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  • I tried Windows for work for 2 weeks

    Nov 20, 2019

    TL;DR: Even though the Windows scenario has improved a lot, it’s been a frustrating experience overall. It started great but I soon hit ridiculous pitfalls that made me return to Linux.

    (This post is a work in progress)

    Post structure:

    • Things that work well:
      • bash support with WSL
      • git clone in bash as a work around CRLF line endings
      • IntelliJ is capable of using WSL-based NodeJS
      • ConEmu as a quake style hot-key actioned shell. Capable of running both bash (WSL and WSL 2) and Powershell sessions, among others.
    • Alternatives for Windows: Chocolatey, Jabba
    • WSL: performance and WSL 2 state of the art
    • Pitfall 1: UI interaction from WSL
    • Pitfall 2: Docker & VirtualBox
    • Pitfall 3: Insider program, general instability, frequent updates requiring to reboot
    • Mini-pitfall: problems to install some software in bash (PostgreSQL)
  • I built my own keyboard

    Nov 15, 2019

    So all the stuff from China finally arrived and now I’m rocking a fancy new 87% mechanical keyboard.

    Picture of the keyboard

    I was already using a mechanical WASD keyboard but found that the red Cherry MX switches I chose weren’t as feedback-y as I wanted. Also, I wanted to try a keyboard with a smaller footprint in my desk to see how it felt. All this while trying to save a buck too.

    Here’s the list of things I bought:

    • Kit composed of case, PCB and mounting plate
    • Set of Gateron MX green switches: the clickiest and snappiest around :)
    • Retro keycap set

    Not so cheap in the end. I had to pay higher to reduce some complexities of choosing the specific parts list. After all I’ve learned, I think I could get everything for a new keyboard at 75% the cost now.

    Here are some insights after the whole process:

    • Don’t buy a kit that comes with a cheap plastic case for your keyboard :/
    • Make sure that your Chinese vendor actually has stock for all the parts included in the kit you’re buying.
    • Learn about keyboards a bit. Watch @fightingkitten’s videos!
    • Use a softer switch or install better stabilizers for the spacebar if you tend to hit it off-center
    • It’s hard to find ISO layout items. I found it to be almost impossible to find Spanish ISO items (at least at the Chinese vendors I was able to find).
    • It’s hard to find 80%-87% layout items. The range of options is much wider if you plan on building either a 60%, or a 100%-ish layout keyboard.
    • Plan ahead. Dry run your build by placing stuff together without soldering.
      • The keycap set comes with different size variants of some keys such as ctrl, alt, win, etc.
      • The keycap set may come with keys you don’t like, missing, or wrong keys. In my case, I had to stick with a win and fn keys that I don’t like, and a \ key above the return key with a shape that feels kind of weird.
      • Start placing keycaps with the spacebar and continue fitting the rest of the bottom row until you come up with a combination that you like.
      • Continue with all the other keys with a non square shape.
      • Check the vertical shape of the keycap to figure out the row it belongs to.
    • Writing Spanish accents and special characters in Windows is a pain in the *ss. So far, I’m using the Spanish accents CapsLock method, which is nice because it works half the time.

    Even though I’m loving the English layout for code (no alt-gr nonsense), and writing in English (for obvious reasons), I haven’t abandoned the idea of building a new Spanish ISO keyboard, but it’s clear now that I’ll have to invest more time in researching PCBs and vendors.

    Also, considering that there are fewer options for 80%-87% keyboards, I might go for a full keyboard next. I don’t think I could really use a keyboard without a separate block for cursors or ins, del, home, or end keys.

  • Hello world

    Nov 8, 2019

    Welcome!

    It was long overdue that I got into having a proper personal site back!

    It’s been more than 2 years already since I decided to part ways with my good friends at BuntPlanet and start a new adventure as a contractor.

    Since then, I’ve been busy working on OpenDataKit for Nafundi and I haven’t updated this site at all. Lately it feels like I might’ve stepped into the shadows and disappeared from the face of the Earth a bit too much, which is unresting.

    Let this post serve as a reminder. I’m here ;)

    I’m also excited about some stuff I’m retaking lately. Last Saturday I streamed a live coding session and I’m planning on doing new stuff live during the following weeks. I’ll write here about it too.

    See you around ;)

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