Coder, automation nerd, amateur archivist.
I stared at my code editor for twenty minutes last Tuesday. Not because I was debugging something or working through some problem; I was trying to write a blog post about a shell script I’d been using to batch-rename files. Twenty minutes of a blinking cursor, and all I could think was: I do not care about this . Not the script itself; the script is fine, it works, it saved me an afternoon.…
Finding technology that simply works feels like a rare gem. Everywhere we turn, there are promises of groundbreaking innovation, yet the true treasures are those quiet tools that do their job without fanfare. We’ve all been there—when tech fails us when we need it most. It’s a universal frustration, whether it’s a phone ignoring your taps or an app crashing just as you’re…
My relationship with coffee has evolved quite a bit, mirroring the changes I’ve undergone in my adult life. Growing up, I was surrounded by coffee lovers. In Latin America, coffee is pretty much a national pastime. My family made it a core part of their daily routine, starting every morning with a cup—or two. For the elders, it extended into evening sessions. It’s also how I won over…
Governments, if they endure, always tend increasingly toward aristocratic forms. No government in history has been known to evade this pattern. And as the aristocracy develops, government tends more and more to act exclusively in the interests of the ruling class – whether that class be hereditary royalty, oligarchs of financial empires, or entrenched bureaucracy. – Politics as Repeat Phenomenon:…
I can’t help but notice the signs—the whispers of collapse. It’s like this grand old contraption that’s finally losing steam and hinting at a total breakdown. But instead of spiraling into existential dread about what the future holds, I’m sinking into the delightful pandemonium of the right now. Let me tell you, there’s a strange kind of freedom in shedding the weight of…
The digital landscape is vast and chaotic, with moments of brilliance often lost in obscurity. As we collect bookmarks, we quickly recognize that many online artifacts have vanished. Links break, content evaporates—so, is stuff online worth saving? Ruben encountered this question while conversing with a colleague about self-hosting his bookmarks . And it’s something I ask myself quite often…
As a software engineer, I’ve come to accept a harsh reality of modern work life: meetings are everywhere. And not just any meetings; we’re talking about an avalanche of pointless discussions that seem to multiply like rabbits. It’s almost comical how we’ve managed to turn what should be productive collaboration into a seemingly unending cycle of interruptions. Look, I get…
We have been moving for the past month. It has been exhausting. Physically, of course, but also mentally. We bought our first home. Which is something I never thought would happen, but I’m grateful we achieved. That said, it’s so much damn work. So blogging took a backseat during these weeks. And I’m having a hard time getting back into my old routines. So what better way to get…
There’s something undeniably magical about a well-designed single-purpose app. These gems of the software universe don’t try to tackle every problem known to humankind; instead, they laser-focus on doing one thing exceptionally well. And that’s precisely why they shine. The Risks of Over-Reliance Matan summed it up perfectly in his post One-Thing Apps : I don’t want what…
This month we get a little nerdier. I’ve been diving into some complex topics around computing that I’ve always been curious about. Links On rebooting: the unreasonable effectiveness of turning computers off and on again by Keunwoo Lee What happens when you press a key in your terminal? by Julian Evans What Would It Take to Recreate Bell Labs? by Brian Potter The Microsoft Excel…
I’ve had a couple of hectic months. But I’m back on track with my routines and have been revisiting some of my favorite articles about fighting for what’s important to you. Specifically on the web. Links The New French Hacker-Artist Underground by Jon Lackman Fans Are Better Than Tech at Organizing Information Online by Gretchen McCulloch Raiders of the Lost Web by Adrienne…
Over the last few years, Apple has been navigating a precarious tightrope with macOS. Striking a balance between robust security measures and unbridled functionality has long defined the Mac experience. Historically, the Mac has been regarded as a power tool; a sanctuary for creators and power users. Yet, with the increasing stringency of security protocols, many of us find ourselves at odds with…
