Looking for a quick way to backup your Linux computer? Linux’s BTRFS file system provides a “snapshot” capability that quickly saves the current state of a BTRFS subvolume. Continue reading to learn how to make BTRFS snapshots part of your backup strategy…
After running Arch Linux as my daily driver for 3 years, I noticed my root file system was running low on disk space. Continue reading to learn how I diagnosed and fixed this problem by pruning my pacman cache.
Why is my disk full?
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?
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.
I follow three guiding principles when selecting which software to use:
- Privacy – Does the software (and vendor) value and guard my privacy?
- Data Longevity – What happens to my data if the vendor goes out of business? Or the vendor discontinues the tool?
- 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.
With the onset of summer heat, I have raised the cutting height on my lawnmower. This post discusses why and how.
My Honda lawn mower needed repair. My car is a hatchback, but I had no help getting the mower into or out of the car. Here’s what I did…
Don't Do This!!
A neighbor decided to overseed their lawn – on October 20th. This is very late for growing new grass in zone 7A. Will they succeed or fail?
Fall is the optimal time of year to repair cool season grass. After suffering all summer, cool season grass needs your help to recover before winter! This post will show you how to turn your thin, weed-filled, struggling grass into a lush green lawn.
I have watched my neighbor’s arborvitae bush lean further each year. Will 2025 be the year that it finally topples?
Leaning Arborvitae
Saigon City Hall
This post provides an overview of my trip to Vietnam in fall 2024. I discuss the cities I visited as well as the logistics of traveling in Vietnam. I plan followup posts on each city that I visited.
The “return to office” battle continues. Amazon recently notified their employees that as of January 2nd 2025, all employees must return to the office (RTO) five days per week. Many Amazon employees are frustrated with this change. Does the Retired Engineer have an opinion on companies requiring employees to “return to office?” Definitely!
Most of my readers probably never think about the tread on their tires. Yet the depth of the tread is critical to your safety when driving. A tire tread depth gauge is an inexpensive way to monitor your tire’s health.