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Make Computers Fun Again - Linux, UNIX, Alternative Operating Systems, Computer History, and Retro Computing. Also dad jokes.
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December 21, 2021
What a year!

Holy smokes. I mean. 2021... Absolutely bonkers.

We're up to 3,765 total members here on Locals. Most are free accounts (obviously), but very happy with the steady growth.

And the Substack has really exploded as well. Articles there are regularly clocking in over 10K reads (some much more). And the growth rate is fantastic. Way beyond what I have expected, and way beyond the total traffic that any of my past publications (including Linux Journal, and Network World) hit.

I am, without a doubt, keeping both Locals and Substack around. I love the two platforms (for different reasons). And I'm going to keep publishing everything to both.

I do have three challenges ahead of me, over the coming months. Figured I'd talk about it with all of you... cuz we're all buds here.

1) The smallest challenge is a short term one. I'm about 34 total paying subscribers short of my end-of-year goal. I've got about a week and half to hit that number... which seems super doable. Maybe I'll do a sort of pledge drive thing. Any ideas? Figure I'll come up with something and start on that tomorrow. If I can hit that (or close to it), I can keep everything ad-free. Which is worthwhile. Open to suggestions! Definitely achievable... just don't want to badger folks to pull it off. 😎

2) Looking into January, I want to get regular shows going again. Articles have had a great cadence and the results have been wonderfully good. But issues with being "mobile" has made recording shows a lot trickier. I miss the regular shows, and I know many of you do too. Steady, weekly, fun shows. I've been working to get things set up to make this easier (and better) over here. First week of January should be rocking and rolling. This is a challenge that I've almost finished taking care of... just figured I'd mention it because it was a lot of work. 😂

3) Which brings me to a longer term challenge that I don't yet have a solution for. Live, in person shows. I have 3 shows written (plus a start on a new Linux Sucks)... that just won't be anywhere near as fun if they're just me sitting or standing in an empty room talking to a camera. These shows need a live audience. Those are always more fun. Unfortunately there just aren't many live conferences going in the next 6 months. Texas Linux Fest is still "on hold", for example. And, because flying is out of the question for me right now... I'm limited to conferences happening in driving distance of "The South". Texas to Florida, essentially. Heck, even if I could fly... events like Linux Fest NW are dead now (they're going to try to do a fully virtual event next year... but even that doesn't look certain). So. What to do? If I can find a conference going (that will have me), I could do a whole bunch of big shows at it. But, so far, no dice. Putting this out into the universe in case anyone has an amazing idea! 😜

So... yeah! Great year! Amazing year, in so many ways. Thanks, really, to all of you. You, and your support, has made all of this possible.

Seriously. You are amazing. The best group of nerds on planet Earth.

Super stoked to see what we can accomplish in 2022.

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NeXTStep, Desqview/X, & TRS-80 Model 100 Walls!

The Lunduke Journal now has close to 20 retro computer themed walls, filled with the names of subscribers. And that number is growing fast.

NeXTStep, Emacs, Desqview/X, & TRS-80 Model 100 Walls:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/8056105/trs-80-model-100-joins-the-lunduke-journal-lifetime-wall-party

Get on The Wall with a Massively Discounted Lifetime Sub:
https://lunduke.substack.com/p/50-off-yearly-and-massively-discounted

More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/

00:14:16
Rust is the Paper Straw of Computers

It solves a problem nobody had and makes everything worse. And those in power demand that you use it.

NeXTStep, Emacs, Desqview/X, & TRS-80 Model 100 Walls:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/8056105/trs-80-model-100-joins-the-lunduke-journal-lifetime-wall-party

Get on The Wall with a Massively Discounted Lifetime Sub:
https://lunduke.substack.com/p/50-off-yearly-and-massively-discounted

More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/

00:13:44
Linux Mint Says Wayland Worse Experience than X11

"We worked really hard on Wayland"... "and the experience is almost on par with X11."

NeXTStep, Emacs, Desqview/X, & TRS-80 Model 100 Walls:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/8056105/trs-80-model-100-joins-the-lunduke-journal-lifetime-wall-party

Get on The Wall with a Massively Discounted Lifetime Sub:
https://lunduke.substack.com/p/50-off-yearly-and-massively-discounted

More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/

00:03:59
November 22, 2023
The futility of Ad-Blockers

Ads are filling the entirety of the Web -- websites, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc. -- at an increasing rate. Prices for those ad placements are plummeting. Consumers are desperate to use ad-blockers to make the web palatable. Google (and others) are desperate to break and block ad-blockers. All of which results in... more ads and lower pay for creators.

It's a fascinatingly annoying cycle. And there's only one viable way out of it.

Looking for the Podcast RSS feed or other links? Check here:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4619051/lunduke-journal-link-central-tm

Give the gift of The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4898317/give-the-gift-of-the-lunduke-journal

The futility of Ad-Blockers
November 21, 2023
openSUSE says "No Lunduke allowed!"

Those in power with openSUSE make it clear they will not allow me anywhere near anything related to the openSUSE project. Ever. For any reason.

Well, that settles that, then! Guess I won't be contributing to openSUSE! 🤣

Looking for the Podcast RSS feed or other links?
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4619051/lunduke-journal-link-central-tm

Give the gift of The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4898317/give-the-gift-of-the-lunduke-journal

openSUSE says "No Lunduke allowed!"
September 13, 2023
"Andreas Kling creator of Serenity OS & Ladybird Web Browser" - Lunduke’s Big Tech Show - September 13th, 2023 - Ep 044

This episode is free for all to enjoy and share.

Be sure to subscribe here at Lunduke.Locals.com to get all shows & articles (including interviews with other amazing nerds).

