Assorted links - January 2026
Some link titles have been slightly modified for style.
Entertainment
Bandcamp announces ban on AI music
(Update for February 25, 2026: Linked the archive to the Wayback Machine instead of Archive.today due to the latter's problematic actions.)
Now, I feel like supporting more human-made music there. (There is an archived version available in case Pitchfork decides to put its articles behind the paywall.)
Endurance: Streaming for the Long Term
Almantas shares some best practices for livestreaming, especially for independent VTubers (or anyone with a virtual avatar on the Internet world).
Enjoying media and fandom
I somehow agree with Ava when it comes to this topic. Although I try my best to contribute to my fandoms (ideally through digital art), I would often lurk around them and consume my favorite media on my own time.
Tedium: They Were Robbed
Ernie Smith explains the history of Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts.
The horrible economics of digital entertainment
Cameron (from Caffeine and Lasers) analyzes the economic problems in digital goods, especially those made by the creatives.
What music ownership means to me
Streaming services do not guarantee ownership to your music collection, as fLaMEd fury shared in his article.
xkcd: Anyone Else Here
Why is that one YouTube comment so common in music videos? That alone makes me want to switch into YouTube Music (or a privacy-friendly alternative) or a local music player instead.
Indie web and online life
A website to end all websites.
When mainstream social media is bad enough, just leave those realms and make a personal website instead. Thanks to Henry for this aesthetically pleasing and highly insightful article!
After BowieNet, David Bowie goes dark and shuns social media
Kudos to Blackstar for avoiding that modernized mess! (Also, thanks to Cybercultural for this write-up!)
Everyone hates OneDrive, Microsoft's cloud app that steals then deletes all your files
That is why I uninstalled OneDrive on my work laptop. I guess that local storage is a better option than the cloud for storing my personal and work-related files.
How fanfiction is literary resistance
While I have never written any fanfiction, I love what Sightless Scribbles say about it:
[...] Come play in the sandbox where the money doesn't matter. It's the best writing class you'll ever take, and the tuition is zero. Just bring your own shovel.
Oops! All Microslop: Or, trying to write with Microsoft
The old-school Microsoft Office (and its FOSS alternatives) is much better than its modern yet sloppy incarnation. No Copilot nonsense needed.
Organic Software
I like reading Alex's shop analogies for software.
Palmpilot things
Giles shared some app and accessory suggestions for the Palm Pilot, as well as his experiences with the device's broken screen. He found a topical story (which was taken from an old digital magazine article) that resonates with the modern era of technology.
Seven days offline and I've grown a soul
Sometimes, leaving the online realms temporarily can be helpful for improving one's mental health. Just spend some free time with other activities (like learning geography or going outdoors as Cyclone Girl shared).
The enshittification of everything
Online Goddess observes how everything (especially technology and shopping) has become less friendly and enjoyable to consumers.
The 'save for later' paradox: Why we hoard digital content we never need
Philipp questions about the digital reading list. He shares four tips to break the cycle of hoarding stuff around the Internet world.
The Twitter-Bluesky dilemma, updated.
Being an artist on social media is complicated, especially on the ex-bird and butterfly sites. That is why I prefer sharing my works on the alternative realms (and put up an art portfolio on my website instead).
Why RSS matters
Like what Ben Werdmuller said about RSS:
It's the plumbing of the web: essential, reliable, and routinely underestimated.
Why there's no European Google? (EN) / Pourquoi n'y a-t-il pas de Google européen ? (FR)
Ploum shares some well-known technological inventions from Europe (like the World Wide Web, Linux, Mastodon, and VLC Media Player).
Your laptop has more than three years in it
Haru on the Internet recommends making use of old tech as much as possible. (Thank goodness, I still use my ASUS ROG and Toshiba Satellite laptops for daily use!)
Slices of life
Letter writing enjoys a revival as fans seek connection and a break from screen time
A nice discovery through someone's boosted post in the Fediverse. Although I am interested in having pen pals, I barely have enough time and money to send handwritten letters to them. So, I just resort to [junk] journaling instead.
The Desert Sky
OceanMew writes about their adventures across the desert landscapes and small towns of Nevada.
The metro commute is a dream killer
Unfortunately, that is a grim reality for provincial commuters who are working in Metro Manila. Even Michael is disappointed with the wasted time that could have been spent for creative stuff.
PS: I decided to change my favicon here on Bear Blog due to current world events. (Also, the diamond with a dot feels more in line with my virtual persona than the ice cube emoji.)