Blog: Software

Secure your local network with trusted SSL certificates that are recognized by every device. In this guide, we’ll explore how to set up out-of-the-box SSL for your LAN projects, highlight the advantages of owning a personal domain, and discuss how even a modest investment can elevate your web presence.

by Sven Reifschneider • 01 December 2024

Running jobs every minute might sound simple, but there’s a lot that can go wrong. From overlapping tasks to missed executions, choosing the right approach is crucial for reliability. While tools like cron and systemd timers are great for most use cases, I’ve found that a custom PHP daemon strikes the perfect balance of control and flexibility for certain scenarios.

by Sven Reifschneider • 24 November 2024

RAID may be the gold standard for data redundancy, but for my home server, I’ve found a simpler, more energy-efficient approach: nightly manual backups. This setup gives me flexibility, protection from accidental deletions, and lets me use older drives efficiently. Here’s why my daily rsync strategy beats RAID for personal use and how it’s saved my data more than once.

by Sven Reifschneider • 16 November 2024

Setting up Time Machine backups for Apple devices on a Linux-based NAS has become significantly easier and faster thanks to Samba’s new features. With a well-configured Samba server on Debian, you can seamlessly backup macOS devices over the network and access your NAS with minimal setup. No more manually creating sparsebundles or struggling with complex configurations.

by Sven Reifschneider • 01 November 2024

Why settle for bloated, one-size-fits-all solutions when you can create something uniquely tailored to your needs? As a developer who thrives on optimization and performance, I built my own blog engine from scratch—anchored by the powerful Charm PHP framework and seamlessly integrated into my PentaPaper SaaS platform.

by Sven Reifschneider • 18 October 2024

Ready to take your OpenStreetMap skills to the next level? In this post, we walk you through creating a custom tile server for the entire European region—from setting up powerful hardware to generating map tiles and serving them on your own web server.

by Sven Reifschneider • 16 September 2024 • 1 comment

Ever wondered what it takes to create your own map server using OpenStreetMap data? Spoiler: it’s a long, winding journey filled with challenges, retries, and valuable lessons. In this post, I share my experience navigating the complexities of OSM.

by Sven Reifschneider • 09 September 2024

Ever wanted to maintain high-precision time in your local network, independently from public NTP servers? Whether for projects like an ADS-B airplane tracker or just to have an ultra-precise time source, setting up a GPS-based NTP server on a Raspberry Pi can be the perfect solution. In this detailed guide, I'll walk you through every step of the process.

by Sven Reifschneider • 22 July 2024

In the realms of technology and writing, there often lurk unsung heroes. These crucial elements may not always be in the spotlight, yet they are indispensable in our daily lives. One such silent hero is Markdown. This lightweight markup language has proven to be a powerful tool for efficiently creating and sharing content.

by Sven Reifschneider • 24 January 2024

A guide on using a USB webcam under Linux for time-lapse photography or providing a live photo feed for the internet.

by Sven Reifschneider • 26 May 2014 • 1 comment