Open Source

After revisiting SailfishOS earlier this autumn, I spent a week living with its open-source cousin, Ubuntu Touch. With Google tightening the Android ecosystem, it felt like the right moment to explore what a true Linux mobile OS offers today. My first attempt was with a OnePlus Nord N100 on MetroPCS. It fought me at every step. Flashing, fastboot flags, and ADB coaxing were all unsuccessful. In the end I ordered a Pixel 3a, one of Ubuntu Touch's officially supported devices. ...

OpenBSD and Me OpenBSD holds a place near and dear to my heart. Back in the Air Force, I deployed some of the first Snort sensors in 2003/2004 to detect network traffic. I quickly became engrossed with the elegance and simplicity of OpenBSD’s build system and ongoing maintenance. I wish I could dig back through my early eBay purchases and find the little Compaq machine that powered my first home server install. In my dorm room, I built my first PF firewall and router to practice network configurations. After spending all day working on Sidewinder firewalls and Cisco gear, I was blown away by what I could accomplish with a $200 computer and some persistence. ...