# Journal J
> Musings and verses by Jatan, a slow thinker, web wonk, and human.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. Use `/llms-full.txt` for consolidated page and post context.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [Welcome to Journal J](https://journal.jatan.space/about.md) - Hi, I’m Jatan, a slow thinker, web wonk, and human Welcome to Journal J. While I’m a space writer by passion and profession, this blog is where I share musings about the Web, life, writing, technology, and more. Sometimes as verses. This blog is my calmer place to be, express, and interact rather t…
- [App thoughts](https://journal.jatan.space/app-thoughts.md) - * The one app to read them all already exists, and it’s called RSS * In praise of Bear * How I use Workflowy to organize article notes * App subscriptions and Yoghurt * The overblown fact of having to buy Microsoft Office on a Mac * How to find a good podcast app? * Why I love elementary OS’ file m…
- [The blogging life](https://journal.jatan.space/blogging.md) - * The story of my blogs * Life update: Embracing a simple but effective digital life * How to feel at home on the Internet * A list of good enough blogging platforms by price if you just want to write * Responding is better than replying * Is Substack really bad for the culture of Blogging? * Mediu…
- [Books to remember](https://journal.jatan.space/books.md) - Reads I’ve liked, thoughts on some, and friends with great recommendations.
- [Digital detox](https://journal.jatan.space/digital-detox.md) - Looking for inspiration to regain control of your digital life? Don’t want to drown in the slurp—and now slop—of social media? Here are some of my methods and digital detox experiences. * Embracing a simple but effective digital life * Yes and No * A focused phone experience with Archaic Intelligen…
- [Follow my personal blog via RSS](https://journal.jatan.space/feeds.md) - RSS feed aficionados, you can subscribe to new posts from my personal blog in any supported reader of your choice via this RSS feed link: * https://journal.jatan.space/rss If you don’t know what RSS is, here’s an intro and how it would benefit you. Use the buttons below to add my blog to your reade…
- [Philosophy on and from life](https://journal.jatan.space/life-philosophy.md) - * Embracing a simple but effective digital life * Yes and No * Quotes to live by * Being able to watch a sunset * I do (not) care * Plunge, hope, and rise—poetic perspectives * Reading life in a nutshell * Cycles and fluctuations
- [On open technologies](https://journal.jatan.space/open-tech.md) - * Interviewing Miron Livny, whose open computing system contributed to two Nobel Prizes * My contributions to elementary OS as a non-coder and how you can too! * The one app to read them all already exists, and it’s called RSS * For the love of RSS feeds, simplify your blog’s subscribe page * Imagi…
- [Referrals](https://journal.jatan.space/referrals.md) - Here are referral links to some products and services I recommend. If you sign up for any using their respective links below, you might get a decent discount and I’ll be rewarded with some credits. * Start a free blog+newsletter on Substack (here’s why) * Start a paid blog+newsletter on Ghost via M…
- [Social media sucks](https://journal.jatan.space/social-media-sucks.md) - * Why are we living an internet without intent? * LinkedIn Newsletters are spam and a scam * Is instant publishing and reach incompatible with stopping misinformation? * Patreon cuts deep inside creators’ pockets * Why do you need (my) Instagram? * Why you shouldn't link to Instagram anything anywh…
- [Explore Journal J](https://journal.jatan.space/start.md) - * About * Special pages * Books * Essays & Musings * The blogging life * Explore by theme * Digital detox * Life philosophy * Writing tips * Social media sucks * On open technologies * App thoughts * Verses * Links * Etc. * Referrals * Travels * All posts * Search Subscribe for free Get new article…
- [Celebrate human writing](https://journal.jatan.space/tip.md) - While I love writing professionally about space, I also like to muse on life at large over on this personal blog Journal J. If you enjoy reading my little corner of the Internet, you can celebrate personal blogging and human writing wth kind tips. Note: If you came here to support my space writing…
- [Travels](https://journal.jatan.space/travels.md) - * A slice of Hyderabad’s history * Trains over planes * Life update: I’ve moved to Bengaluru * A day out in Indore * The Museum of Possibilities * Places I’ve published Moon Monday editions from
- [Writing tips](https://journal.jatan.space/writing-tips.md) - * Common writing mistakes to avoid * Science writing tip: Unlearn academic verbiage * How I organize notes for writing an article * Talk: How to become a science writer * Talk: Career options in science writing and communication in India

## Posts
- [Life slice #3: What an eventful month June has been](https://journal.jatan.space/life-slice-03.md) - Android laptop, spacey updates, blogging meet, and more.
- [Linkteresting #1: Reading, writing, and web places](https://journal.jatan.space/linkteresting-01.md) - Click for curiosity.