"Andreas Kling creator of Serenity OS & Ladybird Web Browser" - Lunduke’s Big Tech Show - September 13th, 2023 - Ep 044

OMG OMG OMG OMF-INGOD!

Y’all know I’ve been working on my AI Employee platform, autonomous bots I can give mission and they work creatively to solve the mission while I do other things.

Well….welll…OMG….Holy Schnieckes….I now have a ERD modeling tool that works with Snowflake. Do you know how many YEARS I’ve wanted such a tool? Oh, they exist already, as enterprise software multiple thousands of dollars a year PER user. The $350 modeling tool I bought years ago never added Snowflake support.

So I gave an autonomous AI employee the mission to make such tool using existing OpenSource projects. Why reinvent the wheel. I just wanted a tool for my use. I put the open source tools in the mission (ChatGPT had helped me pick them out) - use these and create for me a data modeling tool that works with Snowflake and does at least logical and physical design, reverse and forward engineering.

For a couple days I had the Employee wake up once an hour during the night, ideate, and take 1 ...

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17 hours ago

Releasing sysdiff - AI Slop Challenge

I use projects to learn other things and build other things - in addition to the project itself. Introducing my new open source utility: sysdiff is a lightweight Linux utility that compares snapshots of a system’s configuration, packages, services, and files to quickly identify what has changed.

There were a number of things I was developing and using the systdiff project to accomplish.

1. Can I create an autonomous worker that will just build me useful linux utilities during the night as I sleep. I know LLM’s can code. This experiment was “can I give an autonomous AI employee a mission and have it pursue it based on its own initiative with minimal input or direction from me”.
1. I made wonderful progress doing that. My agent platform is still in development and a bit brittle, but using the sysdiff project to shake out the kinks in my AI platform was quite helpful.

2. Can I develop a “labor ladder” so that I distribute the work among highest intelligent and ...

23 hours ago
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TRS-80 Model 100 joins The Lunduke Journal Lifetime Wall party!

Buckle up, Buttercup. Because The Lunduke Journal is about to blow your mind.

  1. The “BeOS” Wall Lifetime Subscriber Wall is now full (see all of them on Lunduke.com)!

  2. We’ve added a new “TRS-80 Model 100” Wall (because we can)! That’s the 19th Lifetime Subscriber Wall! 19!

  3. The discounted Lifetime Lunduke Journal Subscriptions are still available through to the end of this month (July).

Which means there are, as of this exact moment, 4 Walls with space available (see Lunduke.com for the full list of Walls). But these fill up wicked fast.

  1. Emacs (only a few spots left)

  2. Desqview/X (a little less than 2/3rd’s full)

  3. NeXTStep (still plenty of space)

  4. TRS-80 Model 100 (just launched)

 

Nice, right?

Worth noting: The “TRS-80 Model 100” has very limited screen resolution (240 x 64), which means only a small number of names can fit on that wall. If you want on it, I’d let me know right away.

Grab a discounted Lifetime Subscription (if you don’t already have one), then let me know (email “bryan at lunduke.com”) which Wall you’d like to see your name on.

Huge high five to everyone who has already added their name to a Wall. At the current rate, we’ll have over 20 retro computer themed walls, filled with all of your names, by the end of the month.

And, doggone it, that’s amazing.

-Lunduke

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Vim beats Emacs!

Well, we’ve done it.

We’ve answered the eternal question: “Which Lunduke Journal Lifetime Subscriber Wall would fill with names quicker? Emacs or Vim?”

The answer, it turns out, is “Vim”. And it takes just 8 days.

 

A hearty “Thank You” to everyone who supports The Lunduke Journal by getting Lifetime Subscriptions (massively discounted throughout July) and getting on these walls! You make all of this possible!

Now. How long will it take for Emacs to fill up (matching the same number of names as the Vim Wall)?

Well, right now the Emacs Wall is a hair over 2/3rds of the way full. So we’ll find out!

Welcome NeXTStep Wall!

With the closing of the “Vim” Wall (and the BeOS Wall only having the space for 1 name left), now seemed like a good time to add a new retro computer wall: The NeXTStep 1.0 Wall.

Right now, there are 4 Walls available to add your name to (*cough* massive discount *cough*).

  • NeXTStep (just opened)

  • Emacs (about 2/3rds full)

  • BeOS R5 (1 spot left)

  • Desqview/X (1/2 full)

 

Once again, huge thanks to everyone who supports The Lunduke Journal!

-Lunduke

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Lunduke's Week in Tech : June 28 - July 4, 2026

Lunduke’s Thoughts of The Week

Yesterday was the 4th of July.

As such, time that I normally would have spent writing up some thoughts on the Tech News of the Week (tm) was, instead, spent eating hamburgers, watching fireworks, and generally goofing off with my kids.

So allow me to briefly summarize my thoughts using as little effort as possible:

Rust is weird, Sony sucks, and America is awesome.

… Yup. That just about covers it.

I hope all of my fellow Americans had a truly splendid Independence Day.

Biggest Tech Stories - June 28 - July 4, 2026

Here are the major stories from the last week, with direct links to X and Substack.

See Lunduke.com for all other platforms (Rumble, RSS Audio Podcast, etc.).

  • Git Takes Another Step Towards Making Rust Mandatory (X, Substack)

  • 74 Million User Accounts Exposed in Breaches During June (X, Substack)

  • BCacheFS Adding Rust Dependency Even Though “Rust doesn’t have a stable ABI” (X, Substack)

  • Git Without Rust From Dev of XLibre (X, Substack)

  • Sony Says No More Physical PlayStation Games (X, Substack)

  • Ubuntu Sponsors Rust Clone Foundation (X, Substack)

  • Like Computers? Thank America. (X, Substack)

Huge thank you to all of The Lunduke Journal’s subscribers. You make all of this possible.

-Lunduke

 
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