSS Feed (https://www.chamline.net/blog/rss/) before Jan 10 2024 and this post appears in your RSS Feed, then I take it the redirect is working. If you come across this post anywhere else and not your RSS Feed and you still wish to receive new posts in your feed, then please update to the new RSS Feed.

Apologies for the inconvenience, but to provide better Accessibility, I’m sure you’ll agree it’s worth it. 🙂

I’d be grateful, if you’d be so kind to let me know via [Mastodon](https://mastodon.social/@habibcham?ref=chamline.net) or [Email](mailto:hey@chamline.net) if the redirect works or not.
### The Desire for a Caseless iPhone
URL: https://www.chamline.net/the-desire-for-a-caseless-iphone/
Last updated: 2024-05-15T02:02:31.000Z
The iPhone 12 is the only iPhone I have skipped since my first iPhone, the iPhone 3G. Every iPhone I’ve owned, bar the iPhone 13 and 14, has been dealt the curse of my clumsiness, resulting in hairline cracks or completely smashed screens. I’ll ashamedly call it what it is — Careless! Go on, roll your eyes in disgust, I deserve it. After all, these are expensive devices, so why not do the utmost to care for them given all the protective accessories readily available?

Frankly, I do, kind of.

I have always opted for the larger-screen iPhones since the Plus-size models made their debut. I have however not been a fan of bulky cases that add to the unwieldiness of the iPhone, so I tend to use featherlight thin cases designed more for scratch protection than drop impact reduction. I also buy Cases designed for drop protection to use in situations and environments where the ground will have no mercy and outmatch whatever the iPhone's latest industry-grade glass strength is.

It’s a rarity that I outright dislike the shape and feel of iPhone designs. Yes, even the stainless steel sharp-edged iPhone models that dealt you the pinky finger fatigue and dent to boot, not to forget the potential wrist issues from the heft of the phone.

With every new or iterated design, I’ve loved the look and feel of each one of them to the point I am usually faced with the constant decision-making of whether to put a Case on it or not! Given my history with smashing iPhone screens to smithereens (on a couple of occasions), I eventually let common sense and ‘peace of mind’ prevail. I start off babying the device, Case on, being extra mindful of how and where I place the device. Frequently, in the comforts of home, I will take the case off and enthuse over the device's design and feel, yearning for the day my clumsiness plays no part in preventing me from using the iPhone without a Case.

In terms of screen protectors, I have never been a fan of them either, especially some of the earlier iterations that stripped away or degraded the benefits of the iPhone display advancements such as Multi-Touch technology. With every new iPhone, I purchase and install a screen protector, and rip it off within a month. The biggest issue I had, though, was the touch input lag some earlier non-advanced glass screen protectors had, which frustrated me a lot. Screen protectors have come a long way, though. For the first time, with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, I had a screen protector on it the entire time I had it until I handed it down to my daughter. I continued the practice with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. I can say I am comfortable using screen protectors without any of the limitations.

As time went by, with the novelty starting to wear off — especially with the fast-approaching new iPhone release season — I started to bravely (some will call it stupidly) use the iPhone without a Case beyond the comforts of home. Again, trying to be mindful and as careful as I can be, but, there are certain human traits that no metaphysical solution will magically prevent them from running their course. My clumsiness is always prepared and ready to play its part.

Anyway, excuse me, for I am about to disgust you even more.

## The iPhone 15 Pro Max

With the insurance of AppleCare+ in place, I decided the iPhone 15 Pro Max with its delightful smooth curved titanium edges and featherlight feel, I wanted to enjoy it without compromise. I bought the usual Case set; A normal and a featherlight thin Case, but hardly used them. The iPhone 15 Pro Max, with just the screen protector and no Case, dropped on a stone-filled driveway and met its faith. I didn’t experience the expected time stood-still motion as the phone weightlessly drops to the ground and the visualisation of a smashed device sends a shock through your system, and you hesitate to pick up the phone.

I do not know what it was; the fact that this happened so many times with my devices that it is no longer a heartbreaking worry or the arrogance of knowing whatever the outcome, I have got AppleCare+ cover that will take care of it. I just calmly picked up the device, saw the smashed glass around the camera module housing, and let out a sigh of relief it wasn’t the camera lens itself or the front screen. Phew! AppleCare+ replaced the back of the device with a £25 excess fee. Fresh new tempered glass screen protector and a 0.3 mm Ultra-slim featherlight Case back on the device, which gives me a near naked iPhone feel for now, until we approach new iPhone release season and [I contemplate going case-less](https://mastodon.social/@habibcham/111110613326378661?ref=chamline.net), again!

