New blog post: Updates to my website

content-org/blog.org

@@ -1,6 +1,37 @@
 #+HUGO_SECTION: blog
 #+HUGO_BASE_DIR: ../
 
+* Updates to my website
+  :PROPERTIES:
+  :EXPORT_DATE: [2021-08-20 Fri 11:08]
+  :EXPORT_FILE_NAME: updates-website.md
+  :END:
+
+  During the last days I took some time to review and update my website and---while I am at it---also slightly changed some other things. Since there are two thing that may interest you, I decided to write few words about it.
+
+** What I Use
+
+   In early 2016 I wrote a blog post about what software I use from day to day, motivated by questions from some people.
+   Since then I regularly (meaning around once a year (boy, there is really some outdated stuff there)) updated the post, extending, re-working and updating it.
+   During the last months I saw some other people having a dedicated page on what hard- and software they use and I decided that this would possibly also something for me.
+   So I sat down and created a [[/uses][What I Use]] page which replaces and extends the old post.
+   It now also features the various hardware that I have lying around.
+   Of course I will also update that page more or less regularly (I added a note on top when it was last updated).
+
+** Engage!
+
+   Next to a few design tweaks I also better highlighted the possibility to comment on my posts.
+   This follows a great idea I read on the [[https://kevq.uk/adding-the-post-title-to-my-reply-by-email-button/][Blog of Kev Quirk]] to use a button for engaging readers to write their thoughts by email.
+   When I moved from Wordpress (where I used the build in commenting system) to this Hugo based site I no longer had a way for readers to comment on posts
+   As an alternative I put a really small text at the end of each post telling people to write me comments by email (I think I had this idea from [[https://karl-voit.at/][Karl Voit]]).
+   However: I never got any email on my posts (OK, admittedly I do not post much and following the stats there are also not much readers...).
+
+   What  Kev does is a bit more advanced: while he also follows the idea of not having a commenting system but engaging the readers to write him a mail, he has a much better UX for that.
+   At the end of each post he puts a highly visible button labeled with "Reply via email".
+   I like the idea very much and decided to [[https://gitlab.com/mmk2410/nextdesign/-/commit/cbc79dbe7f97ba7dc4413c3750be87e05febeeba][implement]] the same approach on this page.
+   So feel free to send me your thoughts by mail using the nice button below!
+
+
 * Automatic UUID creation in some Org-mode files         :@pim:emacs:orgmode:
   :PROPERTIES:
   :EXPORT_DATE:  [2021-05-04 Tue 19:15]
@@ -845,6 +876,8 @@ git push --mirror "$downstream_repo"
   :EXPORT_FILE_NAME: linux-programs-i-use.md
   :END:
 
+  *Note: I decided to dedicate this topic its own permanent [[/uses][What I Use]] page instead of this blog post.*
+
 ** Intro
 
    A few people asked me in the last time which tools and programs I use so I decided to put them in a short list.

content-org/sites.org

@@ -7,19 +7,14 @@
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   :END:
 
-  Hi, I'm Marcel Kapfer, also known as mmk2410. When I have time I
+  Hi, I'm Marcel Kapfer, also known as mmk2410. When I have time I invest it in creative work. As part of that I compose music (have a look at [[https://marcel-kapfer.de][marcel-kapfer.de]] for that), train myself in doing graphic design or write text as well as code.
-  compose music (have a look at [[https://marcel-kapfer.de][marcel-kapfer.de]] for that) or write
-  stuff. Stuff, you know. Like blog posts, manuscripts, quotes, or
-  software.
 
-  I've bin a Linux user since about 2012, write software since around
+  These pages are (currently) focused on the computer-based parts of my life (like software development, operating systems and similar stuff).
-  2014 and live in Emacs and Org-Mode since around 2016/17. Currently
+  Since about 2012 I am mainly using Linux (some times exclusively, although currently not).
-  I study computer science at the University of Ulm. Due the lack of
+  In 2014 I started writing software and since around 2016/17 I live in Emacs and Org-Mode.
-  time I'm not really active in doing the things listed above but from
+  Currently I study computer science at the University of Ulm.
-  time to time I happens anyway and then you may read about it here.
 
