That's exactly how my site works - it turns a folder structure of markdown(ish) files into a folder structure of indexed and cross-linked html, then rsync's the result to my server. No database, no dependencies, just files and a python script or two.

I even exported and converted 400 posts from WordPress using a small script.

I looked at pelican at the time. I can't remember why I didn't use it, but rolling my own was a fun project.

I ran a low traffic WordPress blog for many years. WordPress has many great features but between insecure plugins and a constantly updating core system, it just takes too much time to administer for someone who just wants to host a simple no-fuss blog.

My advice is for anyone starting a personal blog is to either use a WordPress hosting company or just go with something like Tumblr. You don't get the flexibility, but your life will be easier.

I got so fed up that I wrote my own static site generator to run my site. It doesn't have the nice features of WordPress but it certainly won't collapse under load and I get to laugh at the script-kiddies trying to hack the non-existent php scripts.

The problem is GamerGate started with the attacks on Zoe Quinn, which turned out to be complete fabrications.

The real problem is that even if GamerGates's allegations about Quinn were 100% true, nobody cares if person A slept with person B for an obscure review of a game on some website. It is literally the least possible social sin; people who go through the express lane at the supermarkets with more than 6 items deserve more scorn.

The big publishers spend literally hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising with the same websites and the self proclaimed guardians of journalistic ethics seem OK with it. This, along with the fact that the whole thing with Quinn was totally made up, seem to point to GG being a bunch of arseholes. I really want to believe that most of them are just morons who don't understand the game industry, journalism, or humanity in general, and are just misguided because I don't like to think there are that many arseholes around. But they just won't shut up.

... or have a subdomain of your website resolve to 192.168.1.1

I never thought of this, that's pretty sneaky.

This is NOT a small, obscure problem for users of DLINK routers. Although it does not open up Wifi access or anything like that, having access to the configuration panel of your router is bad news even from inside the network. I can't think of anyway to automatically exploit it via a browser (XSS-style) but a small executable (or trusted Java applet, for instance) could do it.

Additionally, I wonder how many small establishments are offering free wifi using DLINK equipment. Those networks are now vulnerable.

If I was a bad(er) guy, the first thing I would change would be the DNS settings. Forcing all computers behind the router to use a DNS I control opens up all sorts of interesting ways to mess with people.

True, but nobody tries breaking into a system by logging in ten thousand times a second to a single account. The recent well-publicised break-ins resulted from the hashed password file being publicly available, either stolen through a vulnerability or maliciously leaked. If the attackers have the hashed passwords they can try them at a rate of millions or billions of attempts per second for as long as they want.

I wrote this a while ago but I will continue to post it as long as stupid people exist: You Do Not Have A Facebook Page!. Facebook has a page on you.

I signed up to Facebook and occasionally update Facebook's page on me, I find the service quite useful for keeping in touch with people, but I am under no illusions as to why Facebook provides this service. Anyone who uses Facebook with anything they expect to keep private has seriously misunderstood their relationship with the company.

Enough of this namby-pamby nuclear rocket talk. What we need is Project Orion to be restarted. Imagine lifting oil-tanker sized craft from the ground into space using only a few hundred nuclear bombs, what could possibly go wrong?

Speaking of HTML5test, I just ran a before and after test with firefox 15 and firefox 16:

Firefox 15: 346 out of 500
Firefox 16: 363 out of 500
Chrome 22: 437 out of 500

Nobody uses everything in C++, I estimate that most programmers only ever use 75% of the language. The problem is that everybody uses a different 75%. For instance, diamond inheritance can be a pain, but is occasionally unavoidable and I am glad it works. STL algorithms are the best part of C++, complex problems reduce down a few lines of code.

Your one example that is actually bloated is iostreams, which is slow and overkill for almost any program. I wish more C++ text books would ignore iostreams and spend more time on STL.

Facebook has reached the pinnacle of social networking - the only place to go now is downhill unless they change. They already have every user who wants a page, the only new users are young kids just getting online - not Facebook's target demographic. Also, they have just gone public which puts pressure on the company to make more money.

I predict Facebook will start to branch out into video and music more and more in an attempt to get more pages views - it must be galling for Facebook to see people sharing videos with YouTube advertising instead of Facebook's. They are going to have to be careful, users don't like change.

(One thing users don't want is a whole slew of different social networks. I am on Facebook and G+, but I would only use one if either gave me full control over who sees what. I think projects like Diaspora are always going to be niche ideas)

Bingo. Facebook is a reasonably good service, but all it doesn't take much to launch a competitor. Sooner or later another site will become the next Facebook and Facebook will become the next MySpace. Personally I think the biggest threat comes from mobile, all it would take is for a few of the mobile providers to get together and launch a service aimed at teenagers (who are not as invested in FaceBook) and in a few years FB is the old-persons network.

FaceBooks only saving grace is that the mobile providers all hate each other and couldn't provide an appealing service if their lives depended on it (which, somehow it doesn't - I've never worked that out).

Yes, but not for this reason.

Filmgoing Public

This goes for all social networks (including Slashdot) but I will use Facebook as an example:

You do not have a FaceBook page.

No you don't.

Facebook has a page on you, which you update for them for free. You are a product that Facebook produces for its customers. The customers of Facebook are the advertisers, not you. This is not necessarily a bad deal for you. You get to show people Facebook's page about you, and derive pleasure from interacting with Facebook's pages about your friends. All for free.

But don't get upset when Facebook decides to improve things for its customers, because they can (and should) put them first. Facebook owes you nothing.

Regulating social networks seems like an exercise in frustration. What counts as a social network? Does my blog count? Do I need to let users download all their comments in an "industry standard format"? Do MMO's count? Can I download my +5 firesword?

Sometimes I wish Slashdot would let me download my mod points in an open format and use them on another web site. I have some Facebook posts in mind that need down-modding.