Todd Sundsted
toddsundsted@epiktistes.com
Better dead than bored.
GitHubgithub.com/toddsundsted/ktistec
Pronounshe/him
馃寧Sector 001
Release v2.4.0 of Ktistec

I just released v2.4.0 of Ktistec. This release encompasses a few things that I've been working on for a while: improved support for operating without JavaScript available/enabled and support for running scripted automations.

Except for a few items, Ktistec now works without JavaScript. Obviously, things like WYSIWYG editing of HTML don't work鈥擨 plan to add support for Markdown to compensate. Running in Lynx is a stretch, but...

lynx on osx displaying the authenticated home page

Since the early days, most controller actions supported both text/html and application/json.聽 I cleaned up support for the latter and have officially documented the Ktistec API in the README.

In addition, I've added support for running bots/automations (prior announcement). The Ktistec server will periodically run any executable script in the etc/scripts directory. These scripts have access to the Ktistec API and can post, follow, share, like, etc. This is experimental and obviously introduces an attack surface, though that shouldn't be a problem on correctly configured hosts.

Here's the full changelog:

Added

  • Support running scripted automations.
  • "Fetch Once" button on hashtag and thread pages. (fixes #108)
  • Support navigation to a post's threaded view. (fixes #108)
  • Add support for post name and summary.

Fixed

  • Improve support for operating without JavaScript available/enabled.
  • Only enforce CSRF protection on "simple" requests.

Changed

  • Replace use of multi-action controller with formaction. (fixes #101)

Other

  • API usability improvements.


#ktistec #fediverse #activitypub #crystallang

I've been thinking about the demise of botsin.space. Running a site for bots is hard (and expensive) but writing and running an ActivityPub-based bot should be easy.

To prove this was the case I added experimental support for bots/automations to Ktistec in the form of scripts that the server periodically runs. These scripts can be in a programming language of your choice. The server provides credentials for its API in the process environment (if you can use curl you can publish posts), simple interaction happens via stdin/stdout/stderr, and the complexity of using ActivityPub is abstracted away.

The code is only available on the following branch for the moment:

聽 聽 https://github.com/toddsundsted/ktistec/commits/run-scripts/

There are a couple example shell scripts here:

聽 聽 https://github.com/toddsundsted/ktistec/commit/4982925a...

I have a few enhancements in mind, but it's already proven useful as a means to periodically log data from my server host, and I'll use it, when finished, to publish release notes.

#ktistec #activitypub #fediverse #bots

every few days some rando will start sending unsolicited activitypub messages to my server. what is the motivation there? i guess on some fediverse server types these will show up on the federated timeline or something?

photo of the valley from the back deck

sometimes the world is just breathtaking...

#photo #morning #fog

i'm pretty sure my favorite hashtag to follow is now #dadjokes

I can't go into a grocery store without hearing music from the 1980's. It's not where I expected things to be musically in the 2020's but, leaning in a bit, please consider Urgh! A Music War (1981), a collection of live tracks from lesser known bands and performers like Oingo Boingo, Klaus Nomi, Wall of Voodoo, and many more (okay, The Police, too)!

Image of Album Cover from Urgh, A Music War

I'd really like to hear more of this in grocery stores...!

#music

TIL scripting media queries... gone are the days of the no-js class on the body tag...

i'm working on improving the ktistec user experience when javascript is disabled.

ktistec uses trix as its rich text editor.聽 of course. trix doesn't work without javascript. behind the scenes, however, trix uses a hidden textarea to hold the body of the post being edited. using scripting media queries, ktistec can now show (or hide) either the editor or the textarea based on the availability of javascript (2030b26b).聽

#ktistec #activitypub #fediverse

i'm working toward providing a decent experience in ktistec with javascript turned off.聽 the first step was emitting minified css instead of using the webpack style loader plugin to apply css via javascript (fd7a5369).

#ktistec #activitypub #fediverse

Our room block will open at 12pm PDT on Thursday, Oct. 24!

For more information about the hotels we're using, check the hotels and accommodations page on our website: seattlein2025.org/location/hot