(- _ -   )

BénOS version 9.9.5.0
Load  *
handshake . . . OK !

init cAM1.feed.emul
init cAM2.feed.emul
init downlink.rate.emul
init cpu.temp.emul
init blinkenlights
init §hape§

╔══╗
║If you can read this,
╚══╝
Something
          broke.

A Bugge doth crawl
B'neath the floor,
Thru twisted veins
Of earthen ore and ire.

Its pincers wrought
From thoughts untold,
Blank mechanism
Seizes hold:
Voracious jaws of taught
And
    sculpted wire
            ▓▒░

System

 v9.9.5.0

click_beetle

MOTION
ENABLEDDISABLED
JS
DISABLED

Web Site Blood Pact

I (the webmaster) solemnly vow to maintain this site in order to ensure it acts as an accurate reflection of my inner self, and as a way of connecting with others through the remarkable phenomenon of the open web.

Site does not track anyone: no analytics, cookies, or server logs are used. If you want to leave evidence of your visit, you may do so by writing an entry in the guestbook.

I do, of course, have the ability to rewrite history and distort reality to my will in the guestbook. Hopefully that's unneeded, tho, and the surprises are only delightful.

Site conforms only to my arbitrary aesthetic standards, and does not necessarily constitute a well-formed, standards-compliant HTML document. It is designed to be mostly navigable if JavaScript is disabled, and relies heavily on CSS f**kery.

Ben

¡Memento mori!

Uh...
0:00 0:00

Ben LaCroix

Advisory

!Warning!

Your IP is

18.118.12.101

Please sit in a well-lit room away from screen.

Bio

Downlink: kbps

Artist and web developer living in Chattanooga, TN, US.

I like synths, hiking, experimental comics, and cats.

Blood type
A+
Call sign
KM4WQR
Current temperament
(ª _ ª )
2024.04.02
Donor organs
All 'cept brain
Encryption
on
Phobia
Bugs
Protocol
HTTP/1.1
Server / Temp
Apache /
°C

cAM2 ◼

CV

1993 Oct.
We have hunches of his existence.

1999 Dec.
He stay up late and wait for the Y2K bug.

2000 Jan.
There did not seem to be the bug.

2001 Sept.
...

2008 Aug.
█ █████ █████████ to █████ public █████████

2014 Sept.
███████ out of ███████

2015 Jun.
Backpacked a section of the Appalachian trail, starting at the northernmost point. Ended up 600-some miles south.

2017 Jun.
█████████ ██ ███████████, █████████.

2020 Apr.
Wed spouse.

2038 Jan.
Next bug.

20██ (future)
Excommunicated.

20██ (future)
Untimely demise.

Bio (cont'd.)

Hello and welcome to my webpage!

I've always been driven by a strong creative urge, and am fascinated by nature and technology. As an outlet, I create comics, electronic music, and pseudo-conspiracy websites, among other things. This site was built in an attempt to contain such projects.

Thru the years, I've survived being an altar boy, a scout, and homeless. I've bussed tables, dug holes, and biked/walked everywhere to make ends meet.

Currently, I'm fortunate to live in the Tennessee valley with my beautiful wife, and a few cats who think they own the place.

I've been spending most of my time lately developing a web design business, which I aim to fully launch in Q2 2024.

If you're interested in hiring me or artistically collaborating, here are some things I can do for you:

  • Build you a website
  • Mix/remix your track
  • Design and print a risograph flyer or poster for your event
  • Play a live set of original music at your event

Anyway, have fun taking a look around and clicking on stuff. I'm an open book; reach out to me through e-mail if you want to talk about pretty much anything.

Cheers,

Ben

Spawning in the woods, c. MMXXII
Spawning in the woods, c. MMXXII

Projects

Shapes in Real Time
2018– music
A computer band and cereal brand.
LATEST: 2024.02.02The Træchæry of §hape§

Hiders Out
2022– webcomic
The exploits of various patterned men.
LATEST: 2024.03.19#022

Occlusion Cull
2020. webpage
Basement-dweller prose.

Synthetic West #0
2019. comic
Printed as a 3-color risograph and distributed at Chattanooga Zine Fest.

