Stefano Marinelli

https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/@stefano

BSD.cafe and illumos Cafe "Barista", Founder and System Administrator, Unix enthusiast ( #FreeBSD, #OpenBSD, #NetBSD, #DragonflyBSD, #Illumos and #Linux ), with a keen eye for everything happening in this world and the fascinating beings that populate it. I enjoy #music, #photography, and, of course, #technology.

Most of my posts will self-destruct after 6 months.

"I Solve Problems" - https://it-notes.dragas.net/2024/10/03/i-solve-problems-eurobsdcon/

About Me (IT Notes Blog): https://it-notes.dragas.net/about-me/
Matrix: Stefano Marinelli (npub1ef5…gcpc):bsd.cafe
About Me (General Blog): https://my-notes.dragas.net/about/
About me page on BSDCafe Wiki: https://wiki.bsd.cafe/user:stefano
FediMeteo: https://fedimeteo.com
BSSG: https://bssg.dragas.net

Public Key

npub1ef53dd26zz26wlxa70xrl238fywamsrfp24nxxysesczwv425r0q6tgcpc

NIP-05 Address

stefano_at_mastodon.bsd.cafe@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsv56gkk4dpp9d80nwl8npl4gn5j8wacp5s42enrzgvcvp8x242phspz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0ds9cswcf

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1ef53dd26zz26wlxa70xrl238fywamsrfp24nxxysesczwv425r0q6tgcpc

Show more details

Published at

2026-08-07T10:47:29Z

Kind type

0 Metadata

Event JSON

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Last Notes

2026-08-04 14:04:07 UTC

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I am often accused of being an AI. Or of generating images with AI. Or writing blog posts with AI.
Maybe I even make coffee with AI?

2026-07-29 06:39:45 UTC

Good morning, #BSDCafe
Good morning, #illumosCafe
Good morning, #Fediverse
Have a great #SeaWednesday !
#MeerMittwoch #Photography #Photo #Picture #Pic #Sea
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/117/001/888/627/339/352/original/d69f9e1d4c3b2a19.jpeg

2026-07-28 18:26:45 UTC

You’re enjoying the evening breeze on the terrace at sunset.
The air gets a bit cooler, gently brushing against your face.
Suddenly, you hear a noise and turn toward the neighbours' house: the septic tank truck is pulling in, as their drain pit unleashes its full olfactory power.
Safe to say, tonight’s breeze is canceled 😆
#SummerEvening

2026-07-28 13:36:48 UTC

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you definitely can

2026-07-28 10:26:22 UTC

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the real slop is inside their minds.

2026-07-28 10:12:08 UTC

A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. "We’re trying to cut back on expenses", he said, "to boost our cash flow." I was hesitant, but hey, I agreed.
Fast forward to this morning: one of his team members calls me asking for help because - and I quote - "both Claude and ChatGPT are giving me answers that just don't feel right."
I asked for a little context, only to find out they had upgraded to the top-tier plans for both AIs so they could "solve problems on their own without bothering me."
So, I dropped my client a line: we either revert to our original agreement, or we wrap up this collaboration effective immediately.
Asking me for a discount just to throw far more money at AI subscriptions - only to call me anyway when the bots fail - is, to say the least, a slap in the face.
#IT #SysAdmin

2026-07-27 21:53:57 UTC

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I also replied from the rpi0w instance

2026-07-27 21:47:03 UTC

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I could read your post there - and I’m fine, thanks!

2026-07-27 18:34:13 UTC

I'm writing this post in the exact same place, on the very same computer I used when I launched BSD Cafe.
It might not mean much to most of you, but it means a lot to me.

2026-07-22 13:50:15 UTC

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yes, I know that pain!
“SSH isn’t secure! You’re not using the …Debian…”
Hey, we’re using OpenBSD so ssh IS secure!
But our documents say if it doesn’t say …Debian…

2026-07-22 12:55:58 UTC

The feud is finally over. And it's honestly hilarious.
Recap: Last week, a client forwarded me a request from the CRM company's support to verify the presence and content of a file in a specific directory.
I SSH'd in, ran ls, pwd, and cat on the file, then copied and pasted the output.
That kicked off a back-and-forth demands for "screenshots." The more I explained (through the client) that all the raw text was right there, the more this guy kept demanding a screenshot - becoming increasingly rude, arrogant, and condescending.
Finally, I told the client: "Put me in direct contact with him, I'll handle it."
He did, but the guy, completely unfazed, kept demanding screen grabs from the client, ignoring me entirely.
I refused to give in. In my field, I love working with people who know more than me so I can learn, and with people who know less so I can teach - or at least share my experience. But arrogance combined with stupidity is something I just can't stomach, especially when they come hand in hand.
Finally, this morning, he comes back at it again. My client, completely fed up, takes a screenshot of the text I had emailed him earlier and sends it over.
Only then did the guy notice a typo and suggest how to fix it.
#IT #SysAdmin
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/963/728/129/719/975/original/2d12a77f615dae29.jpeg

