Repository navigation
Expand file tree
/
Copy pathindex.html
More file actions
375 lines (339 loc) · 19.6 KB
/
Copy pathindex.html
File metadata and controls
375 lines (339 loc) · 19.6 KB
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en-GB">
<head>
<title>MattCASmith | Observations on technology, business, and culture</title>
<meta name="description" content="A cyber security professional observing technology, business, and culture with a sceptical – but never cynical – eye." />
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
<meta name="googlebot" content="index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1" />
<meta name="bingbot" content="index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1" />
<link rel="canonical" href="https://mattcasmith.net/" />
<meta property="og:locale" content="en_GB" />
<meta property="og:type" content="website" />
<meta property="og:title" content="MattCASmith | Observations on technology, business, and culture" />
<meta property="og:description" content="A cyber security professional observing technology, business, and culture with a skeptical – but never cynical – eye." />
<meta property="og:url" content="https://mattcasmith.net/" />
<meta property="og:site_name" content="MattCASmith" />
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
<meta name="twitter:site" content="@mattcasmith" />
</head>
<head>
<style>
html {
opacity: 0;
}
</style>
<title>Home | MattCASmith</title>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="MattCASmith.net" href="https://mattcasmith.net/feed.xml" />
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/assets/images/favicon.png">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/assets/css/styles.css">
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Roboto:ital,wght@0,400;0,700;1,400;1,700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=PT+Serif:ital,wght@0,400;0,700;1,400;1,700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
</head>
<body>
<div id="site-container" class="home">
<div id="header">
<div id="header_left">
<a href="/"><img class="site_logo light" src="/assets/images/mcas_site_logo.png" alt="MattCASmith"></a>
<a href="/"><img class="site_logo dark" src="/assets/images/mcas_site_logo_dark.png" alt="MattCASmith"></a>
<a href="/"><h2>MattCASmith</h2></a>
</div>
<div id="header_right">
<img class="link_icon_menu light" src="/assets/images/menu_icon.png" alt="Open mobile menu">
<img class="link_icon_menu dark" src="/assets/images/menu_icon_dark.png" alt="Open mobile menu">
<a target="_blank" href="https://bsky.app/profile/mattcasmith.net"><img class="link_icon_bluesky light" src="/assets/images/bluesky_icon.png" alt="MattCASmith on Bluesky"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://bsky.app/profile/mattcasmith.net"><img class="link_icon_bluesky dark" src="/assets/images/bluesky_icon_dark.png" alt="MattCASmith on Bluesky"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/mattcasmith"><img class="link_icon_twitter light" src="/assets/images/x_icon.png" alt="MattCASmith on X"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/mattcasmith"><img class="link_icon_twitter dark" src="/assets/images/x_icon_dark.png" alt="MattCASmith on X"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:mattcasmith@protonmail.com"><img class="link_icon_email light" src="/assets/images/email_icon.png" alt="Email MattCASmith"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:mattcasmith@protonmail.com"><img class="link_icon_email dark" src="/assets/images/email_icon_dark.png" alt="Email MattCASmith"></a>
<a href="/feed.xml" target="_blank"><img class="link_icon_feed light" src="/assets/images/feed_icon.png" alt="MattCASmith feed"></a>
<a href="/feed.xml" target="_blank"><img class="link_icon_feed dark" src="/assets/images/feed_icon_dark.png" alt="MattCASmith feed"></a>
<a href="/about.htm"><img class="link_icon_about light" src="/assets/images/about_icon.png" alt="About MattCASmith"></a>
<a href="/about.htm"><img class="link_icon_about dark" src="/assets/images/about_icon_dark.png" alt="About MattCASmith"></a>
</div>
<div id="search_cont">
<input id="search" name="search" placeholder="Search site..." value="">
</div>
</div>
<div id="home_container">
<nav class="top_nav">
<a href="/">Home</a>
<a href="/category/technology" >Technology</a>
<a href="/category/business" >Business</a>
<a href="/category/productivity" >Productivity</a>
<a href="/category/design" >Design</a>
<a href="/category/cyber-security" >Cyber Security</a>
<a href="/category/programming" >Coding</a>
<a href="/category/off-topic" >Misc</a>
</nav>
<div id="home_about_bio">
<span class="year_label">London, UK</span> > Weekly writing on technology, business, and culture from a cyber security professional with a background in journalism – sceptical, but never cynical. <a href="/about.htm">Start here →</a>
</div>
<div id="home_about_newsletter">