Sadly, I will never be inducted into the ‘Pristine’ iPhone Hall Of Fame.

How many people do you know of who have smashed the glass on almost every iPhone they’ve ever owned? If the answer is none, I’m sorry to have ruined your belief it is an impossibility because you now know of one, me, yours truly!
### 2024 Blogging Endeavours
URL: https://www.chamline.net/2024-blogging-endeavours/
Last updated: 2024-01-14T00:49:24.000Z
The rise of Social Media platforms providing microblogging capabilities with increased post character lengths and thread features may have repressed the discipline of many bloggers publishing on their blogs regularly. Blogging was never dead, however, and probably never will! Blogging on your site will likely always remain the best way to write, elaborate on ideas to share thoughts and perspectives in a much broader way with the peace of mind of knowing your content is yours. And I, for one, intend to make this medium my de facto platform for sharing carefully curated content for the ages.

### More consumption than creation

I work in an industry where winter is the busiest period. On any given workday, the working hours could stretch past 12 hours, and between dealing with the technical aspects, engineers, clients, and 50–90 miles of driving, I’m often left exhausted, mentally and physically. All I wanted to do on most nights was to sit back, listen to music, catch up on my RSS and podcast feeds or, if the mood struck, watch some TV. Consuming content was even somewhat of a challenge on some days after work, let alone creating content.

I was fortunate enough to have ten days off work during the Christmas holidays. I spent the first five days in a complete mental shutdown from anything work-related. Coming out of that much-needed recuperation time, I spent a morning evaluating my work processes and creating robust plans to be more efficient with my time at work. The aim is to be more proficient in dealing with anything energy-sapping as effectively and efficiently as possible. I’m hoping the positive outcomes will significantly reduce my current levels of exhaustion that prevent me from engaging in some out-of-work activities, such as blogging and publishing.

### Expanding the mediums

Moving into 2024, I plan to fill the exhaustion-free times by expanding my reading material and mediums. I currently read far more blog posts than I do books. I set out recently to expand the number of personal blogs in my RSS feed. Thanks to the recent [App Defaults](https://www.chamline.net/default-apps/) trend — which now has over [300 bloggers](https://defaults.rknight.me/?ref=chamline.net) on the list — it is helping expose more bloggers, and the number of personal blogs on my RSS feed has quadrupled. Love it.

### Creating more

I was fully aware of the time commitment required to consistently write and publish content regularly to the blog when I decided to launch this site back in April of this year. Rather than setting a publishing timescale, which I may not be able to fulfil all the time, I was comfortable deciding to write and publish as and when I could, regardless of the time elapsed between published entries. I couldn’t end the year however on just 9 blog posts. This blog post marks the tenth entry published since launch, which — for the sake of rounding numbers up — averages out to around one blog post a month.

The plan now is to spend more time writing, polishing drafts and publishing as much as possible. The problem I had wasn’t the actual writing process. I frequently empty my thoughts into the Apple Notes app, with additional snippets as points of reference to make it easier to retain the train of thought to elaborate and expand them into a fully fleshed-out blog post later. Finding the right energy and clarity of mind to sit and formulate my brain-dumps into something coherent has been challenging given my workload over the past three months.

Therefore, I have laid out the following plans to help improve production and publishing content to the blog:

- Establish uninterrupted 30 minutes of writing daily whenever possible
- Schedule time to regularly revisit and edit brain-dump drafts
- Maintain a minimum of once a week posting but only publish when it feels right — no set day of the week to publish

I hope to engage staunchly in this exercise to build a good momentum that will eventually turn into a regular habit. While I'm not aiming for literary perfection, I want to produce clear and purposeful content worthy of both my time and anyone who reads it.

I love reading blogs. The more personal the blog in terms of the writing style and the look & feel, the better. So if you have a blog, join me in making more of an effort in writing and publishing. And if you currently don’t and have been sitting on the fence, now is a perfect time to start.

Happy Blogging!

