Is it just Me?

Sometimes I really do wonder whether it’s just me that gets affected by things like this. No matter what I order, almost invariably something seems to go wrong even if things are apparently extremely straightforward.

I recently placed an order for an item, a not inexpensive item, and there was a choice of models which I believe was very straightforward, in essence the item was available in either green or blue. I placed my order, I spoke to the company on the telephone, I even e-mailed them and throughout these communications the fact that I wanted the item in green was made plain.

I waited about 8 days for the item to eventually be delivered in two large packages. I’m sure you can imagine that I was a touch disappointed to read, emblazoned across the outside of the box, the word NAVY. Trying to be charitable I opened the box to make sure that the contents matched the box and was met with a large blue bag, still hopeful I opened the bag and the contents were, blue.

I really do despair that something which is apparently this simple can still go wrong and I fear for the future for us all.

Discovering Cyberduck: An Easy-to-Use FTP Client

A Clever Duck Indeed

Recently, I found myself increasingly frustrated with the process of downloading files from Google Drive for burning to disk. Google often compresses files into ZIP folders and even renames some of them, leading to endless confusion. Determined to find a better solution, I did some research and discovered Cyberduck—a highly recommended FTP client that seemed to address my exact needs.

Cyberduck is a libre server and cloud storage browser available for both Mac and Windows. Its user-friendly interface allows seamless connections to servers, enterprise file-sharing platforms, and popular cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox which is ideal for my purposes. This makes it incredibly easy to download, upload, and manage files without the usual headaches associated with cloud-based storage systems.

Despite the software now costing just over £20, I decided to give it a try—and I’m glad I did. Cyberduck has made the task of downloading and organising files for burning much more efficient. It integrates smoothly with various services, enabling me to bypass the issues caused by Google’s compression and file renaming. Given my recent investment in M-Disk format 50GB and 25GB disks, the convenience Cyberduck provides is well worth the expense.

Installing Cyberduck is straightforward, especially for first-time FTP users. Simply double-click the downloaded icon, and the application opens, ready for use. There are no ads, promotions, or plugins required, ensuring a clean and streamlined experience from the start.

Once opened, the main interface displays a central panel showing your local or remote directory, with essential tools and settings conveniently located at the top. Quick links, including bookmarks, recent connections, and Bonjour—Cyberduck’s WebDAV auto-discovery feature—sit on the left side, just below the Open Connection icon. This icon is key to connecting with your desired server or cloud storage service.

Other useful features include the Action icon, which offers file management options, and the Refresh icon, which updates the display to show any recent changes on the server. The Edit icon allows for direct file modifications with auto-upload enabled, ensuring that any changes are instantly saved. If you prefer a personalised workspace, you can even customise the toolbar by navigating to the View tab and selecting “Customize Toolbar.” Adding the Upload, Download, and Transfers icons can further streamline your workflow, I also added the Delete icon to allow me to quickly and easily delete files once downloaded.

Ultimately, Cyberduck has transformed how I manage my cloud storage and file transfers. What began as a search for a solution to a frustrating problem has led to the discovery of an efficient, user-friendly tool that simplifies the entire process. If you often work with cloud storage or FTP transfers, I highly recommend giving Cyberduck a try—it might just save you as much time and frustration as it did for me.

Is a Journal Worth The Effort?

Leuchtturm 1917 & Sony ICD SX712

Writing a journal does require a bit of effort but as time and technology moves on it is getting quicker and easier to do.

I still keep a few notes as things happen during the day but I’ve changed what I do at the end of the day to produce a better and more complete record. I now use a SONY voice recorder that I’ve had for years to dictate my daily journal using my notebook notes as a prompt, it takes just a few minutes to do this.

Once done I get the .mp3 file off the recorder and drag it into a transcription application called AIKO which is frankly unbelievably accurate. The AIKO app uses the Whisper large v2 model on macOS and the medium or small model on iOS depending on available memory. AIKO transcribes audio directly on your device, ensuring complete privacy it is perfect for sensitive recordings. Apart from writing journal entries AIKO easily converts speech to text from meetings, lectures, phone calls and more.

I’ve been surprised how often it is useful and enjoyable to be able to refer back to things in my journal. I used to post things to Twitter and Facebook but I no longer bother with these platfoms now that they are infected with untruths, scammers, misinformation and far worse.

Does it all matter in the grand scheme of things? Probably not, but for me at least a journal makes some sense of the passing time and stops memories and events just becoming an impenetrable fog. There is no doubt, based on my experience, that the value of a written and searchable record rises as time passes. Initially it can feel like a chore but after a while I’ve come to value these records more and more.

Ask yourself the question, what did you do on the 23rd October 2014? If you have no idea, which I wouldn’t have without my journal, maybe a brief written record would have made that day just a little more valued, we only have so many of them!