From 1f5d27f0fe1ec960d6c02d21dd521b555f9777cd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Christian Cleberg Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2025 19:37:02 -0600 Subject: remove accidental file --- content/blog/all_posts.txt | 24644 ------------------------------------------- 1 file changed, 24644 deletions(-) delete mode 100644 content/blog/all_posts.txt (limited to 'content') diff --git a/content/blog/all_posts.txt b/content/blog/all_posts.txt deleted file mode 100644 index cc7efb2..0000000 --- a/content/blog/all_posts.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,24644 +0,0 @@ -#+date: <2018-11-28 Wed 00:00:00> -#+title: How AES Encryption Works -#+description: Detailed explanation of AES encryption, including key handling, encryption modes, algorithm structure, and implementation considerations for secure data protection. -#+slug: aes-encryption - -* Basic AES - -If you're not familiar with encryption techniques, the Advanced Encryption -Standard ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Encryption_Standard][AES]]) is a specification for encryption of electronic data. The -National Institute of Standards and Technology established this specification, -sub-selected from the Rijndael family of ciphers (128, 192, and 256 bits) -in 2001. Furthering its popularity and status, the US government chose AES as -their default encryption method for top-secret data, removing the previous -standard which had been in place since 1977. - -AES has proven to be a safe encryption method, with 7-round and 8-round attacks -making no material improvements since the release of this encryption standard -almost two decades ago. - -#+begin_quote -Though many papers have been published on the cryptanalysis of AES, the fastest -single-key attacks on round-reduced AES variants [20, 33] so far are only -slightly more powerful than those proposed 10 years ago [23,24]. - -- [[http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/cryptanalysis/aesbc.pdf][Bogdonav, et al.]] -#+end_quote - -* How Secure is AES? - -In theory, AES-256 (AES using a 256-bit key) is non-crackable due to the massive -number of combinations that can the encryption process can produce. However, -AES-128 is no longer recommended as a viable implementation to protect important -data due the 128-bit key's short length. - -A semi-short [[http://www.moserware.com/2009/09/stick-figure-guide-to-advanced.html][comic strip]] from Moserware quickly explains AES for the public to -understand. Basically, AES encrypts the data by obscuring the relationship -between the data and the encrypted data. Additionally, this method spreads the -message out. Lastly, the key produced by AES is the secret to decrypting it. -Someone may know the method of AES, but without the key, they are powerless. - -To obscure and spread the data out, AES creates a substitution-permutation -network. Wikipedia has a wonderful [[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/SubstitutionPermutationNetwork2.png/468px-SubstitutionPermutationNetwork2.png][example of an SP network]] available. This -network sends the data through a set of S boxes (using the unique key) to -substitute the bits with another block of bits. Then, a P box will permutate, or -rearrange, the bits. This is performed numerous times, with the last round -deriving the key. For AES, the key size specifies the number of transformation -rounds: 10, 12, and 14 rounds for 128-bit, 192-bit, and 256-bit keys, -respectively. - -* The Process - -1. *KeyExpansion*: Using [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Encryption_Standard][Rijndael's key schedule]], the keys are dynamically - generated. -2. *AddRoundKey*: The process combines each byte of the data with the generated - key(s) using bitwise xor. -3. *SubBytes*: Next, the process substitutes each byte of data. -4. *ShiftRows*: Then, the process shifts the final three rows a specific number - of steps, dictated by the cipher. -5. *MixColumns*: Finally, the process mixes and combines the columns into the - final data for this round of processing. - -This process does not necessarily stop after one full round. Steps 2 through 5 -will repeat for the number of rounds specified by the key. However, the final -round excludes the MixColumns step. As you can see, this is a fairly complex -process. One must have a solid understanding of general mathematic principles to -fully understand how the sequence works (and to even attempt to find a -weakness). - -According to research done by Bogdanov et al., it would take billions of years -to brute force a 126-bit key with current hardware. Additionally, this brute -force attack would require storing 2^{88} bits of data! However, people have -shown different attacks displaying vulnerabilities with the use of this -technology. Side-channel attacks use inadvertent leaks of data from the hardware -or software, which can allow attackers to obtain the key or run programs on a -user's hardware. - -Please note that this is not something you should run out and try to implement -in your =Hello, World!= application after only hours of research. While AES -(basically all encryption methods) is efficient in what it does, it takes a lot -of time and patience to understand. If you're looking for something which -currently implements AES, check out the [[https://www.bouncycastle.org/documentation.html][Legion of the Bouncy Castle]] for Java -implementations of cryptographic algorithms. - -* Why Does Encryption Matter? - -There are limitless reasons to enable encryption at-rest or in-transit for -aspects of your digital life. You can research specific examples, such as -[[https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/12/australia-passes-new-law-to-thwart-strong-encryption/][Australia passes new law to thwart strong encryption]]. However, I will simply -list basic reasons to always enable encryption, where feasible: - -1. Privacy is a human right and some countries recognize it as a national right - (e.g., [[https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fourth_amendment][US Fourth Amendment]]). -2. "Why not?" Encryption rarely affects performance or speed, so there's usually - not a reason to avoid it in the first place. -3. Your digital identity and activity (texts, emails, phone calls, online - accounts, etc.) are valuable and can result in consequences, such as identity - theft, if leaked to other parties. Encrypting this data prevents such leaks - from ruining lives. -4. Wiping or factory-resetting does not actually wipe all data from the storage - device. There are methods to read data from the physical disks/boards inside - devices. -5. Corporations, governments, and other groups or individuals are actively - looking for ways to collect personal information about anyone they can. If - someone's data is not encrypted, that person may become a target due to the - ease of data collection. - -* Read More - -- [[http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.197.pdf][Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 197]] -#+date: <2018-11-28 Wed 00:00:00> -#+title: Inside the C++ Compiler -#+description: Systematic presentation of the C++ compilation phases including preprocessing, compilation, assembly, and linking, with technical insights into each stage's function. -#+slug: cpp-compiler - -* A Brief Introduction - -[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%2B%2B][C++]] is a general-purpose programming language with object-oriented, generic, and -functional features in addition to facilities for low-level memory manipulation. - -A developer must compile source code, such as the example shown in the snippet -below, before they can execute the compiled program. There are numerous steps -and intricacies to the compilation process, and this post was a personal -exercise to learn and remember as much information as I can. - -#+begin_src cpp -#include - -int main() -{ - std::cout << "Hello, world!\n"; -} -#+end_src - -** Compilation Process - -*** An Overview - -Compiling C++ projects is a frustrating task most days. Seemingly nonexistent -errors keeping your program from successfully compiling can be annoying -(especially since you know you wrote it perfectly the first time, right?). - -I'm learning more and more about C++ these days and decided to write this -concept down so that I can cement it even further in my own head. However, C++ -is not the only compiled language. Check out [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiled_language][the Wikipedia entry for compiled -languages]] for more examples of compiled languages. - -I'll start with a wonderful, graphical way to conceptualize the C++ compiler. -View [[https://web.archive.org/web/20190419035048/http://faculty.cs.niu.edu/~mcmahon/CS241/Notes/compile.html][The C++ Compilation Process]] by Kurt MacMahon, a Northern Illinois -University (NIU) professor, to see the graphic and an explanation. The goal of -the compilation process is to take the C++ code and produce a shared library, -dynamic library, or an executable file. - -** Compilation Phases - -Let's break down the compilation process. There are four major steps to -compiling C++ code. - -*** Step 1 - -The first step is to expand the source code file to meet all dependencies. The -C++ preprocessor includes the code from all the header files, such as =#include -=. Now, what does that mean? The previous example includes the -=iostream= header. This tells the computer that you want to use the =iostream= -standard library, which contains classes and functions written in the core -language. This specific header allows you to manipulate input/output streams. -After all this, you'll end up which a temporary file that contains the expanded -source code. - -In the example of the C++ code above, the =iostream= class would be included in -the expanded code. - -*** Step 2 - -After the compiler expands the code, the compiler comes into play. The compiler -takes the C++ code and converts this code into the assembly language, understood -by the platform. You can see this in action if you head over to the [[https://godbolt.org][GodBolt -Compiler Explorer]], which shows the compiled converting C++ into assembly -dynamically. - -For example, the =Hello, world!= code snippet above compiles into the following -assembly code: - -#+begin_src asm -.LC0: - .string "Hello, world!\n" -main: - push rbp - mov rbp, rsp - mov esi, OFFSET FLAT:.LC0 - mov edi, OFFSET FLAT:_ZSt4cout - call std::basic_ostream >& std::operator<< >(std::basic_ostream >&, char const*) - mov eax, 0 - pop rbp - ret -__static_initialization_and_destruction_0(int, int): - push rbp - mov rbp, rsp - sub rsp, 16 - mov DWORD PTR [rbp-4], edi - mov DWORD PTR [rbp-8], esi - cmp DWORD PTR [rbp-4], 1 - jne .L5 - cmp DWORD PTR [rbp-8], 65535 - jne .L5 - mov edi, OFFSET FLAT:_ZStL8__ioinit - call std::ios_base::Init::Init() [complete object constructor] - mov edx, OFFSET FLAT:__dso_handle - mov esi, OFFSET FLAT:_ZStL8__ioinit - mov edi, OFFSET FLAT:_ZNSt8ios_base4InitD1Ev - call __cxa_atexit -.L5: - nop - leave - ret -_GLOBAL__sub_I_main: - push rbp - mov rbp, rsp - mov esi, 65535 - mov edi, 1 - call __static_initialization_and_destruction_0(int, int) - pop rbp - ret -#+end_src - -*** Step 3 - -Third, the compiled assembles the assembly code into the object code for the -platform. Essentially, this is when the compiler takes the assembly code and -assembles it into machine code in a binary format. After researching this -online, I figured out that a lot of compilers will allow you to stop compilation -at this step. This would be useful for compiling each source code file -separately. This saves time later if a single file changes, since the developer -will only need to re-compile single file. - -*** Step 4 - -Finally, the compiler links the object code file generated by the assembler -together with the object code files for any library functions used to produce a -shared library, dynamic library, or an executable file. It replaces all -references to undefined symbols with the correct addresses. -#+date: <2019-01-07 Mon 00:00:00> -#+title: Real‑World CSS Techniques: Flexbox, Shadows, and Variables -#+description: Practical guide on applying CSS rules and constructs such as flexbox, box shadows, and variable usage to achieve standard web styling and layout objectives. -#+slug: useful-css - -* Introduction to CSS - -Cascading Style Sheets ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS][CSS]]), the language used to mark up HTML code and give it -a visual style, is one of the most effective ways to increase the attractiveness -of a website. It can also lead to increased user engagement, retention, and -satisfaction. In fact, there are whole career fields dedicated to the -improvement of user experiences, known as User Interface (UI) design and User -Experience (UX) design. - -Some web developers are familiar with the common CSS properties, such as element -sizing, fonts, and colors, but are not as well versed in less-used properties -and values such as =flexbox=, =clip-path=, and =transform=. This article will -provide some insight into the less-used and unique CSS properties. - -* CSS Variables - -The first topic today is CSS variables. Variables are not often used by smaller -developers. CSS variables allow you to give your website a well-defined -structure, where you can easily reuse CSS properties throughout the project. - -You can use variables to define things, such as color palettes. Then, you can -use these colors for backgrounds anywhere else in the HTML. You can expand this -and define variables for =primary-text=, =quoted-text=, etc. You can also use -variables to define spacing (e.g. =32px= or =2rem=), which you can then apply to -margins, padding, font sizes, and more. - -For example, here are some variables defined at the root of the website, which -allows for any subsequent CSS rules to use those variables: - -#+begin_src css -:root { - --primary-color: black; - --secondary-color: white; -} - -body { - background-color: var(--primary-color); - color: var(--secondary-color); -} -#+end_src - -* CSS Box Shadows - -Box shadows were once my mortal enemy. No matter how hard I tried, I just -couldn't get them to work how I wanted. Because of this, my favorite discovery -has been CSSMatic's [[https://www.cssmatic.com/box-shadow][box shadow generator]]. It provides a tool to generate box -shadows using their simple sliders. Surprisingly, this is the reason I learned -how box shadows work! You can use the sliders and watch how the CSS code changes -in the image that the tool displays. Through this, you should understand that -the basic structure for box shadows is: - -#+begin_src css -box-shadow: inset horizontal vertical blur spread color; -#+end_src - -Now, let's look at some basic examples! You can copy and paste the following -code into a site like CodePen or your own HTML files. Feel free to play around -with the code, experiment, and learn. - -*Box Shadow #1* - -#+begin_src html -
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-#+end_src - -#+begin_src css -.box h3 { - text-align: center; - position: relative; - top: 80px; -} -.box { - width: 70%; - height: 200px; - background: #fff; - margin: 40px auto; -} -.effect2 { - box-shadow: 10px 10px 5px -5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75); -} -#+end_src - -Try these box shadows out on your own and see how changing each shadow value -works. - -* CSS Flex Box - -Now, let's move on to the best part of this article: flex box. The flex box is by -far my favorite new toy. I originally stumbled across this solution after -looking for more efficient ways of centering content horizontally AND -vertically. I had used other methods before, but flex box throws those out the -window. The best part of it all is that flex box is /dead simple/. - -Flex Box pertains to the parent div of any element. You want the parent to be the -flex box and the children's behavior modified by the parent's attributes. It's -easier to see this in action that explained, so let's see an example. - -*Flex Box* - -#+begin_src html -
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-#+end_src - -#+begin_src css -.flex-examples { - display: flex; - flex-wrap: wrap; - justify-content: flex-start; - align-items: center; - padding: 10px; - background-color: #f2f2f2; -} -.sm-box { - display: flex; - justify-content: center; - align-items: center; - width: 20%; - height: 100px; - background: #fff; - margin: 40px 10px; -} -#+end_src - -You may notice that we no longer need to use the =top= property for the =h3= -elements in our code. This is because we set the display box to be a flex -container for the small boxes, AND we made the small boxes flex containers for -their elements (the h3 tags). You can nest flex boxes to center content that is -inside centered content. - -For the example above, we designated the =justify-content= property to be -=flex-start= so that the boxes stack from the left side of the screen. You can -change this property to =center= to make the boxes appear in the center of the -screen. - -For an interactive example, [[https://codepen.io/LandonSchropp/pen/KpzzGo][check out this CodePen]] from [[https://codepen.io/LandonSchropp/][LandonScropp]]. Resize the -window with dice to see how they collapse and re-align. - -* Even More CSS - -For more inspiration, you can visit [[https://www.codepen.io][CodePen]], [[https://dribbble.com][Dribbble]], or [[https://uimovement.com][UI Movement]] to browse -the collections of amazing web designers. -#+date: <2019-09-09 Mon 00:00:00> -#+title: Bringing Data Analytics Into Internal Audit -#+description: Examination of data analytical approaches applied within internal audit functions to improve risk evaluation, process efficiency, and decision support. -#+slug: audit-analytics - -* What Are Data Analytics? - -A quick aside before I dive into this post: =data analytics= is a vague term -that has become popular in recent years. Think of a =data analytic= as the -output of any data analysis you perform. For example, a pivot table or a pie -chart could be a data analytic. - -[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_analysis][Data analysis]] is a process that utilizes statistics and other mathematical -methods to discover useful information within datasets. This involves examining, -cleaning, transforming, and modeling data so that you can use the data to -support an opinion, create more useful viewpoints, and gain knowledge to -implement into audit planning or risk assessments. - -One of the common mistakes that managers (and anyone new to the process) make is -assuming that everything involved with this process is "data analytics". In -fact, data analytics are only a small part of the process. - -See *Figure 1* for a more accurate representation of where data analysis sits -within the full process. This means that data analysis does not include querying -or extracting data, selecting samples, or performing audit tests. These steps -can be necessary for an audit (and the same associates may perform these steps), -but they are not data analytics. - -* Current Use of Analytics in Auditing - -While data analysis has been an integral part of most businesses and departments -for the better part of the last century, only recently have internal audit -functions been adopting this practice. The internal audit function works -exclusively to provide assurance and consulting services to the business areas -within the firm (except for internal auditing firms hired by different companies -to perform their roles). - -#+begin_quote -Internal Auditing helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a -systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of -risk management, control and governance processes. - -- The IIA's Definition of Internal Audit -#+end_quote - -Part of the blame for the slow adoption of data analysis can be attributed to -the fact that internal auditing is strongly based on tradition and following the -precedents set by previous auditors. However, there can be no progress without -auditors who are willing to break the mold and test new audit techniques. In -fact, as of 2018, [[https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/accounting-audit/news/12404086/internal-audit-groups-are-lagging-in-data-analytics][only 63% of internal audit departments currently utilize data -analytics]] in North America. This number should be as close as possible to 100%. -I have never been part of an audit that would not have benefited from data -analytics. - -So, how do internal audit functions remedy this situation? It's definitely not -as easy as walking into work on Monday and telling your Chief Audit Executive -that you're going to start implementing analytics in the next audit. You need a -plan and a system to make the analysis process as effective as possible. - -* The DELTA Model - -One of the easiest ways to experiment with data analytics and gain an -understanding of the processes is to implement them within your own department. -But how do we do this if we've never worked with analysis before? One of the -most common places to start is to research some data analysis models currently -available. For this post, we'll take a look at the DELTA model. You can take a -look at *Figure 2* for a quick overview of the model. - -The DELTA model sets guidelines for areas wanting to implement data analytics so -that the results can be as comprehensive as possible: - -- *Data*: Must be clean, accessible, and (usually) unique. -- *Enterprise-Wide Focus*: Key data systems and analytical resources must be - available for use (by the Internal Audit Function). -- *Leaders*: Must promote a data analytics approach and show the value of - analytical results. -- *Targets*: Must be defined for key areas and risks that the analytics can be - compared against (KPIs). -- *Analysts*: There must be auditors willing and able to perform data analytics - or else the system cannot be sustained. - -* Finding the Proper KPIs - -Once the Internal Audit Function has decided that they want to start using data -analytics internally and have ensured they're properly set up to do so, they -need to figure out what they will be testing against. Key Performance Indicators -(KPIs) are qualitative or quantitative factors that can be evaluated and -assessed to determine if the department is performing well, usually compared to -historical or industry benchmarks. Once KPIs have been agreed upon and set, -auditors can use data analytics to assess and report on these KPIs. This allows -the person performing the analytics the freedom to express opinions on the -results, whereas the results are ambiguous if no KPIs exist. - -Note that tracking KPIs in the department can help ensure you have a rigorous -Quality Assurance and Improvement Program (QAIP) in accordance with some -applicable standards, such as IPPF Standard 1300. - -#+begin_quote -The chief audit executive must develop and maintain a quality assurance and -improvement program that covers all aspects of the internal audit activity. - -- IPPF Standard 1300 -#+end_quote - -Additionally, IPPF Standard 2060 discusses reporting: - -#+begin_quote -The chief audit executive must report periodically to senior management and the -board on the internal audit activity's purpose, authority, responsibility, and -performance relative to its plan and on its conformance with the Code of Ethics -and the Standards. Reporting must also include significant risk and control -issues, including fraud risks, governance issues, and other matters that require -the attention of senior management and/or the board. - -- IPPF Standard 2060 -#+end_quote - -The hardest part of finding KPIs is to determine which KPIs are appropriate for -your department. Since every department is different and has different goals, -KPIs will vary drastically between companies. To give you an idea of where to -look, here are some ideas I came up with when discussing the topic with a few -colleagues. - -- Efficiency/Budgeting: - - Audit hours to staff utilization ratio (annual hours divided by total annual - work hours). - - Audit hours compared to the number of audits completed. - - Time between audit steps or to complete the whole audit. E.g., time from - fieldwork completion to audit report issuance. -- Reputation: - - The frequency that management has requested the services of the IAF. - - Management, audit committee, or external audit satisfaction survey results. - - Education, experience, certifications, tenure, and training of the auditors - on staff. -- Quality: - - Number and frequency of audit findings. Assign monetary or numerical values, - if possible. - - Percentage of recommendations issued and implemented. -- Planning: - - Percentage or number of key risks audited per year or per audit. - - Proportion of audit universe audited per year. - -* Data Analysis Tools - -Finally, to be able to analyze and report on the data analysis, auditors need to -evaluate the tools at their disposal. There are options available, but the most -common ones can easily get the job done. For example, almost every auditor -already has access to Microsoft Excel. Excel is more powerful than most people -give it credit for and can accomplish a lot of basic statistics without much -work. If you don't know a lot about statistics but still want to see some of the -more basic results, Excel is a great option. - -To perform more in-depth statistical analysis or to explore large datasets that -Excel cannot handle, auditors will need to explore other options. The big three -that have had a lot of success in recent years are Python, R, and ACL Analytics -(ACL). You can use ACL as either a graphical tool (point and click) or as a -scripting tool, where the auditor must write the scripts manually. Python and -the R-language are solely scripting languages. - -The general trend in the data analytics environment is that if the tool allows -you to do everything by clicking buttons or dragging elements, you won't be able -to fully utilize the analytics you need. To create the most robust solutions, -you should write the scripts manually. Note that as the utility of a tool -increases, it usually means that the learning curve for that tool will also be -higher. It will take auditors longer to learn how to utilize Python, R, or ACL -versus learning how to utilize Excel. - -* Visualization - -Once an auditor has finally found the right data, KPIs, and tools, they must -report these results so that readers of their results can take action. -Performing in-depth data analysis is only useful if the audience can understand -the results. The best way to create this understanding is to visualize the -results of the data. Let's take a look at some of the best options to visualize -and report the results you've found. - -Some of the most popular commercial tools for visualization are Microsoft -PowerBI and Tableau Desktop. However, other tools exist such as JMP, Plotly, -Qlikview, Alteryx, or D3. Some require commercial licenses while others are -simply free to use. For corporate data, you may want to make sure that the tool -does not communicate any of the data outside the company (such as cloud -storage). I won't be going into depth on any of these tools since visualization -is a subjective and creative experience, but remember to constantly explore new -options as you repeat the process. - -Lastly, let's take a look at an example of data visualization. This example -comes from a [[https://talent.works/2018/03/28/the-science-of-the-job-search-part-iii-61-of-entry-level-jobs-require-3-years-of-experience/][blog