- [Cool websites I’ve found through IndieWebClub BLR](https://journal.jatan.space/cool-websites-via-indiewebclub-blr.md) - I’ve been attending IndieWebClub community meets in Bangalore for about nine months now. In every session, there are several fascinating links mentioned. Here are some of them I didn’t know about: * aprilcools.club * painscience.com * web.badges.world * links.net, which was apparently the first blo…
- [Life slice #2: Reading science fiction and talking rockets](https://journal.jatan.space/life-slice-02.md) - * Inspired by NASA’s 404 page, and ESA’s 404 page too, I edited my space blog’s not found pages to show something nerdy and lunar themed: jatan.space/404/ 🕳️ * I watched Project Hail Mary this week, partly because of all the hype surrounding it. The movie was alright. The visuals were good but the…
- [Never have I ever [and never will I have ever]](https://journal.jatan.space/never-have-i-ever.md) - * Written clickbait articles. It’s harder to avoid than it may seem. * Cared for celebrity anything * Sent or engaged with WhatsApp university forwards * Believed in Astrology, Homeopathy or any Pseudoscience * Engaged in nationalism * Been a “fanboy” of any person, company, product, or brand ever…
- [I published 10 poems this month as part of a poetry challenge](https://journal.jatan.space/global-poetry-writing-challenge-2026.md) - April is Global Poetry Writing Month. Everyone participating from around the Web is encouraged to write a poem a day, optionally based on each day’s prompt. It was my first time participating in this challenge. My goal was not to pen a poem a day for the sake of it but to write verses which express…
- [Ars poetica](https://journal.jatan.space/ars-poetica.md) - Strip it down make no sound touch the truth feel its fruit Here brevity retorts on humanity with sobering clarity and bittersweet gravity Telling terse truths of our bare beings Here speaking skies and its lent hand and eyes make the Moon walk and its tides talk They preserve love or touch a nerve…
- [Poem: Muskān / मुस्कान / Smile](https://journal.jatan.space/muskan.md) - Original in Hindustani, as English transliteration and in देवनागरी, followed by an English translation (not as lyrical): Muskān Maa teri muskān Kaisi hain itni nādān? Ekdam saral si bacche jaisi Narm si behti huin nadiyon jaisi Chaandni si khilne vaalīn suraj ki kiranon jaisi Is muskurāhaṭ me naa k…
- [Poem: Resilience](https://journal.jatan.space/resilience.md) - Bent, not broken twisted, not turned upside down dragged down, not drowned Trembled, not tamed or tattered weathered, not withered hurt, but holding up Agonized, but alive traumatized, yet tender lingered on, yet loving Agitated, yet aspiring exhausted, but full of ember burnt, but blazing. Notes:…
- [Poem: Rare lights](https://journal.jatan.space/rare-friends.md) - They care not because they have to but because they want to They converse not to reply but to listen They mediate not to tighten their connections but to save and foster existing ones They employ leverage not to be blatant but to be subtly considerate They accept your shortcomings with sincerity an…
- [Poem: For every child](https://journal.jatan.space/for-every-child.md) - For every child that dares to dream and every spark of curiosity within For their bold endeavors in jest and that one kid’s flying quest Persist your passion to build their nest for the world rumbles them in unrest Swivel their failings with your empathy and rivet their pursuits like a fall under g…
- [Poem: So can you](https://journal.jatan.space/so-can-you.md) - The Moon still exists dear, Earth’s still blue as rivers cry while the avians still fly. Not a single day goes by when they don’t try, so can you. Notes: This poem was written for the Global Poetry Writing Month. The Day 1 prompt encouraged posting in the Japanese poetry form of tanka. The poem ref…
- [Improve the RSS experience of your blog readers](https://journal.jatan.space/improve-the-rss-experience-of-your-blog-readers.md) - 1. Introduce people to RSS readers in an accessible way and link to such an explainer on your /feeds page. Both cases shouldn’t assume people know or understand the term. When introducing people you know to RSS readers, don’t assume how or what they read and consume on the Web. The concept of an ag…
- [Life slice #1: Space for inspiration](https://journal.jatan.space/life-slice-01.md) - * This quarter I met an 👨🏽‍🚀, one whose flight I’ve previously written about. 🌏 * I also gave a talk about lunar exploration at a concert space in BLR for Pint of View because let’s be frank the Moon rocks. 🪨 * I picked up a paint brush after two decades, thanks to an informal Kuch Bhi Art (An…
- [Places I’ve published Moon Monday editions from](https://journal.jatan.space/published-moon-monday-from.md) - Most people who know me know that I write this blog & newsletter called Moon Monday every, well, Monday. Since the day is etched in the name, I plan every week around it. Here are places I’ve completed working on and publishing Moon Monday editions from, other than my home or equivalent office setu…
- [Bombay food, a location-agnostic procedural guide](https://journal.jatan.space/bombay-food-a-location-agnostic-procedural-guide.md) - 🚉 🛺 🥔 ☕️ 🌊
- [Farther than the stars 🎸](https://journal.jatan.space/farther-than-the-stars.md) - Love listening to Khudi by The Local Train. They are like the Pink Floyd of India. The lyrics carry a distinct aspirational energy: Likh de ye fasana Dekhe jo zamana Taaron se aage ho Khwaabon ka thikana
- [The Museum of Possibilities](https://journal.jatan.space/the-museum-of-possibilities.md) - I visited the Museum of Possibilities in Chennai in 2024. I love that the museum is centered around accessibility, and what catering to it makes possible for people with certain disabilities our society is not built for. One of the display themes was tech tools which bridge accessibility gaps for p…
- [4/5 ⭐️ - Indie Microblogging by Manton Reece](https://journal.jatan.space/indie-microblogging-by-manton-reece-book-review.md) - Read for free at book.micro.blog or download the Epub (official link) This book is a good history of publishing and sharing on the Web, particularly through blogging, and how related web technologies evolved. It also places them in the context of social media. The author Manton, creator of the thou…
- [A list of good enough blogging platforms by price if you just want to write](https://journal.jatan.space/good-enough-blogging-platforms.md) - Plus some blog recommendations as a nice side effect.