---

📨

**P.S. If you have a blog, please feel free to* [**reach out*](https://www.chamline.net/about/ "Chamline - About Page") *and let me know. I will check it out, and possibly add it to my RSS Feed provided your blog has one.*
### Default Apps
URL: https://www.chamline.net/default-apps/
Last updated: 2024-07-07T14:45:47.000Z
[The Hemispheric Views podcast episode 097—Duel of the Defaults!](https://listen.hemisphericviews.com/097?ref=chamline.net) — The fun game show-styled episode in which the podcast host judges and awards points to podcast guests based on their chosen default apps spread across carefully selected categories.

[Fans of the show take to their blogs and share the default apps](https://defaults.rknight.me/?ref=chamline.net) they use based on the episode's chosen categories. What I didn't expect to discover was the sheer number of users who use default Apple apps on iOS, iPadOS and Mac.

![Screenshot of a tweet in which I shared a list of third party apps/services I stopped using in favour of Apple default native apps.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e6/51/e651cf54-17b9-4578-bd5c-1392f8f10905/content/images/2024/01/1E0A5802-A135-4E45-8F98-A3DF99580550-1-1.jpeg)

Screenshot of a tweet in which I shared a list of third party apps/services I stopped using in favour of Apple default native apps.

Here are the current default apps I use based on the categories selected by the Hemispheric Views podcast Duel of the Defaults!:

📧 Mail Client: Apple Mail

📮 Mail Server: iCloud

📝 Notes: Apple Notes

☑️ To-Do: Apple Reminders

🤳 iPhone Photo Shooting: iOS Camera

🎞️ Photo Management: Photos on iOS/iPadOS

📅 Calendar: Apple Calendar

☁️ Cloud file storage: iCloud Drive / Files app

📇 Contacts: Contacts

🌐 Browser: Safari on iOS/iPadOS

💬 Chat: iMessage, WhatsApp

📑 Bookmarks: Safari, Apple Notes

📚 Read It Later: Reading List

🛒 Shopping Lists: Apple Reminders (via Mela)

🍱 Meal Planning: [Mela](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/mela-recipe-manager/id1548466041?ref=chamline.net)

🗞️ News: RSS via [Reeder 5](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/reeder-5/id1529445840?ref=chamline.net), Apple News+

🎧 Music: Apple Music

🎙️ Podcasts: Apple Podcast

🔐 Password Management: iCloud Keychain

🏦 Budgeting & Personal Finance: [Expenses](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/expenses-spending-tracker/id1492055171?ref=chamline.net)

🛜 RSS: [Reeder 5](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/reeder-5/id1529445840?ref=chamline.net) with iCloud as the backend.

The categories also included Word Processing, Spreadsheets and Presentation, neither of which I don't currently use, but if I did… .
### The iPhone X
URL: https://www.chamline.net/the-iphone-x/
Last updated: 2024-01-14T00:52:40.000Z
During Apple's Worldwide Developer Conferences, exciting new hardware, software, and services are introduced. While we look forward to playing with the new toys, it is important to note that the keynote birthing new and exciting products can also mark the beginning of the end of life for some of our beloved products. This may be due to an app getting Sherlocked or a device no longer receiving major future software updates.

As usual, Apple provides a list of device compatibility for upcoming software updates on its website. Unfortunately, my iPhone X, which I have owned for a long time, will no longer receive major future software updates.

The buck stops at iOS 16 for the iPhone X!

Sentimentally, I started to feel a little sad that, in a few years, I may have to stop using the iPhone X daily as I anticipate the hardware may not cope well with future advanced software. I have been planning to retire the iPhone X, but I wanted to squeeze one or two more years of use from it.

I have been using my iPhone X as my work phone with no issues for over a year. Earlier today, as I sometimes do during my full weekends off work, I checked for any important missed calls to schedule return calls in the Reminders app for Monday morning. Today, however, the dread I have been having for a long while due to a few cracks on the front screen came to reality.

My iPhone X screen started flickering uncontrollably, jumping from screen to screen as if it were under remote attack. Despite doing a soft reset with the hope it is software related (surprisingly, the screen flickering happens far less now), it seems like an issue here to stay—a screen issue, the LCD in particular. I had to accept the reality that my iPhone X is coming to its ‘premature’ end of life.

The iPhone X is the only iPhone I have ever owned and never got rid of after upgrading to the newer model. It spent a good few years with me before handing it down to my eldest daughter, who used it for a couple of years, then handed it down to her sister, my middle child. And if memory serves me right, my son, the youngest, had a short stint with the iPhone X before finding its way back to me now that they all upgraded to newer models over the past year or so.