post written by Kushal Chakrabarti]] in 2018 about the percent -of entry-level US jobs that require experience. *Figure 3* shows us an -easy-to-digest picture of the data. We can quickly tell that only about 12.5% of -entry-level jobs don't require experience. - -This is the kind of result that easily describes the data for you. However, make -sure to include an explanation of what the results mean. Don't let the reader -assume what the data means, especially if it relates to a complex subject. /Tell -a story/ about the data and why the results matter. - -* Wrap-Up - -While this is not an all-encompassing program that you can just adopt into your -department, it should be enough to get anyone started on the process of -understanding and implementing data analytics. Always remember to continue -learning and exploring new options as your processes grow and evolve. -#+date: <2019-12-03 Tue 00:00:00> -#+title: How the Ansoff Matrix Guides Business Growth -#+description: Analytical description of the Ansoff Matrix, detailing market and product development strategies for measured business expansion and competitive positioning. -#+slug: the-ansoff-matrix - -* Overview - -As the world of business evolves, managers must approach business planning and -strategy with a contemporary mindset. According to Dess, McNamara, Eisner, and -Lee, managers must be willing to adapt to the modern business environment by -going beyond "'incremental management', whereby they view their job as making a -series of small, minor changes to improve the efficiency of the firm's -operations"(2019). - -One reason that strategic management is crucial is because most businesses that -fail in the United States each year fail due to a lack of strategic focus or -direction(2019). The rate of failure for businesses with poor strategies shows -that strategic planning and management are crucial to a business's strength and -longevity, injecting the critical factors of growth and direction into a -company's business plan. - -One of the most significant strategic planning and management frameworks that -companies can use is the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansoff_matrix][Ansoff Matrix]]. While this framework has unique purposes -and use-cases, it can effectively help an organization grow and compete. -Specifically, the Ansoff matrix is one of the most effective frameworks for -companies who want to focus on increasing sales revenue or profitability(2019). - -This framework uses a two-by-two figure to show the four strategic options for -companies to use in this framework: market penetration, market development, -product development, and diversification (see *Figure 1*). The x-axis of the -matrix focuses on the firm's markets and also determines if the firm is looking -to enter new markets or innovate in its current markets. The y-axis of the -matrix focuses on the firm's products and determines if the firm wants to pursue -strategies around their existing products or explore new products. - -* Strategic Options - -** Market Penetration - -The most straightforward strategy in the Ansoff matrix is to focus on existing -products in existing markets, also known as market penetration(2019). Companies -such as Coca-Cola have used market penetration successfully by investing a lot -of money to get further value out of their current markets. Coca-Cola does this -by introducing new features such as Christmas-themed bottles, personal names on -the bottles, and other marketing schemes. - -** Market Development - -Market development extends existing products into new markets in an attempt to -increase the number of buyers. One interesting way that Coca-Cola used this -strategy comes from the stigma that Diet Coke is a woman's drink(2019). -Coca-Cola introduced Coca-Cola Zero, which contained the same nutritional -content as Diet Coke, but the company packaged it in a dark black can to appear -more "manly" (2019). - -** Product Development - -Product development uses existing markets to introduce new products so that the -firm can better meet customer needs(2019). The extreme end of diversification is -home to companies such as Johnson & Johnson, a healthcare company that has -developed a business portfolio of more than 60,000 different products(2019). -Johnson & Johnson's dedication to continuous diversification has led them to a -balance sheet rating of "AAA", industry recognition for diversification, and -increases in their investor dividends for 57 consecutive years(2019). - -** Related Diversification - -Diversification, the final strategy of the Ansoff Matrix, is more difficult than -the others since it involves exploring both new markets and new products. -Related diversification is a diversification strategy that closely relates to -the firm's core business. Coca-Cola's best example of related diversification is -its acquisition of Glaceau and Vitamin Water, which expanded their drinking -lines of business(2019). - -** Unrelated Diversification - -Unrelated diversification is a diversification strategy that does not really -relate to the firm's core business but still diversifies their business -portfolio. A good example of this would be a coffee company who has decided to -enter the market for bicycle sales. The main purpose of this strategy is to a -diverse company that will not go bankrupt if one market goes through difficult -times. However, this requires a lot of independent skills and heavy investments -since the company most likely cannot easily transfer knowledge between the -markets they compete in. - -* Requirements for Success - -To use the Ansoff Matrix framework, managers need to formulate corporate goals -and objectives. Without goals and direction, management frameworks do not -present much practical utility. Further, the Ansoff Matrix requires the managers -involved to make tactical decisions and create a path for the company to take -toward their goals. Lastly, both the Ansoff Matrix needs to consider both -internal and external perspectives throughout the strategy formulation process. - -One interesting probability is that companies will be using multiple strategic -planning and management frameworks at the same time. While this may sound like -it could crowd the management process, there are numerous reasons to do so. For -example, the Ansoff Matrix and the Balanced Scorecard are popular, and they -cover entirely different parts of a company's strategy. Using the results from -the Balanced Scorecard could inform a company of the potential product and -market demands, such as from customer or supplier survey results, to help the -company determine which Ansoff Matrix strategy to pursue. However, a combined -approach at this level would require mature frameworks and focused managers who -are able to strategize at a high level. - -Lastly, please note that the author of the Ansoff matrix, Igor Ansoff, -often used the term [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analysis_paralysis][paralysis by analysis]] to explain the mistake of companies -who overuse analysis and spend too much time planning. Companies need to -understand the utility of a strategic management framework while ensuring that -the company is poised to execute as efficiently as they have planned. -#+date: <2019-12-16 Mon 00:00:00> -#+title: How to Secure Passwords: Best Practices and NIST Guidelines -#+description: Compilation of guidelines for password generation, storage, protection, and compliance with established standards such as NIST for maintaining digital security. -#+slug: password-security - -* Users - -** Why Does It Matter? - -Information security, including passwords and identities, has become one of the -most important digital highlights of the last decade. With [[https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/12/28/data-breaches-2018-billions-hit-growing-number-cyberattacks/2413411002/][billions of people -affected by data breaches each year]], there's a greater need to introduce strong -information security systems. If you think you've been part of a breach, or you -want to check and see, you can use [[https://haveibeenpwned.com/][Have I Been Pwned]] to see if any public -breaches have exposed your email(s). Remember that there's a possibility that a -company experienced a breach and did not report it to anyone. - -** How Do I Protect Myself? - -The first place to start with any personal security check-up is to gather a list -of all the different websites, apps, or programs that require you to have login -credentials. Optionally, once you know where you are storing your information, -you can sort the list from the most-important items such as banks or government -logins to less important items such as your favorite meme site. You will want to -ensure that your critical logins are secure before getting to the others. - -Once you think you have a good idea of all your different authentication -methods, I recommend using a password manager such as [[https://bitwarden.com/][Bitwarden]]. Using a -password manager allows you to automatically save your logins, create randomized -passwords, and transfer passwords across devices. However, you'll need to -memorize your "vault password" that allows you to open the password manager. -It's important to make this something hard to guess since it would allow anyone -who has it to access every password you've stored in there. - -Personally, I recommend using a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passphrase][passphrase]] instead of a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password][password]] for your vault -password. Instead of using a string of characters (whether random or simple), -use a phrase and add in symbols and a number. For example, your vault password -could be =Racing-Alphabet-Gourd-Parrot3=. Swap the symbols out for whichever -symbol you want, move the number around, and fine-tune the pass phrase until you -are confident that you can remember it whenever necessary. - -Once you've stored your passwords, make sure you continually check up on your -account and make sure you aren't following bad password practices. Krebs on -Security has a great [[https://krebsonsecurity.com/password-dos-and-donts/][blog post on password recommendations]]. Any time that a data -breach happens, make sure you check to see if the breach exposed your email, and -if you need to reset any account passwords. - -* Developers - -** What Are the Basic Requirements? - -When developing any password-protected application, there are basic rules that -anyone should follow even if they do not follow any official guidelines such as -NIST. The foremost practice is to require users to use passwords that are at -least 8 characters and bad actors cannot easily guess them. This sounds simple, -but it requires different strategies. First, the application should check the -potential passwords against a dictionary of insecure passwords such =password=, -=1234abc=, or =application_name=. - -Next, the application should offer guidance on the strength of passwords you -enter during enrollment. Further, NIST officially recommends *not* implementing -any composition rules that make passwords hard to remember (e.g. passwords with -letters, numbers, and special characters) and instead encouraging the use of -long pass phrases which can include spaces. Note that to be able to keep spaces -within passwords, you should support all unicode characters, and you should not -truncate spaces. - -** What Does NIST Recommend? - -The National Institute of Standards and Technology ([[https://www.nist.gov][NIST]]) in the US Department -of Commerce regularly publishes information around information security and -digital identity guidelines. Recently, NIST published [[https://pages.nist.gov/800-63-3/sp800-63b.html][Special Publication -800-63b]]: Digital Identity Guidelines and Authentication and Lifecycle -Management. - -#+begin_quote -A Memorized Secret authenticator - commonly referred to as a password or, if -numeric, a PIN - is a secret value intended to be chosen and memorized by the -user. Memorized secrets need to be of sufficient complexity and secrecy that it -would be impractical for an attacker to guess or otherwise discover the correct -secret value. A memorized secret is something you know. - -- NIST Special Publication 800-63B -#+end_quote - -NIST offers a lot of guidance on passwords, but I'm going to highlight just a -few of the important factors: - -- Require passwords to be a minimum of 8 characters (6 characters if randomly - generated and generate using an approved random bit generator). -- Compare potential passwords against a list that contains values known to be - commonly-used, expected, or compromised. -- Offer guidance on password strength, such as a strength meter. -- Implement a rate-limiting mechanism to limit the number of failed - authentication attempts for each user account. -- Do not require composition rules for passwords and do not require users to - change their passwords periodically (unless compromised). -- Allow pasting of user identification and passwords to facilitate the use of - password managers. -- Allow users to view the password as they type. -- Use secure forms of communication and storage, including salting and hashing - passwords using a one-way key derivation function. - -NIST offers further guidance on other devices that require specific security -policies, querying for passwords, and more. All the information discussed so far -comes from [[https://pages.nist.gov/800-63-3/sp800-63b.html][NIST SP800-63b]] but NIST offers a lot of information on digital -identities, enrollment, identity proofing, authentication, lifecycle management, -federation, and assertions in the total [[https://pages.nist.gov/800-63-3/][NIST SP800-63 Digital Identity -Guidelines]]. -#+date: <2020-01-25 Sat 00:00:00> -#+title: Linux Essentials: Top Tools and Easy Setup Tips -#+description: Inventory and description of key Linux applications including graphical and command-line tools, with installation instructions for various distributions. -#+slug: linux-software - -* Graphical Applications - -** Etcher - -[[https://www.balena.io/etcher/][Etcher]] is a quick and easy way to burn an optical disc image (ISO) to a compact -disc (CD) or universal serial bus (USB) device. There are two different ways you -can install this program. First, you can navigate to the [[https://www.balena.io/etcher/][official website]] and -download the AppImage file, which can run without installation. - -However, AppImage files are not executable by default, so you'll either need to -right-click to open the properties of the file and click the "Allow executing -file as program" box in the Permissions tab or use the following command: - -#+begin_src sh -chmod u+x FILE_NAME -#+end_src - -If you don't like AppImage files or just prefer repositories, you can use the -following commands to add the author's repository and install it through the -command-line only. - -First, you'll have to write the repository to a list file: - -#+begin_src sh -echo "deb https://deb.etcher.iostable etcher" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/balena-etcher.list -#+end_src - -Next, add the application keys to Ubuntu's key ring: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 379CE192D401AB61 -#+end_src - -Finally, update the repositories and install the app. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt update && sudo apt install balena-etcher-electron -#+end_src - -Using Arch, Manjaro, or another distribution using the Arch User Repository -(AUR)? Use this command instead: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo pacman -S etcher -#+end_src - -** Atom - -[[https://atom.io][Atom]] is the self-proclaimed "hackable text editor for the 21st century". GitHub -develops this editor, [[https://news.microsoft.com/2018/06/04/microsoft-to-acquire-github-for-7-5-billion/][now owned by Microsoft]], and has some of the best add-ons -available to customize the layout and abilities of the app. - -First, add the Atom repository to your sources. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/atom -#+end_src - -Next, update your package listings and install atom. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt update && sudo apt install atom -#+end_src - -If you have issues updating your packages with the Atom repository, you'll need -to use the snap package described below instead of the repository. To remove the -repository we just added, use this command: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo add-apt-repository -r ppa:webupd8team/atom -#+end_src - -You can also install Atom as a snap package, but you must install it with the -=--classic= flag. A [[https://language-bash.com/blog/how-to-snap-introducing-classic-confinement][full explanation is available]] if you'd like to read more -about why you need the classic flag. - -#+begin_src sh -snap install atom --classic -#+end_src - -Using Arch, Manjaro, or another distro using the AUR? Use this command instead: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo pacman -S atom -#+end_src - -** Visual Studio Code - -[[https://code.visualstudio.com][Visual Studio Code]] (VS Code) is yet another fantastic choice for programming on -Linux, especially if you need those extra add-ons to spice up your late-night -coding sessions. The theme used in the screenshot is [[https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=EliverLara.mars][Mars]] by theme creator -[[https://github.com/EliverLara][Eliver Lara]], who makes a ton of great themes for VS Code, Atom, and Linux -desktop environments. - -To install VS Code, you'll need to download the =.deb= file from the official -website. Once you've downloaded the file, either double-click it to install -through the Software Center or run the following command: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo dpkg -i FILE_NAME.deb -#+end_src - -You can also install VS Code as a snap package, but you must install it with the -=--classic= flag. A [[https://language-bash.com/blog/how-to-snap-introducing-classic-confinement][full explanation is available]] if you'd like to read more -about why you need the classic flag. - -#+begin_src sh -snap install code --classic -#+end_src - -Using Arch, Manjaro, or another distro using the AUR? Use these commands -instead: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo pacman -S yay binutils make gcc pkg-config fakeroot yay -S visual-studio-code-bin -#+end_src - -** GNOME Tweaks - -[[https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-tweaks][Gnome Tweaks]] is the ultimate tool to use if you want to customize your GNOME -desktop environment. This is how you can switch application themes (GTK), shell -themes, icons, fonts, and more. To install GNOME Tweaks on Ubuntu, you just need -to install the official package. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install gnome-tweaks -#+end_src - -If you've installed Manjaro or Arch with Gnome, you should have the tweak tool -pre-installed. If you're on Fedora, this tool is available as an official -package: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo dnf install gnome-tweaks -#+end_src - -** Steam - -[[https://steampowered.com][Steam]] is one of the most popular gaming libraries for computers and is one of -the main reasons that people have been able to switch to Linux in recent years, -thanks to Steam Proton, which makes it easier to play games not officially -created for Linux platforms. - -To install Steam on Ubuntu, you just need to install the official package. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install steam-installer -#+end_src - -For Arch-based systems, you'll simply need to install the =steam= -package. However, this requires that you enable the =multilib= source. -To do so, use the following command: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo nano /etc/pacman.conf -#+end_src - -Now, scroll down and uncomment the =multilib= section. - -#+begin_src config -# Before: -#[multilib] -#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist - -# After: -[multilib] -Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist -#+end_src - -Finally, install the program: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo pacman -S steam -#+end_src - -[[./2020-01-26-steam-on-ntfs-drives.html][Problem Launching Steam Games? Click Here.]] - -* Command-Line Packages - -** neofetch - -[[https://github.com/dylanaraps/neofetch][Neofetch]] is a customizable tool used in the command-line to show system -information. This is exceptionally useful if you want to see your system's -information quickly without the clutter of some resource-heavy GUI apps. - -This is an official package if you're running Ubuntu 17.04 or later, so simply -use the following command: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install neofetch -#+end_src - -If you're running Ubuntu 16.10 or earlier, you'll have to use a series of -commands: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo add-apt-repository ppa:dawidd0811/neofetch; sudo apt update; sudo apt -install neofetch -#+end_src - -Using Arch, Manjaro, or another distro using the AUR? Use this command instead: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo pacman -S neofetch -#+end_src - -** yt-dlp - -[[https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp][yt-dlp]] is a handy command-line tool that allows you to download video or audio -files from websites, such as YouTube. There are a ton of different options when -running this package, so be sure to run =yt-dlp --help= first to look through -everything you can do (or give up and search for the best configuration online). - -While this shouldn't be a problem for most users, yt-dlp requires Python 2.6, -2.7, or 3.2+ to work correctly, so install Python if you don't have it already. -You can check to see if you have Python installed by running: - -#+begin_src sh -python -V -#+end_src - -To get the youtube-dl package, simply curl the URL and output the results. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo curl -L https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp -o -/usr/local/bin/yt-dlp -#+end_src - -Finally, make the file executable so that you can run it from the command-line. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo chmod a+rx /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp -#+end_src -#+date: <2020-01-26 Sun 00:00:00> -#+title: How to Get Steam Running Smoothly on NTFS Drives in Linux -#+description: Procedures for mounting NTFS drives using ntfs-3g to enable reliable execution of Steam gaming software on Linux environments. -#+slug: steam-on-ntfs - -* Auto-Mount Steam Drives - -If you want to see how to install Steam on Linux, see my other post: [[../linux-software/][Linux -Software]]. - -Are you having trouble launching games, even though they've installed correctly? -This may happen if you're storing your games on an NT File System -(NTFS)-formatted drive. This shouldn't be an issue if you're storing your games -on the same drive that Steam is on, but some gamers prefer to put Steam on their -main drive and game files on another solid state drive (SSD) or hard disk drive -(HDD). - -To fix this problem, you'll need to try two things. First, you'll need to -install the =ntfs-3g= package, which allows for better interoperability with -Linux. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install ntfs-3g -#+end_src - -Next, you should set up the =/etc/fstab= file to automatically mount your drives -on boot. To automatically mount your drives when the computer boots up, you'll -have to create the folders you want to mount your drive to first. I store mine -in the =/mnt= folder using names that I'll recognize, but you can create your -folders wherever you want. - -#+begin_src sh -mkdir /path/to/folder -#+end_src - -For example: - -#+begin_src sh -mkdir /mnt/steam_library -#+end_src - -To automatically mount drives upon system boot, you will need to collect five -items. The universally unique identifier (UUID) is the identification number -connected to whichever drive you're using to store Steam games. - -Drives are usually labeled similar to =/dev/nvme0n1p1= or =/dev/sda1=, so you'll -need to find the line in the output of the command below that correlates to your -drive and copy the UUID over to the =/etc/fstab= file. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo blkid | grep UUID= -#+end_src - -Next, you'll need your user identified (=uid=) and group identifier (=gid=). To -find these, run the following command: - -#+begin_src sh -id -u && id -g -#+end_src - -Now that you have collected the necessary information, open the =/etc/fstab= -file: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo nano /etc/fstab -#+end_src - -Each drive you want to mount on boot should have its own line in the -=/etc/fstab= file that looks similar to this: - -#+begin_src config -UUID=B64E53824E5339F7 /mnt/steam_library ntfs-3g uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -sudo umount /dev/sdxX -#+end_src - -Now all you need to do is unmount your drive and re-mount it. You can unmount -the drive by doing this (be sure to use the correct drive name here): - -You can re-mount all your drives by executing the following: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo mount -a -#+end_src - -If you don't know what your drive name is, or you're nervous about unmounting -and re-mounting, simply reboot your computer, and the system will mount the -drive for you automatically. -#+date: <2020-02-09 Sunday 00:00:00> -#+title: A Practical Guide to Encryption, Keys, and Secure Communication -#+description: Systematic overview of encryption methodologies, key categories, algorithmic frameworks, and their applications in data confidentiality and integrity. -#+slug: cryptography - -* Similar Article Available - -If you haven't already, feel free to read my post on [[../aes-encryption/][AES Encryption]]. - -* What is Cryptography? - -In layman's terms, cryptography is a process that can change data from a -readable format into an unreadable format (and vice-versa) through a series of -processes and secrets. More technically, this is the Internet Security -Glossary's definition: - -#+begin_quote -[Cryptography is] the mathematical science that deals with transforming data to -render its meaning unintelligible (i.e., to hide its semantic content), prevent -its undetected alteration, or prevent its unauthorized use. If the -transformation is reversible, cryptography also deals with restoring encrypted -data to an intelligible form. - -- [[https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2828][Internet Security Glossary (2000)]] -#+end_quote - -Cryptography cannot offer protection against the loss of data; it simply offers -encryption methods to protect data at-rest and data in-traffic. At a high-level, -encrypted is when plain text data is encrypted to cipher text (a secure form of -text that cannot be understood unless decrypted back to plain text). The -encryption process is completed through the use of a mathematical function that -utilizes one or more values called keys to encrypt or decrypt the data. - -* Key Elements of Cryptographic Systems - -To create or evaluate a cryptographic system, you need to know the essential -pieces to the system: - -- *Encryption Algorithm (Primitive):* A mathematical process that encrypts and - decrypts data. -- *Encryption Key:* A string of bits used within the encryption algorithm as the - secret that allows successful encryption or decryption of data. -- *Key Length (Size):* The maximum number of bits within the encryption key. - It's important to remember that key size is regulated in certain countries. -- *Message Digest:* A smaller, fixed-size bit string version of the original - message. This is practically infeasible to reverse, which is why it's commonly - used to verify integrity. - -* Symmetric Systems (Secret Key Cryptography) - -Symmetric cryptography utilizes a secret, bidirectional key to perform both -encryption and decryption of the data. The most common implementation of -symmetric cryptography is the Advanced Encryption Standard, which uses keys that -are 128 bits to 256 bits in size. This standard came after the National -Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) decided to retire the Data -Encryption Standard (DES) in 2001. - -Since brute force attacks strongly correlate with key length, the 56-bit key -length of DES was considered insecure after it was publicly broken in under 24 -hours. However, there is a modern implementation of DES called Triple DES where -the DES method is applied three times to each data block. - -The main advantages to symmetric systems are the ease of use, since only one key -is required for both encryption and decryption, and the simplicity of the -algorithms. This helps with bulk data encryption that may unnecessarily waste -time and power using asymmetric systems. - -However, symmetric systems have disadvantages to keep in mind. Since the key is -private, it can be difficult to safely distribute keys to communication -partners. Additionally, the key cannot be used to sign messages since it's -necessary to keep the key private. - -* Asymmetric Systems (Public Key Cryptography) - -Asymmetric cryptography utilizes two keys within the system: a secret key that -is privately-held and a public key that can be distributed freely. The -interesting aspect of asymmetric cryptography is that either key can be used to -encrypt the data, there's no rule that dictates which key must be used for -encryption. Once one key is used to encrypt the data, only the other key can be -used to decrypt the data. This means that if the private key encrypts the data, -only the public key can decrypt the data. - -An advantage of this system is that if you successfully decrypt data using one -of the keys, you can be sure of the sender since only the other key could have -encrypted the data. - -One of the major implementations of an asymmetric system is a digital signature. -A digital signature can be generated using the sender's private key, or a -one-way hash function and is used to provide assurance for the integrity and -authenticity of the message. A couple common message digest algorithms are -SHA-256 and SHA-512, which securely compress data and produce a 128-bit message -digest. - -It should be noted that man-in-the-middle attacks are one of the risks with -digital signatures and public keys. To combat this, applications often use a -public key infrastructure (PKI) to independently authenticate the validity of -signatures and keys. - -Due to the large key size and [[https://crypto.stackexchange.com/a/591][inefficient mathematical functions]] of asymmetric -encryption, elliptical curve cryptography (ECC) is often used to increase -security while using fewer resources. - -* Applications of Cryptographic Systems - -There are numerous implementations of cryptographic systems around the world. -Here are six popular examples: - -*Transport Layer Security (TLS):* One of the most famous cryptographic solutions -created is TLS, a session-layered or connection-layered internet protocol that -allows for secure communications between browsers and servers. Using handshakes, -peer negotiation, and authentication allows TLS to prevent eavesdropping and -malicious transformation of data. The major reason for TLS popularity is that a -major vulnerability was found in the SSL protocol in 2014. Instead of SSL, TLS -can be used with HTTP to form HTTPS and is the preferred method for modern web -development due to its increased security. - -*Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS):* An application layer protocol that -allows for secure transport of data between servers and web clients. One of the -unique parts of HTTPS is that it uses a secured port number instead of the -default web port address. - -*Virtual Private Network (VPN):* VPNs are made to securely extend a private -network across public networks by utilizing an encrypted layered tunneling -protocol paired with an authentication method, such as usernames and passwords. -This technology originally allowed remote employees to access their company's -data but have evolved into one of the top choices for anyone who wishes to mask -their sensitive personal data. - -*Internet Protocol Security (IPSec):* This protocol suite facilitates -communication between two or more hosts or subnets by authenticating and -encrypting the data packets. IPSec is used in a lot of VPNs to establish the VPN -connection through the transport and tunnel mode encryption methods. IPSec -encrypts just the data portion of packets in the transport methods, but it -encrypts both the data and headers in the tunnel method (introducing an -additional header for authentication). - -*Secure Shell (SSH):* SSH is another network protocol used to protect network -services by authenticating users through a secure channel. This protocol is -often used for command-line (shell) functions such as remote shell commands, -logins, and file transfers. - -*Kerberos:* Developed by MIT, Kerberos is a computer-network authentication -protocol that works on the basis of tickets to allow nodes communicating over a -non-secure network to prove their identity to one another securely. This is most -commonly used in business environments when used as the authentication and -encryption method for Windows Active Directory (AD). - -* Cybersecurity Controls - -If you're someone who needs solutions on how to control risks associated with -utilizing a crytograhpic system, start with these basic controls: - -- *Policies:* A policy on the use of cryptographic controls for protection of - information is implemented and is in accordance with organizational - objectives. -- *Key management:* A policy on the use, protection and lifetime of - cryptographic keys is implemented through the entire application lifecycle. -- *Key size:* The organization has researched the optimal key size for their - purposes, considering national laws, required processing power, and longevity - of the solution. -- *Algorithm selection:* Implemented algorithms are sufficiently appropriate for - the business of the organization, robust, and align with recommended - guidelines. -- *Protocol configuration:* Protocols have been reviewed and configured suitable - to the purpose of the business. -#+date: <2020-03-25 Wed 00:00:00> -#+title: Session Messenger: Is It Secure? -#+description: Technical description of the Session messaging protocol, including end-to-end encryption, metadata minimization, multi-device synchronization, and privacy-centric design. -#+slug: session-messenger - -* Privacy Warning - -The company behind Session (Loki Foundation) is from Australia. If you didn't -know, Australia has introduced [[https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/legislation/bills/r6195_aspassed/toc_pdf/18204b01.pdf][legislation]] mandating companies comply with -government requests to build back door access into applications. For more -information, read my article on [[./2020-01-25-aes-encryption.html][AES Encryption]]. - -* About Session - -[[https://getsession.org][Session]] is a private, cross-platform messaging app from the [[https://loki.foundation][Loki Foundation]]. As -someone who has spent years looking for quality alternatives to major messaging -apps, I was excited when I first heard about Session. Reading through [[https://arxiv.org/pdf/2002.04609.pdf][Session's -white paper]], you can learn the technologies behind the Session app. Part of the -security of Session comes from the Signal protocol, which was forked as the -origin of Session. - -#+begin_quote -Session is an end-to-end encrypted messenger that removes sensitive metadata -collection, and is designed for people who want privacy and freedom from any -forms of surveillance. -#+end_quote - -In general, this app promises security through end-to-end encryption, -decentralized onion routing, and private identities. The biggest change that the -Loki Foundation has made to the Signal protocol is removing the need for a phone -number. Instead, a random identification string is generated for any session you -create. This means you can create a new session for each device if you want to, -or link new devices with your ID. - -Since Session's website and white paper describe the details of Session's -security, I'm going to focus on using the app in this post. - -* Features - -Since most people are looking for an alternative to a popular chat app, I am -going to list out the features that Session has so that you are able to -determine if the app would suit your needs: - -- Multiple device linking [via a quick-response (QR) code or identifier (ID)] -- App locking via device screen lock, password, or fingerprint -- Screenshot blocking -- Incognito keyboard -- Read receipts and typing indicators -- Mobile notification customization -- Old message deletion and conversation limit -- Backups -- Recovery phrase -- Account deletion, including ID, messages, sessions, and contacts - -* Downloads - -I have tested this app on Ubuntu 19.10, Android 10, macOS Monterey, and iOS 15. -All apps have worked well without issue. - -Below is a brief overview of the Session app on Linux. To get this app, you'll -need to go to the [[https://getsession.org/download/][Downloads]] page and click to link to the operating system -you're using. - -For Linux, it will download an AppImage that you'll need to enable with the -following command: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo chmod u+x session-messenger-desktop-linux-x86_64-1.0.5.AppImage -#+end_src - -* Creating an Account - -Once you've installed the app, simply run the app and create your unique Session -ID. It will look something like this: -=05af1835afdd63c947b47705867501d6373f486aa1ae05b1f2f3fcd24570eba608=. - -You'll need to set a display name and, optionally, a password. If you set a -password, you will need to enter it every time you open the app. - -* Start Messaging - -Once you've created your account and set up your profile details, the next step -is to start messaging other people. To do so, you'll need to share your Session -ID with other people. From this point, it's straightforward and acts like any -other messaging app, so I won't dive into much detail here. - -** macOS - -One key feature to note is that the desktop application now provides a helpful -pop-up box explaining the process that Session uses to hide your IP address: - -** iOS - -The mobile app is simple and effective, giving you all the standard mobile -messaging options you'd expect. - -* Potential Issues - -I've discovered one annoying issue that would prevent from using this app -regularly. On a mobile device, there have been issues with receiving messages on -time. Even with battery optimization disabled and no network restrictions, -Session notifications sometimes do not display until I open the app or the -conversation itself and wait. This is actually one of the reasons I stopped -using Signal (this seems fixed as of my updates in 2021/2022, so I wouldn't -worry about this issue anymore). - -Looking for another messenger instead of Session? I recommend Signal, Matrix, -and internet relay chat (IRC). -#+date: <2020-05-03 Sun 00:00:00> -#+title: My Homelab Setup: Gear, Network, and Lessons Learned -#+description: Comprehensive instructions on assembling and configuring a homelab environment, emphasizing hardware selection, software deployment, and network setup for operational efficiency. -#+slug: homelab - -* What is a Homelab? - -Starting as a developer, I have stayed away from hardware-based hobbies (other -than building a gaming desktop). However, as the quarantine for COVID-19 -stretches out further and further, I found myself bored and in search of new -hobbies. After spending the last few months browsing the [[https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/][r/homelab]] subreddit, I -decided it was time to jump in and try things out for myself. - -Since I am a beginner and just recently graduated from college, everything I've -done so far in my homelab is low-budget. - -* Hardware - -** Raspberry Pi 4 - -Luckily, I had actually purchased a [[https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/][Raspberry Pi 4]] before the quarantine started -so that I could try to keep Plex Media Center running, even while my desktop -computer was turned off. I started here, using the Pi to hold Plex and Pi-hole -until I grew tired with the slow performance. - -Here are the specifications for the Pi 4: - -- Broadcom BCM2711, Quad core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.5GHz -- 4GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM -- Gigabit Ethernet -- H.265 (4kp60 decode), H264 (1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode) -- 64 GB MicroSD Card - -** Dell Optiplex 5040 - -Since I wasn't happy with the Pi as my main server, I turned to Craigslist. I -know a lot of other homelabbers use Ebay, but I can't seem to ever trust it -enough to purchase items on there. So I used Craigslist and found a Dell -Optiplex 5040 desktop computer on sale for $90. While this computer might be -underpowered, it was one of the few computers under $100 that was available -during quarantine. - -Here are the specifications for the Dell Optiplex 5040: - -- Intel Core i3 6100 -- 8GB RAM DDR3 -- Intel HD Graphics -- Gigabit Ethernet -- 500GB Hard Drive - -While this hardware would be awful for a work computer or a gaming rig, it -turned out to be wonderful for my server purposes. The only limitation I have -found so far is the central processing unit (CPU). The i3-6100 only has enough -power for a single 4k video transcode at a time. I haven't tested more than -three 1080p streams at a time, but the maximum amount of streams I've ever -actually used is two. - -** WD easystore 10TB & 8TB - -Application storage and temporary files are stored on the internal hard drive of -the server, but all media files (movies, television, games, books, etc) are stored -externally on my WD easystore hard drive. Creating auto-boot configurations in -the =/etc/fstab= file on my server allows the hard drives to automatically mount -whenever I need to restart my server. - -#+begin_quote -Update: In March 2022, I shucked the hard drives out of their external cases, -put some Kapton tape on the third power pin to prevent power shutdowns, and -stuck them inside my server tower using internal Serial AT Attachment (SATA) -cables. -#+end_quote - -** Netgear Unmanaged Switch - -To manage all the ethernet cords used by my homelab, my desktop, and my living -room media center, I purchased an 8-port gigabit ethernet switch for $50 at my -local computer store. This is probably much more than I should have spent on an -unmanaged switch, but I am comfortable with the choice. - -** TP-Link Managed Switch - -Since I use the unmanaged switch to group all living room devices together, I -use the managed switch to configure virtual local area networks (VLANs) and -secure my network. - -** Arris TM1602A Modem & Sagecom Fast 5280 Router - -My default modem and router, provided by my ISP, are fairly standard. The Arris -modem supports DOCSIS 3.0, which is something that I definitely wanted as a -minimum. The Sagecom router is also standard, no fancy bells or whistles. -However, it does support the dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) for -internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) and internet protocol version 6 (IPv6), which -is something iyou can use to route all household traffic through a pi-hole or -firewall. - -** TP-Link EAP - -In order to gain better control over the network, I use my own wireless access -point instead of the one included in the Sagecom router above. Now I can control -and organize all of my ethernet connections through the VLANs on the managed -switch and wireless connections through the VLANS on the EAP. - -** Generic Printer - -The last piece to my homelab is a standard wireless printer. Nothing special -here. - -* Software - -** Ubuntu Server 20.04 - -While the 20.04 version of Ubuntu was just released, I always like to experiment -with new features (and I don't mind breaking my system - it just gives me more -experience learning how to fix things). So, I have Ubuntu Server 20.04 installed -on the Dell Optiplex server and Ubuntu Server 19.10 installed on the Raspberry -Pi. Once I find an acceptable use for the Pi, I will most likely switch the -operating system. - -** Docker - -I am /very/ new to Docker, but I have had a lot of fun playing with it so far. -Docker is used to create containers that can hold all the contents of a system -without interfering with other software on the same system. So far, I have -successfully installed pi-hole, GitLab, Gogs, and Nextcloud in containers. -However, I opted to delete all of those so that I can reconfigure them more -professionally at a later time. - -** Plex Media Server - -Plex is a media center software that allows you to organize your movies, TV -shows, music, photos, and videos automatically. It will even download metadata -for you so that you can easily browse these collections. - -** Pi-hole - -Pi-hole is an alternative ad-blocker that runs at the DNS level, allowing you to -block traffic when it hits your network, so that you can reject any traffic you -deem to be bad. Pi-hole uses blacklists and whitelists to decide which traffic -block and, luckily, there are a lot of pre-made lists out there on Reddit, -GitHub, etc. - -** Nextcloud - -While I had trouble with the Docker version of Nextcloud, I was very successful -when setting up the snap version. Using this, I was able to map Nextcloud to a -subdomain of a domain I own in Namecheap. Additionally, Nextcloud has an -integration with Let's Encrypt that allows me to issue certificates -automatically to any new domain I authorize. - -** Webmin - -To monitor my servers, and the processes running on them, I use the Webmin -dashboard. This was fairly painless to set up, and I currently access it -straight through the server's IP address. In the future, I will be looking to -configure Webmin to use a custom domain just like Nextcloud. -#+date: <2020-05-19 Tue 00:00:00> -#+title: Tweak Your Ubuntu Look: A Beginner’s Guide to GNOME Customization -#+description: Detailed instructions for modifying system appearance and interface elements in Ubuntu 20.04, including setting themes, icon packs, font adjustments, terminal configurations, and related customization parameters. -#+slug: customizing-ubuntu - -* More Information - -For inspiration on designing your *nix computer, check out the [[https://libredd.it/r/unixporn][r/unixporn]] -subreddit! - -* Customizing Ubuntu - -New to Linux and want to add a personal touch to your machine? One of the best -perks of Linux is that it is *extremely* customizable. You can change the styles -of the windows, shell (status bars/docks), icons, fonts, terminals, and more. - -In this post, I'm going to go through customization on Ubuntu 20.04 (GNOME) -since most new users tend to choose Ubuntu-based distros. If you've found a way -to install Arch with i3-gaps, I'm assuming you know how to find more advanced -tutorials out there on customizations. - -** Required Tools - -Ubuntu 20.04 ships with the default desktop environment [[https://www.gnome.org/][Gnome]], which includes -the handy =gnome-tweaks= tool to quickly change designs. To install this, just -open your terminal and enter the following command: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install gnome-tweaks -#+end_src - -After you've finished installing the tool, simply launch the Tweaks application, -and you'll be able to access the various customization options available by -default on Ubuntu. You might even like some of the pre-installed options. - -** GNOME Application Themes - -To change the themes applied to applications in GNOME, you will need to change -the Applications drop-down in the Appearance section of Tweaks. To add more -themes, you will have to find your preferred theme online and follow the steps -below to have it show up in the Tweaks tool. While you may find themes anywhere, -one of the most popular sites for GNOME themes is [[https://www.gnome-look.org/][gnome-look.org]]. This website -contains themes for applications, shells, icons, and cursors. - -Steps to import themes into Tweaks: - -1. Download the theme. -2. These files are usually compressed (.zip, .tar.gz, .tar.xz), so you will need - to extract the contents. This is easiest when opening the file explorer, - right-clicking the compressed file, and choosing "Extract here." -3. Move the theme folder to =/usr/share/themes/=. You can do so with the - following command: =sudo mv theme-folder/ /usr/share/themes/=. - - Icons and cursors will be moved to the =/usr/share/icons/= folder. - - Fonts will be moved to the =/usr/share/fonts/= folder Alternatively, you - can move them to the =/usr/share/fonts/opentype/= or - =/usr/share/fonts/opentype/= folders, if you have a specific font type. -4. Close tweaks if it is open. Re-open Tweaks and your new theme will be - available in the Applications drop-down in the Appearance section of Tweaks. - -If the theme is not showing up after you've moved it into the themes folder, you -may have uncompressed the folder into a sub-folder. You can check this by -entering the theme folder and listing the contents: - -#+begin_src sh -cd /usr/share/themes/Mojave-Dark && ls -la -#+end_src - -This is an example of what the contents of your theme folder should look like. -If you just see another folder there, you should move that folder up into the -=/usr/share/themes/= folder. - -#+begin_src sh -cinnamon COPYING gnome-shell gtk-2.0 gtk-3.0 index.theme metacity-1 plank xfwm4 -#+end_src - -** GNOME Shell Themes - -To change the appearance of the title bar, default dock, app menu, and other -parts of the GNOME shell, you'll need to install the [[https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/19/user-themes/][user themes]] extension on -[[https://extensions.gnome.org/][Gnome Extensions]]. To be able to install extensions, you will first need to -install the browser extension that the website instructs you to. See this -screenshot for the blue box with a link to the extension. - -After the browser extension is installed, you will need to install the native -host connector: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install chrome-gnome-shell -#+end_src - -Finally, you can go the [[https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/19/user-themes/][user themes]] extension page and click the installation -button. This will enable the Shell option in Tweaks. Now you can move shell -themes to the =/usr/share/themes= directory, using the same steps mentioned in -the previous section, and enable the new theme in Tweaks. - -** Icons & Cursors - -Icons and cursors are installed exactly the same way, so I'm grouping these -together in this post. Both of these items will need to follow the same process -as installing themes, except you will want to move your font folders to the -=/usr/share/icons/= directory instead. - -** Fonts - -Fonts are one of the overlooked parts of customization, but a good font can make -the whole screen look different. For example, I have installed the [[https://github.com/IBM/plex/releases][IBM Plex]] -fonts on my system. This follows the same process as installing themes, except -you will want to move your font folders to the =/usr/share/fonts/= directory -instead. - -** Terminal - -If you spend a lot of time typing commands, you know how important the style and -functionality of the terminal is. After spending a lot of time using the default -GNOME terminal with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bash_(Unix_shell)][unix shell]], I decided to try some different options. I ended -up choosing [[https://terminator-gtk3.readthedocs.io/en/latest/][Terminator]] with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_shell][zsh]] (Z Shell). - -Terminator is great if you need to open multiple terminals at one time by simply -right-clicking and splitting the screen into as many terminals as you want. -While this project hasn't been updated in a while, [[https://github.com/gnome-terminator/terminator/issues/1][it is coming under new -development]]. However, this terminal is great and I haven't experienced any -errors yet. - -For the shell choice, I decided to choose zsh after trying it out on a fresh -Manjaro installation. Zsh is great if you like to change the themes of your -terminal, include icons, or add plugins. - -The desktop uses the [[https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions][zsh-autosuggestions]] to suggest past commands as you type. -In addition, it suggests corrections if you misspell a command. Lastly, it uses -the =af-magic= theme, which adds dashed lines between commands, moving the -user@host tag to the right side of the terminal, and changes the colors. There -are plenty of plugins and themes to choose from. Just figure out what you like -and add it to your =~/.zshrc= file! - -*** Steps to Replicate My Terminal - -To install zsh on Ubuntu, enter the following command into a terminal: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install zsh -#+end_src - -Then, enter the next command to activate zsh: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo chsh -s $(which zsh) $(whoami) -#+end_src - -To install Terminator on Ubuntu: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install terminator -#+end_src - -To install Oh My Zsh on Ubuntu: - -#+begin_src sh -sh -c "$(curl -fsSL -https://raw.github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)" -#+end_src - -To install zsh-autosuggestions via Oh My Zsh: - -#+begin_src sh -git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions -${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions -#+end_src - -Then, add the following plugin wording to your =~/.zshrc= file (the default -config usually has the =git= plugin activated, so just add any other plugins to -the parentheses separated by a space): - -#+begin_src sh -nano ~/.zshrc -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -plugins=(git zsh-autosuggestions) -#+end_src - -Finally, you need to log out of your computer and log back in so your user shell -can refresh. -#+date: <2020-07-20 Mon 00:00:00> -#+title: A Data-Driven Look at Video Game Sales (1980–2020) -#+description: Presentation of analyzed data regarding global video game sales, covering platform distributions, genre classifications, and geographic market performance metrics. -#+slug: video-game-sales - -* Background Information - -This dataset (obtained from [[https://www.kaggle.com/gregorut/videogamesales/data][Kaggle]]) contains a list of video games with sales -greater than 100,000 copies. It was generated by a scrape of vgchartz.com. - -Fields include: - -- Rank: Ranking of overall sales -- Name: The game name -- Platform: Platform of the game release (i.e. PC,PS4, etc.) -- Year: Year of the game's release -- Genre: Genre of the game -- Publisher: Publisher of the game -- NA_{Sales}: Sales in North America (in millions) -- EU_{Sales}: Sales in Europe (in millions) -- JP_{Sales}: Sales in Japan (in millions) -- Other_{Sales}: Sales in the rest of the world (in millions) -- Global_{Sales}: Total worldwide sales. - -There are 16,598 records. 