Latest Activity > essays
Sites
All the latest Neocities site news!
Neocities allows anyone to create a free web site to express themselves. Want to create your own awesome site? Join us!
Another blog I follow also got a typewriter recently for seemingly similar reasons (as far as I can tell). They didn't use alt text unfortunately but they took a photo of the page they wrote for a blog post: https://jamesg.blog/2025/10/19/growth
3 likes
pixelglade
6 months ago
The first post with the typewriter: https://jamesg.blog/2025/10/19/beginnings-type-written
2 likes
emilynhoward
6 months ago
Ooh, thanks for this! You can kind of see the starry-eyed wonder that typewriters invoke. I have so far decided not to post images of my typewriting because it would require both high-res images and lots of alt text. But maybe I will one day with short bits of text.
1 like
pixelglade
6 months ago
It might be possible to simplify the process of converting full-length pages of typewriter text to alt text using OCR like tesseract or something else, but even in that case, smaller segments will probably be easier. Personally I'd like to see an example of the text your typewriter produces, out of curiosity for how the letterforms look
1 like
emilynhoward
6 months ago
My experiments so far with OCR have not worked out well. You'd think it would be easy for a computer to render typewriting into text, but the program I was using actually couldn't parse several of the letters. I will consider uploading some examples of text, though. Thanks for the suggesion!
1 like
6 likes
balckwell
6 months ago
new feature: BY HOOK OR BY CROOK: A HATER'S QUEST TO ENJOY SHAKESPEARE -- Introduction & Part One
2 likes
saddleblasters
6 months ago
ezra pound also seemed to think the histories were shakespeare's best work, though i've never read them for myself. maybe when you get to the henriad i'll read along with you...
2 likes
If everyone removed their social location labels from their site (nationality, race, age, gender, disability, etc.) would you browse Neocities differently? Would your own website be different? Just trying to think through the usefulness and limits of labels.
4 likes
nohappynonsense
6 months ago
i was thinking lately i should update my about section, but when i just checked it i realized it is as bare bones as i'd like it to be while still existing and providing some navigation. i think labels are good for new visitors, to sort of orient themselves in a general direction of the author, but ultimately the writing/content of the site is where we truly learn about who's behind the html
barndoors
6 months ago
I'd judge way less while browsing. age range is the only stat I look for. no one does media queries here but you can't hate on a 14 yo's first chatgpt-less build
maxcrunch
6 months ago
self categorization is really important for me and I do self labeling as a way to get to know myself. sometimes you self label and then find out you're wrong. it's a harder question to answer for other people. for websites, I'm more into the style of expression than the actual person. although there are some people I followed only because they're only
1 like
ghostscape
6 months ago
I don't usually go looking for those tbh: it's useful to know gender if I'm going to refer to someone (even if just to myself) but I don't think I know the rest about most of you unless it comes up organically
ghostscape
6 months ago
but then I am very into small-web anonymity. I've had enough of labels and minutely detailed self-branding as the cost of entry to a lot of social media and online spaces
1 like
emilynhoward
6 months ago
Thanks for your responses @nohappynonsense @barndoors @maxcrunch @ghoatscape! I started typing my reply and realized that it was going to be way longer than a Neocities comment will allow, so I will try to put up a page on my site and link it here today or tomorrow. I appreciate all your perspectives.
3 likes
4 likes
2 likes
6 likes
balckwell
6 months ago
I worried that I would end up sounding like a woman when I started regularly speaking Japanese -- in the end, I don't think I sound like anything at all... Proust is definitely not a long tweet, but if you don't like those first few pages, you're not going to like the rest of it. I was hooked around two pages in; one of those cases where the aspects I like the most are exactly the parts others find obnoxious.
2 likes
suboptimalism
6 months ago
i can only understand japanese if it is high-pitched girl's voices speaking
1 like
sorbier
6 months ago
@balckwell ... maybe i'll try proust again in a few years. i really want to Get It and i keep hoping that i will then failing
1 like
1 like
9 likes
emilynhoward
6 months ago
I added some extracts from my journals. I don't know how you'll feel about it, but this is my favorite page that I've uploaded in a long time.
4 likes
2 likes
nohappynonsense
6 months ago
this is like a cheat code to skip out on my own notebook practice and just get all the good stuff from yours
1 like
7 likes
balckwell
6 months ago
introducing the SADDLEBALCKWELL LETTERS, a letter series featuring myself and my good friend saddleblasters
2 likes
sorbier
6 months ago
this series is the cutest thing i've seen. what a rollout. also insert that gif of the person looking sadly out the window as it rains
4 likes
16 likes
iwillneverbehappy
6 months ago
Thanks for this, Соня. I'm really glad you've been posting more. A breath of fresh air in the more-or-less homogenous and unconditional anti-AI-ism on Neocities.
