Paul's Notes

2024-04-13 • debugging file system debian rust programming 9p

The author reflects on their journey of developing a debug filesystem using Rust and the 9p protocol, inspired by their admiration for Plan 9. They discuss the implementation of a filesystem that serves debug files based on Debian...

2013-06-09 • automation python program analysis package management debian

The blog post discusses the author's development of a tool called debuild.me, which automates the process of static checking for Debian packages. The tool aims to provide a user-friendly interface for new packagers and reduce the ...

2025-02-20 • programming software development uefi kvm rust programming

The author humorously recounts the process of creating a UEFI binary that boots directly to an image of Kier Eagan, inspired by a joke related to the TV show 'Severance'. The post details the steps taken to set up a Rust project, ...

2016-07-31 • programming api flask hy projector hacking

The author shares their experience of hacking a ViewSonic PJD5132 projector, detailing the process of understanding and utilizing its command codes. They explore the structure of these codes, create a functional API wrapper in Hy,...

2025-06-16 • internet community networking nostalgia lan party

The author reflects on the significant changes in the Internet over the past 40 years, expressing nostalgia for a time when online interactions were more personal and community-driven. They lament the rise of AI-generated content ...

2024-11-12 • software development complexity engineering leadership technical debt

The blog post discusses the concept of complexity in engineering organizations, emphasizing that complexity should be understood in context—specifically, complexity for whom it affects. It argues that while there is a lower bound ...

2016-06-19 • open source software development debian go

The blog post discusses the author's experience with the Go programming language, particularly in developing Debian tooling. It introduces a new Debian package for Go, which includes utilities for handling Debian packages, such as...

2016-06-11 • programming software development data management time zone unicode

The blog post emphasizes the importance of understanding data encoding, particularly Unicode and timezones, in programming. It discusses the challenges programmers face when handling Unicode, the assumptions made during data trans...

2014-09-19 • api docker postgresql fdw multicorn

The blog post introduces Docker FDW, a PostgreSQL Foreign Data Wrapper that allows users to interact with Docker containers and images using SQL-like queries. The author discusses the inspiration from Multicorn and the potential o...

2014-06-15 • system administration docker grub debian kernel development linode

The author, a long-time Linode user, discusses the challenges faced when trying to use Docker with Linode's kernel due to lack of aufs support. After encountering issues with the stock Debian kernel and xz compression, the author ...

2025-10-27 • debugging dns and domain name services network management operational security

The author presents a new rule emphasizing that if a technical issue can be generalized to a broader concept, it should not be hastily attributed to DNS failures. The text critiques the common tendency to blame DNS for various net...

2013-09-22 • software development python package management debian pipenv advanced persistent threat

The author discusses the ongoing debate between Debian and Python users regarding the use of package managers like pip and apt. They argue that both sides have valid points and that the truth lies in a nuanced understanding of the...

2013-02-24 • linux system administration debian advanced persistent threat

The post discusses the benefits of using a list of apt archives instead of a single mirror for Debian systems, emphasizing redundancy and control over mirror selection. It provides a quick guide on setting up the mirror:// protoco...

2013-01-16 • shell scripting programming python shebang bpython

The blog post discusses a method to pass arguments to Python scripts invoked via the shebang line using /usr/bin/env. It highlights a common error encountered when trying to do so and presents a solution by utilizing a polygot app...

2013-08-03 • python lisp clojure coding standards and guidelines hy

The post is a survival guide for the programming language Hy, which is a Lisp dialect that integrates with Python. The author shares insights on the philosophy and design decisions behind Hy, emphasizing its idiomatic style, borro...

2016-07-16 • programming open source api software licensing collaboration

The post discusses the development and launch of the OSI License API, a machine-readable version of the OSI approved licenses list. It highlights the collaborative effort in creating API bindings in various programming languages a...

2016-06-27 • data analysis python api tracker home automation

The author discusses their experience with a sleep tracker called Sense, detailing their journey to access its internal API for personal data tracking. They share insights on using a Python wrapper for the API, including login pro...

2016-07-02 • data analysis python api grafana influxdb

The author discusses their experience using the python-sense API wrapper to pull personal environmental data into an InfluxDB database. They provide a Python script that retrieves room sensor data and writes it to the database, al...

2016-08-08 • linux yubikey user login openscad pkcs #11

The blog post provides a guide on using PKCS#11 with OpenSC on GNU/Linux systems, specifically for integrating Yubikeys for system login and browser usage. It includes step-by-step instructions for installing necessary tools and c...

2014-04-19 • software development github pycon hy

The author reflects on their experience giving a talk about Hy at PyCon 2014, expressing gratitude for the warm reception and engagement from peers. They mention the thriving GitHub organization for Hy and encourage readers to exp...