Weeknotes 24:26

Posted 6 days ago

Week of December 8–14

AI is not the solution to accessibility

I read a very interesting article by Ashlee M Boye about a11y.ai. Ashlee shares her outrage about a generative AI tool that is trying to represent disabled people and their perspectives. She addresses several statements made on the tool’s site and why she disagrees with the premise behind the statements and that anyone or anything can represent disabled people other than disabled.

“AI is being sold as some magical solution to the poor state of web accessibility, and there are times when I can’t just sit by and watch misinformation be spread about AI and accessibility.

“I’m an accessibility consultant, multiply disabled, and rely on web accessibility. And it really sucks to watch people reach for AI tools SO QUICKLY over the much more credible and reliable accessibility expertise of disabled people, especially disabled people like myself who do this work for a living.”

Her conclusion:

“AI is not the path to fixing inaccessibility or understanding web accessibility specifications. The path to understanding is hiring disabled people and hiring web accessibility experts. If you find someone who is both, you’ve hit the jackpot.”

Apple Keyboard and Magic Mouse

These are the kind of conversations I have missed in the better days of Twitter.

It's been two months since I stopped using my Logitech MX [Keys/Master] mouse and keyboard for my mac. I feel *much* faster using the Apple magic mouse and keyboard. Not sure if I'm the only one, but I didn't like them ????

— Ahmad Shadeed (@ishadeed.com) December 14, 2024 at 2:59 AM

I still use my Apple keyboard and a Magic Mouse. I switched to a Logitech trackball for a season but Magic Mouse just feels like an extension of my hand. Always worked out well for me.

— Jeff Bridgforth (@jeffbridgforth.com) December 14, 2024 at 10:40 AM

Same here! It just feels natural to me.

— Ahmad Shadeed (@ishadeed.com) December 15, 2024 at 9:53 AM

Celebrating CSS

I am looking forward to celebrating CSS’s birthday by watching Oddbird’s “CSS is Awesome Game.” I like the fact that I share a birthday with CSS since it has been my core competency as a Web professional. The livestream is happening Tuesday, December 17 at 1 pm ET.

Articles I read

• How the Internet Made Vibes More Important than Arguments (Brett McCraken on The Gospel Coalition
• The Danger of Assumptions (Paul David Tripp)
• Friendship is a Discipleship Issue (T. M. Suffield)
• Lighten My Load or Strengthen My Back (Desiring God) – I found this article to be an encouragement this week.
• What do the State of CSS and HTML surveys tell us? (Rachel Andrew on web.dev)
• Things you forgot (or never knew) because of React (Josh Collinsworth)
• The phony comforts of AI skepticism (Casey Newton on Platformer)
• Cool People Link to Text Fragments (David Bushell)
• Low-Tide Evangelism (Glen Scrivener on The Gospel Coalition)
• Do Neurological Studies Prove Free Agency Is An Illusion?
• Craft CMS Conventions in Twig (Philip Zaengle)
• A Non-Developers Guide to Craft CMS (Patrick Sheffield)
• This Site’s Gone Downhill (Geoff Graham)
• On Waiting (T. M. Suffield)
• The Benefits of Following Jesus Always Far Outweigh the Costs (Randy Alcorn)
• Writing good words for tech folks (Cassidy Williams)
• calc-size() and interpolate size (Kevin Powell on 12 Days of Web)
• It’s Time To Talk About “CSS5” (Brecht De Ruyte on Smashing Magazine)
• Small Thoughts on Small Talk (Joni Trythall)
• How to Dehumanize Accessibility with AI (Ashlee M Boye) – Great perspective from a multiply disabled accessibility consultant.
• A Hot Hitman, a Health Care CEO, and the Ultimate Cancellation (Stephen McAlpine)
• Baseline 2024: more tools to help web developers (Mariko Kosaka, Pete LePage, and Rachel Andrew on web.dev)
• Solved By Modern CSS: Feature Image (Ahmad Shadeed)

What I watched

Laufey on being called Gen Z’s jazz icon – I enjoyed this interview with Laufey.

• Chiefs-Chargers (NBC) – Another crazy game with the Chiefs. Glad that they keep finding a way to win.
• Starting Five (Netflix)
• NCIS (Netflix)
• Man on the Inside (Netflix)
• Skeleton Crew (Disney+)
• M*A*S*H* (MeTV) – I saw the episode where Harry Morgan plays a crazy general. This was years before he played the beloved Colonel Potter.

Books I am reading

• Practicing Thankfulness (finished this week)
• Design for Real Life
• The Art of Rest
• Everyday Gospel Christmas Devotional
• Chattanooga’s Terminal Station – I saw this book on the shelf in the lobby of mechanic’s shop. I wanted to learn more about the historic building that now houses the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. The Choo-Choo was one of the attractions we first on our first trip to Chattanooga when I interviewed for the job that moved us here.

What I listened to

Stray Kids HOP – new album dropped on Friday

Walking

• Sunday – 3.54 miles
• Monday – 1.4 miles – I was not able to walk far this day. I had not eaten lunch and the granola bar didn’t give me enough energy so I went home and ate lunch.
• Wednesday – 4.21 miles
• Thursday – 3.14 miles
• Friday – 5.13 miles – My personal best in Strava. I was feeling good so I decided to push for 5 miles.

What I played

• MLB The Show 23 (Rays)
• NBA Live 18 – I played Rockets against the Hawks and won. I have not played this game in a long time.