PCBmodE is a PCB design tool built sort of like a programming language. Instead of laying out a board graphically, you write a JSON description, which PCBmodE then compiles into an SVG. You can preview and even edit the layout in Inkscape, then use PCBmodE again to generate Gerber/Excellon files you can send to the fab house.

This seems like it could be a clever end-run around the complexity and generally proprietary nature of EDA tools. Using Inkscape as a viewer/graphical editor instead of writing a whole new CAD app is a great idea.

Now that I’m back in Linux for daily development work, I’ve switched to Lindi as my full-time editor. It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough to get my work done, and it is just so satisfying to use an editor whose design is tailored precisely to my own taste that forgiving the occasional hiccup comes easily.

I’m near the end of my second week at Coverity, and I feel pretty happy about the way things have gone so far. I have yet to commit any new code, but I feel like I’m ramping up reasonably well and will begin making useful contributions soon. I have a nice dev environment set up, my coworkers are friendly and intelligent, and the office has a great view of Mount Rainier whenever weather allows. I think this is going to be good.

gnome-terminal describes itself as $TERM="xterm" even though it is capable of displaying more than 8 colors. You can fix this by pasting this code into ~/.bashrc:

if [ -n "$DISPLAY" -a "$TERM" == "xterm" ]; then
export TERM=xterm-256color
fi

Verify that the fix worked by doing source ~/.bashrc, then tput colors; it should print 256.

Helpful illustrated explanation of an electric bicycle conversion. Lots of details and discussion of the reasons for each design decision.

The little book about OS development, by Erik Helin and Adam Renberg, dated May 2012. 76 pages, straightforward and practical.

This is a bar made from half of an old M113 APC.

Some day, I will own a tank*.

*an APC would be sufficiently tank-like to satisfy this life goal