Daniel’s World 2.0: Recalibrated

It’s no secret that I’ve always been a fan of Linux. Something about the flexibility, the efficiency, and the complete control over my system just feels right. Sure, I keep Windows around—it’s hard to avoid entirely—but when given the choice, you’ll usually find me booted into Linux. For a long time, I took my dual-boot setup for granted. My old HP laptop had the luxury of two hard drive bays , which meant I could have Windows on one and Linux on the other , completely independent from each other. No bootloader shenanigans, no weird conflicts—just a clean, reliable setup. I spent most of my time in Manjaro, only swapping to Windows when absolutely necessary (which, let’s be real, was mostly for firmware updates or some oddly specific school software). But then the ThinkPad entered my life. The ThinkPad Reality Check My new-to-me ThinkPad T470 is built like an absolute tank, but it doesn’t provide the same luxuries as my old HP. With only one drive bay , I had to actually dual-boot, ...

  Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is one of those things that sounds amazing on paper. The idea of running a full Linux environment within Windows—no dual-booting, no clunky virtual machines, just a seamless terminal—seems almost too good to be true. And depending on which distro you’re using, it almost is. But of course, I wanted Debian. Because of course, I did. WSL: Great in Theory, Frustrating in Practice Setting up WSL itself is easy—just a simple command in PowerShell, enable a few features, and you’re good to go. But as soon as I veered off the beaten path (read: not Ubuntu), things started getting... annoying. First off, Debian on WSL isn’t quite the same as Debian on bare metal. The moment I tried doing anything remotely system-level, I ran into odd limitations. Systemd? Not enabled by default. Want to run background services like a normal Linux system? Have fun manually configuring workarounds. Want full compatibility with certain networking tools? WSL does some ...

If you've spent any time around Linux users, you've probably heard it. A discussion about operating systems, a casual mention of software choices, and then—like clockwork—someone chimes in with "I use Arch, btw." It's a meme at this point, a phrase so infamous that it often overshadows the actual merits of Arch Linux itself. But why does this phrase exist, and more importantly, is using Arch really worth the trouble? Arch: The Minimalist's Dream (or Nightmare) Arch Linux is known for its rolling-release model , meaning you get the latest software as soon as it’s available. Unlike distributions with fixed release cycles, Arch updates continuously, which can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s also extremely minimal —when you install Arch, you’re not getting a pre-configured system. You start with a command line, and it’s up to you to install and configure everything from the ground up. This is what makes Arch appealing to some users. It offers absolute cont...

The other day, I rescued a stack of old copper laminate FR4 boards from the trash. To most people, it was just junk, but to me, it was a chance to dive into something I’d been wanting to learn for ages: DIY PCB etching. I’ve always been the type to tinker, to see where I can take an idea, and lately, that’s meant leveling up my toolkit. I’ve been getting comfortable with Fusion 360 for 3D design, and now I’m exploring KiCad to turn my circuit sketches into proper PCBs. But designing is only part of the process. The real magic happens when you take an idea off the screen and hold it in your hands—when it’s not just hypothetical anymore. That’s where sodium persulfate comes in. It comes in powder form, and you are expected to dilute it to the correct concentration in 60 degree water, before pouring it in a tub and bathing the PCBs in it to etch them. It's got some quirks as an etchant, for example to provide optimal results it needs to be kept at 60 degrees, and also it's very ...

I'm taking my nerdiness to the next level. The latest adventure? Designing and 3D printing a mini server rack to house a cluster of Raspberry Pi's, a Windows NUC, and a network switch with router. The goal isn’t just to have a cool piece of hardware sitting on my desk; it’s to finally dive headfirst into the world of sysadmin skills, networking, and server management. Everything I could need to build skills for my future.  Why a server rack? Well, it’s compact, organized, and gives me the perfect excuse to tinker with Proxmox or Docker containers and maybe even dabble with a custom LLM one day. (A guy can dream, right?) Plus, let’s be real—there’s something satisfying about building a functional piece of tech entirely from scratch, starting with a CAD design in Fusion 360 and ending with my 3D printer humming away. The idea here isn’t just to learn new things—it’s to push myself into realms of tech that I haven’t explored yet. I want to understand how networks function, teach...

Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle is a concept from quantum mechanics that says you can’t precisely know two specific properties of a particle at the same time. For example, the more you focus on finding its exact position, the less you can know about its momentum, and vice versa. It’s one of those strange truths about how the universe works—when you hone in on one variable, you inevitably lose accuracy on another. Life, it turns out, has its own kind of uncertainty principle. The more you focus on planning and figuring out the future, the harder it becomes to appreciate what’s happening in the present. It’s like trying to balance on a seesaw—lean too far in one direction, and you lose sight of the other. This has been on my mind a lot recently after a series of texts with her. We were talking about life after high school, how uncertain the future feels, and all the what-ifs that keep piling up in my head. Somewhere in the middle of that conversation, she pointed out something tha...