2026-07-04 14:14:42 UTC

I managed an e-commerce server for about ten years. It grew from a small local shop into a major national business, even handling international orders. They expanded to the point where they reduced their local brick-and-mortar store hours because the bulk of their revenue was coming from online sales.
Then one seller came along and convinced them that switching to Shopify would be the key to growing even further. Apparently, their €130/month bare-metal redundant setup - which boasted a calculated uptime of 99.995% over 10 years - just wasn't cutting it anymore.
They’ve been on Shopify for about six months now, and every now and then, I still get the alerts. I left the monitoring active via Uptime Kuma and ran the numbers. Over the last six months, their uptime dropped below 98%.
In other words, in just six months, they’ve been down for almost as many hours as they were during the entire previous decade.
I contacted the client - not because I want to take over the hosting again, but just to understand what on earth happened (we're on excellent terms). Their response was: "We don't know, but if it happened on Shopify, it means it was bound to happen anyway."
As long as we keep swallowing the lie that "the cloud" and "tech giants" are always the right solution for us, we completely deserve the cloud and the tech giants.
#IT #SysAdmin #OwnYourData

2026-06-18 09:18:35 UTC

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the FTTH will be at home. Impossible, at the moment, in the office as there's a blocking ancient wall under the road and they can't drill a hole. SO things will be sloooow there

2026-06-15 08:38:46 UTC

Dear BSD Cafe friends,
we have Matrix and a wonderful Delta Chat relay.
A BSD Cafe xmpp server...
#BSDCafe #BSDCafeServices

2026-06-14 12:47:28 UTC

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Interesting, isn't it? Like the story of the Pizza Margherita: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_Margherita

2026-06-14 12:05:36 UTC

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absolutely. And there’s no bread in that bag but two slices of torta tenerina: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenerina

2026-06-13 06:42:13 UTC

This morning I got a Medium digest email.
One of the articles had an interesting title. I click it. The page loads and I start reading.
Insipid content, 100% AI-generated.
Then the popup appears: I have to pay to read the rest.
Paying to read a sterile, useless article with a clickbait title generated by an AI?
I just... I don't even know...

2026-06-06 12:33:24 UTC

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this is great. Having it on OpenBSD would be incredibly great, too!

2026-06-06 12:28:17 UTC

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thanks!
Yes, it does. The cookbook works fantastically.
I've installed it into a tick jail and it runs 🙂

2026-06-06 08:10:20 UTC

Dear friends of the BSD Cafe,
One of the principles this place was built on has always been free communication. Whether on the Fediverse or on Matrix, the goal is the same: open, secure, private, decentralized tools. Because we know, from experience, that anything centralized will sooner or later come to an end.
Matrix is great, and we like it. But it's tied to its server - you can't migrate away (easily). It does its job well, yet sometimes it asks for more than a conversation should: heavy to host, hard to leave.
So when my friend @npub1lc9…nn5c brought it up again at EuroBSDCon, I decided to give Delta Chat another try after many years. And yes - its philosophy fits mine, and the Cafe’s, well.
For a few months we ran a relay - a chatmail server - but it was on Debian, and I didn't want to make an official service that runs on Debian. Not because it doesn't work: it works perfectly. But because it wouldn't be in the spirit of this place.
Thanks to @npub1swc…y2dn 's excellent cookbook recipe, I also kept a private relay of my own running for months, just to test it. It held up beautifully. So yesterday, with the help of some friends in the cookbook chat, I migrated the Debian server to FreeBSD - accounts and data included - and I can finally call it a stable, official Cafe service.
Our chatmail relay - https://chatmail.bsd.cafe - runs on FreeBSD, in a jail. Which means it gets everything the other services get: hourly backups via zfs send and receive, FreeBSD's security, and all the rest.
I'd encourage everyone to try Delta Chat. Secure, decentralized communication built on protocols we already know and trust: the ones behind email. And the development is moving fast. Multi-relay is no longer a promise - it's here, and it's solid: a single profile can use several relays at once, so your account and your reachability survive even if one of them goes down and disappears. That's real resilience. The real decentralization, the one we love.
Because Signal is great. But Signal, too, is centralized. And we happen to like the true spirit of the Internet.
#BSDCafe #BSDCafeServices #BSDCafeAnnouncements #DeltaChat #ChatMail #Communication #OwnYourData

2026-06-04 17:56:19 UTC

"Aggressive caching for a Mastodon reverse proxy: what to cache, what to never cache, and why content negotiation will eventually betray you"
A 34 min read
Coming tomorrow, on IT Notes!
#ITNotes #StayTuned #Mastodon #Fediverse #nginx #IT #SysAdmin

2026-06-03 21:09:18 UTC

They work!
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/688/220/683/211/628/original/340ebee9c8783ad1.mp4

2026-06-03 21:07:41 UTC

Sending #OpenBSD Puffy to test if the BSD Cafe images are being sent.
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/688/213/857/032/208/original/3c282f73bc41c9a2.png

2026-06-03 18:36:09 UTC

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they just released the first beta - so it should be a matter of weeks

2026-06-03 17:03:53 UTC

@npub1zdf…6u9l Hello! How are you?
Mastodon 4.6.0 beta is out - I tried to see if there's a BirdUI release that is compatible with it, but I didn't find it. Have you tested it/will you release a compatible build?
Thank you!

2026-05-31 16:43:15 UTC

Believe it or not, Italians can do certain things too!
#Sweets #Pizza #Nutella
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/670/184/571/693/311/original/40fa1b7b1ce0b3b7.jpeg

2026-05-28 17:34:33 UTC

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Same situation here. Three requests today. The last one: I'm interested in topics like technology, the environment, open-source
culture, and connecting with people who care about building healthier online
spaces. I plan to use the account to follow my interests, share ideas, and
engage positively with the community.
Which is, more or less, the same kind of message they usually use.
I'm considering to change the BSD Cafe signup procedure...

2026-05-26 12:44:31 UTC

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😆 so, what are you doing with your servers? 😆

2026-05-26 12:40:29 UTC

New wave of bot registrations on both the Mastodon and NodeBB (billboard) instances.
In these cases, unfortunately, a few incorrect approvals or denials might slip through.
But surely Svetlana, who wants to sign up because the community might appreciate her erotic content, isn't exactly what BSD Cafe is about.
#BSDCafe

2026-05-25 19:03:06 UTC

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Here "just" 27.8. This time your house is hotter than mine, despite the 34 C we had today.

2026-05-25 18:55:01 UTC

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suspend/resume isn't supported there, so I'm excluding it for that specific reason.

2026-05-25 18:41:46 UTC

The little Acer doesn't (totally) love OpenBSD 7.9:
- fans are always spinning fast and it's hot. I could probably try to fix it, but I have no time at the moment
- it doesn't suspend - and it's critical, for me
I haven't tried other things, except that Mate works perfectly on X and I can use the touchpad. Volume controls work, the brightness controls work. A step ahead from 7.8, but still not perfect.
I'll probably reinstall Void Linux on ZFS.
#OpenBSD #Linux #Laptop

2026-05-22 16:33:56 UTC

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Moooarrr powaaaarrr!
More than for the bandwidth, I'm waiting for the FTTH for the reduced latency. That makes a real difference.

2026-05-22 11:24:22 UTC

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this would work, but I'm trying to avoid using (external) CDNs, at the moment.

2026-05-22 07:55:37 UTC

EDIT: done, let me know if you experience problems
Brew (#forgejo), as usual, is being overloaded by the scrapers.
I think I'll have to put an Anubis in front of it. I don't love those "blocks", but sometimes you need to.
#BSDCafe #BSDCafeServices

2026-05-21 12:24:24 UTC

A core memory just unlocked and I need to share it. As a kid, I was fascinated by Zak McKracken because you could just wander around freely. It felt so groundbreaking at the time.
My English was practically non-existent back then, so I played with a dictionary by my side. Every now and then, before the aliens showed up, the screen would read: "Meanwhile, in a secret room..."
For some reason, I used to read "Meanwhile" as "Menaville". I was convinced it was an actual location where the aliens were hiding, so I spent hours flying Zak around like crazy, desperately trying to find an airport that offered a flight to "Menaville".
#RetroGaming #ZakMcKracken #LucasArts #PointAndClick #Memories

2026-05-20 07:43:34 UTC

So, #GitHub has been hacked.
Own Your Data!
#OwnYourData

2026-05-20 06:15:52 UTC

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the other (the 9 Pro XL I had in Zagreb) is on Google stock at the moment. My test chain is this:
- test things on GrapheneOS
- test things on Google Android
- test things on iPhone
So when customers call and say "hey, this isn't working!" I can debug it on several different platforms.
The only one I trust is the Pixel 7 with GrapheneOS - and I'm curious to see the new Motorola with native GoS.

2026-05-19 21:13:31 UTC

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the pixel 7 is

2026-05-19 20:28:41 UTC

Although I like my iPhone, when I pick up the Pixel I get a sense of greater speed. It’s probably the animations, but I move faster.

2026-05-18 07:46:47 UTC

FediMeteo, HAProxy, and the art of not wasting snac threads
How FediMeteo uses HAProxy caching, static pages, and small FreeBSD jails to keep snac quiet and serve ActivityPub traffic efficiently.
https://it-notes.dragas.net/2026/05/18/fedimeteo-haproxy-and-the-art-of-not-wasting-snac-threads/
#FediMeteo #snac #snac2 #haproxy #freebsd #it #sysadmin #ITNotes

2026-05-15 18:57:14 UTC

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I love the MX-5! Well done!

2026-05-15 16:29:26 UTC

How to force reboot a frozen Linux or FreeBSD machine
https://it-notes.dragas.net/2023/01/08/how-to-force-reboot-a-frozen-linux-or-freebsd-servers/
I've just used this...
#Linux #FreeBSD

2026-05-15 13:17:19 UTC

"I need the full DevOps workflow to publish the site."
"It's a static site. Here are the SFTP credentials to upload the files you have, which were generated by the client's SSG."
"You don't understand. I need to upload the site; I need the DevOps procedure."
"No, you don't understand. It's generated by BSSG; all you have to do is upload the output via SFTP into the FreeBSD jail and the deploy is automatic."
Silence.
"But how does the deploy bot handle it?"
Silence.
The person who hired him (as an intern) gets on the line:
"Just humor him, the kid is sharp-he's really good with AI!"
I tell him we're talking about two completely different things.
He fires back: "If you can't keep up with him, I think you need to update your skills. That's what we're paying you for."
And that was that. I've decided that for 80 Euros a year - while providing a dedicated FreeBSD jail, over 100GB of hosting, backups, monitoring, and custom BSSG tweaks - they can definitely find someone more "up to date" elsewhere.
#TGIF #IT #SysAdmin #HorrorStories

2026-05-15 10:33:22 UTC

A client asked for a server install for a specific CRM developed by one of Italy's biggest software houses. They’re dropping Windows Server 2022 support in a few months, even though the OS itself has a much longer lifecycle.
We looked into Linux support: Rocky Linux 9 and Ubuntu 24.04 are "certified", but only until April 2027. Since we'd rather not reinstall everything in less than a year, we asked for a path that guarantees official support beyond 2027.
The "support" team replied with a canned response, attaching a 2023 document where every single distribution is listed as EoL since 2025. 🤡
And then people ask me why these "software giants" are the primary cause of my receding hairline...
#SysAdmin #TechLife #EnterpriseSoftware #ITProblems #CRM #IT #OwnYourData

2026-05-15 10:13:44 UTC

We are all different from each other.
Although we look alike, no one is the same as the other. Yet we are all equally necessary, we are all equally important.
Let us learn to respect each other in our differences and, all together we will be something much greater, like the sea.
#Photography #Photo #Raindrops #FensterFreitag #WindowFriday #Life
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/578/057/895/809/861/original/bd22737a9a9a0632.jpeg

2026-05-13 06:37:34 UTC

Bambu Lab is abusing the open source social contract
https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2026/bambu-lab-abusing-open-source-social-contract/
by @npub1zsz…4f77
Sooner or later, I'll buy a 3D printer. But, after this, I think I'll look at other brands.
#OpenSource

2026-05-12 18:29:31 UTC

Today I spoke with someone I've known for a very long time. We have a relationship of mutual trust, and when I can, I answer his questions about technology. Today he managed to put me in a difficult position.
He is going through a hard time and would like to do something, but doing it would require him to join a club. This club, although legitimate, legal, and in my eyes perfectly acceptable, could cause him some trouble at work if that information ever came out. Not so much in today's world, but in the world tomorrow may turn into.
Five years ago I would have told him to go ahead, without hesitation. Today, I truly could not reassure him. On the one hand, there is nothing bad or wrong about it. On the other, I no longer trust those who manage our personal data.
A provider has already notified me three times in the past year that my data was involved in a breach. Because of a particular relationship I have with them, I asked for clarification, and they explained that development, which is not managed by them, has become lower quality and that changing company is difficult. At the same time, they are worried about the repercussions.
Now: the fact that I am a customer of that company is not a problem. Even less so my email address, or the hash of my unique password. But if this acquaintance of mine were to be affected by a data breach in that context, he would be taking a serious risk. Much greater than he suspects.
So tonight I'm in limbo. He thanked me and decided not to sign up. I feel guilty, perhaps, for having been overly cautious.
#Security

2026-05-10 10:11:32 UTC

RE: https://poliversity.it/@devconf/116549350437622576
La DevConf sarà un evento davvero interessante, ricco di interventi stimolanti.
Il programma prevede argomenti a tutto tondo, con una particolare attenzione al Fediverse e alle tecnologie di comunicazione libera.
Personalmente presenterò #FediMeteo, raccontando come è nato, perché, come è fatto, a chi è rivolto, alla libertà dietro il progetto stesso. E ad una truffa.
Stay tuned!
https://devconf.it/2026/programma.html
#DevConf #DevConfItalia #IT #SysAdmin #Fediverso #Fediverse #OwnYourData
#note19et…37ar

2026-05-07 09:09:24 UTC

Monitor your devices with LibreNMS on FreeBSD
A guide on how to set up LibreNMS inside a FreeBSD jail.
https://it-notes.dragas.net/2026/05/07/monitor-your-services-with-librenms-on-freebsd/
#ITNotes #FreeBSD #Monitoring #Server #OwnYourData #Alerting #IT #SysAdmin #LibreNMS

2026-05-06 17:10:27 UTC

The morning when the technician came to carry out the inspection for my last FTTC line, it became clear that COVID would not be a contained problem.
This morning the technician came to carry out the inspection for the activation of the FTTH.
I’m not activating any more fixed connections...
#hantavirus #covid

2026-05-03 10:30:06 UTC

Yesterday, one of the younger electricians was telling me about the beauty of the new alarm systems he installs. While acknowledging the quality of my current one, he said, "It uses a SIM card and calls you. The new ones are 4G or Wi-Fi and use the cloud, so notifications go straight to your smartphone, it's not calling anymore."
I asked him, "And what if the cloud stops working? Why should I have to depend on the company’s cloud to receive alerts from my alarm? My alarm is 10 years old and works perfectly. Can you say with certainty that the company’s cloud will still be effective 10 years from now?"
He looked puzzled for a moment, then admitted he had never thought about it.
The real problem is that people do not realize what this means until things actually happen.
#OwnYourData

2026-05-02 08:44:40 UTC

Alex Zanardi has died.
I met him once by chance, many years ago, in Bologna. That man was pure energy.
The news saddens me.

2026-05-02 08:35:30 UTC

Good morning, world!
The works are proceeding and I can mostly sit and check from time to time.
Hands and feet are cold, but no fever and generally feeling better.
But, above all, lasagne will arrive in one hour from now.
You know, you need energy to recover, don’t you? 😀

2026-05-01 10:28:36 UTC

Some fever, weak and sleepy.
Today I'll (mostly) stay in bed.

2026-04-24 18:34:02 UTC

Problem solved
#Pizza #Food
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/461/117/075/223/724/original/9739f3648c0068eb.jpg

2026-04-13 07:41:07 UTC

RE: https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/@stefano/116396058506070034
Sometimes I start "battles" to convince "vibe coding devs" to actually learn something. Sometimes I succeed (especially with the younger ones), other times I don't (especially with the less young ones, who became devs precisely "thanks" to vibe coding).
What holds them back is often practical: they say things move so fast that stopping to learn something means "wasting time", since whatever they learn will be outdated very quickly anyway.
Maybe we've moved too fast and we're still moving too fast. I'm seeing worrying things, like stable projects implemented in Go that are "using AI" to progressively rewrite everything in Rust. Why?
Still, the fact remains that at least the basics should be there. To drive a car, even with semi-autonomous driving systems, you still need a license. So why isn't this considered necessary when writing the code for the system that will handle my sensitive data? Not a license, clearly. But, at least, some basic knowledge.
#Programming #IT #SysAdmin
#note1sef…eerd

2026-04-13 07:04:06 UTC

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I'm not sure about it, as I (still) don't know the purpose of this server.
I've recently deployed Coolify for another similar setup and they're satisfied, so I'll try to understand if that's an option.