2 records were dropped due to incomplete information. - -* Import the Data - -#+begin_src python -# Import the Python libraries we will be using -import pandas as pd -import numpy as np -import seaborn as sns; sns.set() -import matplotlib.pyplot as plt - -# Load the file using the path to the downloaded file -file = r'video_game_sales.csv' -df = pd.read_csv(file) -df -#+end_src - -* Explore the Data - -#+begin_src python -# With the description function, we can see the basic stats. For example, we can -# also see that the 'Year' column has some incomplete values. -df.describe() -#+end_src - -#+begin_src python -# This function shows the rows and columns of NaN values. For example, df[179,3] = nan -np.where(pd.isnull(df)) - -(array([179, ..., 16553], dtype=int64), - array([3, ..., 5], dtype=int64)) -#+end_src - -* Visualize the Data - -#+begin_src python -# This function plots the global sales by platform -sns.catplot(x='Platform', y='Global_Sales', data=df, jitter=False).set_xticklabels(rotation=90) -#+end_src - -#+begin_src python -# This function plots the global sales by genre -sns.catplot(x='Genre', y='Global_Sales', data=df, jitter=False).set_xticklabels(rotation=45) -#+end_src - -#+begin_src python -# This function plots the global sales by year -sns.lmplot(x='Year', y='Global_Sales', data=df).set_xticklabels(rotation=45) -#+end_src - -#+begin_src python -# This function plots four different lines to show sales from different regions. -# The global sales plot line is commented-out, but can be included for comparison -df2 = df.groupby('Year').sum() -years = range(1980,2019) - -a = df2['NA_Sales'] -b = df2['EU_Sales'] -c = df2['JP_Sales'] -d = df2['Other_Sales'] -# e = df2['Global_Sales'] - -fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12,12)) -ax.set_ylabel('Region Sales (in Millions)') -ax.set_xlabel('Year') - -ax.plot(years, a, label='NA_Sales') -ax.plot(years, b, label='EU_Sales') -ax.plot(years, c, label='JP_Sales') -ax.plot(years, d, label='Other_Sales') -# ax.plot(years, e, label='Global_Sales') - -ax.legend() -plt.show() -#+end_src - -** Investigate Outliers - -#+begin_src python -# Find the game with the highest sales in North America -df.loc[df['NA_Sales'].idxmax()] - -Rank 1 -Name Wii Sports -Platform Wii -Year 2006 -Genre Sports -Publisher Nintendo -NA_Sales 41.49 -EU_Sales 29.02 -JP_Sales 3.77 -Other_Sales 8.46 -Global_Sales 82.74 -Name: 0, dtype: object - -# Explore statistics in the year 2006 (highest selling year) -df3 = df[(df['Year'] == 2006)] -df3.describe() -#+end_src - -#+begin_src python -# Plot the results of the previous dataframe (games from 2006) - we can see the year's results were largely carried by Wii Sports -sns.catplot(x="Genre", y="Global_Sales", data=df3, jitter=False).set_xticklabels(rotation=45) -#+end_src - -#+begin_src python -# We can see 4 outliers in the graph above, so let's get the top 5 games from that dataframe -# The results below show that Nintendo had all top 5 games (3 on the Wii and 2 on the DS) -df3.sort_values(by=['Global_Sales'], ascending=False).head(5) -#+end_src - -* Discussion - -The purpose of exploring datasets is to ask questions, answer questions, and -discover intelligence that can be used to inform decision-making. So, what have -we found in this dataset? - -Today we simply explored a publicly-available dataset to see what kind of -information it contained. During that exploration, we found that video game -sales peaked in 2006. That peak was largely due to Nintendo, who sold the top 5 -games in 2006 and has a number of games in the top-10 list for the years -1980-2020. Additionally, the top four platforms by global sales (Wii, NES, GB, -DS) are owned by Nintendo. - -We didn't explore everything this dataset has to offer, but we can tell from a -brief analysis that Nintendo seems to rule sales in the video gaming world. -Further analysis could provide insight into which genres, regions, publishers, -or world events are correlated with sales. -#+date: <2020-07-26 Sun 00:00:00> -#+title: A Location Intelligence Framework: Mapping Urban Business Clusters with Python -#+description: Methodology for utilizing data science techniques and Foursquare API data to analyze and select promising business sites within urban environments. -#+slug: business-analysis - -* Background Information - -This project aims to help investors learn more about a random city in order to -determine optimal locations for business investments. The data used in this -project was obtained using Foursquare's developer API. - -Fields include: - -- Venue Name -- Venue Category -- Venue Latitude -- Venue Longitude - -There are 232 records found using the center of Lincoln as the area of interest -with a radius of 10,000. - -* Import the Data - -The first step is the simplest: import the applicable libraries. We will be -using the libraries below for this project. - -#+begin_src python -# Import the Python libraries we will be using -import pandas as pd -import requests -import folium -import math -import json -from pandas.io.json import json_normalize -from sklearn.cluster import KMeans -#+end_src - -To begin our analysis, we need to import the data for this project. The data we -are using in this project comes directly from the Foursquare application -programming interface (API). The first step is to get the latitude and longitude -of the city being studied (Lincoln, NE) and setting up the folium map. - -#+begin_src python -# Define the latitude and longitude, then map the results -latitude = 40.806862 -longitude = -96.681679 -map_LNK = folium.Map(location=[latitude, longitude], zoom_start=12) - -map_LNK -#+end_src - -Now that we have defined our city and created the map, we need to go get the -business data. The Foursquare API will limit the results to 100 per API call, so -we use our first API call below to determine the total results that Foursquare -has found. Since the total results are 232, we perform the API fetching process -three times (100 + 100 + 32 = 232). - -#+begin_src python -# Foursquare API credentials -CLIENT_ID = 'your-client-id' -CLIENT_SECRET = 'your-client-secret' -VERSION = '20180604' - -# Set up the URL to fetch the first 100 results -LIMIT = 100 -radius = 10000 -url = 'https://api.foursquare.com/v2/venues/explore?&client_id={}&client_secret={}&v={}&ll={},{}&radius={}&limit={}'.format( - CLIENT_ID, - CLIENT_SECRET, - VERSION, - latitude, - longitude, - radius, - LIMIT) - -# Fetch the first 100 results -results = requests.get(url).json() - -# Determine the total number of results needed to fetch -totalResults = results['response']['totalResults'] -totalResults - -# Set up the URL to fetch the second 100 results (101-200) -LIMIT = 100 -offset = 100 -radius = 10000 -url2 = 'https://api.foursquare.com/v2/venues/explore?&client_id={}&client_secret={}&v={}&ll={},{}&radius={}&limit={}&offset={}'.format( - CLIENT_ID, - CLIENT_SECRET, - VERSION, - latitude, - longitude, - radius, - LIMIT, - offset) - -# Fetch the second 100 results (101-200) -results2 = requests.get(url2).json() - -# Set up the URL to fetch the final results (201 - 232) -LIMIT = 100 -offset = 200 -radius = 10000 -url3 = 'https://api.foursquare.com/v2/venues/explore?&client_id={}&client_secret={}&v={}&ll={},{}&radius={}&limit={}&offset={}'.format( - CLIENT_ID, - CLIENT_SECRET, - VERSION, - latitude, - longitude, - radius, - LIMIT, - offset) - -# Fetch the final results (201 - 232) -results3 = requests.get(url3).json() -#+end_src - -* Clean the Data - -Now that we have our data in three separate dataframes, we need to combine them -into a single dataframe and make sure to reset the index so that we have a -unique ID for each business. The =get_category_type= function below will pull -the categories and name from each business's entry in the Foursquare data -automatically. Once all the data has been labeled and combined, the results are -stored in the =nearby_venues= dataframe. - -#+begin_src python -# This function will extract the category of the venue from the API dictionary -def get_category_type(row): - try: - categories_list = row['categories'] - except: - categories_list = row['venue.categories'] - - if len(categories_list) == 0: - return None - else: - return categories_list[0]['name'] - -# Get the first 100 venues -venues = results['response']['groups'][0]['items'] -nearby_venues = json_normalize(venues) - -# filter columns -filtered_columns = ['venue.name', 'venue.categories', 'venue.location.lat', 'venue.location.lng'] -nearby_venues = nearby_venues.loc[:, filtered_columns] - -# filter the category for each row -nearby_venues['venue.categories'] = nearby_venues.apply(get_category_type, axis=1) - -# clean columns -nearby_venues.columns = [col.split(".")[-1] for col in nearby_venues.columns] - ---- - -# Get the second 100 venues -venues2 = results2['response']['groups'][0]['items'] -nearby_venues2 = json_normalize(venues2) # flatten JSON - -# filter columns -filtered_columns2 = ['venue.name', 'venue.categories', 'venue.location.lat', 'venue.location.lng'] -nearby_venues2 = nearby_venues2.loc[:, filtered_columns] - -# filter the category for each row -nearby_venues2['venue.categories'] = nearby_venues2.apply(get_category_type, axis=1) - -# clean columns -nearby_venues2.columns = [col.split(".")[-1] for col in nearby_venues.columns] -nearby_venues = nearby_venues.append(nearby_venues2) - ---- - -# Get the rest of the venues -venues3 = results3['response']['groups'][0]['items'] -nearby_venues3 = json_normalize(venues3) # flatten JSON - -# filter columns -filtered_columns3 = ['venue.name', 'venue.categories', 'venue.location.lat', 'venue.location.lng'] -nearby_venues3 = nearby_venues3.loc[:, filtered_columns] - -# filter the category for each row -nearby_venues3['venue.categories'] = nearby_venues3.apply(get_category_type, axis=1) - -# clean columns -nearby_venues3.columns = [col.split(".")[-1] for col in nearby_venues3.columns] - -nearby_venues = nearby_venues.append(nearby_venues3) -nearby_venues = nearby_venues.reset_index(drop=True) -nearby_venues -#+end_src - -* Visualize the Data - -We now have a complete, clean data set. The next step is to visualize this data -onto the map we created earlier. We will be using folium's =CircleMarker()= -function to do this. - -#+begin_src python -# add markers to map -for lat, lng, name, categories in zip(nearby_venues['lat'], nearby_venues['lng'], nearby_venues['name'], nearby_venues['categories']): - label = '{} ({})'.format(name, categories) - label = folium.Popup(label, parse_html=True) - folium.CircleMarker( - [lat, lng], - radius=5, - popup=label, - color='blue', - fill=True, - fill_color='#3186cc', - fill_opacity=0.7, - ).add_to(map_LNK) - -map_LNK -#+end_src - -* Clustering: /k-means/ - -To cluster the data, we will be using the /k-means/ algorithm. This algorithm is -iterative and will automatically make sure that data points in each cluster are -as close as possible to each other, while being as far as possible away from -other clusters. - -However, we first have to figure out how many clusters to use (defined as the -variable 'k'). To do so, we will use the next two functions to calculate the sum -of squares within clusters and then return the optimal number of clusters. - -#+begin_src python -# This function will return the sum of squares found in the data -def calculate_wcss(data): - wcss = [] - for n in range(2, 21): - kmeans = KMeans(n_clusters=n) - kmeans.fit(X=data) - wcss.append(kmeans.inertia_) - - return wcss - -# Drop 'str' cols so we can use k-means clustering -cluster_df = nearby_venues.drop(columns=['name', 'categories']) - -# calculating the within clusters sum-of-squares for 19 cluster amounts -sum_of_squares = calculate_wcss(cluster_df) - -# This function will return the optimal number of clusters -def optimal_number_of_clusters(wcss): - x1, y1 = 2, wcss[0] - x2, y2 = 20, wcss[len(wcss)-1] - - distances = [] - for i in range(len(wcss)): - x0 = i+2 - y0 = wcss[i] - numerator = abs((y2-y1)*x0 - (x2-x1)*y0 + x2*y1 - y2*x1) - denominator = math.sqrt((y2 - y1)**2 + (x2 - x1)**2) - distances.append(numerator/denominator) - - return distances.index(max(distances)) + 2 - -# calculating the optimal number of clusters -n = optimal_number_of_clusters(sum_of_squares) -#+end_src - -Now that we have found that our optimal number of clusters is six, we need to -perform k-means clustering. When this clustering occurs, each business is -assigned a cluster number from 0 to 5 in the dataframe. - -#+begin_src python -# set number of clusters equal to the optimal number -kclusters = n - -# run k-means clustering -kmeans = KMeans(n_clusters=kclusters, random_state=0).fit(cluster_df) - -# add clustering labels to dataframe -nearby_venues.insert(0, 'Cluster Labels', kmeans.labels_) -#+end_src - -Success! We now have a dataframe with clean business data, along with a -cluster number for each business. Now let's map the data using six -different colors. - -#+begin_src python -# create map with clusters -map_clusters = folium.Map(location=[latitude, longitude], zoom_start=12) -colors = ['#0F9D58', '#DB4437', '#4285F4', '#800080', '#ce12c0', '#171717'] - -# add markers to the map -for lat, lng, name, categories, cluster in zip(nearby_venues['lat'], nearby_venues['lng'], nearby_venues['name'], nearby_venues['categories'], nearby_venues['Cluster Labels']): - label = '[{}] {} ({})'.format(cluster, name, categories) - label = folium.Popup(label, parse_html=True) - folium.CircleMarker( - [lat, lng], - radius=5, - popup=label, - color=colors[int(cluster)], - fill=True, - fill_color=colors[int(cluster)], - fill_opacity=0.7).add_to(map_clusters) - -map_clusters -#+end_src - -* Investigate Clusters - -Now that we have figured out our clusters, let's do a little more analysis to -provide more insight into the clusters. With the information below, we can see -which clusters are more popular for businesses and which are less popular. The -results below show us that clusters 0 through 3 are popular, while clusters 4 -and 5 are not very popular at all. - -#+begin_src python -# Show how many venues are in each cluster -color_names = ['Dark Green', 'Red', 'Blue', 'Purple', 'Pink', 'Black'] -for x in range(0,6): - print("Color of Cluster", x, ":", color_names[x]) - print("Venues found in Cluster", x, ":", nearby_venues.loc[nearby_venues['Cluster Labels'] == x, nearby_venues.columns[:]].shape[0]) - print("---") -#+end_src - -Our last piece of analysis is to summarize the categories of businesses within -each cluster. With these results, we can clearly see that restaurants, coffee -shops, and grocery stores are the most popular. - -#+begin_src python -# Calculate how many venues there are in each category -# Sort from largest to smallest -temp_df = nearby_venues.drop(columns=['name', 'lat', 'lng']) - -cluster0_grouped = temp_df.loc[temp_df['Cluster Labels'] == 0].groupby(['categories']).count().sort_values(by='Cluster Labels', ascending=False) -cluster1_grouped = temp_df.loc[temp_df['Cluster Labels'] == 1].groupby(['categories']).count().sort_values(by='Cluster Labels', ascending=False) -cluster2_grouped = temp_df.loc[temp_df['Cluster Labels'] == 2].groupby(['categories']).count().sort_values(by='Cluster Labels', ascending=False) -cluster3_grouped = temp_df.loc[temp_df['Cluster Labels'] == 3].groupby(['categories']).count().sort_values(by='Cluster Labels', ascending=False) -cluster4_grouped = temp_df.loc[temp_df['Cluster Labels'] == 4].groupby(['categories']).count().sort_values(by='Cluster Labels', ascending=False) -cluster5_grouped = temp_df.loc[temp_df['Cluster Labels'] == 5].groupby(['categories']).count().sort_values(by='Cluster Labels', ascending=False) - -# show how many venues there are in each cluster (> 1) -with pd.option_context('display.max_rows', None, 'display.max_columns', None): - print("\n\n", "Cluster 0:", "\n", cluster0_grouped.loc[cluster0_grouped['Cluster Labels'] > 1]) - print("\n\n", "Cluster 1:", "\n", cluster1_grouped.loc[cluster1_grouped['Cluster Labels'] > 1]) - print("\n\n", "Cluster 2:", "\n", cluster2_grouped.loc[cluster2_grouped['Cluster Labels'] > 1]) - print("\n\n", "Cluster 3:", "\n", cluster3_grouped.loc[cluster3_grouped['Cluster Labels'] > 1]) - print("\n\n", "Cluster 4:", "\n", cluster4_grouped.loc[cluster4_grouped['Cluster Labels'] > 1]) - print("\n\n", "Cluster 5:", "\n", cluster5_grouped.loc[cluster5_grouped['Cluster Labels'] > 1]) -#+end_src - -* Discussion - -In this project, we gathered location data for Lincoln, Nebraska, USA and -clustered the data using the k-means algorithm in order to identify the unique -clusters of businesses in Lincoln. Through these actions, we found that there -are six unique business clusters in Lincoln and that two of the clusters are -likely unsuitable for investors. The remaining four clusters have a variety of -businesses, but are largely dominated by restaurants and grocery stores. - -Using this project, investors can now make more informed decisions when deciding -the location and category of business in which to invest. - -Further studies may involve other attributes for business locations, such as -population density, average wealth across the city, or crime rates. In addition, -further studies may include additional location data and businesses by utilizing -multiple sources, such as Google Maps and OpenStreetMap. -#+date: <2020-08-22 Sat 00:00:00> -#+title: Configure GitHub Pages to Use Your Root Domain Instead of WWW -#+description: Stepwise instructions for configuring redirection of GitHub Pages sites from the www subdomain to the apex domain to improve domain resolution and access consistency. -#+slug: redirect-github-pages - -* Short answer - -** Step 1 - -Add a new file called =CNAME= (canonical name) to your GitHub Pages repository -containing only one line: your top-level domain name. E.g.: =example.com= - -** Step 2 - -[Optional] but highly recommended - -2.1: Remove all other top-level records (prefixed with @) of type A from your -DNS configuration. - -2.2: Remove a CNAME record for the second-level domain =www=, if it is present. - -** Step 3 - -Add these 5 entries to the very top of your domain name system (DNS) -configuration: - -#+begin_src txt -@ A 185.199.108.153 -@ A 185.199.109.153 -@ A 185.199.110.153 -@ A 185.199.111.153 -www CNAME your_github_username.github.io. -#+end_src - -Replace =your_github_username= with your actual GitHub username. - -** Step 4 - -Wait for your DNS changes to propagate. DNS changes aren't effective -immediately. They can take up to a full day to propagate. - -* Long answer - -This issue has two sides. One is the DNS configuration itself. Another one is -the way GitHub Pages will forward hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) requests. - -We need to know a few things to understand what GitHub is trying to say in their -documentation. - -** DNS Entry Types - -There are two types of DNS records which interest us: CNAME and A. - -=A= is also known as =Apex= or sometimes as =root entry=. It forwards requests -to a specified fixed IP address. =CNAME= entry forwards requests to a specified -URL (actual valid plain text URL, not an internet protocol (IP) address). - -** DNS Load balancing - -GitHub has one central URL address which accepts all DNS requests for GitHub -Pages: =http://username.github.io=. That URL is resolved to different IP -addresses based on your geographical location. Website hosted on GitHub Pages is -a simple collection of =HTML=, =CSS= and =JS= files. GitHub distributes these -files to different servers across the globe. So that when your browser sends a -request from Europe, it receives data from a server in Europe. The same is valid -for the requests from Asia and the USA. - -** What GitHub is trying to say - -Since =A= records in DNS must contain IP addresses, and they must be either -=185.199.108.153= or =185.199.109.153= or =185.199.110.153= or -=185.199.111.153=, there is no way to forward requests to a server located -somewhere in Europe or Asia. Your website hosted at GitHub Pages will be -downloaded from a central GitHub Pages server. There is a minor risk that if -GitHub Pages DNS servers (=x.x.x.153=) are down for some reason, all custom -domains which use fixed GitHub Pages IP addresses will not be accessible (their -DNS requests will not be resolvable). - -That is why GitHub strongly suggests to either use a second-level domain for -your GitHub Pages (e.g. =blog.example.com=) or use a DNS service provider that -supports a record type =ALIAS= that acts as =A= record but forwards request to a -URL address (e.g. =username.github.io=) instead of a fixed IP address. - -** How GitHub Pages treats HTTP requests - -After a DNS request for =your_github_username.github.io= is resolved into an IP -address, e.g. =185.199.108.153= your browser sends an HTTP request to that -server with an HTTP header =Host=. Below are =curl= examples that load the same -website (these examples might not work if you are behind a proxy server): - -#+begin_src sh -curl --header "Host: your_github_username.github.io" http://185.199.108.153/ -curl --header "Host: www.example.com" http://185.199.108.153/ -curl --header "Host: example.com" http://185.199.108.153/ -#+end_src - -This way GitHub Pages servers know which user website to serve. - -#+begin_quote -GitHub Pages server will automatically redirect HTTP requests to the top-level -domain if your =CNAME= file contains =example.com= but =www.example.com= is -requested. - -The same is valid if your =CNAME= file contains =www.example.com= but the header -=Host= in the =HTTP= request contains =example.com=. -#+end_quote - -** Why can't I add a =CNAME= record entry that accepts a top-level request (=@=) to my DNS configuration? - -Quote from the GitHub Pages documentation: - -#+begin_quote -Warning: Do not create a CNAME record for your custom apex domain! Doing so may -cause issues with other services, such as email, on that domain. -#+end_quote - -** References: - -1. [[https://docs.github.com/en/github/working-with-github-pages/configuring-a-custom-domain-for-your-github-pages-site][Setting up a custom domain with GitHub Pages]] -2. [[https://docs.github.com/en/github/working-with-github-pages/troubleshooting-custom-domains-and-github-pages][My custom domain isn't working]] -3. [[https://serverfault.com/questions/589370/cannot-access-my-github-pages-website-by-ip-address][Cannot access my GitHub Pages website by IP Address]] -4. [[https://stackoverflow.com/questions/23375422/how-do-i-set-up-github-pages-to-redirect-dns-requests-from-a-subdomain-e-g-www][How do I set up GitHub Pages to redirect DNS requests from a subdomain (e.g. - www) to the top-level domain (TLD, Apex record)?]] -#+date: <2020-08-29 Sat 00:00:00> -#+title: PHP User Authentication: Create, Validate, and Manage Sessions -#+description: Comprehensive guide to developing a secure user login system in PHP, including account creation, session management, and logout procedures. -#+slug: php-auth-flow - -* Introduction - -When creating websites that will allow users to create accounts, the developer -always needs to consider the proper authentication flow for their app. For -example, some developers will utilize an application programming interface (API) -for authentication, some will use OAuth, and some may just use their own simple -database. - -For those using pre-built libraries, authentication may simply be a problem of -copying and pasting the code from their library's documentation. For example, -here's the code I use to authenticate users with the Tumblr OAuth API for my -Tumblr client, Vox Populi: - -#+begin_src php -// Start the session -session_start(); - -// Use my key/secret pair to create a new client connection -$consumer_key = getenv('CONSUMER_KEY'); -$consumer_secret = getenv('CONSUMER_SECRET'); -$client = new Tumblr\API\Client($consumer_key, $consumer_secret); -$requestHandler = $client->getRequestHandler(); -$requestHandler->setBaseUrl('https://www.tumblr.com/'); - -// Check the session and cookies to see if the user is authenticated -// Otherwise, send user to Tumblr authentication page and set tokens from Tumblr's response - -// Authenticate client -$client = new Tumblr\API\Client( - $consumer_key, - $consumer_secret, - $token, - $token_secret -); -#+end_src - -However, developers creating authentication flows from scratch will need to -think carefully about when to make sure a web page will check the user's -authenticity. - -In this article, we're going to look at a simple authentication flow using a -MySQL database and PHP. - -* Creating User Accounts - -The beginning to any type of user authentication is to create a user account. -This process can take many formats, but the simplest is to accept user input -from a form (e.g., username and password) and send it over to your database. For -example, here's a snippet that shows how to get username and password parameters -that would come when a user submits a form to your PHP script. - -*Note*: Ensure that your password column is large enough to hold the hashed -value (at least 60 characters or longer). - -#+begin_src php -// Get the values from the URL -$username = $_POST['username']; -$raw_password = $_POST['password']; - -// Hash password -// password_hash() will create a random salt if one isn't provided, and this is generally the easiest and most secure approach. -$password = password_hash($raw_password, PASSWORD_DEFAULT); - -// Save database details as variables -$servername = "localhost"; -$username = "username"; -$password = "password"; -$dbname = "myDB"; - -// Create connection to the database -$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname); - -// Check connection -if ($conn->connect_error) { - die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error); -} - -$sql = "INSERT INTO users (username, password) -VALUES ('$username', '$password')"; - -if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) { - echo "New record created successfully"; -} else { - echo "Error: " . $sql . "