- [My writing goals and methods this year](https://journal.jatan.space/writing-goals-2026.md) - February is a sane time to set new year resolutions and goals instead of January. During my year-end break in December, I’ve had a good opportunity to muse about where I want to steer my writing at large, and where I want writing to steer me. Here are the resulting goals and methods. Goals 1. Nurtu…
- [Poetry powerful and purposeful](https://journal.jatan.space/poetry-powerful-and-purposeful.md) - Alt text: I will go on nurturing the tablet and the pen I’ll go on recording what the heart goes through I’ll go on providing wherewithal to love’s passion I’ll keep being kind to the desolation of the times No doubt, the harshness of the times will grow even worse No doubt, the tyrants will contin…
- [One sanitized and sandboxed Fediverse profile to rule them all](https://journal.jatan.space/one-sane-fediverse-profile-to-rule-them-all.md) - After musing over having my social web presence on my own domain thanks to the book Indie Microblogging, I’ve decided to try having such a profile on the Fediverse for a year. But Mastodon and the most of the Fediverse platforms are too noisy by default, having borrowed likes, boosts & reposts, fol…
- [What are we doing in the name of progress?](https://journal.jatan.space/what-are-we-doing-in-the-name-of-progress.md) - The world is hard, and tech bros are here to make it easier, and there is a price for progress: loss of jobs, loss of friendships, loss of purpose, and loss of meaning. You either agree with this, or you are outdated; an old man rumbling about the good times that were there, 10, 20, 50 years ago. S…
- [Your social web on your blog](https://journal.jatan.space/your-social-web-on-your-blog.md) - I’ve been reading the book Indie Microblogging by Manton Reece, and really enjoying it. It’s an interesting view into the history of blogging and related web technologies. Among other things, there’s a chapter on the intersection of having a blog and it also being your social web presence through F…
- [Speak / बोल](https://journal.jatan.space/speak-bol.md) - I’ve been trying to expose myself to Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu) poetry lately, and so I picked up this collection of poems by Faiz Ahmed Faiz called ‘The colors of my heart’. One poem in particular resonates, as it captures a timeless call to action against misuse of power in the world with the requir…
- [The Post-American Internet?](https://journal.jatan.space/the-post-american-internet.md) - Read at pluralistic.net All the EU has to do is repeal Article 6 of the Copyright Directive, and, in so doing, strip Apple of the privilege of mobilizing the European justice system to shore up Apple's hundred billion dollar annual tax on the world's digital economy. The EU company that figures out…
- [Apps and digital tools I liked in 2025](https://journal.jatan.space/default-apps-2025.md) - And you might too. 💻
- [Moon samples, poetry, and community | Newsletter for friends #08](https://journal.jatan.space/newsletter-for-friends-08.md) - Hello friends, I’m writing to you from my beloved home city Mumbai, where I’ve at long last come to rest and enjoy some time with my parents. I hope you’re having a refreshing break as well this year end. It’s once again been three months since I dispatched the previous newsletter. Life has been in…
- [Poem: Words](https://journal.jatan.space/words.md) - To all who share a love for the written word.
- [Week notes inception](https://journal.jatan.space/life-slice-00.md) - This week has been nice. A list of notable events below; some photos follow. * Gave a public talk about our Moon and its exploration to people having beer. The talk series it was part of is aptly named Pint of View. It was great to have an extremely engaged audience. * Went to Cubbon Reads. Reading…
- [Newsletter for friends #07: Life has changed](https://journal.jatan.space/newsletter-for-friends-07.md) - Reading recommendations, things I wrote of note, and more.
- [Cycles and fluctuations](https://journal.jatan.space/cycles-and-fluctuations.md) - Humans invent technology. It eases their lives. Then it becomes their lives. Those who wield the tech then control and influence these lives. Eventually, unrest unearths in the background. An alternate rises over the horizon. People break through the mould to the open skies of new technolgy. That w…
- [Reading life in a nutshell](https://journal.jatan.space/life-in-a-nutshell.md) - 1. Go to a book club meet 2. Gain inspiration and insight 3. Add good reads to your list 4. Realize you can’t read most of them, ever 5. It then sinks in that it’s an amplifying loop 6. Feel unproductive despite growth
- [Levels of achieving world(ly) peace](https://journal.jatan.space/levels-of-achieving-worldly-peace.md) - 1. Delete all social media apps 2. Disable all like notifications at source 3. Stop posting on every social network 4. Make all social media profiles private 5. Log out of all accounts I just turned 5.