2026-04-13 06:48:24 UTC

My week starts with a request: "I need a server to deploy to production, but the devs have no idea how to do it. They don't know how to use the terminal, they don’t know how to handle certificates, nothing. They need to be able to click a few buttons and deploy directly to production. They're Vibe Coding experts."
Welcome to 2026.
#SysAdmin #IT

2026-04-12 12:45:04 UTC

When the sun sets, its light becomes warmer and the tones turn redder. A sense of peace prevails, especially when the reflections kiss the water, illuminating even more and highlighting the colorful buildings around.
It would be nice if all of us, without exception, stopped fighting our daily battles and paused, at least for a few minutes, to listen to the silence of the sun as it kisses our skin at sunset.
Perhaps we would finally understand that life is too short not to appreciate moments like this.
#sunset #SilentSunday #peace #reflection #serenity #appreciation #lifeisbeautiful #Photography #Photo #Italy #Chioggia #Venezia #Venice #Water
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/391/798/058/770/068/original/123a4f063498ef67.jpeg

2026-04-12 08:29:59 UTC

Happy Sunday, #BSDCafe
Happy Sunday, #illumosCafe
Happy Sunday, #Fediverse
Let’s keep looking forward, always forward, without forgetting where we come from but without looking back.
#SilentSunday #Photography #Photo #Countryside #Relax #Silence #Peace
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/390/777/222/517/315/original/9537db5ae90edebf.jpeg

2026-04-08 19:04:08 UTC

Porting Mac OS X to the Nintendo Wii
https://bryankeller.github.io/2026/04/08/porting-mac-os-x-nintendo-wii.html

2026-04-05 09:14:07 UTC

I start my modern car (2023) that's been sitting for about ten days. The very first thing it does is demand a software update, which fails because the battery is "too low". After driving it to charge, it finally starts the update (locking me out of the car for 30 minutes, completely unusable). Once it's done, the dashboard becomes "more modern" - which basically means it's worse and cluttered with useless information.
Then, I start the old car (2007) that's been parked for MONTHS. It spits out some smelly exhaust, makes a weird noise for a few seconds, and goes: "Let's go, I need to stretch my 'legs'."
I take it to the car wash. A guy there with a brand-new Chinese car takes a look and asks me about it. I tell him it's from 2007.
He peers inside the cabin and asks about the "infotainment" setup, since he "can't see the screen".
I calmly explain that it has a CD player, it even reads MP3s, and it has an Aux-in: I just plug my phone in with a cable and that's it.
He looked at me like I was an alien. Or an ancient Roman. How on earth do I survive without a screen always available, and having to actually plug in a physical cable every time? Crazy!
#cars #tech #ux #enshittification #software

2026-04-01 16:29:52 UTC

Today, we're introducing three things.
The first one is a forum. A real forum - with categories, threads, and actual conversations that don't disappear in a timeline after six minutes.
The second is a Fediverse platform. Fully federated, ActivityPub-native. Your posts go out, the world's posts come in. No walled gardens, no algorithms, no tricks.
The third is a Bar. A place to sit down, talk to strangers who happen to care about the same weird things you do, and stay as long as you want.
A forum. A Fediverse platform. A bar.
Are you getting it?
These are not three separate things. This is one thing.
And we're calling it Billboard.
https://billboard.bsd.cafe
And no, we checked the calendar. We know. This is not an April Fools' joke.
We're just really bad at timing.
#BSDCafe #BSDCafeServices

2026-03-31 13:37:46 UTC

My wife, after hearing a random snippet from yet another video on social media: 'It sounds like a band of dead people playing.'
My mental image after hearing her say that:
#Quotes #Videogames #RetroGaming #MonkeyIsland
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/324/056/075/401/033/original/722cc8e24c8f8df0.mp4

2026-03-30 17:16:08 UTC

There is a subtle, almost sadistic pleasure in what I’m doing right now: I open boxes of brand-new ThinkCentre PCs, unpack them, hook them up to a monitor, keyboard, and network cable. I boot from USB and replace the preinstalled Windows 11 (never even started) with my Debian 13 golden image, using Clonezilla.
As of today, the setup is based on Debian 13, but I’m already working on a variant based on FreeBSD and jails.
#Linux #FreeBSD #Clonezilla #LiberatingPCs

2026-03-25 07:34:29 UTC

Good morning, world!
The FTTC is still down. I need to prepare some (FreeBSD based) setups and I'm late. I can't manage them with the backup connection, so I'm getting a little worried.
Meanwhile, I'm listening to some music, a specific song I use when I need some charge, preparing for another long day.
Have a great Wednesday!

2026-03-24 19:06:05 UTC

Mario solved the problem.
But I increasingly feel like I chose the wrong job. If I asked for the same amount for the same hours of work, I'd be considered too expensive. And his job isn't threatened by LLMs or by people using them.
In the end, unclogging pipes pays better than keeping servers running.
And that’s a fact that should make us reflect on today’s society.