" . $conn->error; -} - -$conn->close(); -#+end_src - -** Validate Returning Users - -To be able to verify that a returning user has a valid username and password in -your database is as simple as having users fill out a form and comparing their -inputs to your database. - -#+begin_src php -// Query the database for username and password -// ... - -if(password_verify($password_input, $hashed_password)) { - // If the input password matched the hashed password in the database - // Do something, log the user in. -} - -// Else, Redirect them back to the login page. -... -#+end_src - -* Storing Authentication State - -Once you've created the user's account, now you're ready to initialize the -user's session. *You will need to do this on every page you load while the user -is logged in.* To do so, simply enter the following code snippet: - -#+begin_src php -session_start(); -#+end_src - -Once you've initialized the session, the next step is to store the session in a -cookie so that you can access it later. - -#+begin_src php -setcookie(session_name()); -#+end_src - -Now that the session name has been stored, you'll be able to check if there's an -active session whenever you load a page. - -#+begin_src php -if(isset(session_name())) { - // The session is active -} -#+end_src - -** Removing User Authentication - -The next logical step is to give your users the option to log out once they are -done using your application. This can be tricky in PHP since a few of the -standard ways do not always work. - -#+begin_src php -// Initialize the session. -// If you are using session_name("something"), don't forget it now! -session_start(); - -// Delete authentication cookies -unset($_COOKIE[session_name()]); -setcookie(session_name(), "", time() - 3600, "/logged-in/"); -unset($_COOKIE["PHPSESSID"]); -setcookie("PHPSESSID", "", time() - 3600, "/logged-in/"); - -// Unset all of the session variables. -$_SESSION = array(); -session_unset(); - -// If it's desired to kill the session, also delete the session cookie. -// Note: This will destroy the session, and not just the session data! -if (ini_get("session.use_cookies")) { - $params = session_get_cookie_params(); - setcookie(session_name(), '', time() - 42000, - $params["path"], $params["domain"], - $params["secure"], $params["httponly"] - ); -} - -// Finally, destroy the session. -session_destroy(); -session_write_close(); - -// Go back to sign-in page -header('Location: https://example.com/logged-out/'); -die(); -#+end_src - -* Wrapping Up - -Now you should be ready to begin your authentication programming with PHP. You -can create user accounts, create sessions for users across different pages of -your site, and then destroy the user data when they're ready to leave. - -For more information on this subject, I recommend reading the [[https://www.php.net/][PHP Documentation]]. -Specifically, you may want to look at [[https://www.php.net/manual/en/features.http-auth.php][HTTP Authentication with PHP]], [[https://www.php.net/manual/en/book.session.php][session -handling]], and [[https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.hash.php][hash]]. -#+date: <2020-09-01 Tue 00:00:00> -#+title: How to Use IBM Watson Visual Recognition API for Image Analysis -#+description: Technical overview and application instructions for using IBM Watson Visual Recognition service, with focus on API configuration, image input processing, and classification output handling. -#+slug: visual-recognition - -* What is IBM Watson? - -If you've never heard of [[https://www.ibm.com/watson][Watson]], this service is a suite of enterprise-ready -artificial intelligence (AI) services, applications, and tooling provided by -IBM. Watson contains quite a few useful tools for data scientists and students, -including the subject of this post today: visual recognition. - -If you'd like to view the official documentation for the Visual Recognition -application programming interface (API), visit the [[https://cloud.ibm.com/apidocs/visual-recognition/visual-recognition-v3?code=python][API Docs]]. - -* Prerequisites - -To be able to use Watson Visual Recognition, you'll need the following: - -1. Create a free account on [[https://www.ibm.com/cloud/watson-studio][IBM Watson Studio]]. -2. Add the [[https://www.ibm.com/cloud/watson-visual-recognition][Watson Visual Recognition]] service to your IBM Watson account. -3. Get your API key and URL (uniform resource locator). To do this, first go to - the [[https://dataplatform.cloud.ibm.com/home2?context=cpdaas][profile dashboard]] for your IBM account and click on the Watson Visual - Recognition service you created. This will be listed in the section titled - *Your services*. Then click the *Credentials* tab and open the - *Auto-generated credentials* dropdown. Copy your API key and URL so that you - can use them in the Python script later. -4. *[Optional]* While not required, you can also create the Jupyter Notebook for - this project right inside [[https://www.ibm.com/cloud/watson-studio][Watson Studio]]. Watson Studio will save your - notebooks inside an organized project and allow you to use their other - integrated products, such as storage containers, AI models, documentation, - external sharing, etc. - -* Calling the IBM Watson Visual Recognition API - -Okay, now let's get started. - -To begin, we need to install the proper Python package for IBM Watson. - -#+begin_src sh -pip install --upgrade --user "ibm-watson>=4.5.0" -#+end_src - -Next, we need to specify the API key, version, and URL given to us when we -created the Watson Visual Recognition service. - -#+begin_src python -apikey = "" -version = "2018-03-19" -url = "" -#+end_src - -Now, let's import the necessary libraries and authenticate our service. - -#+begin_src python -import json -from ibm_watson import VisualRecognitionV3 -from ibm_cloud_sdk_core.authenticators import IAMAuthenticator - -authenticator = IAMAuthenticator(apikey) -visual_recognition = VisualRecognitionV3( - version=version, - authenticator=authenticator -) - -visual_recognition.set_service_url(url) -#+end_src - -*[Optional]* If you'd like to tell the API not to use any data to improve their -products, set the following header. - -#+begin_src python -visual_recognition.set_default_headers({'x-watson-learning-opt-out': "true"}) -#+end_src - -Now we have our API all set and ready to go. For this example, I'm going to -include a =dict= of photos to load as we test out the API. - -#+begin_src python -data = [ - { - "title": "Grizzly Bear", - "url": "https://example.com/photos/image1.jpg" - }, - { - "title": "Nature Lake", - "url": "https://example.com/photos/image2.jpg" - }, - { - "title": "Welcome Sign", - "url": "https://example.com/photos/image3.jpg" - }, - { - "title": "Honey Badger", - "url": "https://example.com/photos/image4.jpg" - }, - { - "title": "Grand Canyon Lizard", - "url": "https://example.com/photos/image5.jpg" - }, - { - "title": "Castle", - "url": "https://example.com/photos/image6.jpg" - } -] -#+end_src - -Now that we've set up our libraries and have the photos ready, let's create a -loop to call the API for each image. The code below shows a loop that calls the -URL of each image and sends it to the API, requesting results with at least 60% -confidence. The results are output to the console with dotted lines separating -each section. - -In the case of an API error, the codes and explanations are output to the -console. - -#+begin_src python -from ibm_watson import ApiException - -for x in range(len(data)): -try: - url = data[x]["url"] - images_filename = data[x]["title"] - classes = visual_recognition.classify( - url=url, - images_filename=images_filename, - threshold='0.6', - owners=["IBM"]).get_result() - print("-----------------------------------------------") - print("Image Title: ", data[x]["title"], "\n") - print("Image URL: ", data[x]["url"], "\n") - classification_results = classes["images"][0]["classifiers"][0]["classes"] - for result in classification_results: - print(result["class"], "(", result["score"], ")") - print("-----------------------------------------------") -except ApiException as ex: - print("Method failed with status code " + str(ex.code) + ": " + ex.message) -#+end_src - -* The Results - -Here we can see the full result set of our function above. If you view each of -the URLs that we sent to the API, you'll be able to see that it was remarkably -accurate. To be fair, these are clear high-resolution, clear photos shot with a -professional camera. In reality, you will most likely be processing images that -are lower quality and may have a lot of noise in the photo. - -However, we can clearly see the benefit of being able to call this API instead -of attempting to write our own image recognition function. Each of the -classifications returned was a fair description of the image. - -If you wanted to restrict the results to those that are at least 90% confident -or greater, you would simply adjust the =threshold= in the -=visual_recognition.classify()= function. - -When your program runs, it should show the output below for each photo you -provide. - -#+begin_src txt ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Image Title: Grizzly Bear -Image URL: https://example.com/photos/image1.jpg - -brown bear ( 0.944 ) -bear ( 1 ) -carnivore ( 1 ) -mammal ( 1 ) -animal ( 1 ) -Alaskan brown bear ( 0.759 ) -greenishness color ( 0.975 ) ----------------------------------------------------------------- -#+end_src - -* Discussion - -Now, this was a very minimal implementation of the API. We simply supplied some -images and looked to see how accurate the results were. However, you could -implement this type of API into many machine learning (ML) models. - -For example, you could be working for a company that scans their warehouses or -inventory using drones. Would you want to pay employees to sit there and watch -drone footage all day in order to identify or count things in the video? -Probably not. Instead, you could use a classification system similar to this one -in order to train your machine learning model to correctly identify items that -the drones show through video. More specifically, you could have your machine -learning model watch a drone fly over a field of sheep in order to count how -many sheep are living in that field. - -There are many ways to implement machine learning functionality, but hopefully -this post helped inspire some deeper thought about the tools that can help -propel us further into the future of machine learning and AI. -#+date: <2020-09-22 Tue 00:00:00> -#+title: The Strategic Role of Internal Audit in Risk, Governance, and Compliance -#+description: Analysis of internal audit processes, their contribution to risk management, governance frameworks, and compliance monitoring within corporate structures. -#+slug: internal-audit - -* Definitions - -One of the many reasons that Internal Audit needs such thorough explaining to -non-auditors is that Internal Audit can serve many purposes, depending on the -organization's size and needs. However, the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) -defines Internal Auditing as: - -#+begin_quote -Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity -designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an -organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined -approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, -and governance processes. -#+end_quote - -However, this definition uses quite a few terms that aren't clear unless the -reader already has a solid understanding of the auditing profession. To further -explain, the following is a list of definitions that can help supplement -understanding of internal auditing. - -** Independent - -Independence is the freedom from conditions that threaten the ability of the -internal audit activity to carry out internal audit responsibilities in an -unbiased manner. To achieve the degree of independence necessary to effectively -carry out the responsibilities of the internal audit activity, the chief audit -executive has direct and unrestricted access to senior management and the board. -This can be achieved through a dual-reporting relationship. Threats to -independence must be managed at the individual auditor, engagement, functional, -and organizational levels. - -** Objective - -Objectivity is an unbiased mental attitude that allows internal auditors to -perform engagements in such a manner that they believe in their work product and -that no quality compromises are made. Objectivity requires that internal -auditors do not subordinate their judgment on audit matters to others. Threats -to objectivity must be managed at the individual auditor, engagement, -functional, and organizational levels. - -** Assurance - -Assurance services involve the internal auditor's objective assessment of -evidence to provide opinions or conclusions regarding an entity, operation, -function, process, system, or other subject matters. The internal auditor -determines the nature and scope of an assurance engagement. Generally, three -parties are participants in assurance services: (1) the person or group directly -involved with the entity, operation, function, process, system, or other -subject - (the process owner), (2) the person or group making the assessment - -(the internal auditor), and (3) the person or group using the assessment - (the -user). - -** Consulting - -Consulting services are advisory in nature and are generally performed at the -specific request of an engagement client. The nature and scope of the consulting -engagement are subject to agreement with the engagement client. Consulting -services generally involve two parties: (1) the person or group offering the -advice (the internal auditor), and (2) the person or group seeking and receiving -the advice (the engagement client). When performing consulting services, the -internal auditor should maintain objectivity and not assume management -responsibility. - -** Governance, Risk Management, & Compliance (GRC) - -The integrated collection of capabilities that enable an organization to -reliably achieve objectives, address uncertainty and act with integrity. - -* Audit Charter & Standards - -First, it's important to note that not every organization needs internal -auditors. In fact, it's unwise for an organization to hire internal auditors -unless they have regulatory requirements for auditing and have the capital to -support the department. Internal audit is a cost center that can only affect -revenue indirectly. - -Once an organization determines the need for internal assurance services, they -will hire a Chief Audit Executive and create the audit charter. This charter is -a document, approved by the company's governing body, that will define internal -audit's purpose, authority, responsibility, and position within the -organization. Fortunately, the IIA has model charters available to IIA members -for those developing or improving their charter. - -Beyond the charter and organizational documents, internal auditors follow a few -different standards in order to perform their job. First is the International -Professional Practices Framework (IPPF) by the IIA, which is the model of -standards for internal auditing. In addition, ISACA's Information Technology -Assurance Framework (ITAF) helps guide auditors in reference to information -technology (IT) compliance and assurance. Finally, additional standards such as -FASB, GAAP, and industry-specific standards are used when performing internal -audit work. - -* Three Lines of Defense - -[[https://theiia.org][The IIA]] released the original Three Lines of Defense model in 2013, but have -released an updated version in 2020. - -I won't go into depth about the changes made to the model in this article. -Instead, let's take a look at the most current model. - -The updated model forgets the strict idea of areas performing their own -functions or line of defense. Instead of talking about management, risk, and -internal audit as 1-2-3, the new model creates a more fluid and cooperative -model. - -Looking at this model from an auditing perspective shows us that auditors will -need to align, communicate, and collaborate with management, including business -area managers and chief officers, as well as reporting to the governing body. -The governing body will instruct internal audit /functionally/ on their goals -and track their progress periodically. - -However, the internal audit department will report /administratively/ to a chief -officer in the company for the purposes of collaboration, direction, and -assistance with the business. Note that in most situations, the governing body -is the audit committee on the company's board of directors. - -The result of this structure is that internal audit is an independent and -objective function that can provide assurance over the topics they audit. - -* Audit Process - -A normal audit will generally follow the same process, regardless of the topic. -However, certain special projects or abnormal business areas may call for -changes to the audit process. The audit process is not set in stone, it's simply -a set of best practices so that audits can be performed consistently. - -While different organizations may tweak the process, it will generally follow -this flow: - -** 1. Risk Assessment - -The risk assessment part of the process has historically been performed -annually, but many organizations have moved to performing this process much more -frequently. In fact, some organizations are moving to an agile approach that can -take new risks into the risk assessment and re-prioritize risk areas on-the-go. -To perform a risk assessment, leaders in internal audit will research industry -risks, consult with business leaders around the company, and perform analyses on -company data. - -Once a risk assessment has been documented, the audit department has a -prioritized list of risks that can be audited. This is usually in the form of -auditable entities, such as business areas or departments. - -** 2. Planning - -During the planning phase of an audit, auditors will meet with the business area -to discuss the various processes, controls, and risks applicable to the -business. This helps the auditors determine the scope limits for the audit, as -well as timing and subject-matter experts. Certain documents will be created in -this phase that will be used to keep the audit on-track an in-scope as it goes -forward. - -** 3. Testing - -The testing phase, also known as fieldwork or execution, is where internal -auditors will take the information they've discovered and test it against -regulations, industry standards, company rules, best practices, as well as -validating that any processes are complete and accurate. For example, an audit -of HR would most likely examine processes such as employee on-boarding, employee -termination, security of personally identifiable information (PII), or the IT -systems involved in these processes. Company standards would be examined and -compared against how the processes are actually being performed day-to-day, as -well as compared against regulations such as the Equal Employment Opportunity -(EEO), American with Disabilities Act, and National Labor Relations Act. - -** 4. Reporting - -Once all the tests have been completed, the audit will enter the reporting -phase. This is when the audit team will conclude on the evidence they've -collected, interviews they've held, and any opinions they've formed on the -controls in place. A summary of the audit findings, conclusions, and specific -recommendations are officially communicated to the client through a draft -report. Clients have the opportunity to respond to the report and submit an -action plan and time frame. These responses become part of the final report -which is distributed to the appropriate level of administration. - -** 5. Follow-Up - -After audits have been completed and management has formed action plans and time -frames for audit issues, internal audit will follow up once that due date has -arrived. In most cases, the follow-up will simply consist of a meeting to -discuss how the action plan has been completed and to request documentation to -prove it. - -* Audit Department Structure - -While an internal audit department is most often thought of as a team of -full-time employees, there are actually many different ways in which a -department can be structured. As the world becomes more digital and fast-paced, -outsourcing has become a more attractive option for some organizations. Internal -audit can be fully outsourced or partially outsourced, allowing for flexibility -in cases where turnover is high. - -In addition, departments can implement a rotational model. This allows for -interested employees around the organization to rotate into the internal audit -department for a period of time, allowing them to obtain knowledge of risks and -controls and allowing the internal audit team to obtain more business area -knowledge. This program is popular in very large organizations, but -organizations tend to rotate lower-level audit staff instead of managers. This -helps prevent any significant knowledge loss as auditors rotate out to business -areas. - -* Consulting - -Consulting is not an easy task at any organization, especially for a department -that can have negative perceptions within the organization as the "compliance -police." However, once an internal audit department has delivered value to -organization, adding consulting to their suite of services is a smart move. In -most cases, Internal Audit can insert themselves into a consulting role without -affecting the process of project management at the company. This means that -internal audit can add objective assurance and opinions to business areas as -they develop new processes, instead of coming in periodically to audit an area -and file issues that could have been fixed at the beginning. - -* Data Science & Data Analytics - -One major piece of the internal audit function in the modern world is data -science. While the process is data science, most auditors will refer to anything -in this realm as data analytics. Hot topics such as robotic process automation -(RPA), machine learning (ML), and data mining have taken over the auditing world -in recent years. These technologies have been immensely helpful with increasing -the effectiveness and efficiency of auditors. - -For example, mundane and repetitive tasks can be automated in order for auditors -to make more room in their schedules for labor-intensive work. Further, auditors -will need to adapt technologies like machine learning in order to extract more -value from the data they're using to form conclusions. -#+date: <2020-09-25 Fri 00:00:00> -#+title: Visualizing Global Happiness: A Choropleth Map with Python and Folium -#+description: Instructions for creating an interactive choropleth map visualizing international happiness data based on metrics such as GDP, social support, health indicators, freedom indices, generosity, and corruption levels. -#+slug: happiness-map - -* Background Information - -The dataset (obtained from [[https://www.kaggle.com/unsdsn/world-happiness][Kaggle]]) used in this article contains a list of -countries around the world, their happiness rankings and scores, as well as -other national scoring measures. - -Fields include: - -- Overall rank -- Country or region -- GDP per capita -- Social support -- Healthy life expectancy -- Freedom to make life choices -- Generosity -- Perceptions of corruption - -There are 156 records. Since there are ~195 countries in the world, we can see -that around 40 countries will be missing from this dataset. - -* Install Packages - -As always, run the =install= command for all packages needed to perform -analysis. - -#+begin_src python -!pip install folium geopandas matplotlib numpy pandas -#+end_src - -* Import the Data - -We only need a couple packages to create a choropleth map. We will use [[https://python-visualization.github.io/folium/][Folium]], -which provides map visualizations in Python. We will also use geopandas and -pandas to wrangle our data before we put it on a map. - -#+begin_src python -# Import the necessary Python packages -import folium -import geopandas as gpd -import pandas as pd -#+end_src - -To get anything to show up on a map, we need a file that will specify the -boundaries of each country. Luckily, GeoJSON files exist (for free!) on the -internet. To get the boundaries of every country in the world, we will use the -GeoJSON link shown below. - -GeoPandas will take this data and load it into a dataframe so that we can easily -match it to the data we're trying to analyze. Let's look at the GeoJSON -dataframe: - -#+begin_src python -# Load the GeoJSON data with geopandas -geo_data = gpd.read_file('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/datasets/geo-countries/master/data/countries.geojson') -geo_data.head() -#+end_src - -Next, let's load the data from the Kaggle dataset. I've downloaded this file, so -update the file path if you have it somewhere else. After loading, let's take a -look at this dataframe: - -#+begin_src python -# Load the world happiness data with pandas -happy_data = pd.read_csv(r'~/Downloads/world_happiness_data_2019.csv') -happy_data.head() -#+end_src - -* Clean the Data - -Some countries need to be renamed, or they will be lost when you merge the -happiness and GeoJSON dataframes. This is something I discovered when the map -below showed empty countries. I searched both data frames for the missing -countries to see the naming differences. Any countries that do not have records -in the =happy_data= data frame will not show up on the map. - -#+begin_src python -# Rename some countries to match our GeoJSON data - -# Rename USA -usa_index = happy_data.index[happy_data['Country or region'] == 'United States'] -happy_data.at[usa_index, 'Country or region'] = 'United States of America' - -# Rename Tanzania -tanzania_index = happy_data.index[happy_data['Country or region'] == 'Tanzania'] -happy_data.at[tanzania_index, 'Country or region'] = 'United Republic of Tanzania' - -# Rename the Congo -republic_congo_index = happy_data.index[happy_data['Country or region'] == 'Congo (Brazzaville)'] -happy_data.at[republic_congo_index, 'Country or region'] = 'Republic of Congo' - -# Rename the DRC -democratic_congo_index = happy_data.index[happy_data['Country or region'] == 'Congo (Kinshasa)'] -happy_data.at[democratic_congo_index, 'Country or region'] = 'Democratic Republic of the Congo' -#+end_src - -* Merge the Data - -Now that we have clean data, we need to merge the GeoJSON data with the -happiness data. Since we've stored them both in dataframes, we just need to call -the =.merge()= function. - -We will also rename a couple columns, just so that they're a little easier to -use when we create the map. - -#+begin_src python -# Merge the two previous dataframes into a single geopandas dataframe -merged_df = geo_data.merge(happy_data,left_on='ADMIN', right_on='Country or region') - -# Rename columns for ease of use -merged_df = merged_df.rename(columns = {'ADMIN':'GeoJSON_Country'}) -merged_df = merged_df.rename(columns = {'Country or region':'Country'}) -#+end_src - -* Create the Map - -The data is finally ready to be added to a map. The code below shows the -simplest way to find the center of the map and create a Folium map object. The -important part is to remember to reference the merged dataframe for our GeoJSON -data and value data. The columns specify which geo data and value data to use. - -#+begin_src python -# Assign centroids to map -x_map = merged_df.centroid.x.mean() -y_map = merged_df.centroid.y.mean() -print(x_map,y_map) - -# Creating a map object -world_map = folium.Map(location=[y_map, x_map], zoom_start=2,tiles=None) -folium.TileLayer('CartoDB positron',name='Dark Map',control=False).add_to(world_map) - -# Creating choropleth map -folium.Choropleth( - geo_data=merged_df, - name='Choropleth', - data=merged_df, - columns=['Country','Overall rank'], - key_on='feature.properties.Country', - fill_color='YlOrRd', - fill_opacity=0.6, - line_opacity=0.8, - legend_name='Overall happiness rank', - smooth_factor=0, - highlight=True -).add_to(world_map) -#+end_src - -Let's look at the resulting map. - -* Create a Tooltip on Hover - -Now that we have a map set up, we could stop. However, I want to add a tooltip -so that I can see more information about each country. The =tooltip_data= code -below will show a popup on hover with all the data fields shown. - -#+begin_src python - # Adding labels to map - style_function = lambda x: {'fillColor': '#ffffff', - 'color':'#000000', - 'fillOpacity': 0.1, - 'weight': 0.1} - -tooltip_data = folium.features.GeoJson( - merged_df, - style_function=style_function, - control=False, - tooltip=folium.features.GeoJsonTooltip( - fields=['Country' - ,'Overall rank' - ,'Score' - ,'GDP per capita' - ,'Social support' - ,'Healthy life expectancy' - ,'Freedom to make life choices' - ,'Generosity' - ,'Perceptions of corruption' - ], - aliases=['Country: ' - ,'Happiness rank: ' - ,'Happiness score: ' - ,'GDP per capita: ' - ,'Social support: ' - ,'Healthy life expectancy: ' - ,'Freedom to make life choices: ' - ,'Generosity: ' - ,'Perceptions of corruption: ' - ], - style=('background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; padding: 10px;') - ) -) -world_map.add_child(tooltip_data) -world_map.keep_in_front(tooltip_data) -folium.LayerControl().add_to(world_map) - -# Display the map -world_map -#+end_src - -The tooltip will now appear whenever you hover over a country. -#+date: <2020-10-12 Mon 00:00:00> -#+title: When Good Is Good Enough—And When It Isn't -#+description: Examination of decision-making principles relating to achieving sufficient quality levels, including trade-offs between perfection and adequacy in professional and operational contexts. -#+slug: mediocrity - -* Perfect is the Enemy of Good - -As the saying goes, "the best is the enemy of the good." As we strive for -perfection, we often fail to realize the implications of such an undertaking. -Attempting to reach perfection is often unrealistic. Even worse, it can get in -the way of achieving a good outcome. In certain situations, we try so hard to -achieve the ideal solution that we have burned the bridges that would have -allowed us to reach a lesser yet still superb solution. - -Philosophers throughout history have inspected this plight from many viewpoints. -Greek mythology speaks of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_mean_(philosophy)][golden mean]], which uses the story of Icarus to -illustrate that sometimes "the middle course" is the best solution. In this -story, Daedalus, a famous artist of his time, built feathered wings for himself -and his son so that they might escape the clutches of King Minos. Daedalus warns -his beloved son whom he loved so much to "fly the middle course", between the -sea spray and the sun's heat. Icarus did not heed his father; he flew up and up -until the sun melted the wax off his wings. For not heeding the middle course, -he fell into the sea and drowned. - -More recently, management scholars have explored the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle][Pareto principle]] and found -that as we increase the frequency of something, or strive to perform actions to -achieve some form of perfection, we run into [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminishing_returns][diminishing returns]]. - -Even further, Harold Demsetz is noted as coining the term [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_fallacy][the Nirvana fallacy]] in -1969, which shows the fallacy of comparing actual things with unrealistic, -idealized alternatives. This is another trap that we may fall into, where we are -constantly thinking of the ultimate solutions to problems, when something more -realistic needs to be considered. - -Over and over throughout history, we've found that perfection is often -unrealistic and unachievable. However, we push ourselves and our peers to "give -100%" or "go the extra mile," while it may be that the better course is to give -a valuable level of effort while considering the effects of further effort on -the outcome. Working harder does not always help us achieve loftier goals. - -This has presented itself to me most recently during my time studying at my -university. I was anxious and feeling the stresses of my courses, career, and -personal life for quite a while, which was greatly affecting how well I was -doing at school and my level of effort at work. One day, I happened to be -talking to my father when he said something simple that hit home: - -#+begin_quote -All you can do is show up and do your best. Worrying about the outcomes won't -affect the outcome itself. -#+end_quote - -The thought was extremely straightforward and uncomplicated, yet it was -something that I had lost sight of during my stress-filled years at school. Ever -since then, I've found myself pausing and remembering that quote every time I -get anxious or stressed. It helps to stop and think "Can I do anything to affect -the outcome, or am I simply worrying over something I can't change?" - -* When Mediocrity Isn't Enough - -One problem with the philosophies presented in this post is that they are -implemented far too often in situations where mediocrity simply isn't adequate. -For example, let's take a look at digital user data, specifically -personally-identifiable information (PII). As a cybersecurity auditor in the -United States, I have found that most companies are concerned more with -compliance than any actual safeguards over the privacy or protection of user -data. Other than companies who have built their reputation on privacy and -security, most companies will use [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satisficing][satisficing]] as their primary decision-making -strategy around user data. - -#+begin_quote -Satisficing is a decision-making strategy or cognitive heuristic that entails -searching through the available alternatives until an acceptability threshold is -met. -#+end_quote - -This means that each decision will be met with certain possible solutions until -one of the solutions meets their minimum acceptable standards. For companies -that deal with user data, the minimum-acceptable standards come from three -areas: - -1. Laws and regulations -2. Competitive pressure -3. Risk of monetary or reputation loss - -Working with project management or auditing, the primary concern here is the -risk of legal ramifications. Since the primary risk comes from laws and -regulations, companies will require that any project that involves user data -must follow all the rules of those laws so that the company can protect itself -from fines or other penalties. - -Following this, companies will consider best practices in order to place itself -in a competitive position (e.g. Google vs. Apple) and review any recent or -ongoing litigation against companies regarding user data. In a perfect company, -management would then consider the ethical responsibilities of their -organization and discuss their responsibilities over things like -personally-identifiable information. - -However, as we mentioned above, most companies follow the idea of satisficing, -which states that they have met the minimum acceptable standards and can now -move on to other decisions. Modern business culture in the United States -dictates that profits are the golden measure of how well a company or manager is -performing, so we often don't think about our responsibilities beyond these -basic standards. - -Not all situations demand excellence, but I believe that applying any philosophy -as a broad stroke across one's life can be a mistake. We must be able to think -critically about what we are doing as we do it and ask ourselves a few -questions. Have I done everything I can in this situation? Is mediocrity an -acceptable outcome, or should we strive for perfection, even if we can't attain -it? - -Taking a few moments to think critically throughout our day, as we make -decisions, can have a tremendous effect on the outcomes we create. -#+date: <2020-12-27 Sun 00:00:00> -#+title: Designing for Speed: A 5KB Site That Scores 100s on Lighthouse -#+description: Detailed process outlining methods for reducing website page size to approximately 5 kilobytes, enhancing loading speed, search engine indexing efficiency, and user interface responsiveness. -#+slug: website-redesign - -* A Brief History - -As a form of continuous learning and entertainment, I've been running a handful -of websites since 2016 when I took my first programming courses in college. I -maintain one main website, the place I consider the official website to -represent me. Under this site, I have a handful of subdirectories and -subdomains. - -One of the parts I've enjoyed the most about web development is the aspect of -designing an identity for a web page and working to find exciting ways to -display the site's content. Inevitably, this means I've changed the designs for -my websites more times than I could possibly count. Since I don't really host -anything on my main webpage that's vital, it allows me the freedom to change -things as inspiration strikes. - -Historically, I've relied on core utilities for spacing, components, and layouts -from [[https://getbootstrap.com][Bootstrap]] and added custom cascading style sheets (CSS) for fonts, accents, -colors, and other items. I also tend to create sites with no border radius on -items, visible borders, and content that takes up the entire screen (using -whitespace inside components instead of whitespace around my components). - -* The Redesign Process - -About a week ago, I found myself wishing for a new design yet again. The prior -design was largely inspired by IBM's [[https://www.carbondesignsystem.com][Carbon Design System]] and relied on jQuery, -Bootstrap, along with some compressed [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebP][.webp]] images. - -To anyone who knows my preferences toward web design - and even in my personal -life - it should be no surprise that I immediately started looking for -inspiration on minimalism. While there are some decent minimalistic designs on -sites like [[https://dribbble.com/search/shots/popular/web-design?q=minimalism][Dribbble]], people seem to mostly discuss [[https://brutalist-web.design][brutalist web design]] when you -ask about minimalism. While brutalist web design doesn't have to be minimal, it -often is. - -I suppose, in a way, I did create a brutalist website since my HTML is semantic -and accessible, hyperlinks are colored and underlined, and all native browser -functions like scrolling and the back button work as expected. However, I didn't -think about brutalism while designing these sites. - -The new design followed a simple design process. I walked through the screens on -my blog and asked myself: "Is this element necessary for a user?" This allowed -me to first start by removing all javascript, which had the sole purpose of -allowing users to open a collapsed navbar on mobile. Replacing the collapsible -navbar allowed me to remove both jQuery and Bootstrap's javascript. - -Next, I removed things like author names (since I'm literally the only person -who will ever write on this site), multiple ways to click on a blog post card, -blog post descriptions, and the scroll-to-top button. It also helped to move all -categories to a single page, rather than have each category on its own page. - -The final big piece to finish the "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Kondo#KonMari_method][KonMari]]"-like part of my process was to -remove Bootstrap CSS in its entirety. However, this meant pulling out a few very -useful classes, such as =.img-fluid= and the default font stacks to keep in my -custom CSS. - -After removing all the unnecessary pieces, I was finally able to reorganize my -content and add a very small amount of custom CSS to make everything pretty. -This took a brief amount of time, effectively just consisting of me converting -=
= tags into things like =
    = lists and choosing accent colors. - -* The Results - -** Reflection - -So, what did all of this reorganizing do to my webpages? Well, first, my -websites are now *ridiculously fast*. Since the prior designs were also minimal -and didn't have many images, they measured up in Firefox's Network Monitor -around 300 KB - 600KB. After making the changes, my main site is at 5 KB -transferred (22 KB total), and my blog is at 6.5 KB transferred (13 KB total). -*That means the redesigned pages are less than 2% the size of the old designs.* - -Google Lighthouse ranks the new webpage as 100 in performance, accessibility, -and best practices, with search engine optimization (SEO) at 92 since they think -tap targets are not sized appropriately for mobile users. First contextual -paints of the pages are under 0.8 seconds with 0 ms (millisecond) of blocking -time. However, the blog subdomain ranks at 100 for all four categories! First -contextual paints of the blog homepage are under 1.0 seconds with 0 ms of -blocking time, due to the fact that the CSS for my blog is within a separate CSS -file, and the CSS for my main website is simply embedded in the HTML file. - -Now that everything is complete, I can confidently say I'm happy with the result -and proud to look at the fastest set of websites I've created so far. -#+date: <2020-12-28 Mon 00:00:00> -#+title: Outrun the Future: A Review of Neon Drive's Gameplay and Style -#+description: Description of game mechanics, graphical style, and level design in Neon Drive, an arcade racing game inspired by 1980s synthwave aesthetics. -#+slug: neon-drive - -* Game Description - -[[https://store.steampowered.com/app/433910/Neon_Drive/][Neon Drive]] presents itself as a simple arcade-style game inspired by the arcade -race games of the 1980s, yet it has managed to take up hours of my life without -much effort. The game description, directly from the Steam page, is intriguing -enough to entice anyone who's been looking for a good arcade racing game: - -#+begin_quote -Neon Drive is a slick retro-futuristic arcade game that will make your brain -melt. You've been warned. From beautiful cityscapes and ocean roads to exploding -enemy spaceships, Neon Drive has it all. -#+end_quote - -* Gameplay - -The game holds true to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrofuturism][retro-futurism]] style, including chrome female robots, -pixelated arcade machines, and [[https://teddit.net/r/outrun/][outrun]] aesthetics. - -Each level of the game is shown as a separate arcade machine. Each arcade -machine lets you play on Normal, Hard, Insane, Practice, and Free Run. To beat -each arcade, you must reach the end of the level without crashing your car into -the various obstacles on the course. Basic levels let you move left or right to -avoid blocks in the road. Later levels put you through other tests, such as -dodging traffic or blasting asteroids. - -The game uses synthwave music to keep you on track to make the correct moves by -timing the beats of the songs to the correct moves on the screen. It reminds me -of the early Guitar Hero games, as well as mobile apps like VOEZ - repetition -and staying on-beat is the only way to win. - -* In-Game Screenshots - -Taking a look at the main menu, you can see that Neon Drive plays into every -stereotype you can think of around retro-futuristic, synthwave arcades (in a -good way). - -Once you get into the first level, we see that the choice of car fits right in -with the stereotypical cars of the 80s, like the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMC_DeLorean][DeLorean]] or the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_F40][Ferrari F40]]. -Each new level comes with new color schemes and cars, so you should never get -tired of the aesthetic. - -Personally, I love the orange and blue colors used in level 2: - -If you're the competitive type and getting 100% on all arcade machines isn't -enough, there are leaderboards for the regular part of the game, and the -endurance game mode. - -* Other Suggestions - -Neon Drive sits nicely within the well-founded cult genre of Outrun. Other games -that I've enjoyed in this same spectrum are: - -- [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/233270/Far_Cry_3__Blood_Dragon/][Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon]] -- [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/1239690/Retrowave/][Retrowave]] -- [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/732810/Slipstream/][Slipstream]] - -Although these games aren't necessarily in the same genre, they do have aspects -that place them close enough to interest gamers that enjoyed Neon Drive: - -- [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/311800/Black_Ice/][Black Ice]] -- [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/746850/Cloudpunk/][Cloudpunk]] -- [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/1222680/Need_for_Speed_Heat/][Need for Speed: Heat]] -- [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/1019310/VirtuaVerse/][VirtuaVerse]] - -Of course, if all you really care about is the arcade aspect of these games, you -can check out the [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/400020/Atari_Vault/][Atari Vault]] or any of the other classic games sold on Steam by -companies like Namco, Atari. For something like Nintendo, you'd have to settle -for buying used classic consoles or delve into the world of emulation. -#+date: <2020-12-29 Tue 00:00:00> -#+title: Your First Grue: Getting Started with Zork, the Iconic Text Adventure -#+description: Detailed operational guide for navigating Zork, a text-based interactive fiction game from the 1980s. Includes instructions for exploration, puzzle resolution, and item collection. -#+slug: zork - -* Download (Free) - -Before we get into the game itself, you should know that you can download Zork -for free from Infocom's [[http://infocom-if.org/downloads/downloads.html][download page]]. So feel free to boot it up and take a -ride back to the 1980s with this masterpiece. - -* Game Description - -Zork is an interactive, text-based computer game originally released in 1980. -This series, split into three separate games, introduced a robust and -sophisticated text parser to gamers. People were largely used to the simple -commands used in the popular game [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossal_Cave_Adventure][Colossal Cave Adventure]], but Zork allowed -users to send more complex commands that included prepositions and conjunctions. - -Zork tracks your score as you explore the map, find tools, and collect trophy -items (e.g., a jewel-encrusted egg). When you place your trophy items in the -trophy case found in the Living Room area, you gain score points. Collecting the -Twenty Treasures of Zork and placing them within the trophy case wins the game. -However, you must explore the map, solve puzzles, and avoid being eaten by a -grue to collect these treasures. - -* The Map - -Since Zork is a vast and complex game, it helps to have a map as you -explore and collect your trophies. However, if you want to play the game -as it was truly intended, you should try to play it without using the -map. - -#+caption: Zork Map -#+attr_html: :alt A map for Zork, showing passageways, restrictions, and all locations. -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20201229-zork/zork_map.jpg]] - -/[[https://www.filfre.net/2012/01/exploring-zork-part-1/][Map Source]]/ - -* In-Game Screenshots - -After playing the game (for the first time ever) for several weeks around 2014, -I was finally able to beat the game with some online help to find the last -couple items. As I was writing this post, I installed the game again to grab -some screenshots to show off the true glory of this game. As noted in [[https://www.filfre.net/2012/01/exploring-zork-part-1/][Jimmy -Maher's Playthrough]], the original Zork games looked quite a bit different due to -the older hardware of computers like the Apple II and multiple bug fixes that -Infocom pushed out after the game's initial release. My play-through uses the -[[https://store.steampowered.com/app/570580/Zork_Anthology/][Zork Anthology]] version, which utilizes DOSBox on Windows. - -The first screenshot here shows the introductory information, which doesn't -include instructions of any kind for the player. If you haven't played text -adventures before, try to use simple commands like "go west," "look around," or -"hit troll with elvish sword." - -In this second screenshot, we see the player has entered the house and found the -trophy case in the living room. The lantern and sword in this room allow the -player to explore dark areas and attack enemies. If you don't use the lantern, -you won't be able to see anything in dark areas, and you may be eaten by a grue. - -Finally, we see that the player has found the first treasure: a jewel-encrusted -egg. These treasures can be taken back to the house and placed in the trophy -case or carried until you feel like you want to put things away. - -* Conclusion - -It's been quite a few years since I first played Zork, but I clearly remember -the late nights and bloodshot eyes that helped me find all the treasures. This -game is well worth the time and effort, even though the text-based aspect may be -off-putting to gamers who didn't have to grow up playing games without graphics. -However, I believe that the strategy and skills learned in early video games -like Zork can actually help you, even when playing newer games. - -If you do decide to play Zork, you can download Zork I, II, and III from -Infocom's [[http://infocom-if.org/downloads/downloads.html][download page]] for free or search the internet for an online version. -#+date: <2021-01-01 Fri 00:00:00> -#+title: SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell -#+description: Technical overview for utilizing the game SEUM, focusing on speedrunning techniques, gravity manipulation, teleportation functions, and level completion criteria. -#+slug: seum - -* Game Description - -[[https://store.steampowered.com/app/457210/SEUM_Speedrunners_from_Hell/][SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell]] is an incredibly fast-paced mashup of a puzzle game -and a free-running game. Created by [[https://pinestudio.co][Pine Studio]] in early 2016 and first released -as a [[https://gamejolt.com/games/seum-speedrunners-from-hell-demo/154868][demo on GameJolt]], this game was successfully green-lit on Steam and has -amassed a cult following on multiple consoles. - -Here's the game description straight from the developers: - -#+begin_quote -Like a bastard child of Quake 3 and Super Meat Boy, SEUM: Speedrunners -from Hell is truly hardcore and focuses on speed and fast reaction. -#+end_quote - -* Story - -SEUM does a great job setting the stage when you open the game for the -first time, playing an animated video in the form of comic book images. -You see Marty, the protagonist, sitting around drinking his beer as -Satan busts down the door, cuts his hand off, and steals all his beer -and bacon. As Satan is leaving, Marty whips a vinyl record across the -room and cuts off one of Satan's hands. This hand is what allows you to -use all the powers in the game. - -* Gameplay - -To accomplish each level, you will need to get to the final blue portal -under a certain time limit. You can beat a level by getting to the -portal before the time meter runs out or "Dominate" a level by beating -it within a shorter time limit (noted by a bright red/orange color in -the time meter). - -The portal is usually set behind locked gates, protected by dangerous -defenses, or in hard-to-reach places. To reach the portal, you'll need -to go through any existing orange portals, light all yellow beacons, -avoid things like fireballs and blades, or use any satanic power orbs -lying around. These special abilities include: - -- Gravity -- Teleport -- Rewind -- Spawn platform -- Roar (DLC) -- Rocket (DLC) -- Shadow world (DLC) - -For the main storyline, there are nine floors to beat. Each floor -contains nine regular levels, one boss level, and one bonus level; -although you don't technically need to beat all levels to advance to the -next floor. # In-Game Screenshots - -The main menu gives you plenty of options for tuning your system, playing main -levels, playing the downloadable content (DLC), or exploring the other game -modes. - -Once you enter a level, you can look around and strategize before -starting. Clicking any button will start the menu, and you'll have to -restart if you die. One of the great things about SEUM is that it has -great keyboard shortcuts. You can quickly smash =R= to restart the level -or =M= to return to the level menu. - -Once you're able to win a level, you'll see the high scores and can -watch replays of the best scores. - -Each regular level also contains a beer in a disguised location that may -take some out-of-the-box thinking. -#+date: <2021-01-04 Mon 00:00:00> -#+title: Navigating the Fediverse: User Manual for Decentralized Social Media -#+description: Detailed introduction to the Fediverse network architecture, user registration procedures, platform navigation, and protocols ensuring content decentralization and censorship resistance. -#+slug: fediverse - -* What is the Fediverse? - -The fediverse is a federated universe of servers commonly used for sharing -content, like social media. So, instead of having to rely on a single -organization to run the server (e.g. Facebook), the fediverse is a giant -collection of servers across the world, owned by many people and organizations. - -Take a look at this depiction of a federated network. Each server in this photo -is owned and run by different administrators/owners. Federated networks are best -explained as email servers: you have an email account that exists on a server -(e.g. Outlook), your friend has an account on a different server (e.g. GMail), -and another friend has an account on a third server (e.g. ProtonMail). All three -of you can talk and communicate back and forth without having to be on the same -server. However, responsible email admins are there to set rules and control the -traffic going in/out of the server. - -The main objective of this architecture is to decentralize the control within -the internet connections. For example, if you run your own Mastodon instance, -you and your users can't be censored or impacted in any way by authorities of -another Mastodon instance. Some users have praised these features due to recent -criticism of popular social media websites that may be over-censoring their -users. - -This strategy is great for making sure control of the social web isn't -controlled by a single organization, but it also has some downsides. If I create -a Mastodon instance and get a ton of users to sign up, I can shut the server -down at any time. That means you're at risk of losing the content you've created -unless you back it up, or the server backs it up for you. Also, depending on the -software used (e.g. Mastodon, Pixelfed, etc.), censorship may still be an issue -if the server admins decide they want to censor their users. Now, censorship -isn't always a bad thing and can even benefit the community as a whole, but -you'll want to determine which servers align with your idea of proper -censorship. - -However, these are risks that we take when we sign up for any online platform. -Whatever your reason is for trying out federated social networks, they are part -of the future of the internet. However, the popularity of these services is -still yet to be determined, especially with the increased difficulty -understanding and signing up for these platforms. Perhaps increased regulation -and litigation against current social media sites will push more users into the -fediverse. - -* Federated Alternatives to Popular Sites - -The list below is a small guide that will show you federated alternatives to -current popular websites. There are many more out there, so go and explore: you -might just find the perfect home. - -** Reddit - -- [[https://lemmy.ml/instances][Lemmy]] - -** Twitter/Facebook/Tumblr - -- [[https://joinmastodon.org][Mastodon]] -- [[https://diasporafoundation.org][Diaspora]] -- [[https://friendi.ca][Friendica]] -- [[https://gnusocial.network][GNU Social]] -- [[https://pleroma.social][Pleroma]] - -** Instagram - -- [[https://pixelfed.org][Pixelfed]] - -** Slack/Discord - -- [[https://element.io][Matrix]] - -** Youtube/Vimeo - -- [[https://joinpeertube.org][Peertube]] - -** Spotify/Soundcloud - -- [[https://funkwhale.audio][Funkwhale]] - -** Podcasting - -- [[https://pubcast.pub][Pubcast]] - -** Medium/Blogger - -- [[https://writefreely.org][WriteFreely]] - -* Get Started - -The best way to get started is to simply sign up and learn as you go. If you're -comfortable signing up through a Mastodon, Pleroma, or Friendica server, here is -[[https://fediverse.party/en/portal/servers][a list of themed servers]] to choose from. If you're looking for something else, -try a web search for a federated alternative to your favorite sites. - -Find a server that focuses on your passions and start there! -#+date: <2021-01-07 Thu 00:00:00> -#+title: Hardening Ubuntu Servers with UFW: A Step-by-Step Firewall Guide -#+description: Stepwise instructions for installation, configuration, enabling, and management of the Uncomplicated Firewall utility to secure network interfaces on Ubuntu server environments. -#+slug: ufw - -* Uncomplicated Firewall - -Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) is a convenient and beginner-friendly -way to enforce operating system (OS)-level firewall rules. For those who are -hosting servers or any device that is accessible to the world (i.e., by public -IP or domain name), it's critical that a firewall is properly implemented and -active. - -UFW is available by default in all Ubuntu installations after 8.04 LTS -(long-term support). For other distributions, you can look to install UFW or -check if there are alternative firewalls installed already. There are usually -alternatives available, such as Fedora's =firewall= and the package available on -most distributions: =iptables=. UFW is considered a beginner-friendly front-end -to iptables. - -[[https://gufw.org][Gufw]] is available as a graphical user interface (GUI) application for users who -are uncomfortable setting up a firewall through a terminal. - -* Getting Help - -If you need help figuring out commands, remember that you can run the -=--help= flag to get a list of options. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw --help -#+end_src - -* Set Default State - -The proper way to run a firewall is to set a strict default state and slowly -open up ports that you want to allow. This helps prevent anything malicious from -slipping through the cracks. The following command prevents all incoming traffic -(other than the rules we specify later), but you can also set this for outgoing -connections, if necessary. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw default deny incoming -#+end_src - -You should also allow outgoing traffic if you want to allow the device to -communicate back to you or other parties. For example, media servers like Plex -need to be able to send out data related to streaming the media. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw default allow outgoing -#+end_src - -* Adding Port Rules - -Now that we've disabled all incoming traffic by default, we need to open up some -ports (or else no traffic would be able to come in). If you need to be able to -=ssh= into the machine, you'll need to open up port 22. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw allow 22 -#+end_src - -You can also issue more restrictive rules. The following rule will allow =ssh= -(secure shell protocol) connections only from machines on the local subnet. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw allow proto tcp from 192.168.0.0/24 to any port 22 -#+end_src - -If you need to set a rule that isn't TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) just -append your connection type to the end of the rule. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw allow 1900/udp -#+end_src - -* Enable ufw - -Now that the firewall is configured and ready to go, you can enable the -firewall. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw enable -#+end_src - -A restart may be required for the firewall to begin operating. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo reboot now -#+end_src - -* Checking Status - -Now that the firewall is enabled, let's check and see what the rules look like. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw status numbered -#+end_src - -#+begin_src txt -Status: active - - To Action From - -- ------ ---- -[ 1] 22 ALLOW IN Anywhere -[ 2] 22 (v6) ALLOW IN Anywhere (v6) -#+end_src - -* Deleting Rules - -If you need to delete a rule, you need to know the number associated with that -rule. Let's delete the first rule in the table above. You'll be asked to confirm -the deletion as part of this process. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw delete 1 -#+end_src - -* Managing App Rules - -Luckily, there's a convenient way for installed applications to create files -that ufw can easily implement so that you don't have to search and find which -ports your application requires. To see if your device has any applications with -pre-installed UFW rules, execute the following command: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw app list -#+end_src - -The results should look something like this: - -#+begin_src txt -Available applications: - OpenSSH - Samba - plexmediaserver - plexmediaserver-all - plexmediaserver-dlna -#+end_src - -If you want to get more information on a specific app rule, use the =info= -command. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw app info plexmediaserver-dlna -#+end_src - -You'll get a blurb of info back like this: - -#+begin_src txt -Profile: plexmediaserver-dlna -Title: Plex Media Server (DLNA) -Description: The Plex Media Server (additional DLNA capability only) - -Ports: - 1900/udp - 32469/tcp -#+end_src - -You can add or delete app rules the same way that you'd add or delete specific -port rules. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw allow plexmediaserver-dlna -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw delete RULE|NUM -#+end_src - -* Creating App Rules - -If you'd like to create you own app rule, you'll need to create a file in the -=/etc/ufw/applications.d= directory. Within the file you create, you need to -make sure the content is properly formatted. - -For example, here are the contents my =plexmediaserver= file, which creates -three distinct app rules for ufw: - -#+begin_src config -[plexmediaserver] -title=Plex Media Server (Standard) -description=The Plex Media Server -ports=32400/tcp|3005/tcp|5353/udp|8324/tcp|32410:32414/udp - -[plexmediaserver-dlna] -title=Plex Media Server (DLNA) -description=The Plex Media Server (additional DLNA capability only) -ports=1900/udp|32469/tcp - -[plexmediaserver-all] -title=Plex Media Server (Standard + DLNA) -description=The Plex Media Server (with additional DLNA capability) -ports=32400/tcp|3005/tcp|5353/udp|8324/tcp|32410:32414/udp|1900/udp|32469/tcp -#+end_src - -So, if I wanted to create a custom app rule called "mycustomrule," I'd create a -file and add my content like this: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo nano /etc/ufw/applications.d/mycustomrule -#+end_src - -#+begin_src config -[mycustomrule] -title=My Custom Rule -description=This is a temporary ufw app rule. -ports=88/tcp|9100/udp -#+end_src - -Then, I would just enable this rule in ufw. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw allow mycustomrule -#+end_src -#+date: <2021-02-19 Fri 00:00:00> -#+title: macOS for Linux Users: Initial Setup and CLI Customization -#+description: Comprehensive overview for first-time macOS users transitioning from other OS platforms, including system setup, terminal usage, and user interface customization. -#+slug: macos - -* Diving into macOS - -After spending nearly 15 years working with Windows and 8 years on Linux, I have -experienced macOS for the first time. By chance, my spouse happened to buy a new -MacBook and gifted me their 2013 model. Of course, I still consider my Linux -desktop to be my daily driver and keep Windows around for gaming needs, but over -the past week I've found myself using the MacBook more and more for things that -don't require gaming specs or advanced developer tools. - -* Initial Thoughts - -Before I move on to the technical aspects of my set-up, I want to take some time -and express my thoughts on the overall operating system (OS). - -As expected, the initial computer setup is a breeze with Mac's guided graphical -user interface (GUI) installer. - -The desktop itself reminds me of GNOME more than anything else I've seen: even -Pantheon from [[https://elementary.io/][ElementaryOS]], which people commonly refer to as the closest Linux -distro to macOS. The desktop toolbar is great and far surpasses the utility of -the GNOME toolbar due to the fact that the extensions and icons /actually work/. -I launch macOS and immediately see my shortcuts for Tresorit, Bitwarden, and -Mullvad pop up as the computer loads. - -Even further, the app dock is very useful and will be yet another familiarity -for GNOME users. I know many people like panels instead of docks, but I've -always found docks to have a more pleasing UI. However, I had to disable the -"Show recent applications in Dock" preference; I can't stand items taking up -precious screen space if I'm not currently using them. On that same note, it's -taking me some time to get use to the fact that I have to manually quit an app -or else it will still stay open/active in the dock, even if I've closed out all -windows for that app (e.g. Firefox). - -Overall, I'm having a lot of fun and for users who spend a large majority of -their time performing basic tasks like web browsing, writing, watching media, -etc., macOS is a fantastic option. - -The rest of this post explains the technicalities of how I set up my command -line interface (CLI) environment to make me feel more at-home, similar to the -environments I set up on Fedora, Ubuntu, etc. - -* Making it Feel Like Home - -If you're someone who uses Linux primarily, no doubt your first thought when -booting macOS will be the same as mine was: "Where is the terminal and how do I -set up my favorite utilities?" - -Luckily, macOS hasn't completely hidden away the development tools from the -average user. You can easily find the Terminal app in the Launchpad area, but -it's probably not what you're used to. I was surprised (and happy) to see that -the default shell is =zsh=, the shell I use on all of my Linux distros. However, -the commands are not the same - even the ones you may think are native to the -shell. Commands like =dir= do not exist, so other native commands like =ls -la= -or =pwd= are more useful here. - -With only a few minutes of installing and tweaking a few packages, I was able to -recreate a terminal environment that I feel very comfortable using. See the -image below for a preview of the iTerm2 app with a split view between my macOS -desktop shell and an SSH (secure shell protocol) session into my server. - -* Xcode - -My first step was to search the web for any hints on how to get =zsh= back up to -the state I like, with extensions, themes, etc. My first step was to install the -CLI tools for [[https://developer.apple.com/xcode/][Xcode]], Apple's suite of development tools. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo xcode-select -r -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -sudo xcode-select --install -#+end_src - -* Homebrew - -Next up is to install [[https://brew.sh][Homebrew]], a nifty package manager for macOS. - -#+begin_src sh -/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL -https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)" -#+end_src - -I ran into a permission error when installing Homebrew: - -#+begin_src sh -Error: Failed to link all completions, docs and manpages: Permission denied @ - rb_file_s_symlink - (../../../Homebrew/completions/zsh/_brew, - /usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions/_brew) Failed during: - /usr/local/bin/brew update --force --quiet -#+end_src - -I found that the following permission modification worked like a charm. However, -I noted that some users online discussed the fact that this solution may not -work if your system has multiple users who use Homebrew. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo chown -R $(whoami) $(brew --prefix)/* -#+end_src - -Next up is to ensure Homebrew is updated and cleaned. - -#+begin_src sh -brew update -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -brew cleanup -#+end_src - -* iTerm2 - -Now that I've installed the basic utilities for development, I moved onto -installing iTerm2, a much better terminal than the default. - -#+begin_src sh -brew install --cask iterm2 -#+end_src - -I also used the =Make iTerm2 Default Term= and =Install Shell Integration= -options in the iTerm2 application menu to make sure I don't run into any issues -later on with different terminals. - -We will also install =zsh= so we can use it in iTerm2. - -#+begin_src sh -brew install zsh -#+end_src - -* Oh-My-Zsh - -I've shown the great aspects of [[https://ohmyz.sh][Oh My Zsh]] in other blog posts, so I'll skip over -that speech for now. Simply install it and run an update. - -#+begin_src sh -sh -c "$(curl -fsSL -https://raw.githubusercontent.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh/master/tools/install.sh)" -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -omz update -#+end_src - -Finally, restart the iTerm2 application to ensure all changes go into effect. - -* Oh-My-Zsh Themes - -Let's change the theme of the terminal to make it a little more friendly. - -#+begin_src sh -open ~/.zshrc -#+end_src - -The third section of this file should contain a line like the code below. Change -that theme to [[https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/wiki/Themes][any theme you want]], save the file, and exit. - -#+begin_src sh -ZSH_THEME="af-magic" -#+end_src - -After changing the =.zshrc= file, you'll need to close your terminal and re-open -it to see the changes. Optionally, just open a new tab if you're using iTerm2, -and you'll see the new shell config. - -* Oh-My-Zsh Plugins - -Of course, my customization of =zsh= would not be complete without -[[https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions][zsh-autosuggestions]]. This will bring up commands you've run in the past as you -type them. For example, if you've run =ssh user@192.168.1.99= before, the -terminal will show this command as soon as you start typing it (e.g. =zsh u=), -and you can hit the right arrow to autocomplete the command. - -#+begin_src sh -git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions -${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -open ~/.zshrc -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -# Scroll down the script and edit this line to add zsh-autosuggestions -plugins=(git zsh-autosuggestions) -#+end_src - -Remember: After changing the =.zshrc= file, you'll need to close your terminal -and re-open it to see the changes. Optionally, just open a new tab if you're -using iTerm2, and you'll see the new shell config. -#+date: <2021-03-19 Fri 00:00:00> -#+title: GitHub and Sourcehut: Scripting Mass Clones and Remote Updates -#+description: Script-based methodology for cloning multiple repositories from GitHub and Sourcehut accounts. Includes automation techniques to streamline repository management and backups. -#+slug: clone-github-repos - -* Cloning from GitHub - -If you're like me and use a lot of different devices [and sometimes decide to -just wipe your device and start with a new operating system (OS)], you probably know -the pain of cloning all your old code repositories down to your local file -system. - -If you're using GitHub, you can easily clone all of your code back down in just -seconds. First, create a bash script. I do so by opening a new file in =nano=, -but you can use =gedit=, =vim=, or something else: - -#+begin_src sh -nano clone_github_repos.sh -#+end_src - -Next, paste in the following information. Note that you can replace the -word =users= in the first line with =orgs= and type an organization's -name instead of a user's name. - -#+begin_src sh -CNTX=users; NAME=YOUR-USERNAME; PAGE=1 -curl "https://api.github.com/$CNTX/$NAME/repos?page=$PAGE&per_page=100" | - grep -e 'git_url*' | - cut -d " -f 4 | - xargs -L1 git clone -#+end_src - -Finally, save the bash script and make it executable. - -#+begin_src sh -chmod a+x clone_github_repos.sh -#+end_src - -Now you can run the script and should see the cloning process begin. - -#+begin_src sh -./clone_github_repos.sh -#+end_src - -* Cloning from Sourcehut - -I haven't fully figured out how to directly incorporate Sourcehut's GraphQL -application programming interface (API) into a bash script yet, so this one will -take two steps. - -First, log-in to Sourcehut and go to their [[https://git.sr.ht/graphql][GraphQL playground for Git]]. Next, -paste the following query into the left box: - -#+begin_src sh -query { - me { - canonicalName - repositories() { - cursor - results { - name - } - } - } -} -#+end_src - -The output on the right side will give you an object of all your repositories. -Just grab that text and remove all the characters such as quotation marks and -curly brackets. You will need a single-line list of space-separated values for -the next step. - -Now let's create the bash script: - -#+begin_src sh -nano clone_sourcehut_repos.sh -#+end_src - -Next, paste the following bash script in with the list of repositories you -obtained above and replace =your-username= with your username. - -Note that this uses the secure shell protocol (SSH)-based Git cloning method -(e.g. =git@git...=), so you'll need to ensure you have set up Sourcehut with -your SSH key. - -#+begin_src sh -repos=(repo1 repo2 repo3) - -# List all sub-directories in the current directory -for repo in "${repos[@]}" -do - # Clone - git clone git@git.sr.ht:~your-username/$repo -done -#+end_src - -Finally, save the bash script and make it executable. - -#+begin_src sh -chmod a+x clone_sourcehut_repos.sh -#+end_src - -Now you can run the script and should see the cloning process begin. - -#+begin_src sh -./clone_sourcehut_repos.sh -#+end_src - -* Moving Repositories to a New Host - -Now that you have all of your code repositories cloned to your local computer, -you may want to change the remote host (e.g., moving from GitHub to GitLab). To -do this, let's create another bash script: - -#+begin_src sh -nano change_remote_urls.sh -#+end_src - -Past the following information and be sure to change the URL (uniform resource -locator) information to whichever host you are moving to. For this example, I am -looping through all of my cloned GitHub directories and changing them to -Sourcehut (e.g. == -> =git@git.sr.ht:~myusername=). - -#+begin_src sh -# List all sub-directories in the current directory -for dir in */ -do - # Remove the trailing "/" - dir=${dir%*/} - # Enter sub-directory - cd $dir - # Change remote Git URL - git remote set-url origin /"${dir##*/}" - # Push code to new remote - git push - # Go back to main directory - cd .. -done -#+end_src - -Finally, save the bash script and make it executable. - -#+begin_src sh -chmod a+x change_remote_urls.sh -#+end_src - -Now you can run the script and should see the cloning process begin. - -#+begin_src sh -./change_remote_urls.sh -#+end_src -#+date: <2021-03-28 Sun 00:00:00> -#+title: Getting Started with Gemini: Deploy Your First Capsule -#+description: Incremental procedural guide to initiate and maintain a Gemini capsule server. Covers installation, deployment, and operational best practices for beginners. -#+slug: gemini-capsule - -* What is Gemini? - -[[https://gemini.circumlunar.space/][Gemini]] is an internet protocol introduced in June 2019 as an alternative to the -Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Gopher. In layman's terms, it's an -alternative way to browse sites (called capsules) that requires a special -browser. Since Gemini is not standardized as an internet standard, normal web -browsers won't be able to load a Gemini capsule. Instead, you'll need to use [[https://gemini.circumlunar.space/clients.html][a -Gemini-specific browser]]. - -The content found within a Gemini page is called [[https://gemini.circumlunar.space/docs/cheatsheet.gmi][Gemtext]] and is /extremely/ -basic (on purpose). Gemini only processes the text, no media content like -images. However, you're able to style 3 levels of headings, regular text, links -(which will display on their own line), quotes, and an unordered list. - -Here's a complete listing of valid Gemtext: - -#+begin_src txt -# Heading 1 -## Heading 2 -### Heading 3 - -Regular text! Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. - -=> https://example.com My Website -=> gemini://example.com My Gemini Capsule - -> "If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor." - Eleanor Roosevelt - -My List: -,** Item -,** Item - -```Anything between three backticks will be rendered as code.``` -#+end_src - -*** Free Option - -There are probably numerous websites that allow you to create your personal -Gemini capsule, but I'm going to focus on the two sites that I have personally -tested. The first option below, Midnight Pub, allows you to create/edit any -Gemini files you want in your account. This is essentially a graphical option -with a built-in text box for editing. The second option below, Sourcehut, allows -you to use a Git repository and automatic build process to deploy your personal -Gemini capsule every time you push a commit. - -** Midnight Pub - Beginner Friendly - -[[https://midnight.pub/][Midnight Pub]] is a small, virtual community meant to reflect the atmosphere of -wandering into a small alley pub. The site is built in Gemtext and has a -server-side process to convert Gemtext to HTML if someone loads the site in an -HTTP(S) browser. - -To create an account, you'll need to email the owner of the website to obtain a -key. You can find their email on the Midnight Pub homepage. Once registered, -head to [[https://midnight.pub/account][your account]] and select [[https://midnight.pub/site][manage site]]. This is the screen where you can -upload or create any files to be displayed on the internet. - -For example, I've created both a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file and a -Gemini file. Remember that Gemini is automatically converted to HTML on the Pub, -so you don't need an HTML version. For example, I created an HTML version to add -in some extra styling. - -All you need to do is create a page like =index.gmi= and use your Gemini browser -to head over to your-username.midnight.pub to see the result. - -That's all there is to it! Easy enough, right? Let's check out a more advanced -version in the next section. - -* Paid Option - -As of 2021, Sourcehut has decided to require users to have a paid account in -order to utilize their automated build system. For now, paid accounts can be as -low as $2/month. - -** Sourcehut - -[[https://sourcehut.org/][Sourcehut]] is a collection of software development tools, but mostly surrounds -their hosted Git repository service. Simply put, it's a minimal and more private -alternative to services like GitHub. - -This walkthrough is more advanced and involves things like Git, SSH, the command -line. If you don't think you know enough to do this, check out my walkthrough on -creating a Gemini capsule for the Midnight Pub instead. - -The first thing you'll need to do is create an SSH key pair, if you don't -already have one on your system. Once created, grab the contents of =id_rsa.pub= -and add it to your Sourcehut account settings - this will allow you to push and -pull code changes without using a username/password. - -#+begin_src sh -ssh keygen -#+end_src - -Next up, let's create a repository with the proper name so that the Sourcehut -build system will know we want them to host a website for us. Use the following -format exactly: - -#+begin_src sh -mkdir your-username.srht.site && cd your-username.srht.site -#+end_src - -Now that we've created the repo, let's initialize Git and add the proper remote -URL. - -#+begin_src sh -git init -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -git remote add origin git@git.sr.ht:~your-username/your-username.srht.site -#+end_src - -Now that our repository is set up and configured, we will need to create at -least two files: - -- =index.gmi= -- =.build.yml= - -For your =.build.yml= file, use the following content and be sure to update the -=site= line with your username! - -#+begin_src yaml -image: alpine/latest -oauth: pages.sr.ht/PAGES:RW -environment: - site: your-username.srht.site -tasks: - - package: | - cd $site - tar -cvz . > ../site.tar.gz - - upload: | - acurl -f https://pages.sr.ht/publish/$site -Fcontent=@site.tar.gz -Fprotocol=GEMINI -#+end_src - -For the =index.gmi= file, put whatever you want in there and save it. You could -even just copy and paste the Gemtext cheatsheet. - -If you want to serve both HTML and Gemini files from this repository, just add a -second command to the =upload= section: - -#+begin_src yaml -- upload: | - acurl -f https://pages.sr.ht/publish/$site -Fcontent=@site.tar.gz -Fprotocol=GEMINI - acurl -f https://pages.sr.ht/publish/$site -Fcontent=@site.tar.gz -#+end_src - -Lastly, commit your changes and push them to the remote repo. - -#+begin_src sh -git add .; git commit -m "initial commit"; git push --set-upstream origin HEAD -#+end_src - -If you've successfully created the files with the proper format, you'll see the -terminal print a message that lets you know where the automatic build is taking -place. For example, here's what the terminal tells me: - -#+begin_src sh -remote: Build started: -remote: https://builds.sr.ht/~user/job/689803 [.build.yml] -#+end_src - -Now that you've properly built your Sourcehut page, you can browse to -your-username.srht.site in a Gemini browser and view the final results. -#+date: <2021-03-28 Sun 00:00:00> -#+title: Exploring Vaporwave and Outrun: Color, Culture, and Sound -#+description: Systematic examination of Vaporwave and Outrun aesthetic frameworks, focusing on graphical elements, chromatic schemes, musical associations, and period-specific cultural influences. -#+slug: vaporwave-vs-outrun - -* Overview - -When it comes to an aesthetic that originated primarily online, there tends to -be a lot of confusion around what falls into each specific genre. This post -discusses Vaporwave and Outrun, which have become almost synonymous in the minds -of those online who aren't hardcore into these genres of media. More -specifically, Outrun is largely an unknown term while all aesthetics in these -two genres are usually attributed to Vaporwave. For example, take a look at the -image search results for Vaporwave: the results include *a lot* of Outrun-themed -images. You'll find a similar trend almost everywhere. - -#+caption: Vaporwave Search Results -#+attr_html: :alt Search engine results for vaporwave, showing many outrun-related images. -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20210328-vaporwave-vs-outrun/vaporwave-search-results.webp]] - -* Vaporwave - -#+caption: Macintosh Plus Album Cover -#+attr_html: :alt Album cover of the Macintosh Plus album. -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20210328-vaporwave-vs-outrun/macintosh-plus.webp]] - -Okay, so what is Vaporwave? I'm going to just copy-and-paste some general info -from the Wikipedia article on [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporwave][Vaporwave]], so that I'm not repeating everything -you can already search for online: - -#+begin_quote -Vaporwave is a microgenre of electronic music, a visual art style, and an -Internet meme that emerged in the early 2010s. It is defined partly by its -slowed-down, chopped and screwed samples of smooth jazz, elevator, R&B, and -lounge music from the 1980s and 1990s. The