-  Besides these pages you can also find me at a few other places
+  Besides these pages you can also find me at a few other places across the web.
-  across the web.
 
 * About me
   :PROPERTIES:
@@ -35,70 +30,180 @@
 	<strong>Hi!</strong>
     </div>
     <div style="font-size: 25px">
-	My name is Marcel Kapfer. I compose music and write stuff.
+	My name is Marcel Kapfer and I do creative things.
     </div>
   </div>
   #+end_export
 
 ** Coding
 
-   I learned Java back in 2014 and started a first project, the
+   I learned Java as my first programming language back in 2014 and started a first project, the [[https://gitlab.com/mmk2410/writtenmorse-specs/-/wikis/home][writtenMorse]] project.
-   writtenMorse project. It provided tools to convert writtenMorse
+   It provided tools to convert writtenMorse code to Latin letters and the other way around. (Btw.: The writtenMorse code itself is an “invention” of mine for better writing Morse code by using other symbols than dots and dashes).
-   code to latin letters and the other way around. (Btw.: The
+   Later in 2014 I started to learn coding for Android, since I wanted to develop a writtenMorse app for the mobile OS.
-   writtenMorse code itself is an “invention” of mine). Later in 2014
+   This app was published on the Google Play Store in mid December, just three weeks after my first contact with Android development.
-   I started to learn coding for Android, since I wanted to develop a
+   Additionally to that I learned a bit of JavaScript in 2014 for enhanced features on my websites.
-   writtenMorse app to this mobile OS. This app was published on the
-   Google Play Store in mid December, just three weeks after my first
-   contact with Android development. Additionally to that I learned in
-   2014 was JavaScript.
 
-   In 2015 I expanded my knowledge by learning Bash, PHP, Python and a
+   In 2015 I expanded my knowledge by learning Bash, PHP, Python and a little bit of C.
-   little bit of C. I also released a few font apps for the
+   I also released a few font apps for the Cyanogenmod Theme Engine and some bash scripts to make my (and maybe also your) life easier.
-   Cyanogenmod Theme Engine and some bash scripts to make my (and
+   Rangitaki is another project that I started in February 2015.
-   maybe also your) life easier. Rangitaki is another project that I
+   It was a blogging engine without any database dependencies, written in PHP, which tries to be lightweight and extremely fast to start with and easy to use.
-   started in February 2015. It was a blogging engine without any
-   database dependencies, written in PHP, which tries to be
-   lightweight and extremely fast to start with and easy to use.
 
-   In October 2015 I started studying computer science at Ulm
+   Following this passion I joined the Ulm University in October 2015 to studying computer science to further improve my knowledge in this area.
-   University to improve my knowledge in this area further.
+   In April 2021 I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in the field of theoretical computer science.
 
-   I started learning more and more things about free (as in freedom,
+   I started learning more and more things about free (as in freedom, not as in free beer) software in the following years.
-   not as in free beer) software in February 2016. I strongly support
+   I strongly support the idea of freedom in software and try to avoid non-free software were possible.
-   the idea of freedom in software and try to move away from non-free
+   One part of that is my decision to move all my project from GitHub to [[https://gitlab.com/u/mmk2410/projects][GitLab]] and [[https://git.mmk2410.org/explore/repos][my own Gitea instance]].
-   software. One part of that is my decision to move all my project
-   from GitHub to [[https://gitlab.com/u/mmk2410/projects][GitLab]].
 
