Nostr notes by Chris McDonough ✅

Nostr event nevent1qqspq54t4p8cmghn0y4qsfylkk259rn2hyp6lx9va0j7tfyunn5q7cczyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5vwek336

2026-05-08T07:10:51Z

I have a homelab. It's called production.

Apple events giving off more Tom and Jean-Ralphio's ...

2025-06-10T11:51:33Z

Apple events giving off more Tom and Jean-Ralphio's Entertainment 720 vibes every year.

[rushes up quickly, stops short of your face] We built this city ...

2025-06-09T10:55:31Z

[rushes up quickly, stops short of your face]
We built this city
We built this city on rock and roll
[apologizes with his eyes, turns and runs]

I'm still on a Michael Caine kick. Get Carter is one of the ...

2025-06-08T12:54:16Z

I'm still on a Michael Caine kick.

Get Carter is one of the best movies I've ever had the pleasure of never having seen before. He is still young and dead-eyed but also the most naturally high-floating piece of shit amongst many other lower floaters. Trainspotting level evil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NtstlDW0Zo

"oh my god it's all shell" ...

2025-06-02T14:04:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…46ke
_________________________

"oh my god it's all shell"

If you think your colleagues give you a hard time when you're ...

2025-06-01T04:55:30Z

If you think your colleagues give you a hard time when you're wrong, just wait until you're right.

Scotty talking to the ship computer has now been rebranded as ...

2025-06-01T02:49:35Z

Scotty talking to the ship computer has now been rebranded as vibe coding.

t-shirt I'm wearing now ...

2025-05-31T11:05:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…0dyc
_________________________

t-shirt I'm wearing now

The Roman Republic sent its consuls off for years on end to sack ...

2025-05-29T09:24:45Z

The Roman Republic sent its consuls off for years on end to sack Gaul. He might forget about this tariffs thing if we did.

If Hannibal had crossed the Alps without elephants, nobody would ...

2025-05-28T07:00:11Z

If Hannibal had crossed the Alps without elephants, nobody would remember him, so I am commuting on my elephant this week.

NixOS 102: NixOS on a Digital Ocean Droplet All hail ...

2025-05-25T09:12:48Z

NixOS 102: NixOS on a Digital Ocean Droplet

All hail nixos-generators!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1E8yBqDGFk

#nix #nixos

Whenever I see someone tell me it took them "five ...

2025-05-24T21:27:09Z

Whenever I see someone tell me it took them "five minutes" to do anything even remotely complicated in #NixOS I know they are in sales mode, not reality mode. It takes me that long just to remember what "specialArgs" is.

"dysk" is way better than "df" for seeing the the ...

2025-05-23T02:38:46Z

"dysk" is way better than "df" for seeing the the usage status of actual disks:

Nice to see that there have been at least 20 #Nix / #NixOS videos ...

2025-05-22T00:32:19Z

Nice to see that there have been at least 20 #Nix / #NixOS videos published on YouTube within the last 5 days. It was getting pretty sparse for a while.

NixOS 100: Defining and Using Custom NixOS Options ...

2025-05-18T12:11:52Z

NixOS 100: Defining and Using Custom NixOS Options

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5vyoBqYfuE

#nix #nixos

From the radio: "A third less films were made last ...

2025-05-15T20:48:00Z

From the radio: "A third less films were made last yea...."

Me, from, across the room: "Fewer."

Literally everyone in earshot: "Shut up, Chris."

I created a video that is hopefully useful for folks that have a ...

2025-05-11T09:51:24Z

I created a video that is hopefully useful for folks that have a little NixOS experience, and are whom are still curious but not yet religious about it:

NixOS 99: NixOS Config Beyond the Basics as a Mere Mortal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3S2fG6CLRw

#nix #nixos

I get it already, girls next door who blast En Vogue's ...

2025-05-09T01:39:15Z

I get it already, girls next door who blast En Vogue's "Never Gonna Get It" whenever I walk by. I'm aware.

you'll be back :)

2025-05-07T22:55:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…9585
_________________________

you'll be back :)

It's clear that women design men's pants. We don't ...