📓 <b>Field Notes</b> is my monthly newsletter with personal observations and ideas that don't make it to the blog. <a href="https://mattcasmith.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank"><button class="desktop-only">Subscribe</button></a><span class="mobile-only"><a href="https://mattcasmith.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank">Subscribe →</a></span></a>
</div>
<div id="home_posts_list">
<div class="home_content_box_title">
<div class="home_content_box_title_left">
<h2>Recent blog posts</h2>
</div>
<div class="home_content_box_title_right">
<a href="/blog.htm">
<div class="home_content_box_button">
View all
</div>
</a>
<a href="/feed.xml" target="_blank">
<div class="home_content_box_button">
Feed
</div>
</a>
</div>
</div>
<a href="/2026/10/04/manchester-city-premier-league-verdict">
<article class="blog_entry">
<div class="blog_entry_thumbnail">
<img src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/manchester-city-premier-league-verdict_0.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Manchester City and the para-realities of the powerful">
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_title">
<span class="post_title">Manchester City and the para-realities of the powerful</span>
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_excerpt">
<time datetime="2026-10-04T10:28:00+00:00"><span class="year_label">2026-10-04</span></time> - In the biggest scandal in football history, an independent commission has found Man City guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules. With the verdict out, the battle of the narratives has commenced.
</div>
</article>
</a>
<a href="/2026/09/27/free-trials-psychology">
<article class="blog_entry">
<div class="blog_entry_thumbnail">
<img src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/free-trials-psychology_0.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="The hidden cost of punishing customers for mistakes">
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_title">
<span class="post_title">The hidden cost of punishing customers for mistakes</span>
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_excerpt">
<time datetime="2026-09-27T16:21:00+00:00"><span class="year_label">2026-09-27</span></time> - Free trials are all the rage, but paid auto-renewals pose real risks to users' relationship with your brand. Is the short-term revenue boost worth giving customers a negative feeling that could last much longer?
</div>
</article>
</a>
<a href="/2026/09/20/field-notes-14-september-2026">
<article class="blog_entry">
<div class="blog_entry_thumbnail">
<img src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/field-notes-14-september-2026_0.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Field Notes 14 // Hospitals, grindset cafés, and Weezer">
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_title">
<span class="post_title">Field Notes 14 // Hospitals, grindset cafés, and Weezer</span>
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_excerpt">
<time datetime="2026-09-20T08:03:00+00:00"><span class="year_label">2026-09-20</span></time> - We can't stop bad things from happening to us, but we can change how we react. This month: Hospital visits, LLMs that struggle to identify a car, London's new 24/7 grindset café, and a new Weezer album.
</div>
</article>
</a>
<a href="/2026/09/13/ai-safety-contradictions">
<article class="blog_entry">
<div class="blog_entry_thumbnail">
<img src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ai-safety-contradictions_0.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="AI labs make their case to humanity as agents run amok">
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_title">
<span class="post_title">AI labs make their case to humanity as agents run amok</span>
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_excerpt">
<time datetime="2026-09-13T10:23:00+00:00"><span class="year_label">2026-09-13</span></time> - AI has entered the age of the contradiction. Just as the major labs dropped their doomer takes to focus on human-agent coexistence, a string of incidents caused by out-of-control models have damaged trust.
</div>
</article>
</a>
<a href="/2026/09/06/sony-playstation-digital-games-ownership">
<article class="blog_entry">
<div class="blog_entry_thumbnail">
<img src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/sony-playstation-digital-games-ownership_0.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="You will never own another PlayStation game again">
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_title">
<span class="post_title">You will never own another PlayStation game again</span>
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_excerpt">
<time datetime="2026-09-06T10:42:00+00:00"><span class="year_label">2026-09-06</span></time> - Sony already doubled down on its unpopular decision to end the production of PlayStation game discs – now it's locking in the concept of digital games as temporary licences, with no real ownership for players.
