Notes to Future-Me

This site is a repository for things Past-Me thought Future-Me would find helpful.

Search by tags or use the chronological list:

Using ffmpeg to Process Audiobooks

ffmpeg is a useful tool to convert audiobooks and other spoken word audio into smaller files.

YAML Syntax Cheat Sheet

Summary of CloudBees’ YAML tutorial¹.

Extracting .MHT Contents with Python

This is a dirty script to get the content out of .mht files.

Python in VS Code on MacOS

Xcode is not a good IDE for Python. It can be done¹, but VS Code is a better plan.

Track Files Accessed by Applications on MacOS

Curious about what an application is doing, or where it is storing things?

David Deutsch’s Lectures on Quantum Computing

David Deutsch was a founder of the quantum computing field¹. He prepared and recorded set of lectures on the subject.

Accelerating PyTorch on Apple Silicon

Generating RSA Keys in Python

MacOS’s Background Noise Feature

Apple added a Background Noise feature in MacOS 13, but it is hidden in the Accessibility features and not easy to toggle on and off. Here is how to configure it and a Shortcut for activating/deactivating it.

Using MathJax with Jekyll and kramdown

Simply put all equations inside of $$ ... $$ and kramdown will automatically convert them to \( ... \) for inline or \[ ... \] for display mode as appropriate.

Using Xcode Without an Apple Developer Account

Xcode is Apple’s free development environment, available from the App Store.

Apps can be deployed locally with a free Apple ID and a locally issued signing certificate, but putting apps in the App Store requires a paid Apple Developer account.

GL.iNet Fan Monitoring Script

A short script to keep an eye on the fan status of the Slate AX.

Deploying SimpleBlock on MacOS/iOS

Commercial ad blocking extensions make their money by collecting data on their user’s browsing. Very few open source projects have extensions for Safari, so we roll our own…

Supplements for Cognitive Performance

These supplements have good evidence supporting their usefulness to promote better performance on cognitive tests in the short term.

Setting GL.iNet Slate AX Fan Temperature

The default fan temperature threshold for GL.iNet devices can be set a bit high. Lower temperatures will make the device last longer, but we should avoid running the fan so much that it fails prematurely.

GL.iNet Slate AX as Secure Home Router

The Slate AX is fairly secure as shipped, except for the DNS configuration. The default DNS configuration is setup for compatibility–which makes sense because you want your new product to just work when it is plugged in for the first time.

Using <details> with GFM and kramdown/Jekyll

The <details> tag is a useful addition that came with HTML5, but markdown inside of a <details> tag is treated differently by GitHub and kramdown (which is used by Jekyll).

Typography Notes

A collection of the research findings about typography and readability. Factors which can affect or improve the ability to read text on a computer screen include: font size, blank space, text line spacing, paragraph styles, length of the line, and word length.

Supplements for Long-term Brain Health

These supplements have good evidence supporting their usefulness in long-term brain health and in the prevention of cognitive decline.