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TIC TEK TOE

TIC TEK TOE

By Marcel Gagne & Evan Leibovitch

Marcel Gagne and Evan Leibovitch riff on Linux, Open Source, computers, technology, privacy, the digital economy, movies, video games, the Internet, security, breakfast cereal, and anything else related to the modern, open world.
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Rhinos, Telecom, Four Freedoms, and Being Offended

TIC TEK TOEOct 15, 2019

00:00
56:30
Genius In. Genius Out. aka Episode 032
Apr 30, 202301:03:05
Mind The Guardrails, Folks!

Mind The Guardrails, Folks!

This is episode 031 or your beloved TIC TEK TOE podcast. Marcel and Evan decide to, at the very least, attempt to take TIC TEK TOE direct to YouTube. While here, they discuss the new tech being used to record, namely Wave.Video, along with virtual reality games (Marcel got himself a PSVR2 headset for his PS5 game console), ChatGPT, artificial intelligence, guardrails, blogging, and attempts to fix the news.

LINKS

Just a Free Thinker at Large (Marcel's new blog): https://freethinkeratlarge.com
You.com, alternative chat-enabled search engine: https://you.com
Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey (horror trailer) - https://youtu.be/W3E74j_xFtg


Mar 02, 202301:14:29
Don't Know Much About AI Art, But I Know What I Like!

Don't Know Much About AI Art, But I Know What I Like!

This is TIC TEK TOE, episode 030. Marcel and Evan dissect the topic of art created by Artificial Intelligence using tools like Dall-E, Midjourney, and Marcel's current favorite, Stable Diffusion, and try to see if this is the beginning of the end of the world. Most specifically, the world of art, for artists.  What does the word, "the", mean to an AI? Also, the boys compare notes on what they did during their summer, discuss music and musical covers, and argue vehemently over whether "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey is, in fact, a good song. 

Sep 27, 202257:02
The Obsolescence Episode

The Obsolescence Episode

This is TIC TEK TOE, episode 029. Marcel and Evan riff, again, on the subject of virtual worlds, wherein Marcel gets ordained as a priest in an imaginary church, gets an honorary doctorate at an imaginary university (you can call him Dr. Marcel, if you like), and obtains dual citizenship from an imaginary country. Between the two of them, they discuss what any of this means in a world that is becoming increasingly virtual. Evan, meanwhile, tries out his new microphone and complains bitterly about tech hardware obsolescence. Who can blame him?


Apr 28, 202201:04:45
The Metaverse Is Boring!

The Metaverse Is Boring!

This is "TIC TEK TOE" episode 028 and one for which I (Marcel) must apologize up front. I decided to wear my gaming headset and just assumed that it would be just fine for the podcast. Instead, it's noise cancelling microphone cancelled far more than it should have and my audio sounds clipped and occasionally vanishes into the pits of wherever audio goes. Evan, on the other hand sounds just fine.

Apr 01, 202201:05:49
Living Dangerously and Taking Public Transit

Living Dangerously and Taking Public Transit

This is episode 027 of TIC TEK TOE, your light-hearted look at whatever comes into your hosts' heads. In today's episode, Evan and Marcel discuss slowly getting back out into the (hopefully increasingly) post pandemic world and what it feels like to travel right now. Evan heads east into Quebec and Marcel heads into Niagara Falls for an overnight stay. They discuss wine, feel-good television as a pandemic salve, fear, Jon Stewart's new show, fear, Ted Lasso and sportsball shows, fear, autism in movies and television, fear, aphantasia, a condition whereby a person has no 'inner eye' to visualize, fear, and what we did during the summer break (SPOILER: Marcel started making games in Unity). 

Fear not, and enjoy!

Oct 13, 202101:01:39
Che Guevara Posters and the Freedom to Be a Schmuck

Che Guevara Posters and the Freedom to Be a Schmuck

This is TIC TEK TOE, episode 26! Marcel and Evan discuss why neither owns a Che Guevara poster, hard to find centrists, progressophobia, why you really should not feed the trolls, platforming and deplatforming, empathy, moral panics, the future of work, the coming collaps of the commercial real estate market, Zoom, real live people, embracing avatars, Yoda (not baby Yoda), and dark circles. In short, the boys cover a lot of ground and, as usual, have trouble staying on topic. Heck, I can't even remember what the topic was. Enjoy!


Jul 05, 202155:13
Amazon Deliveries on Mars!

Amazon Deliveries on Mars!

This is TIC TEK TOE, episode 25! Woo Hoo!  Marcel and Evan discuss the ethics of killing NPCs in video games, simulation theory wars, and why an otherwise respectable university would sabotage its standing in the Linux community. That last bit is juxtaposed with Evan making a blasphemous presentation at the Toronto Linux User Group, GTALUG. The boys also cover running graphical Linux apps in Windows, old style book printing and publishing, turtles, dwarves, giants, and tardigrades. Today's episode features the quintessential Canadian story, and yes, it involves a beaver. Or two. Now that we have drones on Mars, can Amazon deliveries on the Red Planet be far behind? 

