The first one

February 06, 2021

Intro

Hi! My name is John Hinson. I am an engineer (mechanical focused) by degree/job, but I also enjoy working with electrical circuits and coding as a hobby. Basically, I just enjoy creating things. As for “tools of the trade,” I currently use MacOS as my main OS, because it is based on Unix and still has wide software support. I own several Apple devices (yes, I’m all-in on the “ecosystem.“) I previously used Linux (Arch btw) and loved it. I still use it occasionally to keep up with the Linux world, but it just can’t integrate as well with my other devices. Windows is all I have available at work, so, unfortunately, I’m familiar with that as well. Most of the articles here will center around Arduino style projects, web/app development, operating systems, home server fiascos, and general technology topics, but there may be a few random ones with topics that could include Chevy/GMC trucks, DIY home projects, and guns (very politically charged topic, so maybe not too many on that). My most recent interest has been in stock and option trading, so there may be posts on that in the near future.

Circuits and Coding

I use Arduino based software/hardware for the limited electrical work that I do. On the coding side, I’ve mainly used Javascript (along with every other hobbyist,) because I can use it on the front and back-end. I did work with PHP many years ago, and I’m now starting to explore Go for back-end work. With regards to hardware, I’ve used the “standard” Arduinos, but I’m very fond of the Feather boards that Adafruit produces. Fritzing was my go-to for creating a custom board layout, but I’m currently transitioning to Eagle’s free option. This is partly because they’re the industry standard, but also because I enjoy using the hobbyist version of Fusion360 for all my 3D modeling.

Unix

I grew up on Windows. Somewhere in the early 2000s I started experimenting with Linux. At that time, Linux felt like it was very niche and almost exclusively run in server environments. Fast forward to 2020 and it feels like Linux is much more supported. I’m not sure we will ever have the “year of the Linux desktop,” but it can’t be beat for servers and other critical infrastructure. My daily driver is a MacBook Pro, and I enjoy the fact that it’s based on Unix so I’m instantly familiar with the terminal from my time with Linux. I’m required to use Windows at work. Windows 10 is not horrible, but it’s not something I would choose to work with. I keep Arch running on a spare laptop and in a VM on my Mac just to play around with it from time to time. Linux is always my choice for any servers that I run, local or cloud.

Enjoy

I hope you enjoy this blog. It will not be updated on a set schedule, but it will serve as a home for original articles that I write. There may also be some links to other articles that I find interesting and well written, as well as links to software that I find helpful. I can be contacted on Mastodon. I welcome any feedback, article suggestions, or general questions. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer

This is a personal blog, so any original content naturally contains my opinion. I realize my opinion is not the only one and that my way of doing something may not necessarily be the best/right way. On the opposite side of the coin, facts do still exist and are not subject to personal opinion.