Lately, I’ve been diving into a new project that combines two of my favorite things: 3D printing and learning by doing. The goal? A mini server rack, custom-designed and printed, to experiment with hardware setups and create a space for learning about networking, servers, and everything in between. Sure, I could just buy a cheap rack or cobble something together with off-the-shelf parts, but where’s the fun in that? I’m designing the rack in Fusion 360, my go-to software for 3D modeling. It’s a tool I’ve spent a lot of time learning, and for me, it strikes a perfect balance between professional-grade features and usability. I’ll admit, Fusion 360 comes with a learning curve—especially when you’re just starting out—but once you get the hang of the basics, it’s incredibly rewarding. Now, here’s the thing: you don’t have to use Fusion 360 for a project like this. If you’re just starting out with CAD, something like Tinkercad can get the job done. It’s simpler, more beginner-friendly, and...

The Ender 3 is the kind of machine that draws you in with its simplicity and keeps you hooked with its potential. Straight out of the box, it’ll print something—not perfect, but enough to make you think, “I can make this better.” And that’s the start of the journey: the endless pursuit of calibration perfection. Take ABS printing, for example. ABS isn’t exactly Ender 3-friendly—it warps, it curls, and it laughs in the face of your basic setup. But you’re determined, so you grab a plastic bag, drape it over the printer like a makeshift heat tent, and hope for the best. And weirdly enough, it works—at least until the bag melts, or the smell of heated plastic becomes unbearable. But that’s the beauty of the Ender 3: it teaches you ingenuity. You start small, adjusting retraction settings, bed leveling, and flow rates. As your confidence grows, so does your ambition—upgrading the hotend, replacing all the fans, putting on a linear X and Y rail kit, maybe even messing with firmware. The p...

You know that feeling when your current laptop finally decides it’s done playing nice? That was me a few days ago. Enter the ThinkPad T470—a laptop I managed to acquire at lightning speed, and let me tell you, this thing is built . Like, “I could probably hurt myself if I dropped it on my foot” built. First impressions? It’s solid in every way a laptop should be. There’s something about the industrial design of these machines that screams, “You could throw me at a wall, and I’d still boot faster than your $500 plastic special from PB Tech.” And honestly? Probably true. The keyboard is a dream—no cheap, flexy nonsense here. It’s the kind of keyboard that feels like it was designed for a blogger, a coder, or someone determined to win an online debate at 2 a.m (eventually I will come to senses with the fact that the function and control keys have switched positions compared to the HP keyboard though). The trackpad is a no-frills workhorse, but the little red TrackPoint nub? Iconic. And ...

 Wouldn’t life be so much easier if we had debugging tools for everything? Imagine being able to hook up a logic analyzer to your brain after a particularly awkward conversation and figure out exactly where you went wrong. Or running a metaphorical multimeter across a relationship to measure its "resistance" and figure out if you're short-circuiting or sparking harmony. If only emotional debugging were as straightforward as decoding UART signals, right? This thought hit me while working on PixTone, my attempt to bring a little bit of pixel art magic to the world of ham radio. For those who are new here (and welcome, by the way), PixTone is all about transmitting personality, not just data. Imagine FT8, but instead of sterile text, you’re sending tiny 8x8 grids of customizable, colorful pixel art. It’s quirky. It’s fun. It’s me. The idea for PixTone came out of the same mindset that got me into blogging: a need to make sense of the chaos. Blogging started as a way to debug...

Let’s talk about used laptops—the Wild West of tech pricing, where logic and reason seem to have packed up and left long ago. It’s a market where nothing makes sense, everything is overpriced, and you wonder if everyone involved is operating under the influence of a coffee-induced haze. Take, for instance, the MacBook phenomenon. Somehow, a seven-year-old MacBook with a processor that struggles to keep up with Chrome tabs still commands a resale price three times higher than a comparable Windows laptop. Why? Because it’s shiny, has an Apple logo, and probably smells faintly of artisanal coffee. Don’t get me wrong, MacBooks are solid machines, but paying $700 for something that cries at the sight of an iMessage notification? Feels like a choice. (but a MacBook is a very nice machine, especially these new M4 Pro models) That said, credit where credit is due: Apple clearly did something right. People are still rocking 14+ year-old MacBooks daily, and many of those machines could outliv...

