Emacsen's Blog

Armcrest Cameras and Linux

I recently set up an Armcrest Pro-HD IP Camera to work with my Linux based home monitoring system. I'm currently using MotionEye, but may switch to another monitoring system in the future.

I wanted an IP camera that would work with my setup, be cheap, and easy to set up …

Sys-Adminry: Agent vs Agentless Configuration Management Systems

When you're new to sys-adminry, a lot of it can be overwhelming, from the abundance of choices, to the specialized vocabulary. I'm writing a few posts about various aspects of sys-adminry/operations/devops/SRE to take some of the mystery out of it. This post is on the topic of …

OIDC Didn't Work For Me (and lessons learned along the way)

I tried to solve a common web problem using a commodity technology. What happened was nearly two years of headache. Let me help you possibly avoid the same mistake. This is a somewhat technical article, though I've done my best to write it in a casual style.

Introduction

In 2022 …

Why I Tweak My Tools

I have a lot of productivity processes and tools. I have a tool for second brain, a tool for tracking my todo, a system for tracking files, a system for handling email, a tool for managing projects. More than that, I'm always tweaking the tools I have, looking to squeeze …

Reviewing the Framework Laptop

I've had laptops for about 25 years, from a variety of companies. My newest laptop is the one I'm using now, the Framework Laptop. This laptop is one of two laptops I purchased recently that aim to be user serviceable, the other, the MNT Reform is a very different animal …

The Search for a FLOSS Mobile OS (Aug 2021)

For the last few weeks, I've been running CalyxOS. It is the latest in Free/Open Source mobile phone operating systems that I've used. This post is a summary of my experience using FLOSS mobile OSes and what my experience can tell us not only about phones, but Free/Open …

Stern Fan In Recovery

Hello everyone. My name is Serge, and I am a recovering Howard Stern fan.

I feel like I'm at an AA meeting when I say it, but it feels oddly good to get it off my chest. Howard Stern has been a significant figure for roughly half of my life …

Thoughts on Canonical S-Expressions

Datashards currently uses Canonical S-Expressions as a data format and after using it for a few months, I have some thoughts.

First things first: If you aren't familiar with the format, let me give you a quick rundown. Canonical S-Expressions are a bit like regular S-Expressions, with a twist. If …