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VIM on Willem's Blog

Vision Pro

Exploring Spatial Computing

Feb. 16, 2024
My thoughts on using Vision Pro to get some real work done, exploring what Spatial Computing means and how it can be useful.

Currently, I am overlooking a lake at Mount Hood while writing this. I hear birds in the distance and see the lake calm, with subtle waves and some mist in the distance. Yet, it is fake, as I am sitting on our top floor, a barely furnished room full of items belonging to a family house with two young kids. I am using Apple's Vision Pro to explore what Spatial Computing can be. I am in awe; let me explain in this blog post.

Tablet as Tool

Appreciating iPad Pro: A Different Perspective

May 8, 2023
Discover the hidden advantages of the iPad Pro in this insightful blog post, offering tips and personal experiences to help you maximise the tablet's potential and redefine your workflow.

The iPad Pro's utility has sparked much debate recently. Some users argue it's a disappointment, failing to meet expectations set by traditional laptops. However, there are less obvious benefits to the iPad worth considering. This blog post delves into these advantages and shares insights into the personal experience of using an iPad Pro.

Designing and implementing a (micro) payment system

Monetising my blog with coffee, Apple Pay and Mollie

Mar. 25, 2020
Designing and implementing a micro payment system with an emphasis on simplicity. Read about how I did it in this post.

Online payments are now more important than ever as businesses are disrupted by the COVID-19 virus. It drives my customers to seek new ways to make money online. I designed and implemented a (micro)payment system. This post is about achieving simplicity by solving complex challenges.

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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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.
Running four apps simultaneously thanks to Windows multitasking - at the price of consuming more battery power
Running four apps simultaneously thanks to Windows multitasking - at the price of consuming more battery power
Kickstand is useful in combination with the Pen
Kickstand is useful in combination with the Pen
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.
The iPad Pro along side my trustworthy ThinkPad X1
The iPad Pro along side my trustworthy ThinkPad X1
Using the Surface and iPad as laptop
Using the Surface and iPad as laptop
Reading using a tablet computer is not limited to your desk - I like reading on the couch
Reading using a tablet computer is not limited to your desk - I like reading on the couch
You can look around them, move closer to them, or rearrange them by dragging them through your room
You can look around them, move closer to them, or rearrange them by dragging them through your room
Averaging 3.4 milliseconds in pinging Google. That's fast, datacenter fast.
Averaging 3.4 milliseconds in pinging Google. That's fast, datacenter fast.
Look what happens to my face when my patience is tested...
Look what happens to my face when my patience is tested...
Updating... updating... updating... updating...
Updating... updating... updating... updating...
Snake '97 - the original idea and stars of the game, the Nokia 5110 and 3310 - possible because of earlier experimentation with technology
Snake '97 - the original idea and stars of the game, the Nokia 5110 and 3310 - possible because of earlier experimentation with technology
Annotating almost anything in-context (without leaving the app) is very powerful if you ever have to communicate an idea or suggestion
Annotating almost anything in-context (without leaving the app) is very powerful if you ever have to communicate an idea or suggestion
Toshiba T2130CT laptop with a 75Mhz Intel 486 processor and a whopping 16MB RAM (that is megabytes!)
Toshiba T2130CT laptop with a 75Mhz Intel 486 processor and a whopping 16MB RAM (that is megabytes!)
Graphs from the connection monitoring system (from the real datacenter) cleary show when I tested my little server
Graphs from the connection monitoring system (from the real datacenter) cleary show when I tested my little server
Inspect Browser on iPad provides essential debugging and inspection functionalities for web apps
Inspect Browser on iPad provides essential debugging and inspection functionalities for web apps
The kickstand is a clever piece of design and engineering, being both functional and sturdy.
The kickstand is a clever piece of design and engineering, being both functional and sturdy.

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