Twelve months ago - in January 2021 - I started my attempt at the #100DaysToOffload challenge. I had set myself a new year’s resolution to…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #life🎉 This is post 100 in my attempt at the #100DaysToOffload challenge! For a couple of years I have been writing mobile apps using the…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyFor as long as I've been using Matrix I've hosted my own homeserver on my own VPS and at my own domain. Why I chose to move I previously…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #selfhostSome people may remember my quest a few months back to find a good alternative to Google Photos for image storage and backup. At the time, I…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #selfhostDean Burnett's The Idiot Brain is an interesting insight into why people think the way they do, personality, emotion, and the biology of the…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookMost applications include some sort of outbound transactional email as part of their normal function. These email messages could be to…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyI maintain a small number of projects in my spare time. The amount of time I get to work on and maintain these varies depending on my other…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #lifeA while ago I posted about how I back-up my personal servers to Backblaze B2. That approach involved adding all of the files and directories…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #selfhostFrom the hills of Dusk's End to the small alleys of Main Street, you feel drawn to the lights of this vibrant metropolis in an uncharted…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #lifeI've really enjoyed my recent discovery of a couple of traditional-style webzines. Webzines (sometimes referred to as online magazines, or…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #lifeI feel that this book really resonated with my own thoughts around the importance of diversity in groups and teams. The Rebel Ideas book…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookI've recently been reminiscing about the "old" days of the web. They felt much more like expressions of personality and creativity. These…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #opinionI've recently posted about our home, in which we've completed a few DIY projects, such as renovating the garden and building a small loft…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeIf you run a service that accepts file uploads from users, and then subsequent re-download by other users (such as images), then your…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyOn Sunday I slipped and fell in the pouring rain. I landed hard on my side and ended up dislocating my shoulder. I didn't really want to try…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeIt's been a weird 18 months. Before pandemic-initiated changes, our daily lives might have involved getting up and travelling on some form…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeBackground I've recently noticed (and read) more and more posts discussing *BSD systems. Creations like the new (and excellent) OpenBSD…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyFollowing on from my previous post about renovating our garden, I wanted to write an entry about another project we've recently completed…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeI often enjoy books that try to take a different view on known events. I don't mean consipiracy theory - more around thinking laterally or…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookAnother podcast I frequently listen to likely needs no introduction of its own. The This Week in Tech (or just "TWiT") network's flagship…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #podcast🏷️ #opinionLast week I gave a talk at the Bitcoin Association BSV Meet-up for Wales, hosted by Tramshed Tech in Cardiff. BSV Wales Image Before…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #lifeA few years ago I was in the position of needing a solution to backup and sync dotfiles (configuration files for various pieces of software…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #projectHaving recently read The Secret Barrister, which I loved, I was recommended to also check out This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay. This is…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookIt's been a few weeks since my last post about the Pinephone. Since then I have been playing further with a different graphical shell and…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #pinephoneThe Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law and How It's Broken is an oustanding book. In my opinion it is easily the best book I have read in…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookEnglish speakers' privilege I've always been crap at learning languages. From an early age my parents would encourage me to learn French…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeFor many developers, the notion of adding accessibility features - such as image text attributes to web page images and integrations with…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #opinionI was performing a standard system upgrade on an Arch server this morning and received the following messages (maintainer details redacted…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyI recently wrote about reviewing my Twitter usage, with the aim of discovering any constructive takeways I get from the platform that…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeHaving recently read Project Hail Mary - and rated it highly - Goodreads suggested I try Columbus Day by Craig Alanson. Columbus Day cover…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookThe need for notifications I self-host several services on various servers - for both some professional and personal uses. I use automated…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyTL,DR; I'm starting a Twitter diary to log interesting findings, and to measure its value to me. Twitter is pretty much the last bastion of…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeAnother project I try to maintain (when I can!) is SSO Tools. This is a simple web service that aims to help developers test their own…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #projectAnother of my favourite podcasts is Darknet Diaries. Darknet Diaries cover art Created and presented by the excellent Jack Rhysider, Darknet…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #podcastThe problem with image uploads Many services - including