Oh, I remember playing Iji! I think that was the first game I played that noticed and reacted if you tried to play as a pacifist. There was at least one unavoidable boss fight when I played it though, as I recall.

Digging back through my old disks, it looks like I actually still have my copy from 2008 (version 1.2, according to the manual.txt file) as well as a saved game from much later when I replayed it in February 2013. That was a while ago!

You added a rainbow!

!animepics@reddthat.com -- people mostly post fan art these days, but discussion of anything anime-adjacent (anime/manga/VN/hentai/etc.) is explicitly allowed too. In the past I've posted amusing/interesting stills from shows I was watching, custom image composites, screenshot comics, and things like that.

!anime_irl@ani.social -- "A community for sharing relatable real-life situations depicted in anime."

I'm not sure if I've ever fallen in love with a completely imaginary dream person, but I did dream about my ex once years and years after we broke up. I don't remember what I dreamed about exactly, but I do remember waking from it. The happiness fading as the realization set in that it was all a dream -- I was by myself in bed and none of it had been real. I'm usually pretty good at dealing with solitude, but that moment... that was the most intense loneliness I think I've ever felt.

I see your princess bun and raise you a cinnamon bun!

(source)

I wrote something like this before for academic researchers to load data sets on display walls by using their cellphones. I approached it by building a simple website. When the user logs in, they'd see a table of entries (from a directory listing on a shared file server that they could drop their data sets onto) and could click a button that made a form post to the server which caused it to run whichever programs were needed to load the data set they wanted (or run a couple of other handy commands -- like turning the monitors on/off, etc).

You can do something like that too in Python if you want:

1. Learn how to start and stop programs from Python scripts. This can be done with the built-in subprocess library. If you know how to launch the programs you want from the command line, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out how to do it from Python by reading the documentation. It will take some more effort to figure out how to interact with it (e.g. to stop it from user input) without blocking your script, but this can be done.
2. Learn how to write a simple program that can respond to HTTP requests in Python. There are a number of libraries like tornado, flask, cherrypy, etc. that can do this. Pick one, read the documentation, and write a tiny page that allows you to submit a form and then trigger an action on the server in response to an HTTP POST. You should be able to interact with it by pointing the browser on your computer to localhost (possibly plus a port) or from on your LAN by putting the IP of your computer into the address bar.
3. Figure out how you're going to organize the entries you want to be able to load. You could just do something trivial like putting the files in known folders and running os.listdir, or something more involved like tracking the entries with a spreadsheet or database or JSON file that lets you associate custom metadata with each entry (like a custom name to show or an icon to display or when it was last launched, etc.)
4. Generate a web page based on that data collection. I recommend using templating -- e.g. with mustache, or jinja, etc. Basically you write some HTML-like text that lets you indicate places to fill in data from your program and it will do the conversion of symbols like < into < that are needed for HTML output and also repeat patterns using entries from lists you provide to build the rows of tables and such for you.
5. Set up some security (e.g. a simple log in system) and polish it up as much as you care to do.

Good luck and have fun!

I tried booting an old Surface off a USB stick with stock Ubuntu once -- probably either 20.04 or 22.04. (I tried this in June 2022 but didn't make a note of the versions in my journal, unfortunately.) I was able to get it to boot, but I couldn't get touch/pen controls working so I decided against replacing the OS. I didn't have enough enthusiasm to bother experimenting with it further -- I assume it probably needed the custom kernel.

You might find writing guides relevant to your interests. For example, "How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy" by Orson Scott Card contains some details about how the author came to write Hart's Hope and other novels. "Scene & Structure" by Jack Bickham might also be interesting -- I don't remember discussion of specific books in it, but it might scratch a similar itch for how-it's-made style content.

Some books also contain introductions/forewords/afterwords with details about how the book was written. A bunch of OSC's novels (like some editions of Ender's Game) come to mind specifically -- I read those back when I was curious about maybe trying to become a writer, so that's the most prominent example in my mind, but I'm sure there are others. I've also seen translations of a number of works where the translators include really long introductions explaining some of their choices -- and sometimes criticize earlier translations.

Aww, I'm not trying to stomp anyone. :(

I was just curious if it was actually the full list and before I knew it I'd spent 45 minutes checking Pokemon names to figure out what was missing, so I figured I'd share the corrections.

If Kolanaki got that close just from memory, that's pretty impressive! I had to look it up!

• Electrode, Diglett, Nidoran♂, Mankey, Venusaur, Rattata, Fearow, Pidgey, Seaking, Jolteon, Dragonite, Gastly, Ponyta, Vaporeon, Poliwrath, Butterfree, Venomoth, Poliwag, Nidorino, Golduck, Ivysaur, Grimer, Victreebel, Moltres, Nidoking, Farfetch'd, Abra, Jigglypuff, Kingler, Rhyhorn, Clefable, Wigglytuff
• Zubat, Primeape, Meowth, Onix, Geodude, Rapidash, Magneton, Snorlax, Gengar, Tangela, Goldeen, Spearow, Weezing, Seel, Gyarados, Slowbro, Kabuto, Persian, Paras, Horsea, Raticate, Magnemite, Kadabra, Weepinbell, Ditto, Cloyster, Caterpie, Sandshrew, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Golem, Pikachu
• Alakazam, Doduo, Venonat, Machoke, Kangaskhan, Hypno, Electabuzz, Flareon, Blastoise, Poliwhirl, Oddish, Drowzee, Raichu, Nidoqueen, Bellsprout, Starmie, Metapod, Marowak, Kakuna, Clefairy, Dodrio, Seadra, Vileplume, Krabby, Lickitung, Tauros, Weedle, Nidoran♀, Machop, Shellder, Porygon, Hitmonchan
• Articuno, Jynx, Nidorina, Beedrill, Haunter, Squirtle, Chansey, Parasect, Exeggcute, Muk, Dewgong, Pidgeotto, Lapras, Vulpix, Rhydon, Charizard, Machamp, Pinsir, Koffing, Dugtrio, Golbat, Staryu, Magikarp, Ninetales, Ekans, Omastar, Scyther, Tentacool, Dragonair, Magmar
• Sandslash, Hitmonlee, Psyduck, Arcanine, Eevee, Exeggutor, Kabutops, Zapdos, Dratini, Growlithe, Mr. Mime, Cubone, Graveler, Voltorb, Gloom, Charmeleon, Wartortle, Mewtwo, Tentacruel, Aerodactyl, Omanyte, Slowpoke, Pidgeot, Arbok

I noticed while making this list that Lickitung was incorrectly spelled "LIKITUNG" on the third day.

Edit: Also, for Nidoran♂ vs Nidoran♀ you have to look at the picture to distinguish since they just say "Nidoran" but they do say it twice!

That's pretty good! But... that's only 147. :-)

Nidoran♀, and Nidoran♂ are separate and you're missing Nidorina, Nidoqueen, and also Rhydon.

Some other corrections:

• Pigeotto -> Pidgeotto
• Ninetails -> Ninetales
• Diglit -> Diglett
• Primape -> Primeape
• Duouo -> Doduo
• Cloysyer -> Cloyster
• Ghastly -> Gastly
• Electrabuzz -> Electabuzz
• Gyrados -> Gyarados
• Omantyte -> Omanyte
• Arodactyl -> Aerodactyl

(Yes, I looked it up. No, I have no life. :p)

Cheers!