The iPhone X returned to me battered, as I fully expected (Kids, huh!). Along with the cracks on the front screen, the cracks on the back of the phone are worse, but nothing a case could not hide. It was perfectly useable. I was happy for it to replace the iPhone SE I used for a work phone.

Because my work phone is limited to making and receiving phone calls and text messages (No data allowance), the use is not heavy. The phone came into play when called upon, and it does so in environments which leave it open to the elements like dirt, dust and water, which is why I have been dreading the day this screen issue arises.

To prevent the issue, it would have been wise to use a screen protector for a longer lifespan when the phone returned to me with the cracks on the screen. I, however, never used a screen protector for more than a month on any of my previous iPhones, so I did not think about using one. And the cracks, well, they are more like hairline cracks, so it did not affect the use of the screen.

I have acknowledged that the problem is due to a hardware failure. However, I am glad it lasted for a considerable period, unlike the Green iPhone 11 Pro Max I gave to my eldest daughter, which encountered a similar screen issue a few years back and is now kept in a drawer.

The iPhone X is the first phone to cycle through my family in perfect working condition - functionality-wise, despite the cosmetic damages. It has earned its sentimental badge. It is time to let it retire, with heartfelt appreciation and respect.

I am now considering either an iPhone 12 or 13 mini for its replacement.
### Practical iOS 17 Features I’m Excited About
URL: https://www.chamline.net/practical-ios-17-features-2/
Last updated: 2024-05-13T07:37:11.000Z
A week has passed since Apple's week-long Worldwide Developer Conference took place in Cupertino. The Keynote on Monday, June 5th, saw new hardware announcements and previews of upcoming new software features. My interest, as always with Apples keynote, is the iOS/iPadOS section.

Here are some of the new and improved features in iOS 17 that caught my attention, based on current and future anticipated practical use of these features:

### Stage Manager on the iPad

I never disliked the current iteration of Stage Manager on the iPad, but I am glad Apple listened to feedback and addressed one of the most requested functionalities; the ability to resize and move windows with more flexibility and freedom. I activated Stage Manager on the iPad after installing the iPadOS beta, and this has been the longest I have had the feature activated. It has opened up a whole new way of multi-window use on my iPad.

### Collaborative Playlists and SharePlay in CarPlay

My daughters and I have a reliance on music in our daily lives. We have similar tastes in genres we listen to and sometimes share music we discover, via iMessage. Collaborative Playlist (Coming later this year) is about to make our lives easier by enabling us to add, reorder or delete songs in a collaborative playlist of our favourite songs.

My eldest, occasionally, likes taking over the music in my car to play some of her playlists, which means having to first disconnect my phone and connect her phone as the primary device to use CarPlay with. SharePlay in CarPlay, which when initiated through Apple CarPlay, will allow passengers to scan a QR code on the car infotainment screen to immediately take control of the music playing from their devices, even without a Music sub.

### Offline Maps and Enhanced Electric vehicle routing in Apple Maps

The introduction of multi-stop destination routing in iOS 16 provided a huge benefit to my daily driving. Now with the added ability to download maps for offline use — Finally — I can spend less time feeling frustrated when in an area with poor cell reception trying to piece together a multi-stop route.

I switched to a Battery Electric Vehicle just under a year ago. Although I conveniently charge my vehicle at home overnight when needed and currently have no reliance on public network charging, I do plan to take a few long trips this summer. The ability to see real-time charging station information by your preferred charging network on your chosen route in Apple Maps is a welcome addition.

I have been using Apple Maps exclusively for more than eight years (before I had an Apple CarPlay-enabled vehicle) and have not looked back since. During this time, I have not had any major Apple Map mishaps that made me consider using anything else. With the improvements to Apple Maps, it will continue to be my default navigation provider.

### Interactive Widgets

The biggest practical uses of interactive widgets on my devices as of writing this has been checking off Reminders tasks, initiating and stopping media playback on Apple Music and Podcast, and accessing controls on the Home app. The convenience it provides, especially on large widgets on the iPad, makes me look forward to seeing how third-party developers will add controllable functionalities to their app widgets.

### Privacy and Accessibility

With new privacy features introduced with major OS releases, Apple's continued stance on user privacy is going from strength to strength. In iOS and iPadOS 17, I particularly like the Link Tracking Protection in Messages, Mail, and Safari private browsing which strips the extra tracking information added to URLs to track users across other websites as you browse.

The new end-to-end encrypted Check-In feature allows users to automatically let family and friends know they’ve reached their destination safely, which helps provide peace of mind for family and friends, and security for the user.

