Danie

Gadgets, technology, FOSS, open source software, green tech, traditional wet shaving, LCHF/Health and amateur radio (ZS1OSS).

openpgp4fpr:30B84646B0D378AC923C99E4B0662BE0B6BDD392

Mastodon: Danie van der Merwe (npub142a…95sc)
Geschlecht: Male
Marital Status: Married
With:
Since: 2016-10-09 22:00:00
Titel/Beschreibung: My personal blog on Friendica
Schule/Ausbildung: SACS
UNISA

Last Notes

2026-06-13 12:46:43 UTC

[url=https://gadgeteer.co.za/how-one-gpl-lawsuit-accidentally-created-the-homelab-router-that-changed-networking-forever/][img=https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/linksys-wrt54g-400x225.webp]Linksys Wireless-G broadband router with two antennas on a digital blue network background.[/img][/url]
“No company sets out to make a product that exceeds its purpose and becomes a legend. In some cases when it happens, the company might even regret it. I recall a few NVIDIA GPUs, like the 8800GT and 1080 Ti that were so good for the money that people didn’t upgrade their cards for a decade. That’s great for PR, but not so great for shareholders. Well, among network routers, the Linksys WRT54G was a cheap, unassuming Wi-Fi router that ended up becoming a cult classic for a very weird reason, that had little if anything to do with the actual hardware.”
I still have my WRT54G, and actually the reason I originally bought it, was because I could reflash it with Tomato. So, in actual fact, the sale of the hardware was made because I could open source firmware on it. That is surely a win for a hardware company.
It was interesting to read this linked article to get the backstory on how it actually came to be.
See [url=https://www.howtogeek.com/a-legal-accident-turned-this-60-router-into-the-most-legendary-homelab-device-of-the-2000s/]https://www.howtogeek.com/a-legal-accident-turned-this-60-router-into-the-most-legendary-homelab-device-of-the-2000s/[/url]
#[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=Blog]Blog[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=opensource]opensource[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=technology]technology[/url]
https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/linksys-wrt54g-400x225.webp

2026-03-31 19:33:21 UTC

[url=https://gadgeteer.co.za/dangerzone-an-open-source-app-to-safely-open-suspect-pdfs-office-docs-or-images/][img=https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Dangerzone-400x268.webp]Screenshot of Dangerzone 0.10.0 app interface for selecting or dragging suspicious documents to analyze.[/img][/url]
Dangerzone works like this: You give it a document that you don’t know if you can trust (for example, an email attachment). Inside a sandbox, Dangerzone converts the document to a PDF (if it isn’t already one), and then converts the PDF into raw pixel data: a huge list of RGB colour values for each page. Then, Dangerzone takes this pixel data and converts it back into a PDF.
It has been independently audited and apart from the obvious use by journalists and similar professions, even every day users can be most often targeted by attachments that carry payloads of malware. This is exactly how bad actors bypass firewalls, and secure messengers like Signal.
I would not necessarily put every document I receive through this process as it does at least double or triple the size of the file (converts every page to an image). But from anyone you don’t know, this is a useful tool to have ready to use. Everything is processed locally on your machine, and it will install on Linux, Windows, and macOS.
See [url=https://dangerzone.rocks/category/uncategorized/feed]https://dangerzone.rocks/category/uncategorized/feed[/url]
#[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=Blog]Blog[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=opensource]opensource[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=security]security[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=technology]technology[/url]
https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Dangerzone-400x268.webp

2026-03-14 16:07:19 UTC

[url=https://gadgeteer.co.za/dban-is-a-relic-for-hdd-wiping-and-shredos-is-the-only-software-you-should-use/][img=https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/shredos-dummy-erasure-report-400x225.webp]Disk Erasure Report for model ST3500312CS showing erasure status, business and customer details, and contact information.[/img][/url]
“When “wiping a hard drive clean,” a quick format doesn’t actually erase anything at all. Instead, it just removes the drive’s file index. That leaves the underlying data sitting there until something overwrites it. That’s why recovery tools like Recuva and EaseUS can still dig up photos, documents, and entire folder structures long after you think they’re gone. Software tools like DBAN (Darik’s Boot and Nuke) and ShredOS solve that problem by overwriting every sector of the drive multiple times with different patterns over the course of multiple passes.”
DBAN bring back old memories from decades ago when I did IT field support. It was what we used to wipe all drives we had to remove from PCs before auctioning them off or otherwise disposing of them. I’d completely forgotten about it until now. I seem to think Norton Utilities also had a wipe disk program.
Good to see there is a modern equivalent out now.
See [url=https://www.xda-developers.com/dban-is-a-relic-for-hdd-wiping-shredos-is-the-software-you-should-use]https://www.xda-developers.com/dban-is-a-relic-for-hdd-wiping-shredos-is-the-software-you-should-use[/url] or [url=https://github.com/PartialVolume/shredos.x86_64]https://github.com/PartialVolume/shredos.x86_64[/url]
#[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=Blog]Blog[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=opensource]opensource[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=security]security[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=technology]technology[/url]
https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/shredos-dummy-erasure-report-400x225.webp

