Daily Tech News 21 February 2026

Top Story

Discord continues to go from strength to strength, at least insofar as the levels of mishandling its introduction of age verification and the number of users fleeing the platform. (Ars Technica)

I never much liked Discord; its interface is awkward and annoying. But the age verification thing was pretty much forced on it by fascist governments in Europe and, uh, Australia.

On the other hand, the company did itself no favours by claiming that uploaded ID documents would remain secure after they had already leaked.

And even less so with the latest incident where, after reasserting that documents would be deleted immediately after they were verified - which we already knew was untrue, because deleted documents can't be leaked - they contradicted themselves in an official announcement and then deleted the announcement and pretended they had never announced it.

Tech News

Pinterest - which apparently still exists - is drowning in a sea of AI slop and AI moderation. (404 Media)

Pinterest went all-in on AI and found themselves in the worst of all possible worlds.
Same again only Facebook. (Pilk)

If only someone had seen this coming ten years ago.
Google blocked 1.75 million Play Store submissions in 2025. (Bleeping Computer)

That's 1.75 million fake apps.

Time to release the badgers.
Overclocking a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 to 850MHz. (Pimoroni)

The Pico 2 runs at 150MHz out of the box, but can clock over 300MHz at the default 1.1V. Increasing that to 1.3V takes you over 400MHz. Beyond that you have to start breaking the rules, but that takes you a long way.
AMD's Zen 6 chips - probably to be called the Ryzen 10000 series - may not reach the desktop until next year. (WCCFTech)

They will show up this year, but perhaps only in servers.

Intel says it is still on track to launch its Nova Lake desktop chips this year, with up to 52 cores and 288MB of cache, so they might have a window to claw back some market share.
Meta and other tech firms are banning OpenClaw, formerly Moltbot, formerly Clawdbot, because it is hopelessly insecure in every possible way. (Wired) (archive site)

A coworker set up an OpenClaw instance in a secure sandbox to try it out. While it couldn't do anything too awful from inside its padded cell, it took me literally 30 seconds to find a major vulnerability.
OpenAI - which now employs the creator of OpenClaw - may be doomed. (Ben Evans)

Oh no.

Anyway.

Not AI companies generally, just OpenAI specifically.

Still it's something to look forward to.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: All yours except where prohibited by law. 10c deposit in South Australia.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 w00t

Posted by: m at February 21, 2026 04:01 AM (+YA9H)

2 Happy Caturday, Pixy!

Posted by: JQ at February 21, 2026 04:03 AM (rdVOm)

3 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at February 21, 2026 04:04 AM (G1ktt)

4 Morning all.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at February 21, 2026 04:05 AM (BLOW1)

5 Wow. Don't everybody talk at once! LOL.

Posted by: JQ at February 21, 2026 04:13 AM (rdVOm)

6 G'night again, Horde!

Sleep well.

Posted by: JQ at February 21, 2026 04:22 AM (rdVOm)

7 ... an OpenClaw instance in a secure sandbox ... couldn't do anything too awful from inside its padded cell, it took me literally 30 seconds to find a major vulnerability.

Andrej Karpathy (@karpathy) still wants to believe:

Bought a new Mac mini to properly tinker with claws over the weekend. The apple store person told me they are selling like hotcakes and everyone is confused

I'm definitely a bit sus'd to run OpenClaw specifically - giving my private data/keys to 400K lines of vibe coded monster that is being actively attacked at scale is not very appealing at all. Already seeing reports of exposed instances, RCE vulnerabilities, supply chain poisoning, malicious or compromised skills in the registry, it feels like a complete wild west and a security nightmare. But I do love the concept....