2025-05-07T20:48:36Z

It's clear that women design men's pants. We don't need 20 belt loops. Like, literally maybe 4 would do.

This is the only practical written advice I've seen about ...

2025-05-07T17:40:10Z

This is the only practical written advice I've seen about composing #NixOS configuration:

https://nixos-and-flakes.thiscute.world/nixos-with-flakes/modularize-the-configuration

NixOS 98: Flox vs Devenv ...

2025-05-02T00:24:08Z

NixOS 98: Flox vs Devenv

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovYw7cEG8hs

#Nix #NixOS #Flox #Devenv

As someone with a vaguely anti-pronounceable name, don't ...

2025-04-25T06:05:48Z

As someone with a vaguely anti-pronounceable name, don't apologize before you try to say it. It's not about you, it's literally about me..

I'm close now and I may opt to go full compu-anchorite if it ...

2025-04-25T00:00:13Z

I'm close now and I may opt to go full compu-anchorite if it has tax benefits.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorite

When evaluating a new piece of software, I put it in the ...

2025-04-16T07:14:14Z

When evaluating a new piece of software, I put it in the "suspect" bucket if most of the folks writing about it are on Medium.

as long as they know how to write HTML forms, i welcome them

2025-03-31T15:22:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…uqkk
_________________________

as long as they know how to write HTML forms, i welcome them

There is nothing I hate more than creating HTML forms. I am ...

2025-03-31T14:56:50Z

There is nothing I hate more than creating HTML forms. I am grateful to AI for being reasonably good at it.

The poor Ubuntu community ...

2025-03-18T21:41:14Z

The poor Ubuntu community

Nostr event nevent1qqsr82frj5458ar84nradhmyyvyzsdupg6h8j7xsfxfqtw7wr0w7w7czyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5v9pxskz

2025-03-18T07:38:25Z

Nothing worse than an optimist programmer.

Don't need to be smart to be a decent programmer. Folks ...

2025-03-17T07:44:04Z

Don't need to be smart to be a decent programmer.

Folks capture the state of the world inside their head, and then commit it to a mental stack. They move up and down the stack to recall the world as it was a day ago or a minute ago. Smarter people have larger stacks.

If you have an average sized stack like me (roughly three, blown by switching browser tabs), augment your memory by writing things down. It's much slower but it produces the same result.

What a wonderful character. Watched all of it, and enjoyed every ...

2025-03-17T04:17:54Z

What a wonderful character. Watched all of it, and enjoyed every second.

https://youtu.be/hF8jHy307DI

Nostr event nevent1qqsfcj27s72lcqf05243nmcnyttmgw3cv9mvzc6u2j93el5f9taf8dczyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5v9s3emd

2025-03-13T01:18:02Z

Politics driven development

One of the dumbest fucken things is Slack and Discord ...

2025-03-13T00:35:12Z

One of the dumbest fucken things is Slack and Discord "replies" that start a subthread in a conversation. Great, now it's reddit and I have to go fucken expand all that misery, good work.

The one role you never want to play is the most Git-experienced ...

2025-03-11T19:36:22Z

The one role you never want to play is the most Git-experienced on your team.

Forever-unused props for a notional #nixos gag video ...

2025-03-10T00:41:38Z

Forever-unused props for a notional #nixos gag video

and oh yeah the counter is gold.. ...

2025-03-09T21:22:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…p48t
_________________________

and oh yeah the counter is gold.. https://discourse.nixos.org/t/determinate-nix-3-0/61202/161

Jesus Christ. i just caught myself in a weak moment about to flag ...

2025-03-09T21:16:02Z

Jesus Christ. i just caught myself in a weak moment about to flag a comment on the Nix Discourse as "inappropriate". Thank the lord I was sober enough to not click yes.

One of the best features of Mastodon is that nobody who matters ...

2025-03-09T17:36:45Z

One of the best features of Mastodon is that nobody who matters is listening.

what's good for the goose is good for the gander i guess, but ...

