Software
Taming Firefox’s places.sqlite: A Weekend Performance Breakthrough
A bored-weekend side project turned into a tiny masterclass in database design. I rebuilt a “works-for-now” importer into a set-based, transactional loader and dropped runtime from 4 hours to under 10 seconds for 300k+ rows – on an average NVMe host with MariaDB. Same machine, same data, different architecture. Here’s the story, the thinking, and just enough code.
by Sven Reifschneider • 24 September 2025
Software
RoboBackup: A Simple, Reliable Mirror Backup for Windows with PowerShell and Robocopy
Backups are essential – yet many solutions are bloated, expensive, or unnecessarily complicated. But there’s a simpler way: With PowerShell and Robocopy, you can create an automated, rsync-like mirror backup that runs reliably in the background, securing your most important data – all without third-party software!
by Sven Reifschneider • 20 March 2025
Software
The Underestimated Power of Markdown
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
Current Affairs
A Century on the Airwaves: 100 Years of Radio Broadcasting in Germany
One hundred years ago, when the first radio signal was broadcast from Berlin, it did more than introduce a new medium — it laid the cornerstone for a technological and cultural revolution. Today, radio and everything that has emerged from it are ubiquitous and omnipresent. A look at its evolution.
by Sven Reifschneider • 29 October 2023