-   Due to other activities in the recent years (and also the coming
+   Due to other activities in the recent years (and also the coming ones) I don't have much time (and currently also not much interested) in developing software.
-   ones) I don't have much time (and also not much interested) in
+   I try to further maintain some relevant projects, but most of them have been archived.
-   developing software. I try to further maintain some relevant
-   projects, but most of them have been archived.
 
 ** Graphic Design
 
-   Next to coding I'm also in designing things. I started designing a
+   I am a huge fan of eye pleasing works!
-   few years ago but I hadn't jet time to do any major public work. As
+   Therefore I started designing a few years ago, but I hadn't jet time to do any major public work.
-   of now my experience narrows down to web design and print design,
+   As of now my experience narrows down to web design and a little bit of print design, but I currently expand my knowledge by taking online graphic design courses.
-   but maybe I find more time in the future to invest in this area.
 
 ** Composing
 
-   During my school time I had a lot to do with music and learned to
+   During my school time I had a lot to do with music and learned to play the piano.
-   play the piano. Last year I started to focus more on finding my own
+   Later I started to focus more on finding my own style, which is is combination of Minimal Music and Impressionism and I also wrote down some scores.
-   style, which is is combination of Minimal Music and Impressionism
+   A first piece is written and more or less professionally set and also recorded.
-   and I also wrote down some scores. A first piece is written and
+   You can download and view both on the [[https://marcel-kapfer.de][composing page]].
-   more or less professionally set and also recorded. You can download
-   both on the [[https://marcel-kapfer.de][composing page]].
 
-   Due a lack of time in the last years I didn't have time to compose
+   Due a lack of time in the last years I didn't have time to compose anything new.
-   anything new. But one piece is nearly done.
+   But one other piece is done and only waiting for its recording. Stay tuned!
 