- [Gaining context on China and its rise (Good reads)](https://journal.jatan.space/read-context-on-china-and-its-rise.md) - Between China’s rise in lunar exploration and my visit to the country last year, I’ve grown more curious about how the Chinese collectively think and work. So I set out to gain some high-level context of Chinese policies and history, which have now helped me identify specific areas to dive into ove…
- [For the love of RSS feeds, simplify your blog’s subscribe page](https://journal.jatan.space/simplifying-blog-subscriptions-via-rss.md) - I love reading blogs, newsletters, and virtually anything else on the Web through RSS feeds. As a space writer, it’s the best way for me to keep track of, read, and search what hundreds of sources publish every week. And, I proactively offer my own readers an option to subscribe to my blogs through…
- [Took the day off against my will, and thankful for it](https://journal.jatan.space/take-that-day-off.md) - I’ve been quite productive this month, chief of which has entailed publishing a spree of long articles. Notably, all of these pieces have been on different topics, each concerning an unusually important development in its own niche within the space industry. Because of their very newsy nature, it w…
- [Newsletter for friends #06: Time flies](https://journal.jatan.space/newsletter-for-friends-06.md) - Hi friends, It’s again been over three months since I sent out the previous newsletter for friends. And once again, a lot has happened in life. Here’s a small snapshot of some notable things you might like to browse. Click the links you’re curious about—that’s what the Web is for. :) Loved reading…
- [Plunge, hope, and rise—poetic perspectives](https://journal.jatan.space/plunge-hope-and-rise-poetic-perspectives.md) - I recently read lyrical poems by Aurobindo, an Indian freedom fighter, philosopher, and writer. Some of his verses capture deep views on life, and you can almost live through the emotional cycle of progress. The fall But suddenly there soared a dateless cry, Deep as Night, imperishable as Time; It…
- [Utterly fascinated by dinosaurs—want to launch them to space](https://journal.jatan.space/fascinated-by-dinosaurs.md) - Lately I’ve been watching Prehistoric Planet. I’ve always been fascinated by dinosaurs but the show’s visuals and explanations are so good that they help you get a sense of how the dinosaurs might have spent their day-to-day lives. And now I’m even more curious about them. The second episode of the…
- [In which AI kills the human Web, or at least its spirit](https://journal.jatan.space/in-which-ai-kills-the-human-web-or-at-least-its-spirit.md) - * Here’s a depressing roundup of how the bottomless greed of AI companies is utterly destroying the Web all of us grew up with. I’m furious. * There’s also irony in the fact that open access publishing is under threat from people responding to AI by closing the very doors that keep things open. * N…
- [App subscriptions and Yoghurt](https://journal.jatan.space/app-subscriptions-and-yoghurt.md) - I recently researched and replaced many paid web app subscriptions I had with free alternatives that either perform the same function or come close enough. Here’s the list of which service I replaced with what. 1. Micro.one → flipboard.social (for the Fediverse) 2. Inoreader Pro → Inoreader Free (s…
- [Newsletter for friends #05: Too many things happened lately](https://journal.jatan.space/newsletter-for-friends-05.md) - Hi friends, It’s been over three months since I sent out the previous newsletter for friends. Usually I share every month’s key things as a linked list, which includes what I liked reading, professional space writing I published, some non-space thoughts I blogged about, and notable life events. The…
- [Realizations about actually avoiding social media](https://journal.jatan.space/realizations-about-actually-avoiding-social-media.md) - I’ve had or re-had a few realizations lately that have helped me greatly: 1. Crossposting to or across social media is counterproductive if doing so to avoid social media. Applies to POSSE too. 2. Having a domain for micro thoughts, day-to-day photos, comments, and random musings is a waste of time…
- [An unexpected Moon Monday story](https://journal.jatan.space/an-unexpected-moon-monday-story.md) - Something unexpected happened recently. I had covered someone’s published research on my Moon Monday blog+newsletter. I don’t know the person but they saw that and so reached out to ask if I would write a recommendation letter for their visa application abroad. After some thought and basic checks,…
- [Responding is better than replying](https://journal.jatan.space/responding-is-better-than-replying.md) - The other day I posed a question on the Web that has (gladly) initiated a string of responses from people. And by that I do not mean comments on social media but entire blog posts. Before sharing a few thoughts on that and making it all meta (the good kind), here are links to all the responses (I k…
- [I do (not) care](https://journal.jatan.space/i-do-care.md) - I don’t care if you like or react to my posts on social media. I’ve hunted down and turned off all such notifications everywhere possible so I barely know you liked them anyway. I don’t care if you don’t read my blogs even though my writing is integral to my identity. I don’t care if you wish me on…
- [If I was born and brought up in the time of modern social media, would I even blog?](https://journal.jatan.space/would-you-blog.md) - This was the question I asked on the Web yesterday, and people had interesting responses. Imagine you were born and brought up in a time where Twitter and Instagram always existed. Would you still blog? Many said no, which I find to be an interesting conclusion especially for people who do blog rig…
- [The story of my blogs](https://journal.jatan.space/the-story-of-my-blogs.md) - I’m the latest guest on the “People and Blogs” series by Manu. Hearing from people in this series has been a great way for me to meet some of their blogs over coffee. And now some of you web humans reading this might like the story of my blogs as well. Who knows some of you might get inspired to wr…
- [Reinventing the wheel](https://journal.jatan.space/reinventing-the-wheel.md) - Instagram (I): Stories are not posts. They disappear after 24 hours. People (P): What if I want to retain them? I: Now you can archive stories P: I don’t like some people I: Okay, you can mute their stories too P: I want to organize stories I: Now you can add them to collections P: I want to share…
- [The media and arbitrary ethics](https://journal.jatan.space/the-media-and-arbitrary-ethics.md) - Someone from a legacy Indian media outlet called me recently to ask me to write an article on Indian space within five days, and for free. They expected me to agree to commit to it then and there itself. I said I’d have considered contributing but the timeline is too short and I have other things t…