I’ve had enough of streaming music services. Between the bloated interfaces and unreliable catalogs, I reached my breaking point. I was a Spotify subscriber from day one. Shortly after Apple Music came out, I moved over because of the better integration. But now, I’m all in on Plex. Despite its quirks and complexities, this transition has been extremely rewarding. And I don’t plan on…
I’ve been reminiscing about my childhood recently. More specifically, around the time I was 8. I have some fond memories of those years. And it got me thinking about how we make memories. A deeply ingrained aspect of humanity—this almost primitive urge to capture life’s transient moments and give them permanence. Like most people, I take a lot of pictures with my phone. All of them…
The last few weeks have felt like months. What a wild time. I didn’t have much time to catch up on my RSS or Read it Later feeds. But I didn’t listen to a lot of podcasts while I worked. Links ANOM by Darknet Diaries AXACT by Darknet Diaries The LinkedIn Incident by Darknet Diaries 3 Alarm Lamp Scooter by Darknet Diaries Notes My work rarely requires me to seriously concentrate. By…
As streaming continues to dominate the media landscape, the pursuit of physical media has become an uphill battle. Not too long ago, you could easily rely on big-box retailers and generous production runs to get your hands on Blu-rays and DVDs. Now, these same avenues are plagued by scarcity, questionable quality, and the predatory practices of online marketplaces. Shortages and Varying Quality…
The elusive enchantment of Artificial Intelligence has cast a spell over the tech world and the unsuspecting public alike. We’re promised miracles by large language models; that our every informational whim shall be met with unprecedented ease. But beneath this dazzling facade, AI companies are more like unscrupulous puppeteers pulling strings in the shadow, devouring online content in a…
I haven’t done much reading this month as I’ve been taking a lot of time off from work to travel and spend time with my partner. But these are some of my favorite articles I re-read recently on a long flight. Links Raiders of the Lost Web by Adrienne LaFrance I Saw the Face of God in a Semiconductor Factory by Virginia Heffernan Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s Lost Notebook by Steven Levy…
Today, digital convenience reigns supreme. The tactile joy of physical media—a stack of DVDs, a shelf of Blu-rays, a collection of CDs—feels like a relic from the past. Sure, there’s a bit of nostalgia at play here; a longing for simpler times. But for those who value quality, reliability, and a sense of true ownership, physical media still holds a compelling place. It isn’t just about looking…
I’ve been neck-deep into my M-Disc archival project this month and haven’t done a lot of reading. But yesterday I had a dentist appointment and somehow managed to waste the whole day there. And instead of doomscrolling, I caught up on my Read-It-Later backlog. So here are a few gems I found buried in there. Links Violence of the Lambs by John Jeremiah Sullivan The Spine Collector by…
I’ve been thinking a lot about data preservation. My ever-expanding digital collection grows exponentially. And while the average person might stream all their media and rely on some online drive for photos, I prefer a local-first approach. So what happens when my digital treasure trove is threatened by the impermanence of modern storage solutions? Enter the M-DISC. A technology that…
It’s no secret that Meta has battled with countless data privacy concerns over the years. With a history littered with instances of third-party surveillance conducted via its platform —without the knowledge or consent of its users—Meta has remained tethered to the notion of seemingly unregulated control over vast reservoirs of user data. Isn’t it unsettling that the platform, meant to…
I’ve finally settled into the new job and have some free time now to catch up on my RSS feeds and reading list. About three weeks ago, I uninstalled all the social media apps from my phone. I was simply spending too much time on them and thought a break would be nice. I reinstalled them yesterday, but while I was “away”, I read some amazing articles able the fragility of the web…
If you’re not familiar with it, Copilot is an AI-based code completion tool, created by GitHub and OpenAI. What it does is suggest whole lines or chunks of code while you’re writing. And a lot of developers initially loved this concept. But after nearly a year of heavy use, I’ve decided to call it quits. At the start, Copilot comes across as super helpful. It’s like having…
This week, in transition jobs. And this is my last week at the company I’ve worked for the last 3 years. It’s a bittersweet moment, but it’s time to move on to greater things. But I also had a lot of free time these last few days and I got to catch up on my RSS feed! Links The Rise and Fall of Steve Jobs’s Greatest Rival by Gareth Edwards Can Reddit Survive Its Own IPO? by Robert…
