Blog

Adding Tags to My Projects Page written Oct 03, 2024

How I used Hugo to set up an easy system for adding tags to the project listings on this site.
Methods Should Be Object Safe written May 04, 2024

We should use "method", in Rust, to refer specifically to associated functions which would be object safe if put in a trait.
Adding Full Post Content to my RSS Feed written Feb 27, 2024

A quick summary of how I added a working full-content component to my Hugo-generated feed without too much effort.
Pinning nixpkgs with Morph and Colmena written Feb 18, 2024

How deploy configs built with a pinned nixpkgs version in clusters managed with both Morph and its replacement, Colmena.
The Horror written Jun 08, 2023

Something bad is happening. CW for a somewhat intense description of the effects of testosterone, a mention of suicide, and use of the f-slur.
The Fediverse is Already Dead written Feb 23, 2023

The Fediverse is not dying, nor is it crumbling. As an ideoform in the collective consciousness of the 'net, the Fediverse is already dead.
Fallout: New Vegas Is Like a TTRPG With a Bad DM written Jan 12, 2023

Fallout: New Vegas feels like playing D&D with someone who doesn't really understand how things are supposed to work.
Scaling Mastodon in the Face of an Exodus written Nov 10, 2022

Elon Musk bought Twitter, hundreds of thousands of people joined Mastodon, and the Weirder Earth server wasn't ready. Here's how we saved it, and how you can do the same for yours.
It's Time to Get Hyped About Const Generics in Rust written Nov 06, 2021

Rust 1.51 introduced "const generics", generic parameters that are values rather than types - but that's just the beginning of the story.
Modular Synthesis and UNIX written Aug 01, 2020

Modular synthesis and UNIX - two fascinating technologies with many similarities.
Back to Zsh written Jul 14, 2020

I stopped using `fish` and switched back to `zsh` - here's how and why.
Names, Legal Names, and Fractally Deferred Responsibility written May 11, 2020

Don't store legal names, at least not as the default. Here's why, and why it matters.
Stop Making Students Use Eclipse written Apr 11, 2020

Computer science education doesn't adequately educate in some key areas. These are my personal thoughts on that issue and how it might be corrected - by not relying on IDEs!
HackRF Tripups with GNURadio written Sep 07, 2019

My HackRF wasn't working with my GNURadio sketches because I set the sample rate wrong. Here's how to do it right.
Arduino Geiger Counter Dosimeter written Aug 19, 2019

A short write-up of my rough-and-ready Geiger counter, and lessons learned from building and testing it.
Simple Elixir Functions written Jul 20, 2019

A few simple Elixir functions I built and my thoughts on them.
What Is Rust's unsafe? written Jul 12, 2019

An in-depth look at why Rust has the unsafe keyword, what it does, and how it's used to make the Rust ecosystem as a whole safer.
System76 Thelio: A Review written Feb 23, 2019

A comprehensive review of the System76 Thelio (thelio-r1).
Let's Build a Terrible Search written Feb 03, 2019

In which I build a very slow searching algorithm and compare it to the built-in Python searching algorithm.
Fedidict Implementation: Setting Up the Database written Sep 06, 2018

The core of Fedidict is the data it stores, for which it uses a traditional SQL database with a simple but powerful schema. This post explores both the SQL and Rust sides of the schema.
FediDict UX Design, Part 2 written Sep 02, 2018

More in-depth analysis and design for the UX of FediDict, focused on security.
FediDict UX Design, Part 1 written Aug 23, 2018

My first stab at defining the user experience for my federated dictionary software.
PDF Embedding Attacks written Aug 04, 2018

Turns out, it's possible to embed files that automatically execute as soon as a PDF is opened, making it an optimal malware delivery mechanism.
Improved User Interface 0.3.0! written Jun 13, 2018

Release announcement for the 3rd pre-release of the Improved User Interface library.
#DeleteFacebook and FOSTA/SESTA written Mar 28, 2018

The fallout of the FOSTA and SESTA bills and recent revelations about Facebook's unethical business practices have made it clear that users need to retake control over our data.
U2F Zero in Firefox written Mar 26, 2018

How to use a U2F device such as the U2F Zero in Firefox on Linux.
A Methodology for Fontconfig Editing written Mar 07, 2018

Making the font cascade behave as you want can be kind of difficult, but it's not impossible, especially with the right methodology and mindset.
BattleDome VR, a Review written Jun 16, 2017

One of the best VR games I've played, and why it's so great.
Quanero VR, a Review written May 27, 2017

A review of the VR game Quanero VR. It's great.
Thoughts on Virtual Reality written May 26, 2017

My experiences with the HTC Vive virtual reality system.
SBrain, an extension of BrainF.ck written May 02, 2017

A summary of some adventures in esolang design and genetic programming.
MLeM, a VM for genetic programming written Apr 17, 2017

A summary of a virtual machine I designed as a genetic programming target.
Rewriting tinyhttpd in Rust, Part One written Oct 21, 2016

The beginning of the process of rewriting an old C webserver in Rust.
Learning Japanese the Python Way written Aug 29, 2016

A short discussion and source listing of a program I used to study Japanese.
Why Linux on the PC Needs a Focus on Hardware Support written Aug 02, 2016

Frustrations with the Linux desktop regarding hardware support.
Porting Deucalion to Rust written Jul 11, 2016

A quick note on my experience with Rust for game programming.
I Repaired My Headphones written Jun 04, 2016

Hardware manufacturers are missing out on a huge potential source of revenue: the thrifty tech user market.
Open Source for Normal People written Apr 11, 2016

An explanation of what open source is and why it matters, for non-techies.
The Sinclair ZX-81/TS-1000 written Apr 10, 2016

A beautiful plastic slab of an 80s home computer and how I got it working with a modern dashboard display.
IPFS, the Interplanetary File System written Apr 10, 2016

A quick primer on the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), including how it works and what its benefits and drawbacks are for hosting.