</div>
</article>
</a>
<a href="/2026/08/30/relentless-optimism">
<article class="blog_entry">
<div class="blog_entry_thumbnail">
<img src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/relentless-optimism_0.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Optimism isn't naive – pessimism is just the easy option">
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_title">
<span class="post_title">Optimism isn't naive – pessimism is just the easy option</span>
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_excerpt">
<time datetime="2026-08-30T17:00:00+00:00"><span class="year_label">2026-08-30</span></time> - As long as you've prepared for the challenge ahead, try to be relentlessly optimistic about your chances of success. There's no downside to absolute belief in yourself, and worry can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
</div>
</article>
</a>
<a href="/2026/08/23/no-substitute-real-world-experience">
<article class="blog_entry">
<div class="blog_entry_thumbnail">
<img src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/no-substitute-real-world-experience_0.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="There's no substitute for real-world experience">
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_title">
<span class="post_title">There's no substitute for real-world experience</span>
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_excerpt">
<time datetime="2026-08-23T09:20:00+00:00"><span class="year_label">2026-08-23</span></time> - From the CEO who once drove a forklift to game developers taking 250,000 photos of New York, real experience beats abstraction every time, and can make the difference between good and groundbreaking.
</div>
</article>
</a>
<a href="/2026/08/15/field-notes-13-august-2026">
<article class="blog_entry">
<div class="blog_entry_thumbnail">
<img src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/field-notes-13-august-2026_0.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Field Notes 13 // Hotel life, Waymo, and the World Cup">
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_title">
<span class="post_title">Field Notes 13 // Hotel life, Waymo, and the World Cup</span>
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_excerpt">
<time datetime="2026-08-15T07:17:00+00:00"><span class="year_label">2026-08-15</span></time> - From Thomas Tuchel's dissatisfaction with a winning England performance to a man running in the 35-degree Austin sun – this month's Field Notes is about doing things properly, even in difficult conditions.
</div>
</article>
</a>
<a href="/2026/08/09/death-of-the-games-console">
<article class="blog_entry">
<div class="blog_entry_thumbnail">
<img src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/death-of-the-games-console_0.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="We are witnessing the death of the games console">
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_title">
<span class="post_title">We are witnessing the death of the games console</span>
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_excerpt">
<time datetime="2026-08-09T07:02:00+00:00"><span class="year_label">2026-08-09</span></time> - Rising prices, diminishing generational leaps, and the slow death of physical media have stripped games consoles of their advantages. The days of PlayStation and Xbox as we know them may be numbered.
</div>
</article>
</a>
<a href="/2026/08/02/fifa-world-cup-custodianship">
<article class="blog_entry">
<div class="blog_entry_thumbnail">
<img src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fifa-world-cup-custodianship_0.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="FIFA's failed sell-off and the duty of custodianship">
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_title">
<span class="post_title">FIFA's failed sell-off and the duty of custodianship</span>
</div>
<div class="blog_entry_excerpt">
<time datetime="2026-08-02T06:44:00+00:00"><span class="year_label">2026-08-02</span></time> - Gianni Infantino has scrapped his plan to sell stakes in FIFA's competitions, including the World Cup, to investors. It was always the wrong idea – custodians don't get to sell what they're only trusted to protect.