May 07, 202152:28
Cheesy NFT Graphics

Cheesy NFT Graphics

This is TIC TEK TOE, episode 024, the episode they said we would never do. Marcel and Evan discuss cheese, because . . . well . . . CHEESE! The boys discuss their favourite types, chat about declining attendance in US churches and synagogues and whether Trump has anything to do with it. Because NFTs are a thing now, Marcel and Evan find ways to make fun of them, while decrying the insane price of graphics cards (assuming you can even get them), and whether this whole crypto thing just needs to go away. Then, there's that thing about RMS returning to the FSF which brings up the question of whether the FSF is even still relevant. The boys also discuss the man who should have been the 46th President of the US but will probably become mayor of the city that never sleeps, Andrew Yang. 


Remember to tell others about the show. Like, share, subscribe, comment, and all that stuff!

Apr 11, 202101:04:54
The Evil Episode . . . Eeeeeevil!!

The Evil Episode . . . Eeeeeevil!!

This is episode 023 of TIC TEK TOE, and we're calling this one "The Evil Episode" because it's all about evil, specifically who is evil, who isn't, and just what constitutes evil these days. Once upon a time, especially to those in the Free and Open Source Software (aka FOSS) world, it was Microsoft. These days, however, there's Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon (aka GAFA) fighting it out for the crown of ultimate evil. And Microsoft? They're starting to look like one of the good guys. The boys also discuss the banning and/or cancelling of Dr. Seuss, the de-sexing of Mr and Mrs Potato head, the Mars lander and what wind sounds like on Mars. Oh, and Marcel used the wrong microphone source in recording so his audio is kind of subpar. 


Mar 17, 202101:01:08
Embrace The Cringe
Feb 01, 202152:49
The Back End of 2020 and Exploding Rockets

The Back End of 2020 and Exploding Rockets

In this final episode of 2020, number 21, Marcel and Evan ask what the big deal is with one day changes of date while really wanting to see the back end of this particular year. They then meander down the path of picking up new skills, video games, ad blockers, virtual reality (again), exploding rocket ships, and why Elon Musk is the perfect Bond Villain. 

Dec 22, 202052:43
Magic TV Unicorns

Magic TV Unicorns

This is TIC TEK TOE, episode 020.  Today, Marcel and Evan discuss why televisions are so cheap, even those huge things that you struggle to find space for on your wall, the awesome comedy, "Superstore", a wrap for season 2 of "The BOYS", Google's cloud gaming platform, Stadia, the cost of modern video games, where concerts have gone during the pandemic, the quest for an open Metaverse, and whether it's okay to kill virtual beings, even if they are zombies and other versions of the undead. 

Dec 07, 202048:44
No More Travel For You, but Have Some Cheese!
Oct 16, 202055:35
Spying Devices in My House and Internet ID Cards

Spying Devices in My House and Internet ID Cards

This is TIC TEK TOE, episode 018, where Marcel and Evan discuss whether anyone is real but you, dear listener, are presumably and hopefully really who you are. In today's show, Marcel and Evan discover that there musical tastes may not be entirely discerning, Evan foists some really bizarre music on Marcel as Marcel backs away slowly, Marcel suggests that perhaps we need a kind of Internet ID card, Evan expresses his distrust for "in home listening devices", and the pair discuss artificial and virtual beings. 


Oct 02, 202053:59
An Open Source Canadian in Microsoft's World

An Open Source Canadian in Microsoft's World

This is TIC TEK TOE episode 017.  In today's show, Marcel drags Evan into the rabbit hole he's been exploring for the last couple of weeks. After fighting to get his Roblox on under Windows, not to mention Unity 3D development work for world development on the Oculus Quest, Marcel decides to stop fighting and give in to the dark side, setting up a Windows machine and plugging his nose. All is not lost however, as Marcel tries to make his Windows system look and behave more like a Linux system. Is this the end of the world? Will lightning strike our heroes? Has Hell frozen over? Listen and find out.

Sep 10, 202046:24
Talk To My Avatar
Aug 07, 202048:26
Living On in VR and YouTube Death Matches
Jun 18, 202001:03:41
Reduced to the Level of YouTuber Unboxing Videos
May 11, 202052:30
Fear is the Mindkiller, and Battery-Operated Bidets

Fear is the Mindkiller, and Battery-Operated Bidets

This is TIC TEK TOE, episode 013, from deep inside the heart of self-isolation. In this episode, Marcel and Evan discuss the strange world we all find ourselves living in, the climate of fear, the hazards of grocery shopping, Zoom going zoom and its security concerns, virtual reality headsets, virtual reality social environments, toilet paper, bidets, and why it's not so different for some people out there. 