 ** Writing
 
-   To write about coding, politics, happenings in my life and also
+   To write about coding, politics, happenings in my life and also philosophy questions is something I'm interested in for years.
-   philosophy questions is something I'm interested in for years.
    Sadly due to many  other tasks I wasn't able to write much things.
-   Next to the blog entries I have also published a few longer
+   Next to the blog entries I have also published a few longer [[/manuscripts][manuscripts]].
+
+** Real Life
+
+   Away from my desk I loosely follow some hobbies.
+   On one hand I like to read books of various kinds, including crime novels and science fiction / fantasy stuff but also some technical books.
+   On the other hand I like visiting mother nature either for cycling, hiking or photographing.
+
+** Others
+
+   In case you are interested into what software and hardware I use, you can read my [[/uses][What I Use]] page.
+
+* What I Use
+  :PROPERTIES:
+  :EXPORT_FILE_NAME: _index
+  :EXPORT_HUGO_SECTION: uses
+  :END:
+
+  Since I find the lists of other people about what the use quite interesting and from time to time someone asks my about what software/hardware I use I decided to also set up one.
+  After having a simple blog post listing software since around 2016 I now put it all together here and update it from time to time.
+
+  /Last updated: 20. August 2021/
+
+** Hardware
+
+*** General
+
+    - *Display*
+      - *Primary:* BENQ GW2765 (27", 16:9, 1440p)
+      - *Secondary:* HP L1906 (19", 5:4, 1280x1024)
+    - *USB-Audiointerface:* Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Generation)
+    - *Headphones:* Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
+    - *Microphone:* Marantz Pro MPM-1000
+    - *Keyboard:* Ducky One2 Mini
+    - *Mouse:* Cherry MW2110 (wireless)
+
+*** Laptop 1: Lenovo ThinkPad E490
+
+    - *CPU:* Intel Core i5-8265 @ 1.6GHz
+    - *GPU:* Intel UHD Graphics 620
+    - *RAM:* 16GB
+    - *Storage:* 500GB NVMe-SSD and 500GB SATA-SSD
+    - *OS:* Microsoft Windows 10 Professional, Fedora Workstation 34, Debian 11 Bullseye
+    - *Display*: 14" 1920x1080
+
+*** Laptop 2: Lenovo Y50-70
+
+    - *CPU:* Intel Core i7-4710HQ @ 2.5GHz
+    - *GPU:* NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M and Intel HD Graphics 4600
+    - *RAM:* 12GB
+    - *Storage:* 500GB SATA-SSD
+    - *OS:* Microsoft Windows 10 Education
+    - *Display*: 15", 3840x2160
+
+*** Other hardware
+
+    - *Home server:* BananaPi M2 Ultra with a 2TB HDD
+    - *Smartphone:* Sony Xperia X (F5121)
+    - *Tablet:* Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (TM-830)
+    - *Smart-/Sportswatch:* Garmin vívoactive 3
+    - *Printer/Scanner*: Lexmark MC2425 (Duplex-Colour-Laser)
+    - *E-piano:* Kawai CA-50
+
+** Software
+
+*** Desktop
+
+    - *Browser:* Mostly [[https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/][Firefox]], sometimes Brave, with following extensions:
+      - [[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/privacy-badger17/][Privacy Badger]]
+      - [[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/decentraleyes/][Decentraleyes]]
+      - [[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/https-everywhere/][HTTPS Everywhere]]
+      - [[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/want-my-rss/][Want My RSS]]
+      - [[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/facebook-container/][Facebook Container]]
+      - [[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/tree-style-tab/][Tree Style Tab]]
+      - [[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/keepassxc-browser/][KeePassXC-Browser]]
+      - [[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/link-cleaner/][Link Cleaner]]
+      - [[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/json-lite/][JSON Lite]]
+    - *E-Mail client:* Sometimes [[https://www.thunderbird.net][Thunderbird]], sometimes [[https://www.djcbsoftware.nl/code/mu/mu4e.html][mu4e]]
+    - *Planner:* [[https://orgmode.org/][org-mode]]
+    - *Text editor:* [[https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/][Emacs]], sometimes [[https://code.visualstudio.com/][Visual Studio Code]], notable extensions:
+      - [[https://magit.vc/][Magit]] (the Git client)
+      - [[https://orgmode.org/][org-mode]] (notes, todo-lists, planning, ...)
+      - [[https://www.djcbsoftware.nl/code/mu/mu4e.html][mu4e]] (Mail client)
+      - [[https://www.orgroam.com/][org-roam]] (personal knowledge management)
+      - [[https://emacs-lsp.github.io/lsp-mode/][lsp-mode]] (Language Server Protocol integration)
+      - [[https://www.gnu.org/software/erc/][ERC]] (Emacs IRC cient)
+      - [[https://www.gnu.org/software/auctex/][AucTeX]] (LaTeX editing environment)
+      - [[https://github.com/emacs-evil/evil][evil]] (vi keybindings)
+      - [[https://oremacs.com/swiper/][Ivy, counsel, swiper]] and [[https://company-mode.github.io/][company-mode]] (completion system)
+      - [[https://editorconfig.org/][editorconfig]] (defined and shared code styles)
+      - [[https://github.com/akermu/emacs-libvterm][vterm]] (Emacs libvterm integration)
+    - *Photo management:* Adobe Lightroom Classic (about to switch to something else soon)
+    - *Photo editing:* [[https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/photo/][Affinity Photo]], Adobe Photoshop, [[https://www.gimp.org/][GIMP]]
+    - *Vector graphics:* [[https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/designer/][Affinity Designer]], Adobe Illustrator, [[https://inkscape.org/][Inkscape]]
+    - *Desktop publishing*: [[https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/publisher/][Affinity Publisher]] and [[https://www.latex-project.org/][LaTeX]]
+    - *Video editing:* Currently switching to DaVinci Resolve, [[https://kdenlive.org/en/][kdenlive]]
+    - *Digital audio workstation (DAW):* Adobe Audition, Ableton Live Lite, Audacity (currently undecided)
+    - *Scorewriter:* [[https://musescore.org/][musescore]]
+    - *Music listening:* Spotify
+
+*** Mobile
+
+    - *Browser:* Brave and Firefox
+    - *Messaging:* Conversation (XMPP), Discord, Linphone (softphone), [[https://github.com/MCMrARM/revolution-irc][Revolution IRC]], [[https://www.signal.org/][Signal]], Telegram, [[https://threema.ch/en][Threema]], WhatsApp
+    - *Organization:* [[https://acalendar.tapirapps.de/en/support/home][aCalendar+]] (calendar and tasks), [[https://k9mail.app/][K-9 Mail]] (email)
+    - *Music listening:* Spotify and [[http://y20k.org/transistor/][Transistor]] (radio)
+    - *Social Networks:* [[https://tusky.app/][Tusky]] (Mastodon), [[https://klinkerapps.com/talon-overview/][Talon]] (Twitter), Instagram
+    - *Privacy-tools:* [[https://jak-linux.org/projects/dns66/][DNS66]]
+    - *Security:* [[https://github.com/andOTP/andOTP][andOTP]], [[https://github.com/PhilippC/keepass2android][Keepass2Android]]
+    - *Software centres:* Google Play Store and [[https://f-droid.org/][F-Droid]]
+    - *Others:* [[https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/StreetComplete][StreetComplete]]
+
+** Self-hosted
+
+   Everything except Searx (which runs on my home server) is hosted on a Hetzner VPS.
+   Not really hosted but nevertheless still worth mentioning is [[https://syncthing.net/][Syncthing]].
+
+   - *Wiki:* [[https://moinmo.in/][MoinMoin]]
+   - *RSS:* [[https://freshrss.github.io/FreshRSS/en/][FreshRSS]] with [[https://github.com/RSS-Bridge/rss-bridge/wiki][RSS-bridge]]
+   - *Cloud:* Nextcloud
+   - *Git web interface:* [[https://gitea.io/][Gitea]]
+   - *XMPP:* [[https://prosody.im/][Prosody]]
+   - *Analytics:* Plausible
+   - *IRC Bouncer:* [[https://wiki.znc.in/ZNC][ZNC]]
+   - *Search engine:* [[https://searx.github.io/searx/][Searx]]
+
 * Blog
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@@ -122,30 +227,25 @@
   :EXPORT_HUGO_MENU: :menu main :weight 4
   :END:
 
