Do more with text using minimal tools.

See how far you can travel by train in 8h on this Europe map.

The story of a weird but interesting bug

An useful tool to update easily my applications, package managers, macOS updates … If you are using various different tools, it will save you time.

NetNewsWire is my RSS reader on my Mac and I recommend it if you need a simple open source RSS reader for your content reading. Easy to use, light, working perfectly! You don't even need an account

This great website privacy inspector is useful to see if a website is tracking you. Test it on my website to see I don't have any tracking

Paste as plain text by default

If you have lots of browser bookmarks, it is a nice way to organize them. Currently using it to clean my bookmarks list

The Tao of Cal

Highlights from the article

• The biggest source of context shifts is digital communication. Move as much collaboration as possible out of chains of ad hoc, back and forth messaging and into something more structured.

• Do fewer things at once

• Focus is like a super power in most knowledge work jobs. Train this ability. Protect deep work on your calendar. Support these sessions through special rituals and spaces.

• Treat cognitive context shifts as “productivity poison.” The more you switch your attention from one target (say, a report you’re writing) to another (say, an inbox check), the more exhausted and dumber you become.

• Most people don’t need to use social media. If you really need to use it — e.g., for professional purposes — use it on a web browser on your laptop, and spend at most an hour a week logged in, as that’s enough for 99% of legitimate uses. There are better ways to be entertained, find news, and connect with people

• Your phone should be used as a tool, not a constant companion. To accomplish this: (1) keep your phone plugged into the same spot when at home (instead of having it with you); and (2) remove all apps from your phone where someone makes more money the more you use it.

• Fixing your relationship with digital tools requires that you fix your analog life first. It’s not enough to stop using problematic apps and devices, you must also aggressively pursue alternative activities to fill the voids this digital abstention will create: read books, join communities, develop hard hobbies, get in shape, hatch plans to transform your career for the better.

• Kids under the age of 16 shouldn’t have unrestricted access to the internet. Their brains aren’t ready for it.

• In building a meaningful and fulfilling life, it’s usually better to work backwards from a broad vision of your ideal lifestyle than it is to work forward toward a singular grand goal

• When it comes to the internet, small is usually better than big. Niche online communities are more meaningful and less harmful (in terms of both content and addictive properties) than massive social platforms. Independent content formats, like podcasts and newsletters, are much better for creatives (in terms of stability, income, and autonomy) than attempting to become an influencer on a major platform. And so on.

A French video on the business behind French unicorn Voodoo by creator Basti UI

That’s not something I had thought about, but someone recently visited my family to meet again an old friend which was from my family, and a contact page could have been useful in this case.

The author argues that tools aren’t just passive instruments but active participants in shaping how we think, work, and create. Whether it’s a minimalist text editor or a robust design app, the tools we use guide our behaviors and the way we approach problems.

As someone who experiments with tools, I definitely agree with him, and that’s why preventing the “shiny new tool syndrome” is critical.

Is it possible to resist the endless cycle of tech upgrades? In this article by excellent Low Tech Magazine, the author shares practical strategies for refurbishing old laptops to avoid new purchases, and goes beyond just the simple tutorial.

"This is why I document my life—in photos, in words, in video. Because I don’t know where I came from and I don’t want my kids to wonder the same. I mourn all the lost stories that my grandmother took to her grave, stories that could have helped me understand world history and the human condition through the context of my own family history. " - Jenna Park

« On its 10th anniversary, Signal’s president wants to remind you that the world’s most secure communications platform is a nonprofit. It’s free. It doesn’t track you or serve you ads. It pays its engineers very well. And it’s a go-to app for hundreds of millions of people. »

As a Signal user, I never learned more deeply about which individuals were leading Signal the past couple of years. This interview with Meredith Whittaker was a great way to learn more about her, her path to join Signal, and what is the future of Signal.

You can read the full article without paywall here