- [Social media, where a teaser post about your article gets a better response than your actual article](https://journal.jatan.space/social-media-teaser-post-vs-actual-article-response.md) - I’ve seen this recurring theme on Twitter, LinkedIn, and virtually every microblogging social platform I’ve used. Teasing something exciting you’re working on gets better visibility than when you share that work itself. Here’s an example from the Twitter of yore—which people forget wasn’t all that…
- [Newsletter for friends #04: Things and thoughts from October](https://journal.jatan.space/newsletter-for-friends-04.md) - Hello friends, Continuing to embrace a calmer digital life instead of drowning in the slurp—and now slop—of social media, I’m sharing with you via this web letter some notable things I’ve been up to or enjoyed in October. Reading * How to comment on social media * Technology is the problem * What w…
- [On the gap between voter turnouts in the US and Indian elections](https://journal.jatan.space/us-india-national-elections-voter-turnout-gap.md) - 2024 is a national election year for both the US and India. Some web searching led me to check past voter turnouts in both countries, and I was quite surprised with the numbers: The US (Source) * 2004: 60.1% * 2008: 62.5% * 2012: 58% * 2016: 59.2% * 2020: 66.9% India * 2004: 58.07% * 2009: 58.21% *…
- [Trains over planes](https://journal.jatan.space/trains-over-planes.md) - I love trains. Why you ask? * I get to spend hours reading without much interruption from humans. * ⁠Eating and relaxing is more comfortable in spacious AC train coaches than being cramped in plane seats. * ⁠With trains you essentially just get in and get out. There’s no fuss of guards, check-ins,…
- [How to have the most productive Mondays ever?](https://journal.jatan.space/how-to-have-the-most-productive-mondays.md) - Just start a newsletter that announces in its name to the whole world that it will go out every Monday: https://jatan.space/tag/moon-monday 🌝
- [Newsletter for friends #03: Stuff from August & September](https://journal.jatan.space/newsletter-for-friends-03.md) - Hello friends, Here’s another web letter of notable things I’ve been up to or enjoyed recently. A lot has happened over the last two months, and below are slices from both the spacey and non-spacey parts of my life. Reading * Why research paper DOIs don’t work sometimes * One paragraph a day * “Eve…
- [Rules to effectively use social media](https://journal.jatan.space/rules-to-effectively-use-social-media.md) - * Be outraged about everything * Be woke across all of time * Never bring nuance * Signal disapproval, or you might just cause an existential crisis for many * Get called out for not flicking your fingers in ways prescribed by stranger collectives * Torch your long-built reputation in no time * Ass…
- [LinkedIn Newsletters are spam and a scam](https://journal.jatan.space/linkedin-newsletters-are-spam-and-a-scam.md) - Many people have been suggesting me to start a “LinkedIn Newsletter” for my space articles specifically because it will tap into my existing connections and their networks on the platform. After much reluctance against joining yet another siloed service, I thought perhaps it doesn’t hurt to give it…
- [A focused phone experience with Archaic Intelligence](https://journal.jatan.space/a-focused-phone-experience.md) - I’m sharing with you the simple process I used to customize my phone such that in terms of incentives, it’s now easier to do the things that are good for me versus the things that are better off accessed with some friction. For any kind of serious work, or even to simply browse the Web, I always pr…
- [Newsletter for friends #02: Stuff from mostly July](https://journal.jatan.space/newsletter-for-friends-02.md) - Hello friends, Thank you for your great response to my first newsletter for friends! Continuing to embrace a calmer digital life against the slurp of social media, I’m sharing with you another web letter of notable things I’ve been up to or enjoyed circa July. Reading * The moving monument * How Li…
- [How to have sustainable conferences](https://journal.jatan.space/how-to-have-sustainable-conferences.md) - * Complain about disposable cutlery and water bottles * Fly Business class in domestic flights * Spend the whole day at the conference venue but sleep only at 5-star hotels * Do not have virtual participation, and then give out grants to 1% of attendees * Give talks so public-safe they could’ve bee…
- [What will make me take LinkedIn seriously](https://journal.jatan.space/when-to-take-linkedin-seriously.md) - You know how LinkedIn shows where we work and what our position there is below our names on every post we make? What it should show instead is whose stock we own, who has contracted our company’s work, and which activities we fund in order of their magnitude and time period. Only then can I conside…
- [A Mocha to remember](https://journal.jatan.space/a-mocha-to-remember.md) - Today’s achievement includes self delivering a non-takeaway café mocha on bike on Indian roads without a single spill. The backstory for this is interesting. The café served my dine-in order late but which I decided to have there anyway. Halfway through the mocha, I realized it’s not a mocha at all…
- [Newsletter for friends #01: Things and thoughts from May & June](https://journal.jatan.space/newsletter-for-friends-01.md) - To human readers of my personal blog, Today I’m starting this little newsletter for my friends on the Web, further embracing my foray into living a simple digital life. In part inspired by Philip Thomas, it’s a calmer way to stay in touch against the slurp of social media. Fewer people, no stress a…
- [Life update: I’ve moved to Bengaluru](https://journal.jatan.space/mumbai-to-bangalore.md) - This week I moved from Mumbai, the city where I was born and grew up, to Bengaluru. I like many things about Mumbai but I’ve longed to live in Bengaluru for a while now, and below are the major reasons why. * Bengaluru is the space hub of India. Majority of the people in space exploration and the i…
- [A few thoughts on Threads joining the Fediverse](https://journal.jatan.space/threads-joins-the-fediverse.md) - It actually happened. Meta’s social networking app Threads joined the Fediverse! And I have a few thoughts. 1. This is a big deal. For the first time in history, you can not have an account on a Meta-owned app but still be able to follow and soon interact with many people on there. Meta’s phased ap…
- [Mastodon and the Fediverse is too noisy. Why?](https://journal.jatan.space/mastodon-and-the-fediverse-is-noisy.md) - Mastodon and most Fediverse platforms may be better than traditional social networks at interoperability but they don’t do much about other issues. In fact, they largely copy these issues straight from the social media giants. Most Fediverse platforms, including Mastodon, publicly display follower…
