diff --git a/config.toml b/config.toml index 67155c2..d23f9e7 100644 --- a/config.toml +++ b/config.toml @@ -3,4 +3,6 @@ languageCode = "en-us" title = "Gabriel's Blog" theme = "gs" ignorefiles = [ "content/posts/exported/.*", "content/posts/drafts/.*" ] -paginate = 5 \ No newline at end of file +paginate = 5 +[markup.goldmark.renderer] +unsafe= true diff --git a/content/posts/on-keyboards.md b/content/posts/on-keyboards.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ef7959e --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/on-keyboards.md @@ -0,0 +1,56 @@ +--- +title: On Keyboards +date: 2021-01-01 +--- + +#### My current keyboard is a GMMK Pro + +But before diving in that keyboard, let's get into my history with keyboards. My first "proper" mechanical keyboard was a Corsair K70 with Speed Silver switches - a now massive 100% keyboard that was quite pretty. While I liked the speed silver switches for typing, gaming was another question. I tended to rest my hands quite heavily on the keyboard, and would accidentally actuate keys from time to time. At some point around this time (2017) I bought a Razer BlackWidow TKL (ten-keyless, or without the numberpad), which introduced me to alternative keyboard form factors and the Razer Green switch, which are essentially Cherry MX Blues with a different coloured stem; that is, clicky, but not great. At some point, I must have sold them, as I quickly moved on to a Ducky One TKL with genuine Cherry MX Blue switches. In those days, I wasn't very invested in the keyboard scene, and thought of Cherry as being the "be all end all" for switches. + +_The Corsair K70 keyboard. Very gamery._ + +![Corsair K70 Keyboard](/images/corsair-k70.png) + +_The Razer BlackWidow keyboard, from a terrible panorama that is my only evidence of owning one_ + +![Razer BlackWidow TKL Keyboard](/images/razer-blackwidow.png) + +This Ducky One lasted me about a year or so, during that time I bought some (very nice) SA style keycaps (which I ended up removing relatively quickly as I didn't like the profile). At some point, however, the draw of smaller keyboards was too much, and I found myself ordering an Anne Pro off AliExpress (or one of those sites) with Gateron Brown switches (tactile, ish). Being a 60% form factor, it was a major adjustment, but I got there and it was a great relief freeing up some more room on the tiny desk I had at the time. Commuting to an office every day was also somewhat simplified, although I ended up purchasing two of the Anne Pro's successor, the Anne Pro 2. It was roughly the same keyboard, but with slightly better materials and some refinements to the software control and bluetooth interface. I ordered one with Cherry MX Blue switches and another with Kalih Box Blacks, to experience a heavier linear switch. This was also my first real exposure to alternative switch makers, and I was a massive fan of the Box Blacks. I found the brown switches were a bit too linear, and the blues were blues -- clicky, but not in a pleasant way, especially during extended use. + +_Ducky One TKL_ + +![Ducky One TKL Keyboard](/images/ducky-one.png) + +_Ducky One TKL with SA style keycaps_ + +![Ducky One TKL with SA style keycaps](/images/ducky-one-sa-keycaps.png) + +These Anne Pros lasted me several years, switching between them as I wanted and even bringing one traveling (since it was just that compact). And I still love them. But I knew it was time to upgrade. I found myself missing the navigation cluster, and wishing for a slightly more premium experience. So I started doing some research, and quickly feel down a rabbit hole. + +_The Anne Pro collection - left to right, black with Cherry MX Blues, white with Kalih Box Blacks, Anne Pro with Gateron Browns_ + +![Anne Pro collection](/images/anne-pros.png) + +Keyboards are dangerous. The ignorant are lucky -- there is so much information out there that it is possible to become overwhelmed very quickly. Everything from the material keycaps are made of, to the acoustic properties of case materials, to the specific plastics _each part_ of a switch is made from. I had little clue what I was doing, but eventually settled on a few things; I wanted a navigation cluster, I wanted something slightly more compact than a full size keyboard, and I wanted to get premium materials. + +I ended up with the following: + +* [GMMK Pro](https://www.pcgamingrace.com/products/glorious-gmmk-pro-75-barebone-black) +* [GMMK Pro FR4 Plate](https://www.mechmods.co.uk/products/gmmk-pro-fr4-plate-by-avx-works) +* [Durock v2 stabilizers](https://www.mechmods.co.uk/products/durock-screw-in-stabilisers-v2?variant=40494419476674) (hand lubed) +* [AKKO NEON ASA doubleshot PBT keycaps](https://epomaker.com/products/akko-neon-asa-keycaps-set?_pos=3&_sid=8e158a975&_ss=r) +* [Glorious Pandas](https://www.pcgamingrace.com/products/glorious-panda-mechanical-switches) (tactile, to be hand lubed soon) + +_Give it a listen - fair warning, not everything is finely tuned or lubed!