Software Recommendations

New Phone Recommended Setup

FYI... I recommend doing two things on the new phone:

1. prevent automatic updates. go to settings, search for "download", "download over wifi" -> swich to never. In developer settings (tap build number 7 times) you can also turn off "update on system restart".

2. granularly deny notifications. In settings, search for "manage notification categories for each app" and turn it on. Then you can long-press each notification and decide which ones you don't want, for example, you can keep message chat notifications and deny "promotions" and "other".
 

Should Openstack be used as self-hosted s3 service, in 2025? (Answer: no)

Hello everyone, very quickly, I have spent several days looking into self-hosting s3 solutions, because I am in the process of moving out of AWS cloud for security reasons.

One of the alternative options that I have considered for S3, the object storage solution, is OpenStack. Some 10 years ago, I have actively developed in the openstack ecosystem, and I remember they provide one or several s3-compatible solutions. In particular, the OpenStack Swift supposedly provides an option for self-hosted s3. You can install it as part of the devstack, which can run on a single machine.

Alternatives to S3

Sometimes, you need an alternative to S3 storage. While Amazon S3 is a go-to for cloud storage solutions, there are plenty of reasons to explore other options. Whether you’re looking for a more cost-effective solution, need specific features, or just want to diversify your cloud infrastructure, alternatives to S3 can offer a tailored approach to fit your needs. In this post, we’ll explore some of the best alternatives to S3 storage, how they compare, and what makes each one stand out. Let’s dive into the options that might be just right for you.

Canon Digital Photo Professional - free download

One of the pieces of software that I enjoy using very much is the Canon Digital Photo Professional. I originally got it a loooong time ago, back when I was taking photography classes. It came with one of the Canon cameras that I've bought over the years. At the time I used it to browse and sort my pictures, sure - and only years later I realized just how valuable and useful this piece of software is.

A directory of SMTP sending services

Due to an unexpected service interruption, I've recently had to evaluate numerous options for SMTP services, to replace a one that was showing signs of performance degradation. The AWS SES is an obvious choice, but what if it is not available, or your organization requires diversifying to other providers? Below is a quick list of contenders that I have compiled, with my comments on each.