2026-01-06 13:40:27 UTC

[url=https://gadgeteer.co.za/solid-state-batteries-are-now-a-reality-better-in-all-ways-than-lithium-ion/][img=https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Universal-Battery-Platform-400x225.webp]A sleek, modern device labeled "DONUT Solid State," accompanied by icons representing a car, drone, factory, and charging.[/img][/url]
Donut Lab introduced what it claims is the world’s first commercially available all-solid-state battery at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, marking a pivotal moment in the decade-long race to bring the promising technology from laboratory prototypes to real-world vehicles. The phone-sized battery cells are already powering the Verge TS Pro electric motorcycle, which enters production this quarter.
[ul]
[li]Higher density (400 Wh/kg)[/li]
[li]Faster charging (potentially in 5 to 10 minutes)[/li]
[li]Full charge (no longer needing to limit to 80%)[/li]
[li]Safer (No flammable liquid electrolytes, No thermal runaway chains, No metallic dendrites that can cause internal shorts)[/li]
[li]Good for 100,000 cycles (high-end Lithium-Ion is about 5,000 cycles).[/li]
[/ul]
But there is more, at −30 °C and even over 100 °C , they can retain over 99% of their capacity. The usual issue has also been cost, but it is claimed now that without using rare earth minerals, material costs are actually lower than Lithium-Ion too.
It still does not stop there though, as these batteries are not created in the cell shapes that Lithium-Ion were, and which required products to conform to the shape of the battery. These solid state batteries behave like clay, so custom sizes, voltages, and geometries are now possible.
This also means that these are not only for vehicles but can potentially work in phones and micro-electronics.
A solid-state battery uses a solid material (like a ceramic or special polymer) to conduct electricity between its positive and negative sides, instead of the liquid or gel electrolyte found in regular lithium-ion electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
As regards a reality check, Verge’s TS Pro motorcycle is being launched now with one of these Donut solid state batteries. Range has increased from the older battery types having 350 km, to now up 600 km, with a charging time of 10 minutes. We will have to see the road tests later in 2026, but if so, then solid state batteries will truly be a game changer. Given the range and the charge cycles, that means the battery will be good for about 60 million kms. That is way more than any combustion engine is ever going to last.
See [url=https://www.donutlab.com/battery]https://www.donutlab.com/battery[/url] and [url=https://newatlas.com/motorcycles/verge-hubless-electric-motorcycle-solid-state-battery-range]https://newatlas.com/motorcycles/verge-hubless-electric-motorcycle-solid-state-battery-range[/url]
#[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=Blog]Blog[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=batteries]batteries[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=environment]environment[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=EV]EV[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=technology]technology[/url]
https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Universal-Battery-Platform-400x225.webp

2025-09-29 12:56:45 UTC

[url=https://gadgeteer.co.za/austrias-military-has-switched-from-microsoft-office-to-libreoffice/][img=https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Austria-400x267.webp]A majestic statue of a goddess holds a spear, adorned with a golden crown and robes, against a bright blue sky and Austrian flag.[/img][/url]
“Austria’s military has completed a major IT overhaul, replacing Microsoft Office with the open-source LibreOffice suite across all its desktop systems. The change, finalised this month, affects approximately 16,000 workstations in the Austrian Armed Forces. This move will substantially reduce Austria’s software bill. At $33.75 per user per month, a Microsoft 365 E3 subscription for 16,000 workstations costs approximately $6,480,000 per year, compared to LibreOffice’s zero cost.”
But despite all the cost savings, the main reason for the change was in fact for digital sovereignty and to gain control over critical data. The whole marketing towards moving everything into foreign controlled clouds not only creates a dependency and lock-in to those services, it also often means reducing an organisation’s own capacity to support itself. Any organisation should be basing its decisions on a very holistic view of all the factors involved.
Be very wary of the allure of glitzy PR and nice-to-haves.
See [url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/this-european-military-just-ditched-microsoft-for-open-source-libreoffice-heres-why]https://www.zdnet.com/article/this-european-military-just-ditched-microsoft-for-open-source-libreoffice-heres-why[/url]
#[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=Blog]Blog[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=Austria]Austria[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=digitalsovereignty]digitalsovereignty[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=opensource]opensource[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=technology]technology[/url]
https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Austria-400x267.webp