2026-03-22 19:10:39 UTC

This winter I couldn't use my favorite jacket. Sure, it's old by now and a bit loose (I bought it when I was heavier). But I haven't been able to find it since last summer. The last known location was Ottawa, in the sense that I had taken it to BSDCan but didn't end up using it. It packs down nicely in a backpack, so it's great for traveling.
I spent the whole winter wondering where I might have lost it. Maybe in Ottawa, but that didn't seem likely. I didn't take it to Zagreb. Maybe at my parents' place? But they would have found it. So eventually I came to terms with it: it was gone.
A little while ago I opened the wardrobe to look for a shirt to wear tomorrow and... there it was, hanging among the shirts (I have no idea why), clean and smelling fresh. My wife knows nothing about it.
I'm starting to think the ghost of the previous owner is still wandering around this house.
Or, more simply, sometimes I just have my head in "the clouds" 😆
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/274/405/163/035/459/original/12be1e15b829de59.webp

2026-03-22 19:01:09 UTC

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I like both of them, but for a workstation I have a very good experience with Void.

2026-03-22 16:08:10 UTC

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wow. That's a beautiful soundtrack.

2026-03-21 16:42:46 UTC

I took a walk and went to check the spot where they cut the FTTC line. There’s a hole, just like the one that was in front of my house when they broke the water pipes. The road is covered in dried mud, there’s a temporary patch to supply water to the neighborhood, and the main cable/fiber is completely severed. No one was working on it.
In other words, the providers' promises to restore service by this morning, or at the latest tomorrow morning, are pointless, because I don't think they'll be able to intervene over the weekend.
In the meantime, I've had to postpone an important installation because I need a stable connection. I can't do it at the office either, both because it's still unusable due to #Crapturday, and because I can't move all the machines there.
Some of my neighbors don't have a 4G/5G backup connection and are avoiding leaving their homes, since there's currently a spike in burglaries and their cameras are unreachable from outside. Even some alarm systems are affected, which in my opinion is a design flaw.
More, all the 4G/5G networks are overloaded (more than 2000 persons are affected by this problem) and it's also affecting the nearby hospital. Slowdowns there as well, since the nearest base stations are often the ones close to the hospital. Personally, I configured the Chateau to use the bands farther from the hospital, so as to leave more resources available for them.
It struggles a bit more and my bandwidth drops, but that's not a priority for me today.
At least today I had a good lasagna 😉

2026-03-21 09:45:00 UTC

Your reader, your couch, your rules.
Starting today, both my-notes.dragas.net and it-notes.dragas.net are changing the way they distribute content - on RSS and on the Fediverse alike.
No more excerpts. No more "read more" links. Full posts, delivered directly to you, wherever you choose to read them.
Here's why:
I don't run ads. I don't have paywalls. I don't sell attention, or measure success in page views. I never have, and I have no intention of starting. My blogs exist because I enjoy writing, and because
some of what I write might be useful - or simply enjoyable - to someone else.
That's the whole business model. There isn't one.
When that's the case, there's no reason to keep content behind a click.
Sending you a teaser and asking you to visit my site would only make sense if I needed you *on my site* - for an impression, for a conversion, for something. I don't. So why would I make you leave your reader, your client, your comfortable corner of the internet, just to come to mine?
What I want instead is simple: that you can read what I write the way you'd read a book on a cold winter evening, wrapped in a warm blanket. Privately.
Quietly. On your own terms, in your own space, without anything tracking your eyes or nudging you toward something else.
Your RSS reader is yours. Your Fediverse instance is yours. The content should be yours too.
If you're on the Fediverse, you can follow both accounts directly:
- my-notes → @npub1q2n…fuvr
- it-notes → @npub1peu…lsmk
These are low-traffic accounts. If you don't want them to get lost in your timeline, feel free to hit the notification bell. I promise it won't make much noise.
So from now on, it will be.
#ITNotes #MyNotes #Blogging #Fediverse

2026-03-19 19:59:13 UTC

The Chateau is connected to my home network via wifi. The rb5009 is using the Chateau as gateway.
The home network is now decently connected.
It's a little more complex than this, but it works.

2026-03-18 13:41:38 UTC

I just finished an amazing call.
The person I was talking to was trying to explain to me that Docker is an entire operating system, so he doesn’t want Linux or any of the BSDs, but Docker. I explained that, in order to run Docker, you need a kernel.
"No, you don't. Docker does everything on its own. If you think that, then you don’t really understand operating systems."
I told the guy that I couldn’t help him, since I'm not experienced enough with operating systems. He was a bit disappointed, but we said goodbye on friendly terms.
I'm used to recognizing when I'm too ignorant for the person I'm talking to, and I'm happy to step aside.
#IT #SysAdmin

2026-03-18 07:44:06 UTC

Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto
This sentence is more than two thousand years old, and I believe it is more relevant today than ever.
Human beings have always created tools to improve their condition. Their productivity. We have invented tools for agriculture, medicine, electronics, and more. Each of these techniques and technologies has solved a problem (often creating others, but that is part of the game).
One thing I have never understood, however, is the desire to dehumanize ourselves. To remove from humans what is human. It almost seems as if the dream of many is to become machines. Productivity at all costs, even if it means crushing people, just to see numbers grow. Results achieved through shortcuts, even if that means losing something along the way.
Alongside this, there is also a push toward total standardization, stripping away the unique traits that define us as individuals.
To be human means having emotions, desires, dreams, thoughts. If we give up all of this, what is left of us?
#Reflections #Life

2026-03-17 18:09:09 UTC

The last spam e-mail I've just received. This is funny:
"Hi
I came across Illumos Cafe online and wanted to reach out because we're working with other communities that are offering operating systems.‍"
...ok...
"I’m currently working with a few communities on campaigns that are getting their sales teams meetings with warm leads every month. We’re targeting people who need operating systems using personalized email sequences. "
...WHAT???...
"If I could help you connect with potential clients like this, would that be helpful to you?‍"
...WHAT????...
LLMs, at their worst...