- [Tired of social networks? Here’s why you could be Fediverse curious](https://journal.jatan.space/welcome-to-the-fediverse.md) - Many of us are familiar with the feeling of investing time and effort on a particular social network, only to either see it become irrelevant over time or do something stupid or malicious that scatters people over to half a dozen platforms. And so you start over, with all your posts and followers n…
- [Life update: Embracing a simple but effective digital life](https://journal.jatan.space/digital-detox-story.md) - In today’s Web, being online seldom means being present. Browsing doesn’t mean reading. Following hardly means connecting. Posting certainly doesn’t mean articulating. Commenting rarely means conversing. Listening doesn’t mean comprehending. Watching never meant absorbing. And likes don’t mean anyt…
- [The one app to read them all already exists, and it’s called RSS](https://journal.jatan.space/why-use-rss.md) - RSS, or Rich Site Summary, is a website reading technology nearly as old as the consumer Web itself. And yet it can keep you on top of news and perspectives in ways social networks can’t. How it works is really simple yet smart: 1. Blogs and websites publish an RSS feed accessible at a specific lin…
- [In praise of Bear](https://journal.jatan.space/in-praise-of-bear.md) - I’m impressed by the Bear app’s ability to import and export an exceptionally wide range of file formats compared to the 20+ note-taking apps I looked into. Last year I was on a quest to find an app that can reliably import entire blog archives as well as contents of any individual web pages I thro…
- [Fascinating concepts in the Fediverse](https://journal.jatan.space/fascinating-fediverse-concepts.md) - The ongoing drama concerning Ryan Barrett’s upcoming tool that will bridge parts of the social networks Mastodon and Bluesky led me to a rabbit hole. A reading dive into the norms and expectations that factions of people and communities have within the decentralized social Web, which currently most…
- [People on podcasts versus articulate articles](https://journal.jatan.space/podcasts-vs-articles.md) - I rarely listen to podcasts. They are hard to discover in web and app searches. Articles are much easier to find, even good ones. There are four more aspects where I find podcasts to be lacking against articles. Links: Podcasts typically don’t provide sources for whenever guests or hosts say intere…
- [Why are we living an internet without intent?](https://journal.jatan.space/an-internet-without-intent.md) - The “modern” Web, especially when served via our phones and social media, makes it too easy to live without intent. Hour after hour. Days at a time. Cumulatively months even. Maybe for years. While most of us have a job, family, and friends, how much of our daily time and activities are truly with,…
- [A slice of Hyderabad’s history](https://journal.jatan.space/a-slice-of-hyderabad-history.md) - I had one day to spare in Hyderabad so I decided to visit some historical places of interest. My similar day out in Indore recently was fun, and so a similar plan sounded like a good idea. I first went to Charminar, natch. As a structure built in ~1590, it’s impressive. There’s not much to see insi…
- [A day out in Indore](https://journal.jatan.space/a-day-out-in-indore.md) - I went on a round-the-city, day-long tour of Indore that was fun to see executed almost exactly as I had planned. I first visited the Central Museum, which hosts unique Paleolithic tools natively excavated from Madhya Pradesh. In the same vein, the museum hosts artifacts of an independent Bronze ag…
- [Is instant publishing and reach incompatible with stopping misinformation?](https://journal.jatan.space/instant-publishing-and-misinformation.md) - I wish the press took fact checking a bit more seriously. When major events of any kind take place, media publications at large jump the gun to break out any info that seems remotely publishable. They spurt out instant takes and hammered quotes to grab more views, and thus ultimately more money, in…
- [Quotes to live by](https://journal.jatan.space/quotes-for-life.md) - Here are some words that have stuck with me. Writing is the most radical thing you can do without money. – Julian Shapiro No one human can fight a flawed system but only humans can fight the system. – Mukunth Tech enthusiasm is a rabbit hole. – Rushabh Gala Hope, such a deceptive little thing. – Jy…
- [Misinformation is a side effect of social media](https://journal.jatan.space/misinformation-side-effect-of-social-media.md) - Misinformation on social media is a grave issue. What we’re really grappling with are sides effects of three things: * making web publishing hyper instant * bringing virtually every person in one massive digital square * leaving amplification to the algorithm instead of just people, meaning people’…
- [Less libraries and compounding cafés](https://journal.jatan.space/less-libraries-and-compounding-cafes.md) - In my long work trip at Bengaluru last month, finding quiet and cheap places to read and write from was challenging. After a string of hit-or-miss cafés, I found and worked from a nearby public library. It was great. They provide ergonomic chairs and wide tables. There are also dedicated areas with…
- [Why I got a double-walled steel mug](https://journal.jatan.space/cup-of-steel.md) - I purchased six double-walled steel cups three years ago, and I’ve never gone back to drinking things in ceramics or glass. Here’s why. 1. Even when my beverage is really hot, the cup’s insulating layer of air between its outer and inner steel wall makes things pleasant warm to hold on the outside.…
- [Medium, Wordpress.com and social platforms are siloes you should try avoiding](https://journal.jatan.space/avoid-blogging-platform-silos.md) - It’s fairly popular to write blog posts on Medium or WordPress.com. As I argue in my post on How to feel at home on the Internet, that’s a good thing compared to posting on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube or siloes alike. Unlike most social media platforms, blogs are largely standardized. This means yo…
- [Colored vs. underlined links, or why the latter is better](https://journal.jatan.space/colored-vs-underlined-links.md) - A nice internet friend, Kev Quirk, recently resonated with this blog post of mine and shared it with his readers. I figure this is a good time to remind my readers of the same, so here you go. Colored text links on the Internet are popular. The familiar blue touted by a majority of hyperlinks on th…