2025-03-19 13:56:24 UTC

[url=https://gadgeteer.co.za/gimp-3s-new-features-make-the-best-free-and-open-source-image-editor-even-better/][img=https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GIMP-400x233.webp]Screenshot of GIMP 3.0.0 settings menu, featuring options for theme, icon scaling, font scaling, and additional customizations.[/img][/url]
“Among the biggest changes is nondestructive filters. Previously applying filters, such as blurs, was final—you could use the undo function to get back to a pre-filtered state, but you couldn’t simply edit or remove the filter. You can now tweak the settings of filters, or even remove filters entirely from the layer panel.”
The UI scaling is a lot better now, but I still struggle a bit with the interface, trying to find what I want to use. So I set a few tweaks and must say it looks a bit easier for me now.
I included a screenshot with this post, but I set the Icon theme to Default (mine was on Legacy) and disabled the Use symbolic icons toggle. I toggled on the merge menu and title bar, and toggled off the Use tool groups. The last setting just makes it easier to scroll over all those icons to see what does what.
See [url=https://lifehacker.com/tech/best-new-features-in-gimp-3]https://lifehacker.com/tech/best-new-features-in-gimp-3[/url]
#[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=Blog]Blog[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=GIMP]GIMP[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=opensource]opensource[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=technology]technology[/url]
https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GIMP-400x233.webp

2025-03-09 19:08:33 UTC

- reply

@[url=https://jura.social/users/mathilde]Mathilde[/url] @[url=https://fosstodon.org/users/cryptpad]CryptPad[/url] I have been using Cryptpad for years (in fact at [url=https://cryptpad.fr]https://cryptpad.fr[/url]), but only on desktop. Is it also now doing cross-platform clients apps and syncing?

2025-03-09 18:19:37 UTC

[url=https://gadgeteer.co.za/notesnook-is-a-cross-platform-end-to-end-encrypted-open-source-note-taking-alternative-to-evernote/][img=https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Notesnook-400x225.jpg]A smartphone displaying notebook and organisation features alongside graphics of a progress chart and a target with arrows.[/img][/url]
Notesnook is a free (as in speech) & open-source note-taking app focused on user privacy & ease of use. To ensure zero knowledge principles, Notesnook encrypts everything on your device using XChaCha20-Poly1305 & Argon2.
I’ve not tried the app myself, but what does stand out for me is the free plan does have unlimited notes, and I must say that the Android UI looks very good. Too many note-taking apps (e.g. Obsidian) have a difficult to use mobile interface.
A possible downside of the free plan is that there are no attachments or images, and tags are limited to only 5. That said, I suppose about US$2 per month is not too band for the Pro version, and that also works out to about half of Obsidian Notes’ Pro version.
It supports Markdown and basic rich text formatting. A further plus is block based linking (like Logseq does) where you can link directly to headings or paragraphs in remote links.
Exports are limited to text only for the free version versus the Pro version with PDF, HTML, and Markdown.
But the open source code is really only getting you the client app. So this is not the same as say Joplin where you also get the code to self-host the sync server.
See [url=https://www.androidpolice.com/tried-encrypted-all-in-one-productivity-app-blew-my-mind]https://www.androidpolice.com/tried-encrypted-all-in-one-productivity-app-blew-my-mind[/url]
#[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=Blog]Blog[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=notes]notes[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=opensource]opensource[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=technology]technology[/url]
https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Notesnook-400x225.jpg

2024-11-16 13:02:37 UTC

[url=https://gadgeteer.co.za/some-of-edisons-earliest-voice-recordings-of-famous-britons-from-1888/][img=https://gadgeteer.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Edison-400x225.webp]Two men in formal attire sitting in chairs next to a table. The men are each holding a tube with a funnel at the end towards their mouths. The tubes are connected to a mechanical device on the table. The device can be seen to have a large round cylinder on top, and a number of other metal rods and knobs.[/img][/url]
Really eerie listening to these moments captured in time 136 years ago when recording equipment was basically ‘unheard’ of. I don’t think many of these people would ever have thought their voices would be heard around the globe at just the click of a mouse 100 years into the future.
The voices of Robert Browning, Arthur Sullivan, Florence Nightingale, a trumpeter from the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava, to major political figures like William Gladstone and Queen Victoria.
This really still qualifies as a mechanical invention at the time, but one which had a more significant impact than others, as it brought the ability to us to perceive something from way back with our senses. Prior to this, there was of course photography, but maybe we have become too used to seeing the many photographs that circulate today from way back when.
Hearing an actual voice recording, is to me closer to it being a real experience. The manner of speech, too, is pleasant to behold today when we have become so used to rushed speech, slang, abbreviations, etc.
Listen at [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrXUcEh0ncE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrXUcEh0ncE[/url]
#[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=Blog]Blog[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=history]history[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=technology]technology[/url], #[url=https://squeet.me/search?tag=vintage]vintage[/url]
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