-  During the last years I started a few small software projects. Sadly
+  Since I started to program in 2014 I started a few small software projects.
-  over the last two years I had nearly no time to maintain any of them
+  Sadly over the last  years I had nearly no time to maintain any of them (except features and bugfixes I needed).
-  (except features and bugfixes I needed). However, I try to further
+  However, I try to further maintain and develop them.
-  maintain and develop them. You can find all of them at [[https://gitlab.com/mmk2410][GitLab]].
+  You can find all of them at [[https://gitlab.com/mmk2410][GitLab]].
 
 ** Debian packages and Ubuntu PPAs
 
-   My unofficial Debian packages and the corresponding Ubuntu PPA for
+   My unofficial Debian packages and the corresponding Ubuntu PPA for Jetbrains IntelliJ IDEA are probably the most “famous” thing I have created.
-   Jetbrains IntelliJ IDEA are probably the most “famous” thing I have
+   At least I get bug reports and merge requests when I do not update the packages fast enough.
-   created. At least I get bug reports and marge requests when I do
-   not update the packages fast enough.
 
    Besides them I also created a few other packages for Debian.
 
-   To clarify: I am not a official Debian Developer or Maintainer and
+   To clarify: I am not a official Debian Developer or Maintainer and am also not formally trained on building Debian packages.
-   am also not formally trained on building Debian packages. Therefore
+   Therefore the quality of the packages is certainly not that good.
-   the quality of the packages is not that good. There are -- more or
+   There are---more or less---quite hacky.
-   less -- quite hacky.
 
