In my review of the Everki Atlas, I pointed that the outside pocket might collect water if it rains. While the rest of the backpack’s contents will be fine, items in that pocket might get wet. Everki does sell a backpack rain cover that can protect the backpack but it is outrageously expensive.
Instead, I got the Ayamaya 40L raincover from Amazon. It is a fraction of the price and easily fits the Atlas. I also like the fact that the Ayamaya doesn’t have any logos on it and is just a cover.
I really liked Blogger and I’ve hosted my blog on it since 2011. It was free (still is), but still had all the essentials features for a blog at the time and I like that it was integrated with Google.
My blogging needs haven’t changed since then but the world have evolved and Blogger no longer have all the essential features necessary for a blogging platform. Specifically, I’m talking about Blogger’s lack of support for SSL/TLS for custom domains. I could accept the dated editor controls, quirkiness in the WYSIWYG UI, and limited customization of themes, but there’s no excuse for not having https enabled on a web site anymore.
I’ve now moved Lazy Hacker Babble from Blogger to Hugo + Google App Engine. Hugo is a static site generator written in Go. It takes your markdown file and generates an entire web site consisting of static files so it doesn’t require databases runtimes, extra libraries, etc. Since it’s written in Go, Hugo comes as a stand-alone binary so there is no need to install a bunch of extra software in order to run it.
Our family always brings a Chromecast with us when we travel so we can watch our video library on the TV. The challenge has always been getting it to work in hotels especially ones that require a password to access its wifi.
I've been using a Victorinox backpack for many years whenever I've had to travel. I can't find a link to it since it's no longer being made, but it is very well made, TSA friendly, side-loading laptop compartment, allows for good organization and can hold a good amount of items). It is not a light backpack and is pretty heavy when loaded up. Especially when traveling with the family which increases the number of electronics, I definitely started to feel the weight.
I started to look for a new travel backpack with all the same goodness but lighter and can hook on to the trolley handle of my luggage. I've also gotten to like backpacks that can stand on its own so that would be a bonus feature.
Initially, the Everki Versa caught my eye as it fit many of my criteria, but I was concerned that it might be too small and it wasn't light at 4.01 lbs. Instead, I chose the Everki Atlas which is larger then the Versa but is lighter.
The video above goes over the its key features so I'll just give my impression of the Atlas after taking it out on a 1 week business trip.
Pros
The construction and materials seems solid and comparable to the Victorinox.
Organizationally, it is very similar to the Victorinox with the pockets and compartment (the Atlas have a few more internal pockets).
A feature that I liked in the Victorinox is a divider in the main compartment to help separate paper/magazine from the rest of the item and the Atlas has it as well.
The water bottle pocket is a good size whereas it was a tight fit with the Victorinox.
When fully loaded, it didn't feel as heavy as the Victorinox since the backpack is better balanced.
Hooking it on the trolley handle meant I didn't have to carry it all the time.
Cons
The quick access magazine pocket is convenient but I worry that if it was raining that water will collect in the pocket.
Opening up the backpack to go through TSA screening means unzipping that compartment. This is the same as most TSA backpacks, but I found the Victorinox's method which uses velcro and clip to be faster to open up.
I like the side loading compartment on the Victorinox which makes it easy to get the laptop out without taking off the backpack. Top loading makes it a bit easier to access the laptop while on a plane, though.
Wish List
Here are a few things that I think would make the backpack even better:
Rain cover or something to prevent water from going into the magazine pouch.
Hard case compartment is something that might be nice but honestly I'm not sure about it.
Hole to run a cable through for headphones or charger.
Pocket on the shoulder strap for holding transit tickets/cards.
The tuck-in strap of the Versa looks like a nice feature. The Atlas is not too bad because it has a chest strap that helps keeps the shoulder strap from flopping around.
Setting up 2-factor authentication is an important step to keeping your online accounts safe. For many people, this comes in the form of having an additional code that must be entered in addition to their passwords such as those that is sent to their phones through SMS or using an app like Google Authenticator.
Admittedly, this additional security comes with an additional inconvenience of needing to have your phone nearby and looking up the code which probably turns off a lot people. To simply the process, Google, Yubico and some partners developed Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) which is now handled by the FIDO Alliance. This open standard uses an hardware key that you insert into the computer's USB slot (or using NFC) instead of typing a code.
Google, Facebook, Dropbox, Github and a host of other services now support this. The keys can be purchased from Amazon and ranges from $18 to $50 depend on the features you want. For primarily Fido/U2F support, only the $18 Yubikey is needed.
Google Wifi is a new device that can create a wireless network "mesh" by simply adding wifi points to your network. It is super simple to setup. Simply plug it in and add it to your home network through the mobile app.
Setting up a home network usually involves having a router (likely with wifi capabilities) that devices connect to. Single router solutions like Asus RT-ac68u and Google OnHubs have very good reach and for most situations are going to be all you need. The RT-AC68U allows you to tweak and configure to your heart's delight. The OnHub leverages Google's technology to monitor and configure itself for maximum performance thus regulating managing your router to the background.
There is one flaw to the single router solution which I painfully experienced recently: single point-of-failure. One day, my router just stopped working and nothing I did could bring it back to life. When the internet is down in my house... well, the natives are not happy and good 'ol dad will hear about it! In this situation, it usually mean going out and buying a replacement ASAP and if it happens at night that'll mean finding ways to pacify the citizens' unrest until that replacement can be bought. Fortunately, in my case, I had an unused router left in storage.
"Redundancy" is a good thing in the technology world. This brings me back to Google Wifi. Most discussions about Google Wifi focuses on its wireless mesh capabilities, but each Google Wifi unit can also be a router. In fact, unless you are using an OnHub as your router, at least one unit has to be the router. If one unit fails that will just mean the reach of the home network is smaller but the network is still up. If it is the unit that serves as the router that fails, simply using one of the other units as the router.
Google Wifi works great, but the added benefits of the redundancy makes me really recommend it especially...
In a blink of an eye, two years has passed since I upgraded my primary system and it seems to be true that we've arrived at the end of Moore's Law as I've not felt an urge to upgrade the system. I've not noticed slow down in performance of what I do on a day-to-day basis on the system which is primarily coding with VIM and browsing with Chrome. I don't use this system for gaming and Linux is my primary OS which might contribute to everything still being relevant. It's possible that my next upgrade will be driven by an upgrade to my monitors from dual HD to dual 4k.
This system is very Linux friendly and has an added bonus of having dual gigabit Ethernet which is one reason that I got it over the Asus Vivo Mini that I've also mentioned before. This system also has dual displayport outputs and an HDMI if you're inclined to power 3 external monitors. It runs cool and quiet and I've not had any problems with it in the two years that I've been using it. This particular Shuttle bare bones system is no longer available but there is a newer version which seems identical except with a newer Intel chipset that has improved graphics, allows for more memory and supports newer Intel processors.
Besides the books that I’ve previously listed, here are some books that are more focused on management rather then software engineering or technical project management that I’ve found to still be good reads for engineers.
The First 90 Daysgives advice on how to transition into new roles with case studies on do’s and don’t. I found it useful in helping to develop a learning plan for myself whenever I start on a new team or in a new role.
Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance isn’t a “how to manage” book or even a “How Louis Gerstner manages” book. It’s presented more as a story of IBM’s turn-around. I like to read this book when I feel frustrated about a company to remind myself that change can happen even in the largest of companies.
Additionally, here are some books that’s been recommended to me which I have not yet read but I thought that I’d pass along:
