Issue 1710 - Tuesday 11th October, 2022

Naively, I assumed click tracking and open tracking was disabled on MailerLite but as you would have seen in yesterday's issue of The Sizzle, this is not the case. It is my fault for not investigating MailerLite fully before putting it into production. I fucked up and I'm sorry. Here is a more detailed explanation on what happened.

There is currently no way to disable link tracking with MailerLite, so I have to find yet another platform that meets my unique requirements. I'm a bit stuck on what to do next but I'm working on it. Read this forum thread for info and updates on this behind the scenes stuff.

Thanks for your patience (again)!

In Today's Issue

The News

Australian Apple retail store workers might go on strike

Apple and the SDA, ASU and RAFFWU unions are still bashing out the details of a new enterprise bargaining agreement for Australian retail store workers. Things aren't going well despite Apple offering "workers base rates at least 17% above the award minimum", with about 150 staff voting for a one-hour stoppage on Wednesday morning if Apple keeps its bullshit up. They want to see full-time and part-time workers get at least one weekend off a month and part-time workers given fixed days to work rather than being treated like casual workers and having to wait for a roster with little advanced notice to plan their lives. Good luck comrades.

OAIC and ACMA launch joint investigation of Optus data breach

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) have kicked off a joint investigation into the Optus data breach. OAIC will "focus on whether the Optus companies took reasonable steps to protect the personal information they held from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure, and whether the information collected and retained was necessary to carry out their business". ACMA will check if Optus met its "obligations relating to the acquisition, authentication, retention, disposal and protection of personal information, and requirements to provide fraud mitigation protections". Dunno how long it'll all take, but I look forward to the report.

Microsoft's streaming-only Xbox low-key leaked in Twitter photo

Microsoft's head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, accidentally (maybe???) leaked a new streaming-only gaming device in a photo on Twitter. In the photo is a little white box, kinda like a mini Xbox Series S, sitting on a shelf in the background. The official Xbox Twitter account replied to this photo with "now what did we say about putting old prototypes on your shelf boss". Everyone seems to think that this is the "Keystone" device Microsoft has talked about a few times that's designed to stream games off Xbox Cloud Gaming and be a media set top box with Netflix and shit like that. Like an Apple TV or Nvidia Shield but with games you actually want to play.

Something I Saw On The Internet

Immich, a self hosted alternative to Google Photos

I really, really like Google Photos. I've stopped using Lightroom and Apple Photos because Google Photos does everything I need it to and is on the web so I can access it anywhere. The downside is that it's run by Google and I'm pretty sure they're using all my photos in some sort of bizarre experiment on a supercomputer without my permission, or at the very least, somehow using my photo library to show me ads. Luckily, there's a self-hosted alternative to Google Photos called Immich that's currently under active development - they say it's not ready for production just yet. It's got a native smartphone app too. I haven't tried it out but Funky Penguin quite likes it.

Bargains

The End

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The Sizzle is created on Wathaurong land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.