Posted by: m at February 21, 2026 04:27 AM (+YA9H)

8 We have a JQ sighting! YAY

Posted by: m at February 21, 2026 04:28 AM (+YA9H)

9 One of your tech threads was linked on Yeti Academy on Discord last week. That and the Omarchy channel are the only ones I read.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 21, 2026 04:45 AM (gQ15S)

10 Channel owner is a Moron although I'm not sure of his sock.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 21, 2026 04:52 AM (gQ15S)

11 And since the dog has been out, I'm going back to sleep. We got close to two inches of snow last night. Will be above freezing today so won't last.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 21, 2026 05:01 AM (gQ15S)

12 I need some advice. My PC,an HP all in one, is dying and I have questions. I have to use my phone as a hot spot to access my email because my provider that is supposed to support my land line is useless. My question is if I can find a computer with. Windows 8 on it will using my phone as a hot spot still let me access my email even though the ISP doesn't support 8.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 21, 2026 05:04 AM (+nEug)

13 G'morning, all!

Light rain right now.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 21, 2026 05:06 AM (iMotb)

14 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 05:08 AM (Ia/+0)

15
g'mornin, 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at February 21, 2026 05:14 AM (tljrc)

16 9 One of your tech threads was linked on Yeti Academy on Discord last week.
Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 21, 2026 04:45 AM (gQ15S)

yay

Posted by: m at February 21, 2026 05:16 AM (+YA9H)

17 Morning all

Posted by: Tuna at February 21, 2026 05:18 AM (lJ0H4)

18 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at February 21, 2026 05:20 AM (bQ4nt)

19 Ben Had,
Should work although I don't know why you would want Windows 8. What mattersis the email program. And you need to check how your current program is configured, POP or IMAP. you'l likely need to export messages and addresses.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 21, 2026 05:23 AM (gQ15S)

20 Notsothoreau, I would like to go back to 8 because I have some old Adobe cd's that were very easy to use for some art projects.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 21, 2026 05:26 AM (+nEug)

21 I forgot this video ever happened

Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 05:26 AM (Ia/+0)

22 Waiting for coffee

Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 05:27 AM (Ia/+0)

23 If the hard drive is still good, you might be able to put it into a different computer. You really need to back up your hard drive so you don't lose stuff. Should be a progam in windows for that. I think you can use a free Dropbox account for backups too.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 21, 2026 05:30 AM (gQ15S)

24 Evening and morning to the Saturday toilers and early risers out "there" in the vast AoSHQ empire! 'Tis Saturn's Day again, innit?

When I open the blog in the morning I glance back over Ace's headlines from the afternoon. Aside from Hegseth firing the Fort Bragg "transgender wolf" teacher (I almost typed "creature"), most of it is heavily depressing.

Miss Linda misread the "transgender wolf" story and thought it was one of the *children* in the teacher's class who was insisting on being a wolf. I guess that would hardly be news or cause for outrage.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 21, 2026 05:33 AM (wzUl9)

25 JQ, if you're still here, good morning and good night!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 21, 2026 05:35 AM (wzUl9)

26 Notsothoreau, I don't use the PC for anything other than the monitor and keyboard because I just can't type an email on a phone. I keep all my email addresses and contacts on an old fashioned thing called an address book.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 21, 2026 05:35 AM (+nEug)

27 Waiting for coffee
Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 05:27 AM (Ia/+0)

Coffee >>> Godot.

Posted by: RickZ at February 21, 2026 05:35 AM (gKDq2)

28 Do you have emails you want to keep? You can ezport them from your mail program and import them into the new one.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 21, 2026 05:37 AM (gQ15S)

29 covfefe

Posted by: m at February 21, 2026 05:38 AM (+YA9H)

30 If I remember right, I am older than you. I do both analog and digital

You will need the settings from your mail program, incoming and outgoing servers. Should be easy to find an older computer and set up email.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 21, 2026 05:43 AM (gQ15S)

31 Notsothoreau, I don't keep emails.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 21, 2026 05:44 AM (+nEug)

32 Notsothoreau, thank you very much for your help.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 21, 2026 05:46 AM (+nEug)

33 Seems that Amazon has the Roku Ultra on sale for the next several hours for $60.00.

We own the 2022 version, which will go upstairs with the old TV.