web and mobile apps - allow for their users to upload imagery. This could be to…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #pythonAdding theming and the choice between "light" and "dark" modes to your website can enhance your site's accessibility and make it feel more…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #javascript🏷️ #reactFor several years I've been a user of Goodreads. It's a very popular platform, and I primarily use it for keeping track of the books I've…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyAbout 18 months ago we bought a new home. The house is an 1880s (ish) Victorian building, and many of its original features - such as tile…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeI don't tend to talk much about the projects I'm working on, but thought this would be a good opportunity to write a post about one such…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #projectBack in April, I bought a Pinephone. I used the phone quite consistently for the first few weeks and I meant to write an update here a…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #pinephoneSome people have complex development processes and flows - making use of tools such as heavy editors and IDEs, Docker for running and…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyAbout nine months ago - at the end of November last year - we adopted a dog. Although I've always grown up with and around dogs owned by…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeProviding code snippets on your website or blog can be a great way to convey meaning for technical concepts. Using the HTML tag can help…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #javascript🏷️ #reactThe Gemini protocol has gathered even more momentum in the few months since I last posted about it. Its popularity is largely driven by its…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #gemini🏷️ #projectI listen to a number of podcasts each week. One of these is ATP (Accidental Tech Podcast). ATP logo This is one of my favourite weekly…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #podcastMany web apps have support for uploading video files. Whether it's a media-focused platform (such as a video sharing service) or just…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #javascriptEvery now and again it's nice to dive back into a young adult book. I recently read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The Night Circus…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookI enjoy reading my RSS feeds across my devices - whether it's on my phone when out and about, my Mac in between bouts of work, or my iPad…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #selfhostRecently my colleague was talking to me about the concept of the "5AM Club", as defined in the book by Robin Sharma. The "Club" is focused…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeThe problem Image processing and resizing is a common task in many types of applications. This is made even more important by modern phones…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyAndy Weir has become renowned over the past decade for his science fiction novels. The Martian (and its movie) was hugely enjoyable and…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookLoading indicators In user-facing software, loading indicators are extremely important to let your users know that something is happening…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyGoogle and DuckDuckGo It's common knowledge that part of Google's business model is to use the data it knows about you, your searches, and…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #selfhostWales Tech Week is an annual event held by Technology Connected. The 2021 event is running this week, aiming to bring technologists together…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #lifeAnxious People is a book about an attempted bank robbery in a Swedish town (not Stockholm!). It is written by Fredrik Backman. Anxious…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookLiving without workspaces IDEs and richly-featured text editors - such as VS Code and Sublime Text - support many great features. One of…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyRecently I've noticed that some of the RSS feeds I subscribe to have become more and more restrictive. A post might contain just a title, or…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #opinionGetting and "installing" the nuc For his birthday a few years back, I bought my (now-)husband a beehive and a honeybee nucleus. Some might…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeJust a quick post to say that I recently got married! By coincidence the event was three years to the day after our engagement. It was a…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeGrowing up and the "Warcraft years" In my earlier years I was fairly into gaming. I was definitely only ever a "casual gamer" in the scheme…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeThe Classic Collection of H.G. Wells novels contains five well-known stories: The War of the Worlds, The First Men in the Moon, The Time…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookSomeone non-technical recently asked me the question, "what actually is a server?". They knew it was just a type of computer that runs…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyFor a couple of years now I have been using a self-hosted Nextcloud as a replacement for iCloud and Google Drive. I won't go into the…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #selfhostThe effects of working from home The UK went into its first proper COVID-induced lockdown back around March time last year. At this time…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeIn this post I will talk a little about how I handle my digital notes and to-do lists. In the spirit of my last post on data sovereignty…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #selfhostThe term 'data sovereignty' is something we hear much more about these days. Increasingly I've also heard it being mentioned in different…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyI listen to a number of podcasts each week. One of these is Go Time. Go Time logo The Go Time podcast releases episodes every Thursday. Its…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #podcastAs you may know, I recently purchased the beta edition of the Pinephone. It arrived last week in the Pinephone Beta Edition box shown below…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #pinephoneThis is a bit of a vanity post, but back in December I was lucky enough to be included in the 2020 WalesOnline "35 