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SSH on Willem's Blog

How to use rsync to make backups

Explaining a powerful file transfer tool

Oct. 30, 2020
In this post I'll explain how to use rsync to transfer files to another computer system in an efficient manner, suitable to be used in a backup script.

It is very important to make backups of your data, as you never know when disaster strikes! One powerful, cross platform, tool to help you achieve this is 'rsync'. In this post I'll explain why rsync is useful and how you can use it to set up your own backups.

Refining my tablet OS experience

Using Surface Go 2 with 4G/LTE, Debian GNU/Linux and i3wm

Sep. 28, 2020
Installing Debian GNU/Linux on a Surface Go 2 with LTE/4G to replace my iPad Pro as daily driver.

Earlier this year I tried to create my own tablet operating system by installing Debian GNU/Linux on a Microsoft Surface Go tablet. I learned a great deal about what I like about tablets. But I still preferred my iPad Pro, mainly because of its polished user experience. This time I set out to refine my tablet software to replace my iPad.

Syncing files seamlessly between smartphone and tablet

Using unison to automatically sync between GNU/Linux and the iPhone

Sep. 16, 2020
In order to optimise my workflow, I was looking for a way to seamlessly access the same files on both my computer and smartphone. Read along to find out how I did it.

In order to optimise my workflow, I was looking for a way to seamlessly access the same files on both my computer and smartphone. This is useful to when you want to quickly send files from your computer using your smartphone through various messaging apps and vice versa. Read along to find out how I did it.

Talking tablets: what makes a great tablet?

Working with Microsoft Surface Pro X

Apr. 14, 2020
Over the past few weeks I worked with Microsoft Surface Pro X to see if it is any good, can it be your main computer?

Earlier this year Microsoft released their brand new Surface Pro X tablet computer, in many ways this is a forward thinking device. As I like working with tablets I wondered what exactly makes a great tablet? Is Surface Pro X any good? Read along to find out.

Cyber security: 5 easy tips to protect your server against hackers

Server hardening best practices for Windows and Linux

Mar. 10, 2018
These 5 practical cyber security measures will improve the safety of server, website and data.

This week one of my clients was hacked and asked me for emergency assistance to help secure their server infrastructure. It was a web server that ran WordPress websites on Apache (with PHP/MySQL), including a few webshops with customer data. This hack could easily have been prevented with the following best practices, is your server secure?

Tablet as main computer

Comparing the Microsoft Surface Pro to iPad Pro

Mar. 7, 2018
I have been using a tablet as my main computer for quite some time now. In this blog post I share you my experience on using Surface Pro and iPad Pro to get my work done.

For the past few weeks I have been using the Microsoft Surface Pro as my main computer. It's a modern tablet computer that can be used as laptop with the type cover. With the Surface Pen, it's a versatile PC that works in a lot of different ways. Time to find out if it's any good and how it compares to my other tablet computer, iPad Pro.

Clouds below my floor

Building a little datacenter in my basement

Aug. 31, 2017
Building a little datacenter in my basement utilising a very fast internet connection.

At my home I have this crazy fast optical internet connection. It is a 600MB up and down fibre connection which directly arrives in my home (no copper cables involved). It's like a private internet highway. Reason enough to find out if I could do something to make better use of all this speedy fiber galore...

The day I killed my LAN

Turned off my local network and went 4G only

July 31, 2017
I killed my office LAN and went 4G only. Saves a lot of clutter, energy and money.

Today I called my provider to quit my office's ADSL internet subscription, I don't need it anymore. I have turned off my local area network and switched my workflow onto mobile internet only. The simplicity and savings actually surprised me so much, that I made blog post for it.

Programming on Apple Watch

Serious about crazy experiments

Feb. 16, 2017
Programming with VIM over SSH on Apple Watch using a bluetooth keyboard

Over the past years I have been no stranger to crazy experiments, but this time I really wanted to push it into the extreme: programming on an Apple Watch. Would it be possible to actually write code on such a tiny device? Why even bother? This post is about the case for crazy experiments, and why you should try too!

iPad Pro as primary computer

testing iOS as primairy development platform

Aug. 15, 2016
Is the time right to use an iPad as primary development platform to get some real work done?