</div>
</article>
</a>
<nav class="pagination">
<div class="page_previous"></div>
<div class="page_number">Page 1 of 16</div>
<div class="page_next"><a href="/page/2/" class="page_next">Next ></a></div>
</nav>
</div>
</div>
<div id="footer">
© 2016-26 MattCASmith
<span class="home-link">Personal blog - does not reflect views of employers past or present</span>
</div>
<div id="mobile_nav">
<div id="mobile_nav_header">
<div id="header_left">
<a href="/"><img class="site_logo light" src="/assets/images/mcas_site_logo.png" alt="MattCASmith"></a>
<a href="/"><img class="site_logo dark" src="/assets/images/mcas_site_logo_dark.png" alt="MattCASmith"></a>
<a href="/"><h2>MattCASmith</h2></a>
</div>
<img class="link_icon_close light" src="/assets/images/close_icon.png" alt="Close mobile menu">
<img class="link_icon_close dark" src="/assets/images/close_icon_dark.png" alt="Close mobile menu">
</div>
<div id="mobile_nav_links">
<a href="/">Home</a>
<a href="/category/technology" >Technology</a>
<a href="/category/business" >Business</a>
<a href="/category/productivity" >Productivity</a>
<a href="/category/design" >Design</a>
<a href="/category/cyber-security" >Cyber Security</a>
<a href="/category/programming" >Coding</a>
<a href="/category/off-topic" >Misc</a>
</div>
<div id="mobile_nav_icons">
<a href="/about.htm"><img class="link_icon_about light" src="/assets/images/about_icon.png" alt="About MattCASmith"></a>
<a href="/about.htm"><img class="link_icon_about dark" src="/assets/images/about_icon_dark.png" alt="About MattCASmith"></a>
<a href="/feed.xml" target="_blank"><img class="link_icon_feed light" src="/assets/images/feed_icon.png" alt="MattCASmith feed"></a>
<a href="/feed.xml" target="_blank"><img class="link_icon_feed dark" src="/assets/images/feed_icon_dark.png" alt="MattCASmith feed"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:mattcasmith@protonmail.com"><img class="link_icon_email light" src="/assets/images/email_icon.png" alt="Email MattCASmith"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:mattcasmith@protonmail.com"><img class="link_icon_email dark" src="/assets/images/email_icon_dark.png" alt="Email MattCASmith"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/mattcasmith"><img class="link_icon_twitter light" src="/assets/images/x_icon.png" alt="MattCASmith on X"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/mattcasmith"><img class="link_icon_twitter dark" src="/assets/images/x_icon_dark.png" alt="MattCASmith on X"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://bsky.app/profile/mattcasmith.net"><img class="link_icon_bluesky light" src="/assets/images/bluesky_icon.png" alt="MattCASmith on Bluesky"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://bsky.app/profile/mattcasmith.net"><img class="link_icon_bluesky dark" src="/assets/images/bluesky_icon_dark.png" alt="MattCASmith on Bluesky"></a>
</div>
</div>
<script data-goatcounter="https://mattcasmith.goatcounter.com/count"
async src="//gc.zgo.at/count.js"></script>
<script>
/* Search - allow submission using Enter key */
document.getElementById("search").addEventListener("keydown", function (e) {
if (e.key === "Enter") {
e.preventDefault();
searchRedirect();
}
});
/* Search - generate URL and redirect */
function searchRedirect() {
const input = document.getElementById("search");
if (!input) return;
const query = encodeURIComponent(input.value.trim());
const url = "https://duckduckgo.com/?q=site%3Amattcasmith.net+" + query;
window.open(url, "_blank");
}
/* Mobile menu - show on hamburger click */
const menuButtons = document.querySelectorAll(".link_icon_menu");
const closeButtons = document.querySelectorAll(".link_icon_close");
const mobileNav = document.querySelector("#mobile_nav");
menuButtons.forEach(button => {
button.addEventListener("click", () => {
mobileNav.classList.add("open");
});
});
closeButtons.forEach(button => {
button.addEventListener("click", () => {
mobileNav.classList.remove("open");
});
});
/* Newsletter signups */
document.querySelectorAll(".subscribe-form").forEach((form) => {
form.addEventListener("submit", async (e) => {
e.preventDefault();
const emailInput = form.querySelector('input[type="email"]');
const honeypot = form.querySelector('input[name="company"]');
const message = form.querySelector(".message");
const email = emailInput.value.trim();
const company = honeypot ? honeypot.value : "";
// Client-side email validation
const emailRegex = /^[^\s@]+@[^\s@]+\.[^\s@]+$/;
if (!emailRegex.test(email)) {
message.textContent = "Please enter a valid email address.";
message.style.display = "block";
return;
}
try {
const res = await fetch("https://beehiiv-subscribe.tight-disk-ec50.workers.dev", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
"Content-Type": "application/json"
},
body: JSON.stringify({ email, company })
});
if (!res.ok) throw new Error("Request failed");
form.innerHTML = `<p id="message">Thank you for subscribing!</p>`;
} catch (err) {
console.error(err);
if (message) {
message.textContent = "Something went wrong. Please try again.";
message.style.display = "block";
}
}
});
});
</script>
</div>
</body>
</html>