5 likes
angelsaremathematical
6 months ago
thank you! your praise means a lot for me. as for the anti-AIsm on neocities — actually, most people with the no AI banners on neocities simply don't want to see websites with AI-generated content, and that's 100% understandable. most of the opinions I discuss in this post I found not on neocities, but in other parts of the internet
4 likes
venus-territory
6 months ago
Good blog! I have one of the anti-ai banners on my site. IMO, this is like nuclear energy, you can use it to make bombs (replacing people, slop content, etc.) or to give energy to everyone (medical/scientific uses, more efficient google, etc.), the good parts need to grow and the bad parts to get less bad!
4 likes
I love your reading room, it's beautiful and very interesting!
1 like
5 likes
Popular Tags
art music videogames programming games anime food personal writing cats blog movies books gaming fashion photography comics animation design horror game drawing arte coding manga portfolio furry reading poetry ocs cute technology musica kpop history animals education film literature fun roblox philosophy programacion sports nature html science tech videogame programing politics travel minecraft gamedev web love retro life school videojuegos computers pokemon 2000s youtube cartoons blogging fantasy diary pink illustration video dogs idk gardening random comic videos internet memes ai linux oc cooking y2k arg queer nostalgia kawaii crafts tv fandom journal webcomic worldbuilding test aesthetic cars emo media business fanfiction films learning vocaloid news space health stuff math silly fiction website stories cutecore culture arts scifi etc 90s journaling painting baking cat crochet football punk graphics 3d homestuck goth cinema marketing software css diy pixelart psychology commissions lgbt archive program artist dance shows sport sanrio series digitalart dnd me makeup comida creativity metal trans characters graphicdesign religion editing lifestyle lgbtq funny indie aboutme cool rpg friends fanart streaming clothes entertainment plants sonic code guitar development story scene roleplay webcomics javascript rock everything comedy languages ttrpg zines electronics sewing community engineering study weird aesthetics reviews webcore hacking gay cyberpunk beauty basketball originalcharacters it fnaf webdesign vintage educacion soccer deltarune social photos computer spirituality vtuber weirdcore oldweb pets blogs discord coffee informatica project storytelling architecture thoughts flowers biology hobbies shop movie clothing vaporwave information undertale magic japan lore cosplay shopping language nintendo mlp ttrpgs book creative fandoms fitness testing about radio chat physics alternative experimental digital nothing astronomy money blinkies websites crypto singing html5 cybersecurity info birds site crafting personalwebsite witchcraft wip anything japanese bugs research juegos tecnologia tvshows furries occult band theatre moda gamedevelopment autism finance projects sleep other sleeping profile television dolls yaoi gatos events interests resume vr futbol knitting work all photo lain fish system vampires linguistics genshin apps frutigeraero dreams transgender animes poems romance astrology collecting wiki puzzle mentalhealth visualnovels rap toys developer gym splatoon meme dancing fanfic python webdevelopment essays marvel app skateboarding free tarot aliens gothic drawings animations english cartoon ghchs hiking windows family stamps bio gamedesign coquette robots carrd medicine intro dog modding pixels chess fortnite interactive gyaru touhou journalism puzzles a humor pizza teaching deportes mathematics mystery dragons osc yuri security characterdesign birthday gallery links jogos popculture roleplaying adventure zine hobby online creepypasta resources fnf data no rp musicals blender mythology jfashion traveling fansite piano ocean myself objectshows pixel introduction dreamcore gifs vkei lol novels zonelets amor meow audio law peliculas studying hiphop twitch home recipes dark style libros breakcore pjsk ffxiv noise indiegames running bfdi communism stars danganronpa privacy tf2 swag paranormal wrestling scenecore plushies christianity podcast rpgs activism shrine progamming bunnies death graphic car production boardgames foods robotics none hellokitty spanish craft socialmedia utau pictures volleyball jewelry songs pinterest ecommerce filmmaking feminism outdoors omori awesome travelling twine designing android educational lesbian anarchism collage things geography cine bl student dev 3dmodeling grunge maths electronic misc dinosaurs god brasil vent lolita alt 80s scratch deporte webdev environment sharks whimsy tools girls transformers store clowns novel blue old unblocked jpop stickers jazz cafe jesus realestate chemistry bts mario tea starwars computing vtubers acting pc theater trains manhwa help fotografia college doom creepy construction yoga vlog plurality services computerscience images translation baseball tumblr args cozy filmes videography collection multimedia flash horses event bitcoin pop whatever warriorcats mcr cyber f1 programar lego programmer java retrogaming dj epic pastel draw escuela videoediting persona trading supernatural skating historia weed gamer southpark tabletop insects girly literatura therian yes miku hardware tiktok salud weather dc 3dprinting techno socialism ecology forum swimming truecrime monsters opensource nerd podcasts lgbtqia js people economics green programas drama tattoos medical skincare tcc surrealism chatting trinkets angels maps bsd sound modeling shoes hi freedom ropa kandi homepage restaurant livros cricket otherkin vhs edm search author animanga artes learn kirby hockey artwork ideas kidcore world healthcare enstars cleaning animales kdrama fishing estudiante analysis conspiracy tourism sketching sociology cultura