John Merchant
@johnmerchant.bsky.social
👨🏻💻 Software Engineer / Consultant 🏭 Whyalla, South Australia
10th June - Generative AI for Beginners (V2), with @johnmerchant.bsky.social Register or find out more at www.meetup.com/adelaide-dot... #dotnet #GenerativeAI #workshop #handson
Generative AI for Beginners (V2), Wed, Jun 10, 2026, 5:30 PM | Meetup
Join us as John will help us run through the newly updated [Generative AI For Beginners course](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/generative-ai-for-beginners-dotnet-ver
meetup.com
I made spotcheck.energy so you can check how a spot price plan like Amber would’ve worked for your home over the last 365 days on the NEM.
Spotcheck — is switching to spot pricing worth it?
A free, independent calculator. Tells you whether switching to a spot-passthrough retailer is actually worth it for your solar + battery + hot water setup — runs a year-long simulation against real wh...
spotcheck.energy
Very much enjoying the keynote on AI and software development by @ghuntley #DDDAdelaide
Given that 1.8 million barrels of oil per day are already being displaced by #EVs — before the real S-curve phase hits with 25% YoY growth — the writing’s on the wall. Every km on electrons is demand oil never gets back. No wonder the industry is panicking as it traverses a full-blown death spiral.
EVs Set to Displace 10mn b/d Oil by 2035
EVs set to displace 10mn b/d of oil by 2035 as electric vehicle adoption accelerates across global markets.
discoveryalert.com.au
Tesla Officially Launches FSD in Australia & New Zealand; Introduces 30-Day Free Trial
Tesla Officially Launches FSD in Australia & New Zealand; Introduces 30-Day Free Trial
Tesla has officially launched FSD (Supervised) in Australia and New Zealand. A deep dive into the staged rollout, the standard 30-day free trial and the pricing… Read More
notateslaapp.com
The whale watching operation at Fowlers Bay is conservation best practice. They need to be granted an exemption to continue operations. chng.it/mV5gMcYc6p
Sign the Petition
Support EP Cruises: Protect Local Tourism & Conservation Efforts
chng.it
We’ve normalised traffic danger and pollution for decades. But freedom to drive shouldn’t come at the cost of freedom to walk safely, breathe clean air, or let kids go to school without being gassed. Road harm isn’t inevitabl, it’s a design choice. Let’s choose better.
Telstra satellite direct-to-cell appears to work for my iPhone 15 Pro in outback SA. I can send and receive SMS and iMessage, text only. There are also off-grid Telstra 4G towers with satellite, solar and what appears to be batteries. The speeds and ping are great considering how remote it is!
“We were surprised” Electric trucks ready to overtake diesel on lifetime cost thedriven.io/2025/05/20/w... @thedriven.io Don't be surprised, just be happy The time for electric trucks is from now on
"We were surprised:" Electric trucks ready to overtake diesel on lifetime cost
New research shows the tipping point for cost parity for electric trucks and diesel trucks is close than expected. "We were surprised," say the researchers.
thedriven.io
Prof Ray Wills@profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · last yr.Linfox have announced plans to purchase 30 electric prime movers from the Volvo Group Volvo said the order would accelerate Volvo plans to manufacture electric trucks in Australia bsky.app/profile/thed... @thedriven.io
Aspire 9.3 new dashboard features, day 7: It's release day and there's a surprise dashboard feature. GitHub Copilot is your new AI debugging assistant 🚀 📒 Review hundreds of log messages in one click 🚨 Find root causes of errors faster 🧠 Explain error codes using AI's vast knowledge base
.NET Aspire 9.3 is here with copilot. devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/intro... #dotnet #aspire #copilot
.NET Aspire 9.3 is here and enhanced with GitHub Copilot! - .NET Blog
.NET Aspire 9.3 is the biggest release of .NET Aspire yet, with the introduction of GitHub Copilot directly into the .NET Aspire Dashboard, updates for integrations, app model enhancements, and more.
devblogs.microsoft.com
A cluster of 100 autonomous electric mining trucks have been put into operation at a giant open pit mine in Inner Mongolia
100 autonomous electric trucks begin work in giant Mongolia mine
A cluster of 100 autonomous electric mining trucks have been put into operation at a giant open pit mine in Inner Mongolia.
thedriven.io
Many people think solar and wind won't be able to keep the grid stable because they lack "inertia". I think solar, wind and batteries will do a BETTER job and I think you can explain it thus: - the old grid is a record player - the new grid a digital player 🧵
Three questions lie at the heart of any discussion of the transition to net zero. How to decarbonize the grid; how to maintain grid stability; and how to do both affordably. How one neglected approach could provide a big part of the answers… mliebreich.substack.com/p/decarboniz...
Decarbonizing the last few percent
Three questions lie at the heart of any discussion of the transition to net zero. How to decarbonize the grid; how to maintain grid stability; and how to do both affordably.
mliebreich.substack.com
Volvo accelerates plans to build heavy electric trucks in Australia after a record order of electric prime movers from transport group Linfox
Volvo to build heavy electric trucks in Australia after record breaking order
Volvo accelerates plans to build heavy electric trucks in Australia after a record order of electric prime movers from transport group Linfox.
thedriven.io
NEW from me: China's CO2 emissions fell ~1.6% in the first quarter and have now been flat or down for more than a year. This is the first time on record that emissions are falling due to clean energy growth, not slow power demand.
Carbon Brief@carbonbrief.org · last yr.NEW – Analysis: Clean energy just put China’s CO2 emissions into reverse for first time | @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social Read here: buff.ly/6eAcjRU
EV sales expected to jump in 2025 to more than 20 million, with price parity reached in key markets, particularly in China and south-east Asia
Global EV sales to hit 20 million in 2025, as prices hit parity in key markets
EV sales expected to jump in 2025 to more than 20 million, with price parity reached in key markets, particularly in China and south-east Asia.
thedriven.io
I should really spend more time on here, but nonchalantly engaging in Socratic dialogue with the trolls on bird app is somehow an effective learning tool for me. Intellectual resistance training?
Roughly a 1600km round trip for Mitch, as he drove over from Victoria to visit us in Adelaide, South Australia. We really appreciate his commitment to the .NET developer community.
Thanks again @mitchdenny.dev for coming over to show us .NET Aspire. Your enthusiasm was infectious, and we can't wait to see what new features get announced at #MSBuild next week! Safe travels home and we hope you visit again soon 👋 #dotnet #dotnetAspire
Correction: This is another example of an entire ecosystem distorted by global warming due to greenhouse gas pollution. Algal blooms are a symptom of ecological degradation, not the ultimate cause.
Guardian Australia@australia.theguardian.com · last yr.‘A horror movie’: sharks and octopuses among 200 species killed by toxic algae off South Australia
People keep saying “$600 billion” because it’s within the realm of sober, cautious estimates, from a trusted source (albeit with a vested interest). Given the Coalition’s history and the global track record of nuclear, it’s arguably a conservative midpoint.