### Multiple Timers

I use timers practically every day at home, especially when cooking. Until now, I relied on using Siri to quickly add multiple reminders to the Reminders app, which means spending time later on clearing completed reminders, which is not a burden but a practice I could do without.

Multiple timers in iOS 17 with Live Activity countdown on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island beats the use of the Reminders app for simple timers.

Every so often you have to celebrate the small wins after waiting years on simple absent missing features that finally make their way on iOS.

**Honourable mention:**

***~~Hey~~* Siri** \- need I say more?

On the surface, based on what [Apple previewed](https://www.apple.com/uk/newsroom/2023/06/apple-previews-new-features-coming-to-apple-services-this-fall/?ref=chamline.net), iOS 17, to some, may not look like a significant update, but there’s [far more to this update](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/05/apple-previews-live-speech-personal-voice-and-more-new-accessibility-features/?ref=chamline.net) than meets the eye. I cannot wait to see how much more improved these new features will get throughout the beta period and beyond.
### Elevating your ‘Tech’ savviness
URL: https://www.chamline.net/elevating-your-tech-savviness/
Last updated: 2024-05-15T02:02:03.000Z
The word 'Tech' is more commonly associated with computing and electronic equipment, but the use of Technology encompasses all facets of our everyday lives. Depending on which area of Technology your interests lie, one may not need to have an academic technological background to find answers in solving technical difficulties and expand your knowledge along the way.

For as long as I have been interested in the world of Technology, I often revisit and explore the definition of one of the names applied to anyone with knowledge and know-how to solve technological conundrums – The **Techie**.

More importantly, what differentiates the ‘Techie’ from those that do not deem themselves a ‘Techie’ or being *Tech-savvy*?

My answer to that question has always been **curiosity** and **willingness**:

Curious enough to stay informed about what is happening in the constantly evolving world of Technology, given the role it plays in our everyday lives.

Willing to spend time seeking answers and solutions to everyday technological hurdles, given the easily accessible vast archive of self-help tools and resources available.

Plenty of engineers who work in the tech field will admit they spend a considerable portion of their time searching for answers to solve problems.

Be like them, be curious, and be willing to find the desire within you to seek the answers by yourself. If you are stuck, reach out, and ask on the open web. Thanks to the generous people who offer help around the web, someone out there will point you in the right direction if they do not have the answer themselves.

Your tech savviness can only be hindered by your lack of curiosity to stay informed about the tools you use and rely on daily. It will benefit you to put the effort into familiarising yourself with all aspects of utilising the everyday tools you rely on, thereby improving and elevating your knowledge.

Be curious, be willing.
### R.I.P. Tina Turner
URL: https://www.chamline.net/tina-turner/
Last updated: 2023-06-16T16:50:41.000Z
[Tina Turner: Music legend dies at 83](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/65669653?ref=chamline.net)

- Hundred million records worldwide, Turner is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time.
- Twelve Grammy Awards, which include eight competitive awards.
- Three Grammy Hall of Fame awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- The first black artist and first woman to be on the cover of Rolling Stone.
- Ranked among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone.
- Turner had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
- Twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with Ike Turner in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021.
- A 2005 recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors and Women of the Year award.

[Source: Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina%5FTurner?ref=chamline.net)
### Mona for Mastodon App icon(s)
URL: https://www.chamline.net/mona-for-mastodon-app-icons-2/
Last updated: 2024-01-13T21:37:45.000Z
Mona for Mastodon (iOS, iPadOS, and macOS) is one of the most versatile and customisable applications to access the Mastodon platform. So customisable, it reminds me of the Apple slogan: “**there’s an app for that**” – there’s virtually a *setting for that* on Mona for Mastodon for a personalised tailor-made experience. I love this app so much that I created a [dedicated account](https://mastodon.online/@chamona?ref=chamline.net) on Mastodon to share some custom themes I made for Mona.

I intended to write an in-depth review ready for the official launch but never finished it on time, so I may rework it as a ‘review/*how I use* Mona’. Meanwhile, you can read some excellent reviews of the app on [MacStories](https://www.macstories.net/reviews/mona-a-unique-mix-of-customization-options-and-features-you-wont-find-in-any-other-mastodon-app/?ref=chamline.net), [Devon Dundee](https://devondundee.com/blog/mona?ref=chamline.net) and a very handy video walkthrough from [A Better Computer](https://youtu.be/UGMAG1IFRvs?ref=chamline.net).