2026-03-16 08:04:40 UTC

Why I love FreeBSD
A personal reflection on my first encounter with FreeBSD in 2002, how it shaped the way I design and run systems, and why its philosophy, stability, and community still matter to me more than twenty years later.
https://it-notes.dragas.net/2026/03/16/why-i-love-freebsd/
#FreeBSD #ITNotes #RunBSD #IT #SysAdmin #OS #OpenSource

2026-03-14 11:43:42 UTC

Where Have You Been for the Last 20 Years?
A personal journey from 20 years of self-doubt to discovering the welcoming BSD community at BSDCan. Sometimes courage comes later in life.
https://my-notes.dragas.net/2025/06/17/where-have-you-been-for-the-last-20-years/
#BSDCan #BSDCon #EuroBSDCon #Life #Memories #MyNotes

2026-03-14 10:13:37 UTC

Dear friends of the #BSDCafe and the entire community,
Unfortunately, sometimes things in life do not go as planned. Becoming an adult also means learning to accept this and to set priorities. Over the past few months I have had some family matters that required my attention. I waited as long as possible before making a final decision, but the moment has now come.
I have informed the BSDCan team that, sadly, I will have to withdraw from the event and will not be able to present my talk.
BSD conferences have become some of the most important events of the year for me. They bring joy, positivity, and motivation. When one ends, I already start looking forward to the next with enthusiasm. In Zagreb I said goodbye to everyone with "see you in Ottawa". This year, unfortunately, that will not happen.
The only consolation is that the situation fortunately seems to be moving toward a resolution, although more slowly than expected. Because of this, I cannot in good conscience keep things uncertain and hope that everything will work out in time. I need to take a step back for now, already feeling the enthusiasm for the next EuroBSDCon.
#BSDCan #EuroBSDCon #BSD #RunBSD

2026-03-13 20:13:43 UTC

I learned a technique to avoid spending too much time in front of the computer after dinner. Basically, I decided that as soon as I need to go pee, I shut it down. It works. Except then I turn it back on because “just one more thing…”

2026-03-13 16:32:00 UTC

The Scent of the City
A morning walk through Ferrara becomes a journey through scent and memory - from London coffee to a grandmother's market, from ancient hospital corridors to the unmistakable perfume of fresh bread.
https://my-notes.dragas.net/2026/03/13/the-scent-of-the-city/
#MyNotes #Life #Reflections #Family #Memories #Ferrara

2026-03-12 11:35:42 UTC

Alright, here we are. The decline is accelerating.
An IT manager at a client company, someone capable I've been collaborating with for years, recently hired three new developers. However, he asked me for a Linux server instead of the usual FreeBSD because "that way the devs can move faster, AIs can't produce valid results for BSD systems".
Given our relationship, I called him and told him I disagreed. Somewhat bitterly, he replied that these guys had been "imposed on him". They're polite and willing, but completely lacking any real programming principles. They are "experts in vibe coding", and for management that's more than enough.
In other words, we're not supposed to build a working and efficient server anymore, but a vibe-coding-friendly one.
My instinctive reaction was to ask him whether, when a data breach eventually happens, because sooner or later it will if the people writing the code neither write nor read code, they'll be able to tell the authorities that the data controller was an AI.
He didn't say anything else and thanked me. Maybe, and I stress maybe, management will understand that.
#IT #SysAdmin

2026-03-12 08:10:26 UTC

Sometimes the world is more beautiful when viewed through the reflection of the water.
Happiness is most beautiful when seen through the eyes of the people we love.
#Photography #Photo #Life #Reflections #ThrowbackThursday #Throwback
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/215/183/378/325/480/original/81b224d3d23133bd.jpeg

2026-03-11 15:50:45 UTC

- reply

I had 142 servers there. I will never forget that night/day

2026-03-05 16:43:38 UTC

One of the reasons why, over time, I've learned not to condemn things outright is that life itself teaches you something important: sometimes you have to make the wrong choice for the right reasons.
Life is full of compromises. And the more you live, the more you learn (or should learn) to be at least a little tolerant of the choices others make, even when they seem to clash with your own convictions.
In the past few weeks I've had to make decisions I would never have imagined a few years ago. Choices very far from my own point of view. But sometimes reality pushes you into a corner, and the options are simple: give up, or make a "wrong" choice now and fix things later.
A recent example I can share: I advised a client to reinstall Windows 11. I wasn't happy about it, but at that moment there was no real alternative.
This morning he told me their software will soon move to a web-based platform. Which means the next step will be a new FreeBSD server and, at that point, the clients can move to Linux or a BSD system.
Fight your battles. Stand for what you believe in. But try to remain clear-headed.
Life teaches that you often go farther by moving slowly but steadily toward your destination, stopping every now and then to look around.
#Life

2026-03-03 09:12:54 UTC

There's a new wave of spam - all around the Fediverse.
Please remember, there's no "Mastodon Moderation Team" sending out strange verification messages.
That's all spam.
#Mastodon #Fediverse #FediTips #Spam #CyberSecurity

2026-03-02 09:48:56 UTC

The Scent of Freedom
A rubber keychain shaped like a foot, a Piaggio Zip, and the sweet, terrifying taste of independence.
https://my-notes.dragas.net/2026/03/02/the-scent-of-freedom/
#MyNotes #Blogging #Memories #Life #Reflections