Few games transcend time, becoming more than just a fleeting memory of digital entertainment. “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” is such a game, a masterpiece that has left an indelible mark on the hearts of gamers and the landscape of the gaming world. As we delve into the enchanting world of Hyrule, we’re greeted by a story that intertwines the fates of Princess Zelda,…
I’ve been hoarding a ton of bookmarks for years now and haven’t found an excellent way to share some of the more interesting stuff. So, I’ve decided to start my own, heavily inspired by Sadiq Saif’s Reading List series. Links The text file that runs the internet by David Pierce I miss human curation by Cassidy Williams Where have all the websites gone? by Jason Velazquez I…
In the quiet, pixelated corners of our memories, where the echoes of chiptune melodies linger, the Analogue Pocket has emerged—not merely as a gaming device but as a bridge across time. It’s a conduit to the past, a nostalgic journey that rekindles the flames of our gaming history. It is an ode to a piece of technology that honors the legacy of handheld gaming. The Analogue Pocket, a device…
There’s a growing conversation about the true essence of personal blogs. Should they be a polished showcase of professional achievements or a canvas for unbridled creativity? This dilemma pits the idea of a blog as a professional showcase against its potential as a medium for unadulterated creativity. The modern digital sphere often views blogs through the lens of branding and professional…
The city of Los Angeles finds itself shrouded in an unprecedented darkness. The year is 2022, now defined by a catastrophic event known simply as the Blackout, marked not just by the absence of light but by the erasure of electronic data—a reset of culture and society. This chilling scenario sets the stage for the profound narrative of “Blade Runner 2049”, a sequel that delves deeply…
As we entered the early 2020s, our online activities have expanded massively, encompassing everything from streaming movies and music to playing video games and participating in video conferences. With such a diverse range of uses, the quality of our internet connection has become increasingly vital to our everyday lives. Amidst this landscape, a technological breakthrough is emerging: L4S (Low…
We often hear, “What goes online, stays online.” However, the reality is far from that. The internet is not a static repository of our digital footprints but rather a dynamic and constantly evolving ecosystem that changes with advances in technology and corporate decisions . This reality is especially evident in video game preservation and the broader context of digital content…
Navigating the constantly evolving world of web development can be challenging, especially when creating efficient yet lean web applications. Two insightful pieces, one by Baldur Bjarnason and another by Chris Coyier provide valuable insights into web developers’ dichotomies and struggles. Bjarnason’s critique is a poignant reminder of the industry’s current trajectory , where the allure of…
In the nascent era of the web, SEO was a concept as esoteric as the personal computer itself—a curiosity, a future fantasy. Today, this landscape has shifted monumentally. SEO has become an omnipresent force, molding the internet and social media’s contours, but at a potentially steep price. The original vision for the web was a vast, free-flowing repository of knowledge—effectively a…
Misinformation has become a valuable commodity, and social media algorithms dictate what is considered “truth,” the importance of libraries, those revered establishments of knowledge and democracy, has never been more crucial. Nevertheless, we find ourselves in a situation where these institutions’ very foundations are collapsing, not due to chance but by deliberate design.…
Ah, Google. A company once known for its “Don’t be evil” motto. They have been on a long, winding road that has led it far from its original mantra. One of the most glaring examples of this detour is Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) project. Remember that? It was supposed to be the savior of the mobile web. Instead, it became more like a wolf in sheep’s…
In small teams, you’re spread thin, constantly multitasking. Deadlines are tight, resources are scarce, and pair programming is a pipe dream at best. But you can still maintain a high bar for code quality, thanks to the unsung hero of software development—pull requests. Juha-Matti Santala gets it ; he typed an insightful piece on why pull requests are more than just a code review tool.…