2025-03-09T17:12:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…759d
_________________________

what's good for the goose is good for the gander i guess, but all of it is fucken nonsense

More pointless shit-stirring. It will never end until the ...

2025-03-09T13:36:51Z

More pointless shit-stirring. It will never end until the professional dividers are rejected.

https://discourse.nixos.org/t/we-should-urgently-ban-and-denounce-determinate-systems/61356

I am currently contracted to the US federal government. It's ...

2025-03-08T23:19:28Z

I am currently contracted to the US federal government. It's likely that soon my contract will vanish.

I am looking for a company or a contract that needs a remote/US-DC-area senior developer/architect with very deep Python, UNIX and networking experience, and extensive cloud experience.

I am also very interested in #nix and #nixos.

Boosts appreciated!

#getfedihired

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chmcdonough/

https://github.com/mcdonc

The evaporation of the post-war liberal order will make for some ...

2025-03-05T06:35:36Z

The evaporation of the post-war liberal order will make for some great history podcasts in 300 years, but not all that keen on being a set extra meanwhile.

Fuck you GitHub, how do I cancel my Copilot subscription, you ...

2025-03-02T04:57:28Z

Fuck you GitHub, how do I cancel my Copilot subscription, you ghouls.

Nostr event nevent1qqsradv0hnkrku73xygp28jmn7yc8cdjadu3vf5c4el4jxl4zs7guugzyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5vqtzqkd

2025-02-24T06:16:30Z

I'm desperately uncool but it saves a lot of money.

Is it safe to post this? https://youtu.be/MhmsXl51EDU

2025-02-16T17:47:09Z

Is it safe to post this?

https://youtu.be/MhmsXl51EDU

I'm angry about a lot of things but I assure you if you care ...

2025-02-12T01:57:13Z

I'm angry about a lot of things but I assure you if you care nothing about anything I care about, I'm a lovely person.

Repairable midrange HMD Android phone. The Fusion model is on ...

2025-01-26T17:22:23Z

Repairable midrange HMD Android phone. The Fusion model is on Amazon now for $175. Probably the slightly more expensive model is my next phone.

https://youtu.be/mgXtPp3n5IQ

This hits pretty hard. Python's Michael Foord (developer of ...

2025-01-25T22:32:21Z

This hits pretty hard. Python's Michael Foord (developer of mock, and many other things, and a solid person) has died.
#python

https://ntoll.org/article/my-friend-michael/

isd is packaged as a Nix flake ' ...

2025-01-25T18:00:25Z

isd is packaged as a Nix flake
'
https://isd-project.github.io/isd/#__tabbed_1_2

Seems like a public service ...

2025-01-25T11:45:56Z

Seems like a public service

Using oldschool group communications like email and IRC is ...

2025-01-24T15:01:06Z

Using oldschool group communications like email and IRC is liberating: you can't correct your errors, and nobody else can either.

I am always happy when I have to package a #Nix package written ...

2025-01-24T03:14:03Z

I am always happy when I have to package a #Nix package written in Go. Those things tend to just work without much dependency misery.

For the last six months or so, my Mastodon instance has not been ...

2025-01-16T02:03:24Z

For the last six months or so, my Mastodon instance has not been able to show previews of YouTube links. I upgraded to the most recent release (v4.3.2) in hopes that it will have been fixed. It was, for "normal" YouTube links, but still not for shortened ones (youtu.be links).

I was grateful to find this isolated fix to the problem, which just involves changing Mastodon's link scraper user agent:

https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/31462#issuecomment-2375525764

If you have a keyboard that uses the Fn key to repurpose the ...

