text/gemini
# Checking in – July 2023
Another month again, so let's return to the check-up. This month has been a little bit more lopsided compared to the last month, as I have been continuing my inward spiral. Let's have a look…
# Text-based video making
I have happily managed to conquer Remotion and make a video out of it.
=> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6pKp-XuxOY A video I made
That's a happy project completed for real, which is something of a rarity amongst most parts. I have additional ideas planned as components for something big I have always wanted, but that will have to wait for later as…
well, another "make videos using code" engine has shown up right as I finish. It's called [Motion Canvas] and regretfully it is in some ways an even better fit to my mental model of how a video works than Remotion. Specifically, the idea of signals and values propagating via tweening is a perfect combination. Unfortunately it's by design "not a video editor" so it doesn't do everything I want – and its limitation is quite crippling – but I think it could be useful as a footage generator perhaps.
(Motion Canvas is way harder to get started by the way. I have to learn a whole new set of primitives rather than just coasting by my HTML/CSS knowledge. This is a huge down step for me.)
In fact, here are two things that I have figured out about this. First, there needs to be a difference made between "footage generators" and "video editors". The former makes things that will have to be dealt with using the latter. I have tried many video editors before and didn't get very far, because making footage is just too hard in them. And editing videos together is actually a lot better in GUIs than in programming, so there's that.
Second, there needs to be a better name for whatever this family of programs is. I only know of the tagline "(thing what) make videos using code", which is serviceable but it's too advert-like. Something more like the header of this section would be better. I have seen "programmatic video editors" before, but for various reasons including those outlined above it's not ideal.
=> https://motioncanvas.io/docs/ Motion Canvas
# New keyboard
Unfortunately, my WASD keyboard of 3½ years has succumbed to essentially terminal failure. The stalk on has snapped due to excessive replacement, and has been dead for several months already. Armed with a bunch of cash from the government, I have finally bought a replacement. This time it's not a custom-made, but that does mean it's significantly cheaper. It's also bought locally, so I can save on delivery costs which doubled the price on the predecessor.
=> https://filebox.tymoon.eu//file/TWpjeE5RPT0= It's my new Keychron K10 Pro!
I'm very satisfied with this new item, and I think that it should last a bit longer because I don't think I will be sick on it like I did in the past years. It does have an embedded battery, which worries me a little with regard to shelf life, but oh well.
Additionally from Up North I ordered some dust covers and acrylic cases which hopefully helps mitigate the grime and dust which I cannot stop expelling. I have had great success with this sort of anti-dust tactic with the Switch, so even if it means that it'll take up a bit more space when put away it should be worth it.
I am particularly enjoying the fact that all the keys are fully programmable and everything can be edited in a browser (so no worry about OS issues), and because it's a 110% keyboard I get a few extra keys to work with which I may use for something else, like getting extra bindings with the DE and something.
Alas, to get the full power, I still have to learn ibus to make my own keyboard layout...
# Other
There had been no progress on most things that require human interaction, but there is on some.
I have completed the N5 Japanese course and I am hoping to rush in time to make it to N4.
I got some emails replied to.
That's all. See you next month!
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