Where are Podcast Listener Communities
Posted on Fri, Sep 13, 2024
(Last modified on Sat, Sep 14, 2024)
| Alan Pope
Parasocial chat On Linux Matters we have a friendly and active, public Telegram channel linked on our Contact page, along with a Discord Channel. We also have links to Mastodon, Twitter (not that we use it that much) and email.
At the time of writing there are roughly this ⬇️ number of people (plus bots, sockpuppets and duplicates) in or following each Linux Matters “official” presence:
Channel Number Telegram 796 Discord 683 Mastodon 858 Twitter 9919 Preponderance of chat We chose to have a presence in lots of places, but primarily the talent presenters (Martin, Mark, and myself (and Joe)) only really hang out to chat on Telegram and Mastodon.
[Read More]Virtual Zane Lowe for Spotify
Posted on Fri, Aug 30, 2024
| Alan Pope
tl;dr I bodged together a Python script using Spotipy (not a typo) to feed me #NewMusicDaily in a Spotify playlist.
No AI/ML, all automated, “fresh” tunes every day. Tunes that I enjoy get preserved in a Keepers playlist; those I don’t like to get relegated to the Sleepers playlist.
Any tracks older than eleven days are deleted from the main playlist, so I automatically get a constant flow of new stuff.
[Read More]Multi-presenter podcast transcription
Posted on Mon, Oct 2, 2023
(Last modified on Tue, Oct 3, 2023)
| Alan Pope
For the last six months, I’ve been a presenter on Linux Matters. Prior to that, I spent thirteen years presenting the now-defunct Ubuntu Podcast. Both shows have/had multiple presenters,
We record every other week, and send our individual audio files to Joe. He does all the magic post-recording production including editing, audio processing and mastering. That file is then uploaded and eventually makes its way into the Patreon “all episodes” ad-free feed, then to our feed a day or so later.
[Read More]My 2023 podcast listening list
Posted on Mon, Sep 11, 2023
| Alan Pope
Podcast consumption At the start of 2021, I wrote up my 2021 podcast listening list. In it, I categorised podcasts I listen to broadly as ‘Must listen’, ‘Regular listens’ and ‘Once in a while’.
Back then I was using PocketCasts on Android. The full list of subscriptions can be found here.
Android ➡️ iOS In June 2022, I switched from Android to iOS as I moved from OnePlus 5 to iPhone 13 Mini as my primary device.
[Read More]Only good vibes
Posted on Wed, Aug 23, 2023
(Last modified on Mon, Aug 28, 2023)
| Alan Pope
Just a few thoughts about the origin of Linux Matters podcast.
Prior art Over the thirteen years of the Ubuntu Podcast the presenter lineup, format, duration and frequency changed here and there. In the early days, we would record a segment, have a cup of tea, and then record another one. It was a long and laborious process that took up most of a Sunday afternoon. After a little while we tweaked things and settled into our stride.
[Read More]Why I use Ubuntu
Posted on Sun, Aug 13, 2023
(Last modified on Mon, Aug 28, 2023)
| Alan Pope
It’s Sunday afternoon, and I’m cooking the family dinner, so I’m also listening to a podcast. I just listened to the latest episode of Linux Downtime. In it, Amolith, Gary and Joe discuss why they use the Linux distributions they do. While the food cooks, I thought I’d take 20 minutes to bang out a blog post mulling why I (still) use Ubuntu.
However, this turned more into a bit of a trip down memory lane and certainly didn’t get banged out in 20 mins.
[Read More]Adrift
Posted on Mon, Jun 14, 2021
| Alan Pope
Over the weekend I participated in FOSS Talk Live. Before The Event this would have been an in-person shindig at a pub in London. A bunch of (mostly) UK-based podcasters get together and record live versions of their shows in front of a “studio audience”. It’s mostly an opportunity for a bunch of us middle-aged farts who speak into microphones to get together, have a few beers and chat.
Due to The Event, this year it was a virtual affair, done online via YouTube.
[Read More]The Old Desktop Switcheroo
Posted on Fri, Mar 12, 2021
| Alan Pope
In August 2019, I tweeted about how I’d been running KDE Neon for eighteen months, since February 2018, and how I was switching back to GNOME Shell on my primary laptop. In that thread I also suggested I might switch back!
Today I've in-place upgraded from that 18.04 KDE Neon install to @ubuntu 19.04 with @gnome. I still love KDE of course, and will likely switch back at some point, or may install it on another machine - maybe my Thinkpad X220.
[Read More]Back In The Studio
Posted on Thu, Mar 11, 2021
| Alan Pope
Last month I mentioned that myself, Mark and Martin have decided to come back for Season 14 of the Ubuntu Podcast. Well, we’re back today with S14E01, titled “Navy Chefs Remit”.
Over the thirteen years, the episode titles have had a theme in each season. We don’t reveal the theme, but let our listeners figure that out, for fun. Sometimes it has a bearing on the content of the episode, but often not.
[Read More]Ubuntu Voltage
Posted on Wed, Mar 3, 2021
| Alan Pope
For a few years we’ve been performing a live version of an Ubuntu Podcast at FOSS Talk Live. This is a lively, nerdy, in-person Linux Podcast event at the Harrison Pub in London. A few shows are performed in front of a live slightly drunk studio pub audience. We are but one troup of performers though, over the course of the evening.
The whole thing is organised by Joe Ressington and attended by our friends and/or/xor listeners.
[Read More]Season Fourteen
Posted on Fri, Feb 19, 2021
| Alan Pope
Nearly thirteen years ago, on 11th March 2008, a few members of the Ubuntu UK Local Community Team released S01E01 of the Ubuntu UK Podcast. Ciemon Dunville, Dave Walker, Tony Whitmore and I had recorded it on the previous Saturday in my cramped, messy home office.
In the following seven years we recorded 187 episodes as “Ubuntu UK Podcast” - affectionately known as “uupc”. A re-brand in season eight to just “Ubuntu Podcast” led to another six years comprising another 251 episodes.
[Read More]My Podcast Listening List
Posted on Wed, Feb 10, 2021
(Last modified on Mon, Sep 11, 2023)
| Alan Pope
My podcast listening tastes have changed quite a bit over the years. I first got into listening to podcasts in the early 2000’s, on the commute to the office - remember them? I initially started listening on my iRiver iHP-140 then moved on to using a Nokia N82. Both fantastic devices for their time.
I used to use hpodder to download episodes and then squirt them down a cable to the device.
[Read More]Late Night Linux Extra: 14 - Transcription
Posted on Sun, Jan 31, 2021
| Alan Pope
I was recently interviewed by Joe Ressington for Late Night Linux Extra episode 14. Here’s a transcription I typed up, which may be useful. I used an automated tool to create the transcription, then tidied it up myself. If you spot anything which doesn’t match the audio, and is materially important, do feel free to propose an edit on GitHub (link at the top of the page).
Joe: This episode is about snaps, quite the controversial topic in some circles, and who better to talk about it than Alan Pope - “popey” as he’s affectionately known by almost everyone.
[Read More]