The lack of physical clutter, distracting branding, or blinking LED's makes the iPad Pro a textbook example of minimal design. My despiction of distraction explains my interest in using the iPad Pro as only computer to test if it is up to the task. Is Apple's latest effort on iOS enough to enable it to do serious development work?

Building the blog... in style!

Developing on a 20-year old computer with 16MB RAM and Windows 98

June 23, 2016
Find out if it is possible to turn a computer from the 90s into a modern development machine.

One must be a bit crazy to come up with the idea to build a blog (as in: actual programming) on an old 486 laptop with just 16MB RAM. I happen to be that crazy: I took my very first laptop from the 90s and decided to find out if it was possible to turn it into a development machine.

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Split screen multitasking allows me to have access to the my programming code (left) and a live preview (right) simultainiously
Split screen multitasking allows me to have access to the my programming code (left) and a live preview (right) simultainiously
It’s a tiny computer, but it is incredibly powerful and versatile!
It’s a tiny computer, but it is incredibly powerful and versatile!
Touch screens are important these days when designing (and testing) interfaces
Touch screens are important these days when designing (and testing) interfaces
Surface Pro X does many things very well - it makes the perfect case to be your only computer
Surface Pro X does many things very well - it makes the perfect case to be your only computer
Windows on iPad is possible using Remote Desktop
Windows on iPad is possible using Remote Desktop
Nokia 9300i, officially not a communicator but nonetheless a device with advanced mobile communication options for its day (2007). Running Putty on Symbian Series 80.
Nokia 9300i, officially not a communicator but nonetheless a device with advanced mobile communication options for its day (2007). Running Putty on Symbian Series 80.
Multi user, multi screen. Two Nokia Communicators (E90/9300i) connected to my work environment simultaneously using Putty.
Multi user, multi screen. Two Nokia Communicators (E90/9300i) connected to my work environment simultaneously using Putty.
Programming on iPad Pro using VIM, Blink and a Linux VPS
Programming on iPad Pro using VIM, Blink and a Linux VPS
Multi platform development done properly, Nokia Communicator E90 with Symbian series 60 from 2007, Nokia 9300i running Symbian series 80 from 2004, Jolla phone with SailfishOS with the funky other half keyboard (tohkbd), and the iPhone 7.
Multi platform development done properly, Nokia Communicator E90 with Symbian series 60 from 2007, Nokia 9300i running Symbian series 80 from 2004, Jolla phone with SailfishOS with the funky other half keyboard (tohkbd), and the iPhone 7.
Sitting on some concrete tiles the modified PC is connected to the internet
Sitting on some concrete tiles the modified PC is connected to the internet
Handling the Suface Slim Pen
Handling the Suface Slim Pen
The systemd setting “AllowSuspendThenHibernate” in sleep.conf enables you to define a timeout between suspending to RAM and suspending to disk (hibernation)
The systemd setting “AllowSuspendThenHibernate” in sleep.conf enables you to define a timeout between suspending to RAM and suspending to disk (hibernation)
The kickstand is brilliant in combination with Xournal and the Surface Pen - no iPad can do this
The kickstand is brilliant in combination with Xournal and the Surface Pen - no iPad can do this
Synchronising files between my tablet and iPhone: the NAS server act as an intermediate station; overcoming differences in protocol and connection
Synchronising files between my tablet and iPhone: the NAS server act as an intermediate station; overcoming differences in protocol and connection
The keyboard connects using a magnetic connector that also provides power and connectivity (no separate battery or connection setup required)
The keyboard connects using a magnetic connector that also provides power and connectivity (no separate battery or connection setup required)
The source of the Magic: my ThinkPad X1 connected to the local network.
The source of the Magic: my ThinkPad X1 connected to the local network.
Resetting the buffers of the Surface broadband modem allowed it to work with Debian GNU/Linux!
Resetting the buffers of the Surface broadband modem allowed it to work with Debian GNU/Linux!
Clouds below my floor: my little basement datacenter.
Clouds below my floor: my little basement datacenter.

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