 *** IntelliJ IDEA Community & Ultimate
 
-    The community edition and the ultimate edition as well can be
+    The community edition and the ultimate edition as well can be received from the Launchpad repository [[https://launchpad.net/~mmk2410/+archive/ubuntu/intellij-idea][ppa:mmk2410/intellij-idea]] which you can add on Ubuntu with
-    received from the Launchpad repository [[https://launchpad.net/~mmk2410/+archive/ubuntu/intellij-idea][ppa:mmk2410/intellij-idea]]
-    which you can add on Ubuntu with
 
     #+begin_src shell
       sudo apt-add-repository ppa:mmk2410/intellij-idea # Add the repository
@@ -154,17 +254,17 @@
       sudo apt-get install intellij-idea-ultimate # and/or install IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate
     #+end_src
 
-    The source code and the =.deb= packages are available at their
+    The source code and the =.deb= packages are available at their repositories on GitLab:
-    repositories on GitLab:
 
     - [[https://gitlab.com/mmk2410/intellij-idea-community/][IntelliJ IDEA Community repository]]
     - [[https://gitlab.com/mmk2410/intellij-idea-ultimate/][Intellij IDEA Ultimate repository]]
 
 *** Typefaces
 
-    Because I needed them, I packaged three typefaces for Debian. The package should also work for Ubuntu but I don't provide an repository for them.
+    Because I needed them, I packaged three typefaces for Debian.
+    The packages should also work for Ubuntu but I don't provide an PPA for them.
 
-    I currently can not ensure active maintenance of these packages.
+    I currently can not ensure active maintenance of any of these packages.
 
     - *Iosevka*: [[https:://gitlab.com/mmk2410/fonts-iosevka][GitLab]] [[https://git.mmk2410.org/deb/fonts-iosevka][Gitea]]
     - *Hermit*: [[https://gitlab.com/mmk2410/fonts-hermit][GitLab]] [[https://git.mmk2410.org/deb/fonts-iosevka][Gitea]]
@@ -172,13 +272,15 @@
 
 ** Scorelib (inactive)
 
-   Scorelib is a smaller project I started in 2015 for managing my
+   Scorelib is a smaller project I started in 2015 for managing my collection music scores (the sheetpapers) with a database.
-   collection music scores (the sheetpapers) with a database. Scorelib
+   Scorelib is a CLI program written in Python and using SQlite as a database.
-   is a CLI program written in Python and using SQlite as a database.
+   I assume that it only runs on Linux, but I never tested it on other platforms.
-   I assume that it only runs on Linux, but I never tested it on other
+   Scorelib is, as of now, quite small with only the basic features implemented (like I wrote on the beginning, I had no time to code much the last years).
-   platforms. Scorelib is, as of now, quite small with only the basic
+   It is available at [[https://gitlab.com/mmk2410/scorelib][GitLab]].
-   features implemented (like I wrote on the beginning, I had no time
+
-   to code much the last years). It is available at [[https://gitlab.com/mmk2410/scorelib][GitLab]].
+   Note: Although the title says that the project is inactive I do not consider archiving it.
+   Theoretically I still have a need for such a software but practically time is missing to work on it.
+   It is also possible that I will start working on it again but then possibly also with a completely different tech stack/goal.
 
 ** Other
 
@@ -287,9 +389,9 @@
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-  If you want to contact me you can choose among the following options:
+  If you want to contact me you can choose among the following options (though I prefer email):
 
-  - E-Mail: me(at)mmk2410(dot)org (PGP key ID: =CADE 6F0C 09F2 1B09=)
+  - Email: me(at)mmk2410(dot)org (PGP key ID: =CADE 6F0C 09F2 1B09=)
   - XMPP/Jabber: mmk2410(at)xmpp(dot)mmk2410(dot)org
   - Direct Message on either Mastodon or Twitter (accounts see below)