Links From The Show

Litany against fear, from DUNE, by Frank Herbert

     I must not fear.
    Fear is the mind-killer.
    Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
    I will face my fear.
    I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
    And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
    Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
    Only I will remain.

"So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Bill Maher, recording in his backyard, with laugh track and old recording of a "studio audience"

Klaatu, Everybody Took A Holiday

Jitsi, an open source messaging and video-conferencing client

ALtspaceVR vs VRChat VS Rec Room vs NEOS vs Hubs by Mozilla

Facebook Oculus commercial offering (Oculus For Business), including price and terms of use. 

Creating VR Worlds and Teaching Class with Mozilla Hubs, by Marcel Gagné on YouTube

The Washlet

Apr 08, 202056:27
TIC TEK TOE Slips Into Virtual Reality
Mar 23, 202017:27
Not that virus, Restaurants, Stupid Government Oversight, Star Trek, Picard, Bad Science, and Alcohol Consumption

Not that virus, Restaurants, Stupid Government Oversight, Star Trek, Picard, Bad Science, and Alcohol Consumption

TIK TEK TOE, Episode 011. In this episode, Evan finally returns from a bout with a virus, but not that Virus, even though three weeks before, he was in China, in that part of China. We also talk about how to track said virus, restaurant ambiance, stupid government laws regarding privacy and copyright, social media alternatives, the new Star Trek series, "Picard," being guilty until proven innocent, wrestling, bad science, and alcohol consumption. 

Once you're done listening, or right now for that matter, please (pretty please, even) make sure you share this podcast with your friends, family, neighbours, enemies . . . just share and recommend. Also, if you can spare a few extra keystrokes, be sure to leave us a comment and tell us how we're doing.

Links for today's show


Feb 14, 202001:00:24
Fast Food, Stolen Cars, Ricky Gervais, Embarrassment, Monsters, Reboot, and Questionable History
Jan 09, 202029:40
Happy New Year maybe, VR games, Jumanji, RISCV, The Witcher, the Overnet, and the Future!
Dec 31, 201954:15
Dora, Ms. Frizzle, the Phillipines, Hardware, and Chimeras

Dora, Ms. Frizzle, the Phillipines, Hardware, and Chimeras

Dec 13, 201948:11
December 4, 2019

December 4, 2019

Dec 04, 201900:60
Pikachu, FOSS Decade, .ORG vs Girl Scouts, Drake, and Perineum Sunning
Dec 02, 201945:43
Energy Drinks, Teen Titans GO!, Bad Superheroes, and Don Cherry
Nov 16, 201937:05
Canadian Election Postmortem, UNIX at 50, Superheroes
Oct 30, 201942:08
Rhinos, Telecom, Four Freedoms, and Being Offended

Rhinos, Telecom, Four Freedoms, and Being Offended

TIK TEK TOE, episode 004. Today, Marcel and Evan vote early, but not often, talk strange politics, whine about telecom charges, consider open Internet, discuss the Four Freedoms, software licenses, DUNE, George Carlin, and Dave Chapelle. 

And once you're done, make sure you share this podcast with your friends, family, neighbours, enemies . . . just share and recommend. 

Links From the Show

Canada's Rhino Party
https://www.partyrhino.ca/en/

Aaron Swartz
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Swartz

Starlink satellite system by SpaceX
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink_(satellite_constellation)

Open Internet

Intelligent City Awards

Whatever happened to free city wifi?
https://www.thestar.com/business/tech_news/2016/04/17/what-became-of-torontos-push-for-free-public-wi-fi.html

God Emperor of Dune
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Emperor_of_Dune

Can an Open Source Programmer decide how their software is used?
https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/23/programmer-who-took-down-open-source-pieces-over-chef-ice-contract-responds/

The "Hippocratic" License
https://www.wired.com/story/open-source-license-requires-users-do-no-harm/

The Four Freedoms (of Free Software)

A program is “free software” if the program’s users have the four essential freedoms:

1: The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose.

2: The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

3: The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor.

4: The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others. By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

If software is licensed in a way that does not provide these 4 freedoms, then it is categorized as nonfree or proprietary.

https://openedreader.org/chapter/stallmans-four-freedom/

Who wrote OpenSSL?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenSSL

Dave Chapelle, "Sticks and Stones"
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10810424/

George Carlin, People who should be killed.
https://youtu.be/tVlkxrNlp10

The Mikado
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163101/

Oct 15, 201956:30
VR Fitness, Distrowatch, and Forget Me (not)
Oct 01, 201948:24
Stallman Resigns, Huawei does Linux, Deepin
Sep 23, 201924:26
Hell Freezes Over, Linux Journal Goodbye, lilocked
Sep 12, 201939:39