The Starship Changeling

Jun 3, 2024 ↓

Reply with Your Affirmations to Acknowledge Be my Eyes' New Inclusive language Guide!!!

Received Be My Eyes' Inclusive Language Guide. I am surprised by some of the results, particularly the ease with which person-first language (a lot of work for no pay-off in my experienced opinion as a receiver of this language) is being ushered out the door. I acknolwledge I have some unlearning to do in this area, mostly pushing back on the administrations' idea that person-first language is still correct. FTR, I still taking each person's lead on which language you use is still the most fullproof way to go.

Jun 4, 2024 ↓

In reply to x.com/debramjac...

Thank you for the kind words. also, for the chance to appear as part of this important project.

Jun 4, 2024 ↓

This is definitely worth listening to, particularly the part about Braille books being burned. If you don't see parody between that and what is going on now, I'd love to try on your realitiy blinders.

#LivingBlindfully Transcript, Living Blindfully episode 284, celebrating 200 years of Braille and a bright future, lawyers who think all blind people can’t read, and Sonos makes progress while understating the impact of recent events - livingblindfully.com/lb0284tra

Jun 4, 2024 ↓

🧞 When you enter a social situation and someone misgenders you—not a huge deal, then makes such a show of correcting that everyone in the room has a front row seat to to the shit show… That, I’ve just discovered, is worse than someone getting it wrong by accident to begin with or just not giving a fuck and doing whatever they want..

Jun 10, 2024 ↓

I'll be watching #WWDC2024 today at 13:00 Eastern and putting my thoughts as replies to one post. scan the QR code at 13:00 Eastern to be taken to my thread and to be provided with a link to the official event.

QR code with Changeling logo and the directive Scan to be redirected to the content.

Jun 10, 2024 ↓

Thrust Your Opinion On Me! No really. It's fine.

I'm almost sorry when new tech features come out now. They always seem to promote the new wave of people with a "truly unique" opinion they just have to thrust upon you without geeting your concent to become aware of said opinion. I liked the world better when things like religion, politics and personal choices were matters of the heart and not a branding avenue.

Jun 11, 2024 ↓

BPI Fall Social

I've been playing with canva and exploring its accessibility and whether or not alt text transfers out. in case it doesn't, here's a description of the imbedded design: The image is a promotional poster for an event called the "BPI Fall Social" happening in September 2024. The text "Join the fun at bpi.gay" is written at the top. The central part of the image features a colorful, fantastical dragon with vibrant scales in shades of blue, green, purple, and red. The dragon is perched on a bridge over a river, with a city skyline in the background. The sky is filled with dramatic, colorful clouds, suggesting either sunrise or sunset. The text "BPI Fall Social" is overlaid on the image of the dragon.

BPI Fall Social by Randy Reed (Changeling)

Jun 22, 2024 ↓

Creating and Using iMessage Links

by Changeling and Perplexity AI

Creating and using iMessage links can be a powerful way to streamline communication, especially for businesses or individuals who want to make it easy for others to contact them. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you understand the process:

What Are iMessage Links?

iMessage links are special URLs that, when clicked, open the Messages app on an Apple device and pre-fill the recipient's information and optionally the message body. These links are particularly useful for initiating conversations quickly without the need to manually enter contact details.

Creating iMessage Links

Basic iMessage Link

  1. Identify the Recipient: Determine the email address or phone number of the recipient. For example, if the recipient's email is mail@starshipchangeling.net, the basic iMessage link would be: imessage://mail@starshipchangeling.net When this link is clicked on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, it will open the Messages app with mail@starshipchangeling.net as the recipient.

Adding a Pre-Filled Message

  1. Add a Body Parameter: You can also pre-fill the message body by adding a body parameter to the link. For example, to pre-fill the message with "Hello", the link would be: imessage://mail@starshipchangeling.net&body=Hello This way, when the link is clicked, the Messages app will open with mail@starshipchangeling.net as the recipient and "Hello" already typed in the message field.

Using Phone Numbers

  1. Using Phone Numbers: If you prefer to use a phone number instead of an email address, the format is similar. For example, to send a message to the phone number 1234567890, the link would be: imessage://1234567890 And to pre-fill the message body: imessage://1234567890&body=Hi This will open the Messages app with 1234567890 as the recipient and "Hi" in the message field.

Sharing iMessage Links

On Social Media and Websites

  1. Share on Social Media: You can share these links on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, LinkTree, and TikTok. This allows your followers or customers to easily start a conversation with you via iMessage.

  2. Add to Websites: You can also add these links to your website. For example, you can create a button or a widget on your landing page that users can click to contact you via iMessage. This is particularly useful for businesses that want to provide quick customer support.

Using HTTPS Links for Cross-Platform Compatibility

  1. HTTPS Links: If you need a solution that works across different platforms (not just Apple devices), you can use HTTPS links. These links can detect the user's device and redirect them accordingly. For example, if the user is on an iPhone, they will be redirected to the iMessage link; otherwise, they can be redirected to another URL or a different messaging app like WhatsApp or Telegram.

Example of an HTTPS Link: https://l.imessage.bot/mail@starshipchangeling.net?body=Hello👋 This link will open an internet browser, check if the user's device is an iPhone or Mac, and then redirect them to the appropriate messaging app or URL.

Practical Tips

Disabling Rich Previews

  1. Disable Rich Previews: Sometimes, you might want to send a link without the rich preview that iMessage generates. To do this, you can place a period before and after the link. For example: .https://www.example.com. This will send the link as plain text without the preview.

Viewing Shared Links

  1. View Shared Links: If you want to see all the links shared in a conversation, you can tap on the contact's name at the top of the message thread, scroll down, and find the "Links" section. This feature is available in iOS 17 and later.

By following these steps, you can create and use iMessage links effectively, making it easier for others to contact you and enhancing your communication efficiency.

Sources [1] iMessage Link Preview Tool - RenderForm https://renderform.io/blog/posts/imessage-link-preview/ [2] Technical Note TN2444: Best Practices for Link Previews in Messages https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/technotes/tn2444/index.html [3] What are iMessage deep links and how to use them? https://help.loopmessage.com/en/article/what-are-imessage-deep-links-and-how-to-use-them-77icb/ [4] Links not clickable in iMessage app - Apple Developer Forums https://forums.developer.apple.com/forums/thread/76124 [5] Create an 'iMessage Me' link | Beau Giles https://b3.au/2012/02/imessage-me-link/ [6] How to type an address in iMessage that will correctly Hyperlink to ... https://www.reddit.com/r/applemaps/comments/ok6cks/howtotypeanaddressinimessagethat_will/ [7] How to send a link in a text message (SMS) - Omnisend https://www.omnisend.com/blog/the-best-way-to-send-links-in-text-messages/ [8] Apple Messages for Business Templates — Rich Links Template https://developers.liveperson.com/apple-messages-for-business-templates-rich-links-template.html