- [Being able to watch a sunset](https://journal.jatan.space/being-able-to-watch-a-sunset.md) - To Manu’s post, which says: Sometimes a beautiful sunset on a lake is all it takes to be happy. The post reminded me of my article exploring the possibilities of life on starless worlds. I can’t help but wonder about the incredible views they would miss. I’m fully aware I’m coming across as anthrop…
- [A little bit about me as a human being](https://journal.jatan.space/this-human.md) - While I’m chiefly a space writer, I also wanted to share with my internet friends what I’m simply like as a fellow person otherwise. First off, as you probably know, here’s me in my natural habitat—exploring corners of the Internet regardless of where I’m physically at. Here’s what I look like as a…
- [Introducing a network for thoughtful conversations](https://journal.jatan.space/introducing-linktalk.md) - The quality of conversations on the Internet is terrible. Most platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, etc. optimize for engagement as their key metric. This spawns and rewards behavior that leads to bragging of gameable metrics such as likes and followers, self-feeding thought bubbles…
- [How I got my space blog listed on Google News](https://journal.jatan.space/how-i-got-my-blog-listed-on-google-news.md) - A lot of people have asked me lately how I got my space blog listed on Google News. Doing so has enhanced the distribution of my articles and the Moon Monday newsletter on Google Search and News as well as other channels like the Discover feed on Android and Chrome. For a creator who isn’t active o…
- [Patreon cuts deep inside creators’ pockets](https://journal.jatan.space/patreon-cuts-deep.md) - I recently requested my Patreon supporters to move their patronage to my Donorbox so I can avoid Patreon’s high platform fees. Lately I came to realize that the actual cut Patreon takes from us creators is far higher than the cleverly advertised ~8-10%, which isn’t low to begin with. For example, t…
- [Blogs by female authors that I like](https://journal.jatan.space/female-author-blogs-i-like.md) - Colin Walker recently listed blogs by female authors he reads, so as to promote diversity and improve representation of voices on the Web. It’s a nice idea, and so I replied there with a quick list of my own. But I think it deserves a proper blog post to a wider audience. So here are blogs and arti…
- [I participated in a Photoblogging Challenge!](https://journal.jatan.space/first-photoblogging-challenge.md) - And it was fun.
- [Yes and No](https://journal.jatan.space/yes-and-no.md) - A binary philosophy to being productive, and life in general.
- [Why do you need (my) Instagram?](https://journal.jatan.space/say-no-to-instagram.md) - I was a panelist at an event in my city yesterday on space writing & journalism. It was nice, with lots of enthusiastic folks in the audience who had some good questions. However, literally everyone who engaged with me was trying to search my profile on Instagram. When they found out I don’t exist…
- [On having a barebones website](https://journal.jatan.space/having-a-barebones-website.md) - This has been my website since over three months now: A friend looked at it and said, “There’s nothing in here.” Actually, there’s everything in there that needs to be. As a writer, what better function could my website serve than lead people to my words? Why would I include social media icons when…
- [The overblown fact of having to buy Microsoft Office on a Mac](https://journal.jatan.space/you-dont-need-to-buy-msoffice-on-mac.md) - Many people, at least in India, seem to think that buying a Mac means they’ll have to pay for software they didn’t otherwise when using Windows. A friend recently expressed concern about having to pay for Microsoft Office on a Mac. Here’s why it isn’t as big a deal as it sounds. 1. On a Mac, you’d…
- [Common writing mistakes to avoid](https://journal.jatan.space/common-writing-mistakes-to-avoid.md) - As I grew in my professional writing journey, I realized some writing mistakes I had been making for years. And they seem to be common among aspiring writers I keep coming across. So I’m sharing simple not-to-do tips here along with explanations. Don't add any images to your articles When you write…
- [To help Ukraine, don't post on social media; act tangibly instead](https://journal.jatan.space/help-ukraine-directly.md) - In this so called modern time where a country feels entitled to invade another, misinformation spreads faster than usual, flawed mechanisms in big social platforms are exploited for political gains, and provocation and thought-policing is normalized, I urge you to consider two things. 1. Do not pos…
- [Science writing tip: Unlearn academic verbiage](https://journal.jatan.space/unlearn-academic-writing.md) - Scientists and engineers tend to write posts on the Web filled with jargon and dry, passive sentences, things common in research papers. Their academic training makes them write not just complex sentences but also deters them from reaching the “period” soon enough. If you’re a scientist, engineer o…
- [How I organize notes for writing an article](https://journal.jatan.space/how-i-organize-notes-for-writing-an-article.md) - Here’s a sneak peek at how I gather and structure notes for writing each of my professional space exploration articles. The tool you see in action is the wonderful Workflowy, which allows you to structure thoughts to multiple levels of depth, and get in and out of each thought stream near instantly…
- [Switching to WhatsApp for Business](https://journal.jatan.space/switching-to-whatsapp-for-business.md) - I recently switched my WhatsApp account from the regular personal one to a WhatsApp for Business account for primarily two reasons. 1. The link to my space blog on my WhatsApp profile is now clickable by others unlike the text-only bios on regular WhatsApp. 2. I thought having a prominently display…
- [Leaving social media](https://journal.jatan.space/leaving-social-media.md) - Last year I deleted my Facebook and Instagram accounts out of sheer disgust for their parent company and how their attention-economy-based business exploits people’s instincts and behavior at a fundamental level. The remaining popular social platforms of Twitter and LinkedIn, while not quite as evi…
- [Is Substack really bad for the culture of Blogging?](https://journal.jatan.space/substack-is-not-bad-for-blogging.md) - The blog post Have you “Moved to Substack”? and a conversation around it reminded me of a recurring theme I’ve been noticing among people who love personal blogs. The theme being that most bloggers deep in their tech world and finely crafted websites don’t realize just how difficult it is for most…
- [Intriguing insects of Jakkur](https://journal.jatan.space/insects-of-jakkur.md) - The fascinating variety of intricate insects I came across in Bangalore, and interesting facts about each.