turismo text racing bible digitalmarketing bands halloween service plural hardcore tennis videogaming chill visualnovel sculpture academia petz curso thrifting colors wedding writting knowledge programacao closedspecies brazil friendship analog homework eating shitposting did depression christian egl purple programa general rats cv scary women surreal networking creation frogs library drugs furniture retrogames sites ambient alterhuman gacha academic sciencefiction aviation hair mods medieval rants wellness mangas mobile sustainability university foss genshinimpact graffiti anarchy ceramics blockchain tutorials anthropology yapping magazine glitch water webseries theology cryptids cycling soft 3dart ux harrypotter talking writer quotes truth society schoolproject otaku batman building rpgmaker practice ghosts onepiece garden jjba crocheting server esoteric concerts nails analoghorror erotica tattoo guns bot review archives informacion theory estudio company superheroes scrapbooking cryptocurrency forsaken programs character species conlang liminal cards illustrations shrines notes kdramas neocities camping creating musicproduction class performance startrek bikes play cs live french kids vampire selfship spiderman disney articles noticias yumeship handmade meditation os crk animal instagram shitpost voiceacting seals decor sanat mtg revival terror shoegaze church google unblockedgames content miriadax communication blood synthesizers ultrakill house rhythmgames apple lostmedia chaos future vida crime training folklore industrial twitter css3 programmation originalcharacter evangelion creativewriting mylittlepony hetalia vlogs new advertising idols quiz fanfics satire youtuber dandysworld paganism marxism zelda exercise animalcrossing party disability vinyl doodles embroidery vrchat adhd frontend sims dating ia calculator viajes interactivefiction musics military poesia repair something commission magick designer facts animating rambling neopets sweets islam joke geek vtubing programm tamagotchi jobs spooky creatures scp visualkei desing finalfantasy entretenimiento shoujo randomstuff bass prompts overwatch cheese mha daily vegan silliness musicas cult beach songwriting more datascience shifting miscellaneous jeux vibes kink halflife developing black todo rainbow tareas musique anthro webring glitter tarea warhammer oldinternet underground jokes hack happy collections spiritual dungeonsanddragons conlangs zombies club motorcycles tecnology stem studies videgames photoshop miniatures download beginner self musician faith arcane trabajo archival solarpunk tips gossip mushrooms drinks hotel instruments ranfren productivity private 1 cake agriculture lofi ui tokusatsu cities edits ar woodworking yugioh blackmetal doctorwho mecha red beer gender map secret streamer projectsekai
Late to your original question, but how about using labels to be as a safe space? For instance, I have my pronouns in my site even though it doesn't make a difference to me. I'm a cis woman, so the default she/her works. And even if someone misgenders me, I wouldn't care because I have never suffered from it.
So in that case, rather than being a defensive thing, it's just to tell others that I'll respect their pronouns if they ever interacted with me. To try to make it safer for those who might be dealing with discrimination in other places. I rarely interact with others, but if there's a chance to make things a bit less hostile then it's worth it.
Bonus reason: some blinkies and stuff are just cute ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Agreed with Koala. Before I came out as trans, I didn't self-identify very much as anything online, in fact I preferred to hide it. But even coming against prejudice about being trans from even my own family and facing random abuse in public and online, self-identifying works as both indicating to others that I'm "in the know (e.g. about pronouns, etc)"/ am safe, and also practically works as a filter.
Also, I've poked around on the old web on archives of geocities and others, there was quite a lot of self-identification especially in the LGBTQ community, much as there still is today. I haven't looked at other communities but I suspect your observation on race, nationality, etc, are the same. When there's so much information online, choosing who to follow or spend time with is important, labels help with that
i think my thoughts are not comment-sized but: this topic is super interesting, your thoughts reflect a lot of my own feelings, and also the current comments are spot-on too. how I've felt about online labels over the years has maaassively changed and part of that is to do with the kind of privileges I have changing
@kolala Thanks for the perspective. Yeah, I think that different sites with different purposes use labels differently. For myself, I've had experiences where I thought I was a good ally and ended up causing harm, so I don't see myself as an expert on whether or not I'm a "safe" person. If someone is wondering if I am safe to approach, I would recommend that they read around my site a bit and decide for themselves.
@pixelglade Several years ago, I got harrassed on the bus by someone claiming that they "couldn't tell" "what" I am. Shortly afterwards, I got some pride pins to put on my bag so nobody could claim to be confused about it and to take up space as a queer person. So I get that as a reason to self-label online. But to me there's a thin line between creating a community and creating an echo chamber in online spaces...
...and that's the part that I'm still trying to figure out. I was not connected to the LGBTQ+ community in my early internet days, so I did not see the self-labeling happening there. My guess is that the practice started in small communities connecting around their identities and get got more mainstreamed over the years.