I've wanted to switch my blog to a static site for a while. I didn't want to continue paying for Wordpress for a not-so-frequently updated blog. But my previous attempts had failed.
A recent post about Digital Ocean App Platform made me take another look. DO App Platform is free …
read moreFor development in Python there are two leading choices: PyCharm or VS Code. I've been a VS Code user, but started exploring PyCharm because of some limitations in VS Code.
| Feature | PyCharm | VS Code |
| Basic Editing | Fine | Fine |
| Refactoring | Better | OK |
| Remote Editing | Not really. PyCharm assumes files are available … |
If you want to use static typing, you’ll come across two options for use with Javascript, especially React: a) Flow and b) Typescript. Which should you choose?
TL;DR: TypeScript is much better ergonomically, in tooling, and in ecosystem. Use TS with eslint .
At a first glance, Flow looks …
read moreI have had few months to use the Zoom H4N Pro along with my Tascam DR-40 since my earlier review. There are a few features that might make you consider the Zoom instead.
I have an MP3 speaker that I wanted to use as a dead simple lullaby station for my daughter. The idea is to have several copies of a set of lullabies so that you can just hit play and have hours of lullaby keep playing.
The lullaby I got was …
read moreI forgot to pack my Tascam DR-40 for my trip and ended up getting a Zoom H4n Pro. Both are good recording devices, but overall I prefer the Tascam DR-40. Here's why:
LEDE-project has released 17.0.1.4 which fixes KRACK . If you have Android 6 devices, either upgrade or discard them
read moreSometimes I get PDF files generated from PPT that have a dark background with a pattern. These look hideous in print.
Acrobat Pro allows you to edit such documents to make them look better in print.
To remove background, Tools->Content->Edit Object. Rubber band select narrow strips around the …
read moreLinkedIn surreptitiously uploads your contact list so they can spam your friends. They get potential for new users and you get negative karma. The best way to avoid this situation is to not use LinkedIn at all. Unfortunately, that's not an option in modern business world.
The first step is …
read moreConsumer routers sit at the edge of the home network and are important for maintaining network security. Many of today's unsecured networked devices (IP Cameras, thermostats, etc. etc.) would pose far more of a security threat if they were accessible from the internet. It is, therefore, important to have as …
read moreIf you're a serious Linux user, and all engineers should be, you need the middle click. Synaptics makes it really hard to get. I had this solution scrounged from the interwebs. Save the following text to synaptics_middle_click.reg and double click it.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE …read more
Domain names are fairly easy to buy, but there are few gotchas. A lot of them are only learned by experience. So choose your domain name provider carefully.
I often hear people complaining about the continued use of fax in the 21st century. No one can accuse me of being an old-tech-hanger-on. I'm usually an early adopter (but not the earliest) of new tech. But there are some nice features and use-cases of fax that still keep it …
read moreI recently had to run a Linux VM on my MacBook Pro to access a certain software. While it's not a challenging thing to do, there are a few gotchas. Here's some advice on how to get it going:
Decide which distribution to use. Sometimes it's a requirement. But other …
An important internet security site was taken down aided and abetted by callous vendors and users. This is just the beginning where free speech online (which is increasingly the only kind of speech that even matters) can be silenced with relative ease.
Equally dangerously, in a highly technological society as …
read moreIn the US, and in many other countries, charitable contributions are tax deductible. I take advantage of this tax deduction, like any rational person would do. But when I apply the same rationality to charitable contributions, I believe the net effect is quite detrimental.
The ostensible purpose for tax deductions …
read moreThere is only one objective of TV news: maximize ratings and thus ad revenue.
I got wind of this during the 2002 Iraq war propaganda. I had been watching TV news and reading newspapers before then. But I noticed a notable lack of any dissent about the war on TV …
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