2023: By The Numbers
A look back over the twelve months that made up 2023, via the lens of the data captured about my life.
Archives
A filterable, indie search engine
Another attempt at a privacy-focused, simplified search engine, with some interesting filter options – called "optics" – which let you customise your results. Only want to search personal sites? […]
Stripping the web of its humanity
The Arc browser recently added an auto-summarisation feature to its search. The result is a mash of misinformation and content theft, which Ben argues (and I fully agree) will ultimately create an […]
Compare front end framework code patterns
A brilliant site for comparing common component patterns across most of the major front end frameworks. Want to learn Svelte and already know React? Select both, pick the pattern you're wanting to […]
2024: The Year Of ...
What are my goals, themes, and overarching desires for the year ahead; and how does 2023 compare to what I had hoped it would become.
A Missing Narrative
Ever spend weeks writing something, hit publish, and then feel completely unsatisfied. That's what just happened to me. So I figured I'd try to work out why.
Follow any web feed from Mastodon
Just mention @birb in a post to Mastodon with a link, and RSS Parrot will search the site for any kind of feed, convert that feed to an RSS output, and then launch a Mastodon account that […]
2023: The Year of Our Big Day
2023 was another BIG year in terms of, well, everything. We travelled all over the world. We attended scores of major events. And we got married. It's taken a while to write up, as a result!
Our Big Day
Specifically, the 6th (and 7th) of August, 2023; the day we tied the proverbial knot.
Let an rss feed be a reminder
Ashur has voiced something I've been doing for years: feed readers may be efficient, but that efficiency robs websites of their individuality. I've long had sites that I subscribe to but […]
Reflecting on 18 years at Google
An interesting insight into the business arc of Google from a long-time (but now former) employee. There's lots that could be gleaned about a company that infamously removed a motto of "don't be […]
There's a web component for that
The Component Kitchen is a sort of app store for web components; a digital directory of useful packages, recipes, and one-shots that can be imported into your […]
Internet artifacts
The early Internet's greatest hits. From the hamster dance to Homestar Runner; the first webcam to the first online video. It's a real trip down memory lane for those of us who grew up on this […]
Visions of an alternate, slightly more habitable Mars
A remarkably complex and detailed spec-bio project, with a focus on an alternative history where early 20th century ideas about the ecosystems of Mars turned out to be much more accurate than in our […]
Intro to design token schema
An interesting look at the early draft proposal for an official design token specification and file format. The pitch is a strong one: standardise design tokens so that every tool can understand […]
Better Diacritics on Windows
Annoyed by Alt-codes and incomplete keyboard shortcuts? Yearn for the long-press functionality of every other OS? Just freakin' want easier en-dash access? Windows doesn't have to be this annoying; there are some options!
Rethinking categorisation
I always enjoy hearing others' thoughts on taxonomies, and Lea's ideas are well thought through and come with some interesting challenges (and findings) around using hackable URLs, folksonomies, and […]
I will fucking dropkick you if you use that spreadsheet
One of the most entertaining rants I've read in some years! And whilst it may no longer be that pertinent to my current career, having been the person in charge of developing a nested, tangled mess […]