project-insanity.org

This is what you already can do with Linux on a low-budget smartphone

By chance I got a used Samsung Galaxy S5 which already has good Linux mainline support. I was able to install postmarketOS with Phosh user interface enabled. Here’s a short summary on the usability of various apps. Considering the device is an older phone from 2014, the overall user experience is already quite good. Sometimes […]

Software

OpenSnitch on NixOS is now even easier to setup

The Linux application firewall OpenSnitch will be easier to setup with the upcoming NixOS 22.05 release. Only a few configuration lines are needed to get the daemon and client running. The OpenSnitch daemon service was already merged with the 21.11 release and could theoretically be enabled with a simple configuration like this: Unfortunately there was […]

Software

My home server is now running on NixOS

I decided to migrate my home server from ArchLinux ARM to NixOS to have a reproducible system based on a single configuration. My goal is to have more web services run with the new system. The hardware setup of the server is quite simple: ARM board Rock64 (4×1,5 GHz, 4 GB memory) 256 GB SD […]

Software

NixOS development progress for upcoming 21.11 release

The upcoming NixOS 21.11 release will include new packages, modules and some exciting technological changes under the hood. Here is a list of some updates I’m waiting for and some contributions I made in the last few months. New apps The modern and simple looking Gtk app fragments 1.5 got merged. I also tried to […]

Travel

Basic Wander-Packliste für Selbstversorger

Alles notwendige dabei haben, ohne sich abzuschleppen. Bei jedem Wetter in der Natur (auf)gehen. Kaffee am Berg genießen und sich die kalten Fingern an einem frisch gesammelten Wildkräutertee wärmen. Um für all das gerüstet zu sein und nichts wichtiges zu vergessen, ist eine Packliste überaus praktisch. Auf bisher vier Wanderungen erprobt, teile ich gerne mit […]

Software

Share printer via AirPrint with NixOS

I started to migrate my ARM homeserver to NixOS and was able to configure the printer together with AirPrint enabled network sharing. Here’s a short how-to. Update June 2022: Starting with newer Cups printing server versions (> 2.4), AirPrint support is already included and the configuration should be easier. See the section below for an […]

Software

postmarketOS development status 2021

In the last few months I was looking into adding support for some older Android phones to postmarketOS. Porting an existing downstream kernel to a real Linux operating system for mobile systems wasn’t that hard following the easy porting guide from the pmOS wiki. Here’s a roundup on what I have achieved so far ;) […]

Hardware

Mobile timber-framed cork sauna

I built a small, lightweight sauna that sits on a trailer ready to be taken to a nearby lake. Its half-timbered construction is time consuming to build but offers appealing aesthetics. Following the traditional path further led me to employ natural materials all the way. Baked cork with its low weight, being weatherproof and open […]