Devlog

v9.9.5.0 click_beetle 2024.04.20

  • Mp3 player: added track "screen_door".

v9.9.4.0 northeastern_water_tick 2024.04.16

  • Mp3 player: added track "wake_n_cloac".

v9.9.3.0 watermelon_beetle 2024.04.10

  • Refactored and abstracted code for "nested" windows: "parent" windows can now be resized normally (this is mainly evident in the "Bio" window).
  • Fixed a bug where a scrollbar did not appear if its window hadn't finished loading after a set period of time. When needed, scrollbars now refresh after a response from the server.
  • Fixed a bug where the height of the top bar did not transition smoothly.
  • Fixed a bug in the deepest "layer".

v9.9.2.0 brown_marmorated_stink_bug 2024.04.08

  • Scrolling: for mouse users, the proper cursor is now shown when grabbing scrollbars.
  • Guestbook: added button to quickly jump to form. Text now scales properly when window is shrunk. Removed unnecessary whitespace. Added visual polish.
  • Under the hood: now uses the JS library HTMX for the dynamic loading of some window content, while keeping the original iframe method as a no-JS backup.

v9.9.1.0 clouded_plant_bug 2024.04.04

  • Mp3 player: progress bar now shows buffered amount.

v9.9.0.0 common_booklouse 2024.04.02

  • Mp3 player: added "Trax" window, with navigable playlist & expanded artwork. Access it by clicking or tapping on the artwork in the top bar.

v9.8.10.0 golden_eyed_stick_insect 2024.03.31

  • Mp3 player: added track "finger_wag".

v9.8.9.0 water_strider 2024.03.27

  • Imbued the pulsating orb with additional phrases.
  • Polarity switching now works without JS.
  • Certain buttons whose functionality relies on JS are now hidden if JS is disabled.
  • Guestbook: added a honeypot to mitigate bot spam.

v9.8.8.0 yellow_jacket 2024.03.21

  • When resizing windows, scrollbars now appear and disappear as needed.
  • Projects: ongoing projects now display more detailed info about their last update.

v9.8.7.0 dwarf_periodical_cicada 2024.03.13

  • Mp3 player: added track "energizer_bunny".
  • Preloaded a font for a smoother browsing experience.

v9.8.6.1 bunny_mantis 2024.03.11

  • Removed a CSS animation [more specifically, one modulating filter: opacity()] that caused severe framerate issues in *cough*chrome*cough*. Sidenote: in a performance troubleshooting context, it's truly amazing how useful it is to listen to your PC's fan...

v9.8.6.0 mining_bee 2024.03.03

  • Mp3 player: added "murda_ibg_ss_naif_mix". CRUCIAL: Hurt not a soul ! ! !

v9.8.5.0 puss_moth 2024.02.12

  • Bio: added "full bio".
  • System: updated Web Site Blood Pact.
  • My printer and I now appear in the atlas of the illustrious stencil.wiki.
  • Crushed some bugs.

v9.8.4.0 narcissus_bulb_fly 2024.02.05

  • Made the pulsating orb more handsome.

v9.8.3.0 phyllophaga_delphinicauda 2024.02.02

v9.8.2.0 spotted_lanternfly 2024.01.20

  • Mp3 player: added track "icons".
  • Layout bugfixes and enhancements.

v9.8.1.0 isabella_tiger_moth 2024.01.12

  • Added RSS feed for site updates. To use, copy & paste link into an RSS reader.
  • Mp3 player: added track "glowstick_coward".
  • Improved scrollbar behavior.

v9.8.0.0 tortoise_beetle 2024.01.05

  • Added and expanded secrets.

v9.7.2.1 tomato_hornworm 2024.01.02

  • now appears alongside other fine examples of operating system mimicry in this collection of web desktops.
  • The site's favicon now matches the current polarity setting.

v9.7.2.0 bed_bug 2024.01.01

  • Mp3 player: added tracks "all_of_it" and "earths_flavor_dude".
  • Added Web Site Blood Pact, tucked away in the "System" dialog. If you don't find, read, and abide by every word of it, that's on you.

v9.7.1.0 water_bug 2023.12.29

  • Mp3 player: added track "late2".
  • Added another secret downloadable track.

v9.7.0.2 flea 2023.12.17

  • Modulated phrasing.
  • Enhanced the "System" dialog.

v9.7.0.0 recluse 2023.12.08

  • Added the guestbook. Check it out and sign it!
  • Additional technical info now appears in the "System" dialog.

v9.6.2.0 deaths_head_hawkmoth 2023.12.05

  • Added "System" dialog. Access it from the bottom bar.
  • Various style tweaks all over the place.

