Fix, Find, And Generate Contact Avatars On Linux Without (You) Using AI

In the space of less than twenty-four hours I went from idea to having a tool that solves a problem that I (and presumably others) have had for at least a decade: Remove old placeholder user avatar images, see if there are any advertised online user avatars for the person, otherwise generate new and unique ones for each contact, and attach them across your whole address book. And without AI generated images, using my phone, or subscribing to a service. How I did so also serves as a great example of what I mean by individual “harm reduction” when it comes to AI. Let me explain what went into solving the problem, how and where I used AI/LLMs so that I didn’t need to keep using an AI, and why I think that difference is important. This is really two posts in one; if you’re only interested in one bit or another, the headers should guide you to the right spot. Fixing Bad Contact Avatars (Linux, Bash Script) I don’t like most “default” icons in my contacts list. The only thing I like less…