2026-03-02 07:25:53 UTC

Today is my grandfather’s birthday. He would have turned 99, and he was the one who inspired the #FediMeteo project.
Happy birthday, Grandpa.
https://it-notes.dragas.net/2025/02/26/fedimeteo-how-a-tiny-freebsd-vps-became-a-global-weather-service-for-thousands/
#Birthday

2026-03-01 19:43:30 UTC

Let me introduce you... Her Majesty, the Pizza!
#Food #Pizza #Italy #Italia
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/155/624/852/459/333/original/bf771f84c70774ab.jpeg

2026-03-01 14:04:03 UTC

Solitary, serene, and shining in the Silent Sunday Sunset
#Photography #Photo #SilentSunday #Sunset #Italy #Winter #LateWinter
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/114/014/537/242/529/921/original/5dd8a76f2a3fde6d.jpg

2026-02-23 11:01:38 UTC

179 Euros
A 179 Euro purchase in 2010 seemed like a splurge. 16 years later, that appliance has survived moves, earthquakes, and snowstorms, becoming a silent witness to my life's changes.
https://my-notes.dragas.net/2026/02/22/179-euros/
#MyNotes #Blogging #Life #Memories

2026-02-22 18:11:16 UTC

#MastoBlaster has its own #Fediverse account - powered by #snac
Follow @npub1gxv…wqs9 to receive all the updates, insights, etc.
#iOS #Fediverse #Mastodon #snac #GoToSocial #ActivityPub

2026-02-22 12:28:33 UTC

The path is dark, with a few splashes of color.
But the light is there, at the end.
#Photography #Photo #SilentSunday #ThereIsHope
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/114/276/780/054/835/original/f7c2d656103b9470.jpg

2026-02-18 13:19:52 UTC

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here 🙂
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/091/830/458/233/151/original/c786f9268cf36c6f.png
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/091/830/461/607/622/original/e49e1b15b97a5ec8.png
https://media.bsd.cafe/bsdmmedia01/media_attachments/files/116/091/830/470/466/808/original/83a349e3764ca198.png

2026-02-18 12:18:25 UTC

After quite some time, I’m finally ready to share this.
MastoBlaster is now available in public testing on TestFlight.
It is a lightweight, privacy-first Fediverse client for iOS, built around a simple idea: fast, small, predictable behavior, and first-class support for snac.
What makes it different:
• snac-first by design, not "compatible by accident"
• Works with all Mastodon API compatible software, including Mastodon, snac, GoToSocial, Akkoma, and others
• EXIF stripping on upload (HDR and orientation preserved)
• Optional on-device alt text generation via Apple Intelligence for your uploads and for images in your timeline
• Markdown posting for snac
• Granular notifications, grouping, multi-account
• Blocking and moderation tools
• Very small footprint, very low RAM usage
Alt text generation happens entirely on device via Apple APIs on supported hardware. Nothing is sent to external services.
It is built around my own workflow and priorities. It may not be for everyone, and that is perfectly fine.
Important note:
MastoBlaster will always be free for BSD Cafe users, illumos Cafe users, and for anyone connecting to a snac instance, including self-hosted ones.
The app is already usable, but this is still a test phase. I am looking for feedback, bug reports, and real-world usage insights.
TestFlight link:
https://testflight.apple.com/join/Pkxa5R1k
Stay tuned.
#MastoBlaster #iOS #Fediverse #Mastodon #snac #snac2 #Akkoma #GoToSocial #ActivityPub #OwnYourData

2026-02-17 18:19:40 UTC

The Doctor's Eyes
Curious minds never grow old. Their fear isn't aging, but running out of time to learn.
https://my-notes.dragas.net/2026/02/16/the-doctors-eyes/
#MyNotes #Blogging #Life #Reflections #Science

2026-02-12 17:39:21 UTC

There is a Mastodon instance that publishes content from its own PeerTube instance. These contents are narrated aloud, likely by an AI, in several languages, and are based on articles that appear online. Today this happened with an article I shared from my blog.
The problem is that there is no attribution to the original author and or the original source site. On the contrary, it gives the impression that the content was produced directly by whoever runs that site or instance.
This is completely detached from the idea of properly sharing information. Taking inspiration is a wonderful thing. Claiming someone else’s work as your own is not.
I contacted the account in question this morning. I have not received any reply, even though other content has been published in the meantime. A short while ago I also contacted the instance administrator.
I will wait until tomorrow morning. If I do not receive a satisfactory response, I will publicly disclose the instance and the related content and block the entire domain. There are additional details that I prefer not to reveal at this time which further worsen the situation.
This is not how we act in the Fediverse.
In the Fediverse we respect one another.
Let us avoid bringing improper practices here. You are free to use my posts as you wish. You can even make money by applying my advice.
Just do not take away my attribution.
#Fediverse #FediBlock #FediAdmin #HeadsUP

2026-02-12 10:10:24 UTC

Make your own Read-Only Device with NetBSD
One detail that is often overlooked when dealing with embedded (or remote) devices is a key point of vulnerability: the file system.
https://it-notes.dragas.net/2024/09/10/make-your-own-readonly-device-with-netbsd/
#NetBSD #RunBSD #EmbeddedDevices #OwnYourData #ITNotes

2026-02-11 20:08:55 UTC

Just received an email from my mail server administrator. They sent me a link to change my password because it's 'insecure'.
My mail admin is so efficient...
...hey, wait a minute... I AM my mail administrator! 🤦‍♂️
#Phishing #SelfHosting #SysAdminLife #SecurityFail #InfoSec