Under 35". This list aims…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeI was recently asked whether Steve Jobs was someone that inspired me. It's a difficult question, I find; he's definitely an inspiring person…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookThe Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes tells the story of a young English woman - Alice - who marries an American man and moves to a small town in…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookAs is the case with many countries, all businesses in the UK must report the state of their financial accounts to the relevant inland…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #finance🏷️ #technology🏷️ #ledgerBack in November I started an Invisalign course to help straighten my teeth. Invisalign works like traditional braces, but is instead formed…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeI don't use Facebook often. In fact, I only have an account currently because our company uses the "Login with Facebook" functionality in…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyLike many people, I own and manage multiple email accounts - for example, some are for work, for home, or for specific projects. I used to…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #opinionSimple and RESTful HTTP APIs The HTTP standard is an expressive system for network-based computer-computer interaction. It's a relatively…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #opinionPre-ordering the PinePhone Beta Earlier this week I ordered a PinePhone, which recently became available as a Beta Edition. I've been…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #pinephone🏷️ #lifeThe Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is a book set out in the Alaskan wild. It tells the story of a young family that move in order to live off…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookWhy use decentralised communication services Centralised communication services, such as Telegram, Signal, and Whatsapp, offer convenient…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #selfhostThis post contains some of my thoughts on the book Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreier. Blood, Sweat, and Pixels book cover This book…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookThe last twenty years of internet evolution Although I was still somewhere between being of single-digit age and a young teen back in the…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technologyI recently finished reading The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy. Book cover for The Hunt for Red October This genre of novel (sort of…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #book🏷️ #opinionMinimising possessions Like many people I these days try and live a minimal life when it comes to possessions. Having more stuff means there…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #life🏷️ #technologyRSS has had a bit of a resurgence for personal websites and blogs in recent years, especially with the growing adoption of Small Web and…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #javascriptPython's Flask framework is an easy and excellent tool for writing web applications. Its in-built features and ecosystem of supporting…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #pythonBy now I'm sure everyone has heard the horror stories about people (seemingly-) randomly losing access to their Google accounts. Often the…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #opinionA few months ago I stumbled across this article: Beyond Cyberpunk: Towards a Solarpunk Future. It was posted on the excellent blog Tales…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #opinionThis month marks a year from when I decided to (mostly - see below) stop answering my phone. This was not because I wanted to be antisocial…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #life🏷️ #opinionLast week I read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. The book won the 2020 Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction. The Midnight Library cover…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookFor many small or personal services running on a VPS in the cloud, administration is often done by connecting directly to the server via SSH…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #securityMany people no longer feel comfortable using Facebook. Whether you were never a member to begin with or you've had an account but chosen to…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #life🏷️ #selfhostShapes and patterns can be leveraged in user interfaces to guide your users, draw attention to content, lend weight or emphasis, or just for…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #cssReact state React state management is what gives the library its reactiveness. It's what makes it so easy to build performant data-driven…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #javascript🏷️ #reactMany people would consider RSS - Really Simple Syndication - to be a relic of the past. However I think it has been making a comeback. RSS…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #opinionA few months ago I discovered Blogging for Devs - I think through Product Hunt when it made it to #1 Product of the Day back in August last…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeIf you need a database for your next project, why not first consider if SQLite might be a good option? And I don't mean just for getting an…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #technology🏷️ #opinionRecently I finished reading Dirty Little Secrets. This is the first book I have read by Jo Spain and the first time I have known of the…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #bookIf you've visited my geminispace (gemini://g.wilw.dev) you'll have noticed that I've recently been on a mission to decentralise the every…
🏷️ #selfhosted🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #selfhost🏷️ #gitea🏷️ #github🏷️ #analysis🏷️ #technology🏷️ #opinionI know that I've been a bit crap at updating my blog properly and consistently over the past few years. One of my new year's resolutions…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #lifeOver the past few months I have been trying to use centralised "big tech" social media platforms less and instead immerse myself into the…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #gemini🏷️ #technologyBuilding apps on serverless architecture has been a game-changer for me and for developers everywhere, enabling small dev teams to cheaply…
🏷️ #100daystooffload🏷️ #serverless🏷️ #aws🏷️ #lambda🏷️ #analysis🏷️ #technology🏷️ #opinion