_ + + + +And so far? Writing this post on that keyboard? I'm pretty happy with it (for the... one evening I've used it so far)! The process of swapping out the plate and lubing the stabilizers was a bit tedious and frustrating being my first time, and I do need to do some fine tuning with the lubrication on the switches and stabilizers (you can clearly hear the rattle on my spacebar in the audio clip), but overall it's now a case of teaching myself a slightly more spacious layout, not needing to leap for the `fn` key every time I want to use my arrow keys or take a screenshot. Being a hotswap board (that is, rather than soldering switches to the PCB, they slot into sockets), I do plan to experiment with other switches in the future, to truly nail down my preference. There are also a number of community modifications documented that are intended to tweak the keyboard to your liking (when I say keyboard in the context of custom builds, I specifically mean the case and PCB), but I don't know if I'll end up trying any of them out. Unfortunately, it weighs an impressive 1768 grams, so traveling with it is out of the question, but I do still have my original Anne Pro handy that I plan to use as a testing grounds for modifications before selling it (be sure to follow me [on Twitter](https://twitter.com/gmem_) if that sounds interesting, or to follow my plans). + +_The GMMK Pro in question_ + +![GMMK Pro top view](/images/gmmk-pro-top.png) + +![GMMK Pro side view](/images/gmmk-pro-side.png) + +This is by no means my "end game" keyboard. I do plan on investing myself further in this hobby, but slowly. I already have a small list of switches to try and kits to experiment with, and have some inkling of how I'd want to custom design a keyboard. With time. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/content/posts/on-proxies-and-vpns.md b/content/posts/on-proxies-and-vpns.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..146ddcc --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/on-proxies-and-vpns.md @@ -0,0 +1,16 @@ +--- +title: On Proxies and VPNs +date: 2021-07-25 +--- + +**Obligatory rant about VPNs** + +As my girlfriend can testify to, I have very strong feelings about the whole "VPN" trend that doesn't seem to be grounded in reality. Occasionally these feelings coalesce into some form of a rant, which is what this is. Hopefully I can point future humans at this post if they ask how I feel about them. + +I commonly find that VPNs (they're really proxies, but we'll get to that) are marketed as ways to "browse the web more securely", "hide your activity", or "stay anonymous online". In a sense, this isn't _technically_ inaccurate. Indeed, the way these VPNs function is by funneling your traffic through an encrypted tunnel, but this only serves to hide your traffic from the internet service provider of the network you're connected to. The caveat is that you are entrusted a different (typically private) company with your data, rather than an ISP (which, depending on your location, may have stricter or looser regulations around how they can use your data). While some of these companies claim they do not maintain logs (and indeed, [some have proven such in court](https://torrentfreak.com/private-internet-access-no-logging-claims-proven-true-again-in-court-180606/)), it's really a trust-based relationship. + +My issue with these virtual private networks is less the actual functionality, and more to do with the terminology being used to sell them. I believe that they should exist -- if anything, they're becoming essential for avoiding [censorship](https://web.archive.org/web/20210112000052/https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/idaho-internet-provider-blocks-facebook-and-twitter/293-867cc22b-fb90-4142-a296-8d800d2a03fb) or [ad injection](https://www.infoworld.com/article/2925839/code-injection-new-low-isps.html) that ISPs impose upon their paying customers (whether forced by aforementioned regulation or in their own self interest), among other things. But it's not a magic bullet to stop things like tracking, anonymizing your data online, or keeping yourself safe against viruses (claims vary from provider to provider). Nor is it a "virtual private network". + +Tracking online is done primarily through cookies and code embedded directly into webpages, which offer benefits to site maintainers while also funneling data back to the provider (see: Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel). A proxy can't help here unless they go out of their way to block the specific domains used -- a more suitable option is a browser-level ad block, such as uBlock Origin, sometimes paired with DNS-level blocking with the likes of PiHole or [NextDNS](https://nextdns.io/?from=jbb3kmqb) (affiliate link). It would be best to assume proxy providers are opting for maximum compatibility over risking breaking pages by blocking a tracking cookie or service (which shouldn't break a site, but I digress). If such cookies are allowed on your system, and the tracking services are reachable, it's safe to assume you are not anonymous, with the proxy serving only to hide your true IP address from the owner of the website and little more (indeed, this can be useful, but an IP address alone isn't super useful). + +Keeping your websites untouched by ISPs and safe from prying eyes is best done with SSL/HTTPS, which encrypts traffic to and from a website with a trusted certificate. 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