 Hey there, and welcome to the new home of Daniel’s World ! If you’ve been following along from my previous blog (or if you’re one of the devoted 12 plus two bad actors who kept me accountable with every post), you’ve probably noticed things have taken an unexpected turn. Let’s just say the old blog got a bit… overcrowded. Somewhere between the parody accounts, suspiciously similar posts, and comments that felt more like auditions for a low-budget Netflix movie, I decided it was time to pack up and move to a quieter neighborhood. So, here we are. A fresh start, a clean slate—" Ctrl ,Alt, Daniel" , where I can write, reflect, and maybe even rant without the chaos of impersonations or amateur sitcom attempts clogging the feed. Don't get me wrong, I’m all for creativity (and a good laugh), but when the comments section starts feeling like a poorly-scripted reality show, it’s time to hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete and reboot. For those who’ve been with me for a while, nothing much will ...

 To a degree, this post is unlike me .  I’m showing interest in solely a person (and not a billionaire, a great technician, or Hans G0UPL of QRP Labs—who is sadly not a billionaire yet). It’s simply about her. No need to really know who she actually is—that’s quite irrelevant. I guess that’s the fun of it, right? So here we are, a tangent from my usual posts. No complaints or technical stuff in sight here, just… whatever you’d call this. Now, I’m well aware that I usually keep things pretty tech-centric. Maybe a little too much at times, but that’s my world—circuits, frequencies, and the occasional rant about broken gear with comments about her on the side. But here I am, taking a step away from all that. No soldering irons, no dials to tune, just thoughts about a person.  I’m not one to spill my feelings in the open. And let's be real, she probably wouldn’t appreciate me doing so. But that doesn’t mean it’s not there, and it doesn’t mean I can’t take a moment to acknowle...

  Lately, I’ve been diving into a project that’s more preparation than execution—honing my skills in anticipation of tackling a repair. A friend of mine has an old network switch that’s seen better days, and we’re gearing up to repair it together. It’s not in my hands just yet, but I’ve been using the time to get familiar with the tools I’ll need. Namely, my trusty $8 logic analyzer from AliExpress. This tiny device has been my companion as I work on decoding UART and other serial protocols, experimenting with different setups, and learning how to interpret the data streams it captures. It’s been an exercise in patience and precision, capturing signals, deciphering their meaning, and preparing for the diagnostic work to come. Think of it as training for a technical marathon—the kind where every step forward feels like progress, even if the finish line isn’t quite in sight yet. My friend, who specializes in writing software, brings a very different perspective to the table. He thriv...

The modern world runs on consumption. Whether we like it or not, we’re all consumers—caught in an endless loop of buying, using, and discarding. And make no mistake, I’m not exempt from this. I’ve had my share of shiny gadgets and unnecessary upgrades, but I can’t fully embrace the consumerist mindset, either. There’s something unsettling about the cycle of over-consumption, especially when so much of it could be avoided if we just… fixed what we already have. I’m a big advocate for the right to repair. The idea that the devices we buy should belong to us entirely—not just as end users but as active maintainers—is something I’m passionate about. When companies lock us out of repairs with proprietary screws, software locks, or withheld schematics, they’re not just controlling the hardware; they’re controlling us. And I’m not here for that. That’s why I love groups like iFixit. They’re not just selling repair kits—they’re equipping us with knowledge and empowering us to take ownership ...

When we think about love, it’s tempting to try map it onto a graph, to give it a formula or framework, something quantifiable that we can analyse in depth. Is love exponential, starting slow but growing at a breakneck pace? Is it linear, increasing steadily over time with every shared moment and memory? Or is it one of those mysterious constants, like the speed of light or the fine structure constant, that never really changes—only our perception of it does? Take SWR, for example. A perfect match is 1:1, where every bit of energy sent out is received with no reflection. But as we all know, perfection is rare. Sometimes, love is like a slightly mismatched antenna—there’s some reflection, some inefficiency, but you keep tweaking and adjusting to get as close to resonance as possible. The relationship might not always be perfectly tuned, but when you find that sweet spot, the connection is undeniable. And then there’s dB—decibels, the logarithmic measure of power. Love doesn’t work in...

As the calendar flips to a new year, it’s impossible to avoid the tidal wave of “new year, new me” resolutions. Social media feeds flood with promises of radical transformation—gym memberships spike, diets are revamped, and people announce their plans to completely reinvent themselves. But for me? That’s not quite how it works. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for self-improvement. Growth is a good thing. But the idea of waking up on January 1st and suddenly becoming an entirely new person feels… unnatural. Like trying to swap out all the components of a radio overnight and expecting it to work perfectly the next day. Change, at least for me, doesn’t happen in loud, dramatic booms. It’s quieter, subtler. The way I see it, the world doesn’t stop spinning when the clock strikes midnight. It keeps turning, and so do I. Every day, every conversation, every small success or frustrating failure nudges me forward, shaping me in ways I might not even notice at first. Sure, I have goals and things...