For those that may not be familiar, Mona for Mastodon is a direct port of [Spring for Twitter](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/spring-for-twitter/id1508706541?ref=chamline.net), reworked to serve Mastodon and the ActivityPub. I was on the TestFlight beta throughout its journey under development. I witnessed the incredible work put into making it a fitting experience for Mastodon. I wholeheartedly respect and applaud the talent behind the app, and I don’t have much to criticise.

However, as a long-time user for several years since Spring for Twitter, I noticed a large section of the user-base has always been baffled by the app icon; it is not an app icon that immediately springs (*pun intended*) out to you as a Twitter application given all the existing popular Twitter apps with bird references on the App Store.

The Spring app icon, used during the Mona TestFlight beta, which at the time, I thought was a placeholder, expecting Mona for Mastodon to debut with a unique, more fitting app icon for Mastodon. Alas, this was not to be. The app icon remains one of the most unfitting aspects of Mona, in my opinion.

Mona for Mastodon recently got updated to version 5.2 with the addition of three alternative app icons. I can almost visualise the animated googly cartoon eyes on users' faces when they read that line on the App Store update notes. I now dread to think about the possible expletives some may have uttered when they realised what the ‘alternative’ app icons were!

In what I can only personally describe as bizarre, the alternative app icons offered on Mona are the same app icons used for the developers’ other active apps on the App Store: [Aurora Reader](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/aurora-reader/id1268667713?ref=chamline.net) and [LightScreen](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/lightscreen/id961945908?ref=chamline.net). I do not recall ever seeing such a move adopted by a developer, at least not between any of the applications I have used from the same developer.

![iPhone screenshots of Mona for Mastodon App icons](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e6/51/e651cf54-17b9-4578-bd5c-1392f8f10905/content/images/2023/05/IMG_2777.jpeg)

Highlighted on the right iPhone frame image is the new 'alternative' app icons for Mona

I understand and respect the [developer likes and prefers the existing icons](https://mastodon.social/@MonaApp/110418566913764193?ref=chamline.net) and wishes to keep them. I get that, completely valid, and he is within his right. It wouldn't have hurt to look after your loyal customer base who adoringly evangelises your app. Offer them an entirely different, much better representation for a Mastodon app icon(s) as an additional extra to the already existing ‘Spring’ app icons. As the saying goes: *kill two birds with one stone*; you get to keep the existing Spring icon set you to want to represent the app, the user-base gets to have decent alternatives they prefer to see on their Home Screens.

Offering an icon set already used on your other active apps on the App Store is not the best approach to appease your users' requests for alternative app icons.

Now, you might think, what is the big deal? *It’s just an app icon*.

To which I reply:

**To help users understand what function your app serves, it needs to communicate the essence of the service through the icon of the app.**

I love this app. I will keep using it alongside other Mastodon apps in my library, whilst I continue to long for a Mona app icon that will evoke [such feelings](https://mastodon.social/@habibcham/110317104871923351?ref=chamline.net).
### Social Media separation anxiety and adoption
URL: https://www.chamline.net/social-media-separation-anxiety-and-adoption/
Last updated: 2024-03-23T10:32:33.000Z
Having witnessed the rise and fall of social networks in the past, I am observing with a keen vested interest the shift currently happening to social media platforms.

The reason behind this current shift, to a large degree, is incomparably different: The Twitter steward [making degrading changes](https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/12/elon-musks-twitter-everything-you-need-to-know-from-layoffs-to-verification/?ref=chamline.net) affecting many demographics that use Twitter as a connection and communication tool continues to be one of the driving forces for users seeking alternative platforms. Many prominent establishments, high-profile individuals along with ‘average consumers’, unhinged from the Twitter platform, no longer fear leaving now that there are multiple viable options to migrate to.

While all these transitions are happening, the user adoption and allegiance to one platform over the other play a key factor in distinguishing the two sets of users. There is a strong sense of tribalism and gatekeeping happening within the platforms, with the same mindset extended and directed towards competing platforms.

Instead of unifying and establishing a stronghold on these new platforms, a section of the user base spends more time being defensive of their platform medium choice by being bitchy and hostile towards each other and the competing platforms.

The fight shouldn’t be among ourselves, but energetically, with conviction directed towards the platforms to transparently address the political, racial, sexual and transphobic issues to protect its users at all cost.