v9.6.1.0 viceroy 2023.12.01

  • Improved the accessibility of keyboard navigation.
  • Cleaned up an animation in the top bar.
  • Bio: revised and unredacted portions of CV.

v9.6.0.0 boll_weevil 2023.11.30

  • Windows can now be resized.
  • Improved the implementation of prefers-reduced-motion.
  • Updated the main font.
  • Fleshed out bio.
  • Mp3 player: added track "fernando_o_fern".

v9.5.8.1 mealworm 2023.11.22

  • Devlog: tweaked some dimensions and animations for a better visual experience across viewport sizes.

v9.5.8.0 cockroach 2023.11.17

  • Mp3 player: added track "bluttered_numbling".

v9.5.7.0 doodlebug 2023.11.07

  • The site will now respect your OS's setting for reduced animation/motion.
  • Closing a window no longer resets its scale.
  • Various bugs destroyed.
  • Updated bio.

v9.5.6.0 sweat_bee 2023.10.15

  • Mp3 player: added track "little_rain".

v9.5.5.1 dragonfly 2023.10.09

  • Eliminated some instances of layout shift.

v9.5.5.0 red_velvet_ant 2023.10.07

  • Mp3 player: added track "os_club".
  • Fixed a bug.

v9.5.4.1 glow_worm 2023.10.06

  • Network and UI performance optimizations.
  • Updated bio.

v9.5.4.0 june_bug 2023.10.02

  • Mp3 player: added track "bw_comm".
  • Changed some things from before.

v9.5.3.3 woolly_bear 2023.10.01

  • Subtle layout enhancements.

v9.5.3.2 luna_moth 2023.09.23

  • Improved the loading screen logic for slower connections.
  • Added another object to the "desktop".

v9.5.3.1 inchworm 2023.09.19

  • Made a bug say "uncle".

v9.5.3.0 carpenter_bee 2023.09.17

  • Windows can now be moved around in 2D space, like how you'd expect.

v9.5.2.1 scarab 2023.09.02

  • Updated bio.

v9.5.1.2 cicada_killer 2023.08.10

  • Used a certain font more, to denote danger and/or secrecy.

v9.5.1.1 grub 2023.08.07

  • Stepped on a bug.
  • Non-JS users will now see the boot sequence (and have ample time to read it).
  • Projects: added Hiders Out #21.

v9.5.1.0 spider_wasp 2023.08.06

  • Added the boot sequence.
  • Mp3 player: added track "yoki_sinEdition".
  • Changed the speeds at which windows appear.

v9.5.0.0 cicada2023.07.29

  • Most windows can now be closed, rescaled, and/or scrolled from their respective controls.
  • Added "reset" button to revert window configuration.
  • Improved the writing in some areas.
  • Altered the lite mode color scheme.
  • I am aware there are bugs.

v9.4.2.2 katydid 2023.06.17

  • Enhanced a secret area.

v9.4.2.1 termite 2023.06.15

  • Eliminated some instances of jank.

v9.4.2.0 ladybug 2023.06.11

  • Removed things.
  • Sneaky enhancements.

v9.4.1.0 locust 2023.06.02

  • Refactored polarity shifts, seemingly to more closely resemble the weather.

v9.4.0.1 mud_dauber 2023.05.29

  • Bug fix: eliminated (most instances of) white flash in the evening and simplified dark mode code.

v9.4.0.0 no_see_um 2023.05.29

  • Polarity: rebuilt dark mode. It now uses pre-rendered assets to improve overall performance. Also, a specific dark color palette has been defined, as opposed to the simple inversions of yore.
  • The name of the bug representing each version is now present in the interface.
  • Various UI enhancements.

v9.3.5.0 paper_wasp 2023.05.20

  • Colors are now more consistent across polarities.
  • Memento mori: added donor organs to bio.
  • Cleaned up some code.

v9.3.4.0 bombadier 2023.04.27

  • Mp3 player: added track "treachery_explainer".

v9.3.3.1 true_bug 2023.04.22

  • Absolutely annhiliated a bug.

v9.3.3.0 widow 2023.04.21

  • Added epilepsy warning.

You can't go any further back

( -_-)

Guestbook

E-mail

Feel free to e-mail me.*
My e-mail address is:

Trax

mp3

timefortimeor

looklooklook

hiders_theme_v0

clearoj

BFN_Seq

Interface prototype only. No sound.

120.0 bpm

Meta

zzz...

...!