- [Why you shouldn't link to Instagram anything anywhere](https://journal.jatan.space/never-link-to-instagram.md) - I want to use the case of Instagram to highlight a larger point about how we can be mindful of which links we share on the Internet. Whether you’re a writer, a creator or simply sharing things on socials, a “bad link” can affect your readers as well as the health of the open Web. What do I mean whe…
- [How to feel at home on the Internet](https://journal.jatan.space/start-a-blog-and-get-a-domain.md) - A friend recently told me, “(Her) Blog feels like home.” I couldn’t agree more. That led me to think of analogies for social platforms and websites in terms of how much power and freedom they actually give you over your content. If we think of what you put out on the internet in terms of physical p…
- [How to find a good podcast app?](https://journal.jatan.space/how-to-find-a-good-podcast-app.md) - Search.
- [Arguments against “I have nothing to hide” on digital privacy](https://journal.jatan.space/arguments-for-digital-privacy.md) - As someone who cares about and spreads digital privacy, I often hear people say, “I have nothing to hide, so why shouldn't I give my data to the government or companies like Google in return for security and convenience?” I have multiple responses to that, some my own and some learnt from following…
- [On getting COVID-19](https://journal.jatan.space/on-getting-covid-19.md) - I tested positive for COVID-19 early last week. The first thought in my mind was, “How in the world..?” Anyone who knows me knows that even during normal times, I like to stay by myself, away from as many humans as I can. During the pandemic, I was more than happy to be able to officially double do…
- [Talk: How to become a science writer](https://journal.jatan.space/talk-how-to-become-a-science-writer.md) - In this video, I breakdown the skills required to become a science writer, and how to convince an Editor of a publication to commission an article to you. These insights are based on my learnings as a professional writer on space exploration. From my talk to physics graduate students at the Univers…
- [My contributions to elementary OS as a non-coder and how you can too!](https://journal.jatan.space/contributing-to-elementary-os.md) - The power of suggestions in open source software.
- [Talk: Career options in science writing and communication in India](https://journal.jatan.space/talk-scicomm-career-opportunities-in-india.md) - Here are some good career opportunities you have in India if you want to write or communicate science to the masses. From my talk to physics graduate students at the University of Mumbai.
- [Pro-privacy apps that are easy to use and don't break your workflow](https://journal.jatan.space/privacy-apps-that-just-work.md) - It’s likely that you’ve had at least one person urge you to use software or apps that respect your privacy, and that you shouldn’t trust the likes of Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and more. However, privacy-respecting software tools often aren’t easy to use and don’t fit into your workflow without f…
- [Why I love elementary OS’ file manager](https://journal.jatan.space/why-i-love-elementary-os-file-manager.md) - Don’t let its simple look fool you, elementary OS’ Files is packed with smart features.
- [Ubuntu 20.04 LTS’ snap obsession has snapped me off of it](https://journal.jatan.space/ubuntu-is-obsessed-with-snap.md) - Like everyone else, I got excited about the latest Ubuntu LTS release, 20.04, and installed it on day one. A month in, I’m sorry to say that I leave disappointed. The amount of unready snap features being effectively forced onto Ubuntu is affecting my usability and user-friendliness. Software cente…
- [My contributions to GNOME as a non-coder and how you can too](https://journal.jatan.space/contributing-to-gnome.md) - My post on user-facing contributions to elementary OS was received well. So now I’m sharing my contributions to GNOME that didn’t involve any coding whatsoever! GNOME is the interface+apps suite powering Ubuntu, Fedora and many more Linux-based operating systems. I’m an open source enthusiast who t…
- [Interviewing Prof. Miron Livny, whose open computing system contributed to two Nobel Prizes](https://journal.jatan.space/miron-livny-interview.md) - Working on a single problem statement since 40 years and continuing.
- [An interview of K. VijayRaghavan, the principal scientific adviser to Govt. of India](https://journal.jatan.space/k-vijayraghavan-interview.md) - The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai celebrated 50 years of Graduate School Programme on November 1, 2019. Eminent academics from across the country gathered to discuss the role and impact of graduate schools in India. K. VijayRaghavan, the Principal Scientific Adviser to Govt.…
- [Imagine – Free(dom) Software version](https://journal.jatan.space/imagine-free-software-version.md) - I love freedom respecting software that's also open source. In this fast growing digital-first world, it's more important than ever to have everyday digital tools that work transparently for us users. With that in mind, here's my fork of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s song Imagine, extending their utop…
- [How science fiction helps us contemplate reality](https://journal.jatan.space/how-sci-fi-helps-us-contemplate-reality.md) - Reality is too big for our puny minds to capture all at once. This is where science fiction comes in.

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