And that sale price is quite good.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 21, 2026 05:46 AM (iMotb)

34 No problem then. You'll need the incoming and outgoing server settings and your email password to set things up.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 21, 2026 05:49 AM (gQ15S)

35 Should have made big pot of coffee

Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 06:05 AM (Ia/+0)

36 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: ...and in Oregon, bottles are worth a dime!
---just the punchline.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at February 21, 2026 06:05 AM (i1VVh)

37 Good morning!

Let's smile & be happy & strike fear in the hearts of killjoy leftists everywhere.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 21, 2026 06:07 AM (u82oZ)

38 Village Idiot's Apprentice

Top o ta mornin to ya, gov'nor.

We got some snow last night. Not a lot, but back into the under 20 ℉ temps in the early morning.

We are in an early spring weather pattern.

On a more positive note, I walk in the mall, on two separate days, with different widows. Less social isolation.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 21, 2026 06:11 AM (u82oZ)

39 Loos like reports of winter storm Sunday night-Monday is the opposite of usual. I could see least of it and People's Republic of New Jersey will get the most of it.

Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 06:14 AM (Ia/+0)

40 Salty!

Glad to hear that you are getting out and about with other folks.

Both the exercise and social interaction are good for the body and soul.

On the downside, it was 80 degrees out yesterday, so we had to wear shorts for a bit.

Which made me feel bad, as my MiL is due to get another winter storm starting today.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 21, 2026 06:16 AM (iMotb)

41 I've fed the furry thugs. Now me. Haircut today and other errands.

We might go out to our favorite neighborhood diner/bar & grill tonight. It's hard to describe what this place is. Its name suggests coffee shop, and they do serve that and certain pastries. But they also have breakfast Fri. through Sun., lunch and dinner every day but Monday, with sandwiches, burgers, entrees, soup, etc.

We and many other patrons helped keep them in business during the Sniffle Scare with takeout orders. And they were never all in on the face diaper hoax, either.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 21, 2026 06:22 AM (wzUl9)

42 {{{Ben Had}}}
🎼 ♭ 5/4 ♫♫ ♫♫ Good morning! ♬♬ ♩ ♪

Have a great weekend!

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 21, 2026 06:26 AM (u82oZ)

43 iGtEH1i78sI

Posted by: TheCatAttackedMyFoot at February 21, 2026 06:31 AM (jrgJz)

44 Spring is in the front of the windshield, for varying amounts of Spring.

May you all be basking in warm weather soon. With stories to tell of the brutal winter of 2026.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at February 21, 2026 06:33 AM (u82oZ)

45 iGtEH1i78sI
Posted by: TheCatAttackedMyFoot at February 21, 2026 06:31 AM (jrgJz)
-----------
Ouch.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at February 21, 2026 06:38 AM (i1VVh)

46 Powerline week in pictures is up

Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 06:39 AM (Ia/+0)

47 https://tinyurl.com/3srw4eu3

Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 06:41 AM (Ia/+0)

48 All in all, the Olympic stuff went over my head.
But This dude wins was funniest

Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 06:47 AM (Ia/+0)

49 Be safe, Salty!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at February 21, 2026 06:47 AM (iMotb)

50 Good morning morons

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 21, 2026 06:48 AM (RIvkX)

51 Here in Jackson, MS University Medical Centre got hit by ransomware.

All ur docs r belong to us

Posted by: Anna Puma at February 21, 2026 06:49 AM (2GVsD)

52 I read the ONT thread in the morning when I get up. Today I feel like I am seeing the scene in “Animal House” when Pinto gets stoned for the first time.

Posted by: Fenderbender at February 21, 2026 06:50 AM (1FEc1)

53 Morning all, thx Pixy
Always liked Kate Bush but that song is annoying

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 21, 2026 06:51 AM (/PQmQ)

54 Babooshka is a cautionary tale.

Foolish woman decides to test her husband. Well she found out.