In software development, there exists a unique concept, as explained by Baldur Bjarnason, known as the “benefits of time” . When you’re writing or coding, letting the work rest for a day or two usually lets you review it with a fresh perspective revealing its flaws as obvious. This goes beyond the usual recuperative effect of rest. Rach Smith echoes this sentiment , who works on CodePen .…
I came across John Siracusa’s most recent blog post, where he talks about The Plumber Problem . It’s a phrase that describes the experience of watching a movie or reading a work of fiction that inaccurately depicts a subject area you know well. This inaccuracy distracts you and keeps you in the narrative. It’s a phenomenon I’ve experienced all too often as a developer,…
Climate change is no longer a distant, abstract threat. It’s here, it’s now, and it’s personal. The severe weather changes experts predicted for many years are occurring before us, not in some distant future . Vermont—once considered a climate haven—has been hit by a series of extreme weather events this year . A hot January, a late-May frost that wiped out over half of the…
We often take the permanence of our online data for granted. We trust that our content will always be there, a click away. But as recent events have shown, this is a dangerous assumption. A service can casually delete nine years’ worth of meticulously curated lists and reviews from your account , with no one for you to recover anything Kole McRae penned a thoughtful piece on their obsession with…
ActivityPub is all the rage nowadays. For the uninitiated, think of it as the mail carrier of the social web. It’s all about letting different platforms chat with each other. Imagine tweeting to your Twitter followers straight from your Facebook account without needing a Twitter account. That’s the kind of interoperability we’re talking about. Now, I’m excited about…
It’s a tale as old as the web itself—a realm where practicality takes a backseat, and uselessness reigns supreme. Wired’s 1996 article, Totally Useless , shed light on the abundance of purposeless digital endeavors even back then. Fast forward a decade, and Chris Anderson’s influential piece, The Long Tail , unveiled a new facet of the web—the power to monetize niche products…
Working remotely as a web developer offers incredible flexibility, but let’s face it, distractions are a struggle for us all. Dave Rupert’s thought-provoking blog post, Bag of Distractions , got me thinking of the allure of the digital realm and how it impacts our productivity as we toil away in our home offices. Dave’s take on the never-ending social media scroll resonated…
Ah, Google Reader. Remember that gem? The RSS/Atom feed aggregator that Google deemed unnecessary and cast off into the void in 2013. They said it was a decline in usage, a desire to focus on social products like Google Plus. But as we watch the RSS phoenix rise from the ashes today, we can’t help but chuckle. Google Reader was more than an RSS aggregator—an oasis in the open-web desert, a…
Reading Ashley Shew’s thought-provoking piece in the latest MIT Technology Review felt like unboxing a brand-new toolset for my mind, equipped with a fresh set of lenses to view the future of tech and accessibility. It wasn’t your regular lip service to accessibility. Instead, it was a reality check, pushing us to rethink our assumptions about technology and its role in shaping an inclusive…
Ben McCarthy on how having lots of photos is a fucking nightmare : Most apps on iOS integrate with the system photo library directly, and trying to get images from other sources is a pain that requires copying and pasting, or duplicating images to the Files app, or is simply not possible. The situation on the Mac is better, for now, but the rise in Catalyst apps means more and more will only work…
I’ve been spending much of my online social time on Mastodon. That’s where all the cool kids have gone to. Amongst which is Medium, of all “people”. They’re embracing the fediverse , and I’m happy to see it. Because of their significant presence on the platform, I’ve been exposed to many independent writers with beautiful articles and blog posts. One of those…
The way we interact with media has undergone a remarkable shift recently, thanks to the constantly changing digital landscape. This transformation has profoundly impacted our media consumption habits, which have evolved significantly. The sheer volume of data and information at our fingertips is staggering, yet this abundance brings a paradoxical challenge. The ease of access and seemingly endless…
Things v3.17 was released and brought a much-needed overhauled Shortcuts integration. The possibilities of what you can do now are too much to cover here. I’d suggest you read MacStories’ excellent article on this update . What I want to focus on is how you can create your location-based reminders with the enhanced Shortcuts support. Most reminder apps have been able to do this for a while…