2025-01-15T03:32:18Z

If you have a keyboard that uses the Fn key to repurpose the arrow keys (e.g. Fn+Up maps to PgUp), it's irritating because the Fn key is on the left side of the keyboard so you have to use two hands. Here's a bit of #Nix config that maps Right-Ctrl in the context of those kinds of keystrokes to Fn so you can use one hand.

https://github.com/mcdonc/.nixconfig/blob/master/common.nix#L127

Nostr event nevent1qqst4huqgn95k5mkrzxpln5gm2h0qdr0708hap7knsse84pls4yq54gzyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5vt9teup

2025-01-09T14:50:32Z

80 columns ought to be enough for anybody.

sorry for your loss. hiliariously, you've hit upon one of my ...

2025-01-07T22:55:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…g8tm
_________________________

sorry for your loss. hiliariously, you've hit upon one of my job's main challenges. nvidia uses the term "hybrid mode" to name the graphics card operation mode on this "optimus" laptop; in "hybrid mode" it's basically an intel card until it isn't through some software trickery. it has nothing to do with "hybrid sleep" but of course it's impossible to tell google about that. the laptop sleeps fine when it's in "discrete (nvidia) mode", just not when it's in "hybrid mode". utterly maddening.

My primary gig of googling "bash for loop", and my ...

2025-01-07T22:30:34Z

My primary gig of googling "bash for loop", and my secondary job that I can't remember now are still in play but I've now started a third side gig googling "nvidia hybrid mode thinkpad p52 sleep doesnt work linux".

"W", check your privilege. You're the only letter ...

2025-01-06T22:10:01Z

"W", check your privilege. You're the only letter that isn't a single syllable.

Nostr event nevent1qqsy0uvag70nqcfyplsr2munjvg7wukwme2wgxa3sunpgqmw2dr8zlgzyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5v3zuzt9

2024-12-27T19:47:18Z

"I hate AI" is the new "ban all cars."

I didn't either, but I've consumed hundreds of hours of ...

2024-12-02T03:49:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…72zj
_________________________

I didn't either, but I've consumed hundreds of hours of Feynman-related content on YouTube.

I can empathize with her point of view, but I think to the extent her critique reflects on Feynman himself it may be a case of judging someone in the past with today's standards.

Passions require champions, and he certainly lit a fire under many folks. We might bemoan the fire it lit, but somebody had to do it, and anybody who lit the fire in the past was bound to get it wrong by today's ilk.

can't go wrong with hookers and blow, its time-tested

2024-11-13T01:44:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…7qe9
_________________________

can't go wrong with hookers and blow, its time-tested

The "age" encryption and decryption tool is nice because ...

2024-11-12T23:58:52Z

The "age" encryption and decryption tool is nice because it allows you to use SSH keypairs to encrypt and decrypt, and your team already has and understands those.

Unfortunately, "age" for decrypt doesn't behave like "ssh" for login. It won't automatically loop over private keys in ~/.ssh for you to try decrypting using each, you have to be explicit about the identity file. It also doesn't communicate with an SSH agent.

Somebody, please get to convincing the age folks it should do both. :)

It gobsmacks me that the leadership of open source communities ...

2024-11-12T21:39:03Z

It gobsmacks me that the leadership of open source communities who make a big deal out of "safety" choose to deploy DIscourse.

Discourse is a fucken stalking machine.

Everything you trust and respect was created by someone with a ...

2024-11-12T00:07:47Z

Everything you trust and respect was created by someone with a passion who did it in contravention of the rules.

Nostr event nevent1qqs80jg6hf68sycdeyrelhppvjx48sn4kc92y3cfqzftnltndng5g6szyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5vjhrykc

2024-11-09T23:15:24Z

Liberals have made "dude" a slur apparently.

Surprise! Nix has a new name, "PuritySpiral." For your ...

2024-10-30T11:08:37Z

Surprise! Nix has a new name, "PuritySpiral." For your convenience, a new module has been added that detects activity that belies any sympathy for capitalism. When active, if you're not using Nix from within a dank, smoky party grotto planning the next Occupy, it shuts itself down. It's always active.

Before we had social media, we knew absolutely nothing about each ...

2024-10-29T01:39:13Z

Before we had social media, we knew absolutely nothing about each other, and it was glorious.

I'm looking to join a cult, but all the cool ones forbid ...