The user, after all, is undeniably the most critical aspect of any platform. A platform's foundation and features are ultimately meaningless without the user's presence and engagement.

As we go through separation anxiety (Thanks, Twitter), we should all seek a place we feel welcomed, respected, valued, protected and safe.

### Different yet familiar, or familiar yet different?

It is interesting to observe the different user requirements; some want a direct Twitter clone without Elon at the helm – Bluesky. Others prefer a complete separation from the algorithm-base Twitter experience – Mastodon.

The two platforms share a commonality in spearheading the rapid adoption of migrating users who fled Twitter, which continues to drive the nail deeper into Twitter's coffin.

Decentralisation is the other shared commonality.

Although, in the case of Bluesky (as of writing this), it is currently in an invite-only beta testing stage. The [AT Protocol](https://blueskyweb.xyz/blog/10-18-2022-the-at-protocol?ref=chamline.net) is being built to allow new network/app registrations to be a fully decentralised, and hopefully, a federated system. Whether Bluesky remains the de-facto network for the Bluesky company on the AT Protocol once it opens up for network registrations remains to be seen.

Even though one of the many platforms springing to life right now will be an eventual ‘*winner*’ in attracting mass adoption and user engagement, the amount of scepticism directed at their survival chances is astonishing, to say the least. It is almost as if numerous people want to see failure.

As I alluded to in my [farewell post to Twitter](https://www.chamline.net/so-long-twitter-thanks-for-the-140-chars/), growing networks will face challenges: Mastodon and Bluesky facing their fair share of [criticisms](https://fiatjaf.com/ab1127fb.html?ref=chamline.net) and [doomsayers](https://justingarrison.com/blog/2023-04-24-mastodon-is-doomed/?ref=chamline.net), as expected.

No platform is perfect. Each will have its limitations and challenges to address.

### What do I currently think?

I have been on Mastodon for more than six months and Bluesky for a little over a month. I genuinely like both networks and have no ill wish to see either fail or become obscure.

My focus and interest lie in observing and learning about the stages of building these networks from conceptualising, designing, deploying, harnessing and maintaining growth.

Heading into the new world of social media decentralisation, I have no interest in making predictions neither for relevance nor notoriety about the future of these platforms – I could not give a damn about ‘*I was right*’.

Whatever is written in the stars for the respective networks, I hope the fortunes are good – because we all win when there are multiple successful social media platforms on the open web to suit the needs of the many.
### So long, Twitter. Thanks for the 140 Chars!
URL: https://www.chamline.net/so-long-twitter-thanks-for-the-140-chars-2/
Last updated: 2024-01-14T00:50:40.000Z
I joined Twitter in late 2008 under an alias to test the waters. I needed to get a better feel of the place first, understand its demographic and how accepting the platform was towards newcomers before deciding to use it as my new online social platform. If you have spent time on the networks that preceded Twitter, you will understand why I joined a new network using an alias – new online networks can sometimes have a serious ‘***get off my lawn vibe***’. And for anyone too young reading this that may not know which Pre-Twitter networks I speak of, I am talking about networks like Orkut, Friendster, Bebo, MySpace, Facebook etc. Back then, these networks did not have the same level of moderation tools present in social networking platforms today.

In April 2011, I created a new account on Twitter using my first and last names (@habibcham). I got to know Twitter confidently well and felt settled. I learned how to navigate through the town square without bumping heads. Furthermore, I created a safe space and crafted a tailor-made experience that sheltered me from unwanted stress and discomfort. The experience was pleasant and promising as the network went through its early growth stages. All that helped make my decision Twitter will be my new home online. Twitter became such an integral part of my daily life that I was sending SMS texts 140 Chars at a time (Look it up, kids) as if I were tweeting.

Life without Twitter was almost unthinkable. It became woven as part of the fabric of my daily life. I went on to spend over a decade using the service with the same Twitter handle. During this period, I primarily concentrated on the social aspect of the platform, building and nurturing online friendships as the years passed. I experienced so many meaningful interactions and conversations. Let me tell you, kids, it took skills to whittle down and condense your thoughts into 140 Char replies, making conversations meaningful and straight to the point.

As the platform grew and started stating a claim as the de facto network to be on, it faced challenges; racial, religious, sexual, political and socio-economic issues that shaped the platform and how it was utilised. Hell, let's even throw the rise of the social media clout-chasing influencer into the mix, all of which continued to dictate the direction the platform headed. Coupled with newly introduced algorithms that smothered average users like myself as if we do not exist, which gave rise and exposure to shit-posters, thus the new meme-posting generation dawned.

