Bob's Blog
All Posts, Oldest First
How Not to Get a Job
In which I stumbled into a teaching job through mistaken identity, with the involvement of a doomsday cult.
Cybersecurity Certifications are Unfair
Cybersecurity certifications are not a fair test of knowledge, let alone skill. They have an illusion of relevance and meaning, making more money for the certifying companies.
Which Programming Language Should I Learn?
Someone asked me, "Which programming language should I learn?" It depends on what you want to do.
Why the Command Line Rules
Many tasks are much easier to accomplish from the command line. Some tasks can't be done any other way.
How to Start Writing Scripts
Someone asked me, "How can I learn scripting?" It's easy to get started! Bash or Python or whatever!
Learn How to Write a Shell Script to Analyze Logs
Write a shell script to analyze logs and generate a report. We'll start by reporting the web server's 20 most popular pages.
What's the Point of Asymmetric Encryption?
Asymmetric encryption is often described as useful for "small messages", but that's misleading. They're absolutely vital in cryptographic protocols such as key agreement and authentication.
How Does Asymmetric Cryptography Work?
Asymmetric cryptography is a vital tool, but how does it work? We have two major solutions now, with more on the way. Learn how asymmetric ciphers protect information.
Quantum Computing and Quantum-Safe Cryptography
Quantum computing poses a real threat to all the asymmetric cryptography we used today. What's the threat, and what is being done?
What Does "FIPS" Mean?
People often casually speak of "FIPS compliance", but that could mean multiple things. If it matters — and why else speak of it — we must be careful.
Why I Abandoned OpenBSD
OpenBSD is technically OK but I won't be involved with, or appear to support, such a toxic environment.
What's Up With My Social Media Postings?
I have an automated Mastodon identity that posts numerous factoids of widely varying relevance. What's going on?.
Books I've Read: "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind"
According to the author, humans only became truly conscious in the second millennium BCE, and schizophrenia may be a holdover or return to the pre-conscious state.
What is "A.I.", or "Artificial Intelligence"?
So-called "A.I." is hype and misunderstanding, here's hoping the next "A.I. Winter" arrives soon.
Easy Automation of Thousands of Changes
Use fundamental Linux commands and some shell syntax to make thousands of changes in thousands of files in seconds.
10 Billion Passwords, What Does It Mean?
RockYou2024 is a list of 10 billion unique leaked passwords. Let's analyze what that really means.
Routing Through Starlink
By the mid 2020s, Internet connections in remote areas frequently used Starlink, the satellite system owned by the pro-fascist eugenicist Elon Musk. Let's see how Starlink works.
Automating Changes Across Thousands of Files
I needed to change 26,756 lines in 1,564 files — it was fast and easy with a command-line environment.