2024-10-28T19:26:23Z

I'm looking to join a cult, but all the cool ones forbid drinking, so they're right out.

Literally just asked a door dash delivery person if he knows how ...

2024-10-09T22:56:23Z

Literally just asked a door dash delivery person if he knows how street numbers work. He said no.

does this mean your job search was successful (i've been ...

2024-10-05T12:46:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…jr8k
_________________________

does this mean your job search was successful (i've been stressing about it, sounds unfun)

Your life may be shit, but be consoled by the fact that 11th ...

2024-09-28T08:59:55Z

Your life may be shit, but be consoled by the fact that 11th century kings and queens could not have the shirt or dress you're wearing right now, no matter how much money they spent trying to get it.

Nostr event nevent1qqsrkm8tggds7lzc8tym35qumhkee4faed0lf0ej0dxll5cypuzmp5qzyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5vapwkzz

2024-09-18T19:56:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…kemv
_________________________

I love both of these performances to death, but I concur.

2024-09-06T06:12:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…wqya
_________________________

I love both of these performances to death, but I concur.

Nostr event nevent1qqsqdhrcgexknca58twgxf24tzxgfnsnhwd8lxkftwmxvt94wnwyrrgzyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5vug54fu

2024-09-04T14:55:39Z

Best Joker

The #Nix Constitutional Assembly produces a draft of the ...

2024-09-03T11:55:08Z

The #Nix Constitutional Assembly produces a draft of the constitution:

https://github.com/NixOS/nix-constitutional-assembly/blob/main/constitution.md

There is no situation dire enough that talking to a journalist ...

2024-09-03T09:06:08Z

There is no situation dire enough that talking to a journalist can't make it worse.

Nostr event nevent1qqswcum9l6fur5lud7km0awljvfl7wuy7dkte722f38ssre86d5eglczyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5v99v3ac

2024-09-02T08:42:08Z

VT100: the original dark mode.

Nostr event nevent1qqszn8lrj4uzjj66x8fy38mgrsz3cvdsjata3whlw04srkrkwvh4rfqzyrz82s4dsz05u84xq0wv2urr97ynacye3lhvj59axddwulwawrf5vhru95t

2024-09-01T00:15:40Z

TIL that Oasis has fans.

Discourse is a great idea. ...

2024-08-28T22:37:04Z

Discourse is a great idea.

If you want to avoid a ballroom blitz, arrange your room so ...

2024-08-23T18:46:43Z

If you want to avoid a ballroom blitz, arrange your room so don't have a back nor a corner.

I still don't know what the Python walrus operator does. ...

2024-08-20T08:31:33Z

I still don't know what the Python walrus operator does. Don't tell me, let me be surprised.

My first true introduction to the culture was to ask my co-worker ...

2024-08-17T16:04:18Z

My first true introduction to the culture was to ask my co-worker Ken Manheimer "do we need to wear a suit?" He looked at me with pity and said "no man, we're hackers."

Each day, a little more of the culture I grew up in is lost. But ...

2024-08-16T10:52:26Z

Each day, a little more of the culture I grew up in is lost. But it could be worse, I could be a Deadhead.

Apropos of nothing, I would like to say how much I like ...

2024-08-14T23:20:21Z

Apropos of nothing, I would like to say how much I like Luciano Ramalho (npub1xsy…e8n0) . He is one of the most positive people on the planet.

A blog post about the recent suspension of Tim Peters from Python ...

2024-08-10T21:32:31Z

A blog post about the recent suspension of Tim Peters from Python

https://chrismcdonough.substack.com/p/the-shameful-defenestration-of-tim

Does anyone know of a painless way to set up a mailing list in ...

2024-08-04T21:37:44Z

Does anyone know of a painless way to set up a mailing list in 2024?

I've decided to revise my fashion but I'm lazy so ...

2024-08-03T06:12:41Z

I've decided to revise my fashion but I'm lazy so you'll see me in gopnik track suits like a fat Matt Taibbi from here on in.