surrounding subculture is sometimes -associated with an ambiguous or satirical take on consumer capitalism and pop -culture, and tends to be characterized by a nostalgic or surrealist engagement -with the popular entertainment, technology and advertising of previous decades. -Visually, it incorporates early Internet imagery, late 1990s web design, glitch -art, anime, 3D-rendered objects, and cyberpunk tropes in its cover artwork and -music videos. -#+end_quote - -This is an excellent summary, and it helps address my point here: there are -specific aspects that make Vaporwave unique: - -** Time Frame - -The time frame for references, logos, etc. focuses mostly on the 1990s in -Vaporwave. You'll see old school Pepsi logos, Microsoft 95 screens, tropical -plants, classic marble sculptures, and many references from Japan's influence in -the 90s. - -** Art - -The color scheme is generally a soft, light palette that uses pastel colors. The -backdrop will often be in a light-pink or teal blue. - -** Music - -The musical genre of Vaporwave incorporates soft tunes, lounge music, and sound -effects that will make the listener reminisce of the 90s. The sounds of the -genre are generally slower-paced and calming. The major breakthrough artist for -Vaporwave was [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vektroid][Macintosh Plus]], who released the album [[https://archive.org/details/MACINTOSHPLUS-FLORALSHOPPE_complete][Floral Shoppe]] in 2011. -Another more recent example is the artist [[https://sadbert.bandcamp.com/][sadbert]], whose latest album -incorporates the upbeat tones of the 1999 Dilbert television series. - -Notice that Vaporwave doesn't include things like racing cars, futuristic -technology, chrome, or the deep orange/purple color scheme. Vaporwave is a focus -on the idyllic state of the world when technology was becoming common in -households, a reality that we have already experienced. Focus on the most -aesthetically-pleasing parts of that past is a large part of Vaporwave. - -* Outrun - -#+caption: Outrun -#+attr_html: :alt The classic outrun picture with digital hills and a grid leading to a far-away sunset. -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20210328-vaporwave-vs-outrun/outrun.jpg]] - -Now, let's get to Outrun. This one is a little trickier since the genre has -largely been lumped under the Vaporwave title for so long. However, it stems -from the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthwave][Synthwave]] music genre and is likely named after the 1986 racer game, -[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_Run][Out Run]]. - -** Time Frame - -Outrun can be thought of as a retro-futuristic aesthetic born from the 1980s. - -** Art - -The color scheme uses a very dark color palette with the main colors being deep -oranges, blues, and purples. Red edges are common around objects in Outrun art. -The background of the Outrun aesthetic is almost always a neon grid like you'd -expect to see in Tron or a 1980s arcade machine. - -Classic sports cars, chrome robots, computer generated graphics and fonts, and -the occasional use of rain or palm trees can be found in Outrun art. - -** Music - -This aesthetic has a more aggressive and fast-paced style of music, which tends -to match the subject of the art in this aesthetic. - -Outrun enthusiasts love what people in the 1980s thought the future would look -like. Take a look at a common video game discussed in Outrun circles, Far Cry 3: -Blood Dragon: - -#+caption: Fry Cry 3: Blood Dragon -#+attr_html: :alt The game cover for Far Cary 3: Blood Dragon, showing ninjas, lasers, dinosaurs, and cyborgs. -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20210328-vaporwave-vs-outrun/far-cry.jpg]] - -Another example that doesn't force the color scheme as hard as some online art -does is Kung Fury: - -#+caption: Kung Fury -#+attr_html: :alt The movie cover for Kung Fury, showing the proteagonist in a city at night with a moon. -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20210328-vaporwave-vs-outrun/kung-fury.webp]] - -#+caption: Kung Fury Hacker Scene -#+attr_html: :alt The HACKERMAN scene from Kung Fury, showing a classic 1980's hacker in a computer room. -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20210328-vaporwave-vs-outrun/kung-fury-hacker.webp]] - -* Conclusion - -While Vaporwave and Outrun share similarities, they are two distinct aesthetics -with many important distinctions. Someone who enjoys one may not necessarily -enjoy the other, so it's important to make sure we properly describe the -aesthetic we're looking for. -#+date: <2021-03-30 Tue 00:00:00> -#+title: From Shared Hosting to VPS: Web Server Setup Made Easy -#+description: Instructional outline for setting up and maintaining a VPS environment configured for secure and scalable web hosting applications. -#+slug: vps-web-server - -* Shared Hosting vs. VPS (Virtual Private Server) - -Choosing a place to host a website is one of the most confusing decisions for -beginner web developers. Even for experienced web devs, choosing between -different forms of web hosting can be a daunting choice. - -First, let's take a look at [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_web_hosting_service][shared web hosting]]. Shared web hosting is a product -where you are purchasing a small piece of a web server that is being shared -between many websites. As a result, the cost of shared hosting is extremely low. -You won't have access to the server itself, which means you can't install your -own software on the server, such as Docker. Usually, you are simply allowed to -connect your domains to the server, set up domain security, and other small -utilities. - -In contrast, a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_server][virtual private server]] (VPS) is a virtual machine that replicates -the environment of having a dedicated server to yourself. You are able to -control the virtual server's host names, base file system, package manager, etc. -Another great upside of a VPS is that since it's virtual, the company providing -the VPS can dynamically increase the disk size, RAM size, or number of CPUs at -any time. However, the virtual server is still physically located on a server -that is shared between multiple virtual servers. - -The choice between shared hosting and VPS mostly depends on your skill level -with system administration. If you're comforting working on a server that is -mostly left up to you (or you're willing to learn), then a VPS is usually a -better option. However, shared hosting is a fantastic option for people who -don't want to have to learn how to manage their server. - -* My Situation - -I had used shared hosting for approximately 5 years before trying my first VPS. -I manage a homelab and have had success running a server and performing typical -sysadmin duties, but I was still hesitant to get a VPS. One fear was that I -always struggled to properly set up the networking part of a server - DNS and -hostname configurations were not my friend. - -As a little bit of background, I originally used [[https://www.siteground.com][Siteground]] for my initially -shared hosting and stayed on that platform for at least a year. However, the -user interface (UI) was clunky, and I didn't like how they handled certain -technical aspects, so I switched to [[https://www.namecheap.com][Namecheap]]. Namecheap was great because it is -the service I primarily use for purchasing domain names, which made it -incredibly easy to link them to my hosting service. However, it was still -mediocre shared hosting, and Namecheap is notorious for not letting you use -[[https://letsencrypt.org][Let's Encrypt]] to obtain free SSL (Secure Socket Layer)/TLS (Transport Layer -Security) certificates; Namecheap wants to make you purchase certificates -through their store. - -Finally, I settled down with [[https://www.iwebfusion.net][iWebFusion]] for about the last year of my shared -hosting. This service was pretty great, came with free SSL/TLS, and I never had -any complaints. - -However, I finally grew tired of not being able to install software on my own -web server. I wanted to be able to try out things like [[https://postmill.xyz][Postmill]] or [[https://matrix.org][Matrix]]. This -is possible with a VPS, so I decided to grab a new domain name to try it out. - -* Getting Started: Buying a VPS - -The first step to moving over to a VPS is (you guessed it): finding a VPS -provider. For my VPSs, I use [[https://1984hosting.com][1984]] and prefer their services much more than any -alternative, due to their location (Iceland), their [[https://1984hosting.com/GDPR/][privacy policy]], their -respect for GDPR, and the ability to remain anonymous if you pay in Bitcoin or -Monero. - -[[https://njal.la][Njalla]] is another good, privacy-oriented option for VPS services. - -You'll have to decide what specifications you want on your VPS. For me, I only -build and deploy low-resource HTML, PHP, and Python websites. This means I can -survive on the smallest VPS: 1 CPU, 1GB of RAM, and 25GB SSD for $5.00 per -month. - -As noted above, the great thing about a VPS is you can request your provider to -increase the resources at any time. - -* Configuring DNS Settings - -Okay, so now let's get into some actual work that has to be done to get content -moved from a shared host to a VPS. At this point, I'm assuming you have a shared -host with website content that you can still access, and you've purchased a new -VPS and can SSH into that server. - -The first change is minor, but it should be done immediately in order to get -things moving: DNS settings. Go to wherever your DNS settings are handled. If -your shared host also managed your DNS settings, you'll need to first move that -DNS over to your new VPS provider. For me, I route my DNS through [[https://www.gandi.net][Gandi]]. - -Once you know where your DNS settings are, go ahead and update the =A= records -to match the public IP address of your VPS. For example: - -#+begin_src txt -A example.com xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx -A subdomain xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx -CNAME www example.com. -#+end_src - -If you have any other records that require updates, such as MX or TXT records -for a mail server, be sure to update those accordingly. Personally, I don't host -my own mail server. I route all mail on my custom domains to [[https://www.migadu.com][Migadu]]. Hosting -your own email server can become complex quickly and is not for beginners. - -DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate, so be sure to give it some -time before assuming you've made an error. - -* Server Updates and Packages - -Now that the DNS settings have been changed, let's set up our server while we -wait for the DNS to propagate. First up is to ssh into your server. If you've -signed up with a service like DigitalOcean, you can add your SSH key to your -account and to your VPS droplet so that you don't need a password in order to -SSH. - -#+begin_src sh -ssh root@xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx -#+end_src - -The VPS that is used in this blog post runs Ubuntu 20.04 with an Apache web -server. If you're working on a different operating system (OS) or want a -different web server, such as Nginx, you'll have to use different commands to -set it up. - -First, let's update and upgrade our server. - -*NOTE:* Since we have logged in to the server as =root= for now, we don't need -to use the =sudo= modifier before our commands. - -#+begin_src sh -apt update && apt upgrade -y -#+end_src - -* Create A User Account - -While being able to use =root= can be beneficial at times, you shouldn't use -=root= unless you have to. - -So let's set up a new user in our system. The =-m= option below tells the OS to -create a home directory for the new user. - -#+begin_src sh -adduser USERNAME -#+end_src - -Now, create a password for that user. - -#+begin_src sh -passwd USERNAME -#+end_src - -Finally, add the user to the sudoers file, so they can perform privileged -commands. - -#+begin_src sh -usermod -a -G sudo USERNAME -#+end_src - -If you are using SSH (secure shell protocol) keys and not passwords, you'll need -to copy your SSH key from your local machine to the VPS. If you haven't disabled -password-based SSH yet, the easiest way to do this is =ssh-copy-id= from your -local computer (not from the VPS): - -#+begin_src sh -ssh-copy-id testuser@xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx -#+end_src - -If you've disabled password-based SSH, you'll need to manually copy your SSH key -into the =~/.ssh/authorized_keys= file. - -* Install Software - -Our goal here is to host a web server, so the next step is to install the Apache -web server and any other packages we need. - -From this point on, I will be logged in as a user (not =root=) and will need to -use the =sudo= modifier for most commands. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt update; sudo apt upgrade -y; sudo apt autoremove -y -sudo apt install apache2 -#+end_src - -If you need other language support, such as PHP, you'll need to install that -too. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install libapache2-mod-php php-dom -sudo a2enmod php -sudo systemctl restart apache2 -#+end_src - -* Website Files & Folders - -Next up is to create the directories for the domain(s) we want to be hosted on -this web server. - -#+begin_src sh -cd /var/www -sudo mkdir example.com -#+end_src - -We have a folder for =example.com= now, so let's add an =index.html= file and -put it within a specific =public_html= folder. You don't need this =public_html= -if you don't want it, but it helps with organizing items related to -=example.com= that you don't want to publish to the internet. - -#+begin_src sh -cd example.com -sudo mkdir public_html && cd public_html -sudo nano index.html -#+end_src - -You can put anything you want in this =index.html= file. If you can't think of -anything, paste this in there: - -#+begin_src html - - - - - - Hello, world! - - -

    Hello, world!

    - - -#+end_src - -If you want something to be served at =example.com/page01/file.txt=, you'll have -to create the =page01= directory under the =example.com= directory. For example: - -#+begin_src sh -cd /var/www/example.com/public_html -sudo mkdir page01 -sudo nano file.txt -#+end_src - -* Apache Configuration - -Now, let's set up the files that will tell the server where to find the files -for =example.com=. We will copy the default configuration file and create our -own. - -#+begin_src sh -cd /etc/apache2/sites-available -sudo cp 000-default.conf example.com.conf -sudo nano example.com.conf -#+end_src - -This configuration file will have a few default lines, but you'll need to edit -it to look similar to this (settings may change based on your personal needs): - -#+begin_src config - - ServerAdmin your-email@email-provider.com - ServerName example.com - ServerAlias www.example.com - DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com/public_html - ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log - CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined - -#+end_src - -Now, enable the configuration for your new site, disable the default -configuration, and reload the web server. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo a2ensite example.com.conf -sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf -sudo systemctl reload apache2 -#+end_src - -You can always run a test to make sure no errors or warnings are found in your -configuration files. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apache2ctl configtest -#+end_src - -Now, restart the web server entirely. After this, you should be able to browse -to =http://example.com= and see the HTML (hypertext markup language) content you -provided earlier. Note that SSL/TLS has not been enabled yet, so you won't be -able to use the secure version yet (=https://example.com=). - -#+begin_src sh -sudo systemctl restart apache2 -#+end_src - -You can repeat this for as many websites as you need. Just create the domain -folders in =/var/www/=, add the configuration file, enable the configuration, -and restart =apache2=. - -* SSL/TLS Certificates: Serve Websites Over HTTPS - -In order to serve secure content, you'll need to obtain SSL/TLS certificates. -Luckily, there's a free tool called [[https://certbot.eff.org][Certbot]] that helps us with the process. - -The first step is to install =snapd= and =core= for Ubuntu. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install snapd -sudo snap install core -sudo snap refresh core -#+end_src - -Next, install the =certbot= snap package. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo snap install --classic certbot -#+end_src - -Execute the following command to ensure that the =certbot= command can -be run. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ln -s /snap/bin/certbot /usr/bin/certbot -#+end_src - -Finally, you can run =certbot= one of two ways: - -1. run it and let it alter your Apache configuration files automatically to - enable HTTPS (Hypertext Transport Protocol) redirects. -2. run it and only allow it to create certificates. You'll need to manually - alter the config files to enable HTTPS redirects. - -Run certbot and allow automatic config changes: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo certbot --apache -#+end_src - -Run certbot for certificates only and don't allow it to alter config -files: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo certbot certonly --apache -#+end_src - -The Certbot packages on your system come with a =cron= job or =systemd= timer -that will renew your certificates automatically before they expire. You will not -need to run Certbot again unless you change your configuration. You can test -automatic renewal for your certificates by running this command: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo certbot renew --dry-run -#+end_src - -Now, test your domains by going to =https://example.com=. - -* Firewall Security - -To enable better security on your server, you'll need to enable a basic -firewall. For Ubuntu, we'll use [[https://cleberg.net/blog/ufw.html][the uncomplicated firewall]]. - -Now, add the following rules to the firewall allow SSH, Apache, and HTTP(S) -connections. If you need to, you can enable different ports for specific -applications. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw default deny incoming -sudo ufw default allow outgoing -sudo ufw allow OpenSSH -sudo ufw allow Apache -sudo ufw allow proto tcp from any to any port 80,443 -#+end_src - -Once you've added all the rules you need, enable the firewall. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw enable -#+end_src - -* Troubleshooting - -If you run into any issues during your VPS set-up, be sure to walk back through -your actions and make sure you didn't miss any steps. - -Many websites have fantastic guides to setting up various web servers. This is -one of the areas [[https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials][where DigitalOcean shines]]. For simpler or more Linux-oriented -questions, I suggest using [Linuxize] ([[https://linuxize.com]]). - -If you're getting certain errors (e.g. =500 Internal Server Error=) and need to -debug locally, you can view the =access.log= and =error.log= files in the -=/var/log/apache/= directory. -#+date: <2021-04-17 Sat 00:00:00> -#+title: Agate Gemini Server Installation and Firewall Configuration -#+description: Detailed directives for installation and configuration of a Gemini protocol server on Ubuntu, including network security and firewall setup. -#+slug: gemini-server - -* Similar Article Available - -To read more about Gemini and ways to test out this new protocol without your -own server, see my previous post [[../launching-a-gemini-capsule/][Launching a Gemini Capsule]]. - -* Preparation - -This guide assumes you have access to a server accessible to the world through a -public IP (internet protocol) address and that you own a domain name used for -this Gemini capsule. - -* Getting Started with Agate - -We are going to use [[https://github.com/mbrubeck/agate][Agate]] for this tutorial. This is a basic Gemini server -written in Rust. It takes very little time and maintenance to get it running. - -* Install Dependencies - -First, you will need to install the Rust package for your system. On Ubuntu, use -the following commands (remember to use =sudo= if you are not the root user). -The Rust installation will give you options to customize the installation; I -used the default installation options. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y -curl https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh -#+end_src - -Remember to configure your shell with the new configuration: - -#+begin_src sh -source $HOME/.cargo/env -#+end_src - -Before we install agate, make sure you have the =gcc= package installed: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install gcc -#+end_src - -Next, you'll need to install the agate executable with Rust's Cargo -package maintainer: - -#+begin_src sh -cargo install agate -#+end_src - -* Create Symlinks - -Once Cargo has finished installing all the required packages, create a symbolic -link to the executable to your $PATH. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ln -s $HOME/.cargo/bin/agate /usr/local/bin/agate -#+end_src - -* Using Agate's Built-In Installation Tool - -If you're running Ubuntu or Debian, use the Debian installation script found in -Agate's GitHub repository, under the =tools/debian= folder. - -#+begin_src sh -git clone https://github.com/mbrubeck/agate -cd agate/tools/debian -sudo ./install.sh -#+end_src - -* Configure the Gemini Service - -We have a little more to do, but since this script tries to immediately run the -service, it will likely fail with an exit code. Let's add our finishing touches. -Edit the following file and replace the hostname with your desired URL (uniform -resource locator). You can also change the directory where content will be -served. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/gemini.service -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -# Edit these lines to whatever you want - see the next code block for my personal configuration. -WorkingDirectory=/srv/gemini -ExecStart=agate --hostname $(uname -n) --lang en -#+end_src - -This is my personal config: - -#+begin_src sh -WorkingDirectory=/var/gemini/ -ExecStart=agate --hostname gemini.example.com --lang en -#+end_src - -Since we've altered the systemd configuration files, we have to reload the -daemon. Let's do that, restart our service, and check its status. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo systemctl daemon-reload -sudo systemctl restart gemini.service -sudo systemctl status gemini.service -#+end_src - -* Fixing Systemd Errors - -If you're still getting errors, the installation process may not have properly -enabled the gemini service. Fix it with the following commands. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo systemctl enable gemini.service -sudo systemctl restart gemini.service -sudo systemctl status gemini.service -#+end_src - -* Firewall Rules - -Great! Our server is now functional and running. The first consideration now is -that you need to be able to access port 1965 on the server. If you have a -firewall enabled, you'll need to open that port up. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo ufw allow 1965 -sudo ufw reload -#+end_src - -* Creating Content - -Let's create the Gemini capsule. Note that wherever you set the -=WorkingDirectory= variable to earlier, Agate will expect you to put your Gemini -capsule contents in a sub-folder called =content=. So, I place my files in -=/var/gmi/content=. I'm going to create that folder now and put a file in there. - -#+begin_src sh -sudo mkdir /var/gemini/content -sudo nano /var/gemini/content/index.gmi -#+end_src - -You can put whatever you want in the =index.gmi= file, just make sure it's valid -Gemtext. - -* The Results - -To view the results, you can use a Gemini browser, such as [[https://gmi.skyjake.fi/lagrange/][Lagrange]] or [[https://github.com/makeworld-the-better-one/amfora][amfora]]. -#+date: <2021-04-23 Fri 00:00:00> -#+title: Building a Lightweight PHP Static Commenting System Without JavaScript -#+description: Technical walkthrough for constructing a lightweight, privacy-oriented static comment system using PHP, with no client-side scripting or external dependencies. -#+slug: php-comment-system - -* The Terrible-ness of Commenting Systems - -The current state of affairs regarding interactive comment systems is, well, -terrible. It is especially awful if you're a privacy conscious person who does -not generally load third-party scripts or frames on the websites you visit. - -Even further, many comment systems are charging exorbitant fees for something -that should be standard. - -Of course, there are some really terrible options: - -- Facebook Comments -- Discourse - -There are some options that are better but still use too many scripts, frames, -or social integrations on your web page that could impact some users: - -- Disqus -- Isso -- Remark42 - -Lastly, I looked into a few unique ways of generating blog comments, such as -using Twitter threads or GitHub issues to automatically post issues. However, -these both rely on external third-party sites that I don't currently use. - -* Stay Static with Server-Side Comments - -The main issue for my personal use-case is that my blog is completely, 100% -static. I use PHP on the back-end but website visitors only see HTML (Hypertext -Markup Language) and a single CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) file. No external -JavaScript and no embedded frames. - -So, how do we keep a site static and still allow users to interact with blog -posts? The key actually pretty simple - I'm already using PHP, so why not rely -on the classic HTML =
    = and a PHP script to save the comments somewhere? As -it turns out, this was a perfect solution for me. - -The second issue for my personal use-case is that I am trying to keep the -contents of my website accessible over time, as described by [cite/t:@brandur], -in his post entitled [[https://brandur.org/fragments/graceful-degradation-time][Blog with Markdown + Git, and degrade gracefully through -time]] . - -This means I cannot rely on a database for comments, since I do not rely on a -database for any other part of my websites. - -I blog in plain Markdown files, commit all articles to Git, and ensure that -future readers will be able to see the source data long after I'm gone, or the -website has gone offline. However, I still haven't committed any images served -on my blog to Git, as I'm not entirely sold on Git LFS (large file storage) -yet - for now, images can be found at [[https://img.cleberg.net][img.cleberg.net]]. - -Saving my comments back to the Git repository ensures that another aspect of my -site will degrade gracefully. - -* Create a Comment Form - -Okay, let's get started. The first step is to create an HTML form that users can -see and utilize to submit comments. This is fairly easy and can be changed -depending on your personal preferences. - -Take a look at the code block below for the form I currently use. Note that -== is replaced automatically in PHP with the current post's URL -(uniform resource locator), so that my PHP script used later will know which -blog post the comment is related to. - -The form contains the following structure: - -1. == - This is the form and will determine which PHP script to send the - comment to. -2. =