This started souring the simplicity of using Twitter as it was in the beginning when users tweeted about the most mundane events happening in their daily lives that, regardless, encouraged genuine engagement and chatter. Clout chasing and the need to establish relevancy on the platform destroyed the simplicity of using Twitter to a certain degree.

As a result, I started losing the energy and joy of having Twitter as a part of my daily online social presence. I faithfully accepted the reality and slowly started to wean off Twitter. Frankly, I would have left the platform if it were not for the carefully curated list of people I followed and mutually built solid online relationships. The other reason is not wanting to lose my Twitter handle that I spent years cultivating into a friendly and trustworthy name representing the human behind it. So, I continued making odd appearances, checking out my timeline to keep up with those friends and occasionally replying to their tweets. I wasn’t composing and posting tweets frequently.

When news started to surface about Elon Musk’s interest in acquiring Twitter, I thought little of it. I didn’t spend any meaningful time thinking about what Twitter under a different stewardship could mean, simply because I spent the previous 2–3 years not as active on the platform as I had in the past. Fast-forward to Elon taking over, bringing along the disruption, and obliteration of all the hard work put into the platform to address the challenges Twitter faced as a growing, evolving social networking platform. It made it impossible to continue using Twitter under his stewardship, thus leading to the mass user exodus.

In December 2022, I decided to stop having any form of participation on Elons Twitter. I, however, did not close my Twitter account straight away. I cleaned up my tweets, locked my profile and left it dormant. As much as I lacked the desire to use Twitter with enthusiasm and excitement, I clutched onto the hope someone out there saves Twitter. Meanwhile, I needed to test the waters on the new platform that Twitter users I engaged with who left were migrating to – Mastodon. Thanks to experience and wisdom, I did not need much time to figure out the new network, lay down the protective boundaries on which I established and build new relations.

Six months in, there is no sign of any hope Twitter will be anything like it was Pre-Elon under his leadership. All the while, my usage of Mastodon has taken me back to the early days of Twitter, where everyone gathered in the town square, engaging with each other without an ounce of *'I am more relevant than you'*. I am certain this is happening on the platform. My no-nonsense tailor-made setup and approach to people I follow and interact with allow me the comfort of following people who, thankfully, don't exude such behaviour.

I now feel at home on[ Mastodon](https://mastodon.social/@habibcham?ref=chamline.net) and the Fediverse and will do all I can to continue enjoying this sanitised experience right now. I am not naive to believe Mastodon and the Fediverse will never face challenges that could rock the very core on which the platform's mission stands today. Whatever that may be. Platforms as they grow will eventually face such challenges that disrupt the experience. I, at this point, have been refraining from developing any form of emotional attachment to the platform as I settle in. I can, however, say that joining the Fediverse has reignited my desire and enthusiasm to be active on a social platform.

Thus, today, May 1, 2023, 12 years later, I have deactivated my Twitter account for good. I do this without sadness or disappointment because I have been devoid of emotional attachment to Twitter for several years.

Onwards and forward to a post-Twitter future and all the goodness it may bring.
### Introducing Chamline!
URL: https://www.chamline.net/introducing-chamline/
Last updated: 2024-03-20T20:14:59.000Z
Chamline is an independent publication created by [Habib](https://mastodon.social/@habibcham?ref=chamline.net), my virtual repository where I will be writing and sharing my thoughts, perspective and views on varying subjects I deem share-worthy, occasionally in the form of curation and commentary - where necessary - on diverse content selection of topics I find informative, intriguing, captivating, educational, inspirational or super cool.

The aim as of writing this inaugural post is clear to me. However, Chamline will be an evolving blog shaped and guided predominantly by circumstantial changes and shift to my online presence, interests and any other unforeseen future developments. 

I have witnessed and seen a handful of blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels launched with a mission statement that ended up going off-tangent to what their intentions and aim were, hence why I stressed in this introductory post that Chamline is an evolving site. How's that for a disclaimer? I wanted that flexibility, the ability to shift along with cultural changes, and have that reflected on the site through the blog post entries I publish.

In this new world of social media platform disruption, it is apparent that having your own space online is essential. Chamline will be my catch-all blog of current and future interests developed as we peruse this new world - A timeline of sorts. Get it?

I hope we can embark on this journey together and uncover fascinating things.

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