Posted by: Anna Puma at February 21, 2026 06:53 AM (2GVsD)

55 All in all, the Olympic stuff went over my head.
But This dude wins was funniest
Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026

***
I had no idea what that object was that looked like a cake with a red handle. It took several memes before I got it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 21, 2026 06:53 AM (wzUl9)

56 Got to shave in a little bit. It's only good manners to do that before going to get your hair cut, right?

I might hit the big library for some new stuff while I'm out there in the 'burbs. I looked for the second "Knives Out" movie, The Glass Onion, at my nearby library and had no luck. Maybe the big location will have it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 21, 2026 06:57 AM (wzUl9)

57 The 2007 adaptation of King's novella "The Mist" is on Svengoolie tonight. I did not know there'd ever been a film of that story. It's got Marcia Gay Harden and Andre Braugher in it, so it might be quite good.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 21, 2026 07:02 AM (wzUl9)

58 Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 21, 2026 07:02 AM (wzUl9)

Wolfus, I sent you an email yesterday. Mind taking a look?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 21, 2026 07:06 AM (uQesX)

59 Wolfus, I sent you an email yesterday. Mind taking a look?
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 21, 2026

***
I saw it, OE. I'll write back soon.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 21, 2026 07:08 AM (wzUl9)

60 Is Kate Bush still running up that hill?

Posted by: Hate That Song at February 21, 2026 07:13 AM (Ksqrb)

61 From the Babylon Bee: Tucker discovers that Israel is controlled by Jews

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 21, 2026 07:16 AM (/PQmQ)

62 I saw it, OE. I'll write back soon.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 21, 2026 07:08 AM (wzUl9)

Thanks. It's from Avery's edit.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 21, 2026 07:24 AM (uQesX)

63 Good morning to all. A quiet rain fell for the last few hours in the foothills making sleeping in very pleasant. Wishing everyone a restful day.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at February 21, 2026 07:27 AM (S+2Xo)

64 Today is the first practice for Special Olympics track and field season. Boy F. is excited he was pretty flappy yesterday. Then Girl F.'s MiL is in town so we will meet her for coffee before she flies out.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 21, 2026 07:36 AM (RIvkX)

65 COFFEE BREAK IS NOOD

Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 07:40 AM (Ia/+0)

66 mornin yall. Ben Had, the version of Windows does not matter to your internet provider. I would not get another Win 8 system though. Win 11 (as much as I hate it) or some Moron can fix you up a Linux box for mail and web browsing. Let me know if you need help with that.

Posted by: fd at February 21, 2026 07:42 AM (vFG9F)

67 @Pixy Misa:

Maybe for tomorrow's tech thread:
https://tinyurl.com/mujpr8tz

The Register
"Hard drives already sold out for this year – AI to blame"

Western Digital chief Tiang Yew Tan told analysts "We're pretty much sold out for calendar '26. We have firm purchase orders with our top seven customers. And we've also established long term agreements with two of them for calendar year '27 and one of them for calendar year '28."

...

Seagate CEO Dave Mosley said on his own company’s call: "Our nearline capacity is fully allocated through calendar year 2026, and we expect to begin accepting orders for the first half of calendar year 2027 in the coming months… additionally, multiple cloud customers are discussing their demand growth projections for calendar 2028, underscoring that supply assurance remains their highest priority."

...

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at February 21, 2026 07:49 AM (O7YUW)

68 One terabyte hard drives still available on newegg from seagate and western digital, but for how long?

Posted by: Jimmy Carter's department of education at February 21, 2026 08:20 AM (yJpvi)

69 Turned off my resubscribe to Chattie yesterday. Obnoxious, argumentative, it’s like hearing the worst liberal out there. Completely useless so I hope OpenAI goes belly up. They deserve it.

Posted by: DoctorMew at February 21, 2026 10:39 AM (XodLO)

70 46 Powerline week in pictures is up
Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 06:39 AM (Ia/+0)

47 https://tinyurl.com/3srw4eu3
Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 06:41 AM (Ia/+0)

48 All in all, the Olympic stuff went over my head.
But This dude wins was funniest
Posted by: Skip at February 21, 2026 06:47 AM (Ia/+0)

; )

Posted by: m at February 21, 2026 11:24 AM (+YA9H)

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