All Posts in Category "Software"

How to Disable iOS 18 Dark Icons
Nov 9, 2024
Reading Time: 5 min

After updating to iOS 18.1, many of my app icons became “dark”. Why did this happen, and how to I restore my icons to their normal appearance?

Easily switch directories in the Linux shell
Oct 24, 2024
Reading Time: 8 min

The Linux shell (bash or zsh) provides users tremendous power, but requires a significant amount of typing. This article shows several approaches to changing directories that minimizes typing. Along the way, we will learn about how the Linux shell finds and manages executables and even about tiling window managers.

Privacy, Longevity and Vendor Lock-in
Oct 7, 2024
Reading Time: 12 min

I follow three guiding principles when selecting which software to use:

  1. Privacy – Does the software (and vendor) value and guard my privacy?
  2. Data Longevity – What happens to my data if the vendor goes out of business? Or the vendor discontinues the tool?
  3. Vendor lock-in – how easily can I export my data and then import it into a different tool? Am I trapped within a single vendor’s ecosystem?

This article focuses on why I believe these principles are important when choosing software. But these principles also apply to many other purchasing decisions we make. Buying a car, a TV or even a lawn irrigation controller? You should consider these three key principles before making your choice.