Ctrl blog (Page 10)

The Coil browser extension dialog saying “Coil is paying the [content] creator”.

Web Monetization

Third-party extension not enough to address Coil’s transparency issues

PayTracker keeps a record of Web Monetization micro-payments made through Coil, but the extension alone isn’t enough to fix Coil’s transaction transparency issue.

Linux

GNU Parallel can do anything, but scripting may be the better option

GNU Parallel is a powerful Linux parallelization tool for local and remote jobs. Its unique command syntax and complex requirements makes it difficult to use.

The OpenWith.exe and Default Program icons (Windows 10 variants) side-by side.

Microsoft Windows

Set Store apps as the default for arbitrary file types in Windows 10

Here’s how to make Windows File Explorer open arbitrary files types in apps installed from the Microsoft Store. Includes common troubleshooting steps.

A cartoon cat with huge eyes holding ABC letter blocks.

Gaming

Kitty Letter word-scrambled my brain

Who knew an enchanted letter vortex could cause you trouble falling asleep? How a mobile game engraved a repeating pattern into my brain.

Gaming

Get Meltdown Alert notifications for PlanetSide 2

Receive browser notifications at the beginning of Meltdown Alert events on your server in PlanetSide 2! Join the fight on Auraxis!

The Jellyfin and Tor app icons side by side.

Media Center

Jellyfin and metadata privacy

The Jellyfin media server can enrich your media collection with metadata from online sources. The price may be free, but the cost is metadata for metadata.

Media Center

From Plex to Jellyfin Media Server

Why I uninstalled Plex Media Server after over a decade and migrated my movie and TV show collection to Jellyfin instead of Emby.

Authentication and Passwords

Be wary of file sync conflicts with KeePass apps on Android

An investigation and comparison into how KeePass-compatible password manager apps for Android handle external changes to an unlocked password vault database.

User Experience

Please don’t make me choose a username

Forcing the user to choosing a username is a terrible user experience. No one wants to use an online service that forces a name you don’t like.

A snippet of minified JavaScript source code.

HTML

Don’t be shady, deploy your JavaScript source maps

Source code minification is beneficial, but the resulting obfuscation reduces trust and transparency. Source maps can help restore these and let people learn.

A dialog box prompting you to choose an app. You options is “Internet Browser” represented by a house icon, and “Look for an app in the Microsoft Store”.

Microsoft Windows

The built-in Windows 10 web browser you’ve never heard about

Windows 10 has a built-in program called Internet Browser (not to be confused with Internet Explorer) that helps you open link files in your preferred web browser.

A man swirling a torch in front of him forming a wall of fire.

Networking

systemd application firewalls by example

How to restrict Linux services’ network traffic with per-service systemd firewall rules. Enhance security by only allowing required network access.

Latest