When it comes to computer topics, I seek out good book, like `The C Programming` language when I was 14 or research papers for a coding project. PDFs ok in a pinch, but being able to sit in a cafe, a waiting room, airplane, etc. and read without issue is nice. They go any where and don't need a power outlet. For my own books, I pencil notes in the margins. And not just tech. books, but fiction too. A good'ol paperback tuck in my wait band behind my back or in a large coat pocket. Books work. They exercise memory, improve reading and writing skills (more you read, the better your writing becomes by example), and a new book smells nice, like a new car but cheaper.

We had a six day blackout a few years ago in Ottawa after a hurricane. My to-read pile staved off boredom and filled a void. Analogue tech has a place.

"The Ultimate Computer"
The M-5 didn't have much success.

"A Taste of Armageddon"
Automated war without destruction.

"The Changeling"
Nomad

"Shore Leave"
The planet is the AI amusement park.

"Star Trek: The Motion Picture"
V'ger

Clearly not the Copilot AI then (the dumb shite).

My strength and love is "C" and more recently come to enjoy Erlang. Currently work in NodeJS Javascript. Been studying Rust with growing admiration, though not had occasion to use it yet. Wrote a hosted Forth interpreter in C (yeah I know) just for fun and curiosity. Worked with Lua and Rexx, both of which are great. Have done lots of Shell (Ksh, Bash) scripting. Wrote cyber cafe time management system for Windows in Java. Done some work in C#, which is surprisingly good given it was created by Microsoft. Dabbled with Ruby and Python, probably will again. Done many a web site using PHP. Worked with WSL (Waterloo Systems Language, now discontinued I think) for a co-op job. Long ago wrote a Pilot interpreter in Z80 assembler. Know some C++, though I avoid it like a plague. Once learned Perl, but have come to despise it and intend to kill those brain cells with booze.

Life Is Too Short to RTFM: How Users Relate to Documentation and Excess Features in Consumer Products
https://academic.oup.com/iwc/a...

In all my professional life, I've never once found work through an employment agency, which I think are disgusting parasitic, often offshore outsourced, rancid vermin. Every job I've had has come from word of mouth or direct ad by the employer. Intermediary agents are horribly stupid. I've never blown off an interview with a company that does show interest, but would happily do it with a recruiter given I have zero respect for them.

On the other hand I understand being ignored by employers who don't reply to job seekers. I think I've had only three negative replies to job inquiries in my life, the rest just leave you hanging. So I can understand the "bale if not better" mind set. If employers want to be taken seriously then they need to at least play nice with potential employees.

However in today's thrifty world, sending out N negative replies by post or even email is often too much a burden (hassle) for a business, so they leave applicants hanging; only fair turn around if an applicant does like wise.

Thought it died long ago.

Start with the CERT Secure Coding standards, especially for C programmers it covers many of the "gotchas" to watch out for.

        SEI CERT C Coding Standard: Rules for Developing Safe, Reliable, and Secure Systems (2016 Edition)
        https://resources.sei.cmu.edu/...

Apparently they them for other languages like C++, Java, Perl.

How to remove /disable/ kill voice activated assistants?