rocu.de, my personal website, is turning 24 this year.
2001 I started building websites using HTML and PHP, image-buttons for lack of web-fonts and state-of-the art table and iframe layouts 😳.
The web has come a long way since then and during the last 17 years I have build complex web-applications for a living - mostly using PHP and Ruby on Rails.
I'm really happy with my new VSF Fahrradmanufaktur TX-800 :)
I've ridden it for around 2,700 km since end of March so far, and it's proven to be an absolute tank — tough as nails and nearly indestructible. That said, it's a bit of a challenge to ride in the Alps!
What I really love is how comfortable it is on long rides, how well it handles, and how reliably everything just works.
I love how comfortable it is on very long rides, how good it handles and that everything just works.
I just finished reading Tidy First by Kent Beck. 📚
This is a relatively short and accessible book, but full of valuable insights. I especially appreciated the concept of micro-tidying—small, incremental improvements that aren’t full-blown refactorings, but still make the codebase more understandable and maintainable.
Kent Beck also dives into when to tidy your code, how to split pull requests effectively, and how to think about the time spent tidying as an investment. He offers a thoughtful perspective on balancing short-term costs with long-term benefits throughout the software lifecycle.
Definitely worth a read if you're interested in writing cleaner code with intention.
I'm back to using a dual-monitor setup and re-discovered the Sidebar app —a customizable Dock replacement for macOS. Among its many features, it allows you to have a separate Dock on each monitor, which is incredibly useful. I'm genuinely impressed by how flexible Sidebar is and how much it has improved over the past few years.
Finished reading: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. 📚
Finished reading: Endurance Racing and Training by Dr. Philip Maffetone 📚
Finished reading: Tanz mit dem Schafsmann by Haruki Murakami 📚
Finished reading: Wilde Schafsjagd by Haruki Murakami 📚
Finished reading: Vinium by S.H. Jucha 📚
Finished reading: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman 📚
Finished reading: Im Schatten des Shogun by Wolfgang Schwatke📚
Finished reading: The Passage by Justin Cronin 📚
Finished reading: The ferryman by Justin Cronin. 📚
At Techgenossen, we use GitLab Community Edition, and I’m always impressed by how easy it is to upgrade. Despite GitLab’s complexity, the process—though it takes time for Chef scripts and migrations in our single-container setup—has always been reliable.
While I sometimes wish GitLab were simpler, I deeply appreciate the extensive features they offer for free and how much effort it must be to support these self-hosted installations.
Finished reading: Janus from Phillip P. Peterson 📚
I can’t believe YouTube live-translates the audio of German videos into English – for a native German! 🤯 While this feature is super impressive, it makes no sense — both my browser and YouTube account are set to German.
That said, this kind of live audio translation would be amazing for traveling to countries where English isn’t widely spoken. It’s giving serious Babel Fish vibes! 🐟
Finished reading: The mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey 📚
Finished reading: Exodus from Peter F. Hamilton 📚.
Yesterday, I ordered an iPhone 16 for app-testing for my business on Amazon, and today an empty box arrived. It was sealed, but the weight was completely off - and no iPhone in sight.
This was the most disappointing unboxing experience ever. :(
Fortunately, Amazon will send me a new package, but I am still disappointed.
My mother and I recently visited Porto together, and what a gem of a city it is! With so much to see and do, everything feels both walkable and elegant. I’m already looking forward to returning in a few years to explore more of its charm.
It was my second visit to Lisbon, Portugal, and I decided to stroll along the banks of the Tagus River to admire the cruise ships. That's when I stumbled upon the beautiful ferry terminal.
In the quiet of the morning, the terminal was completely empty, but as a ferry drew closer, I couldn't resist capturing the moment with a photo.
Finished reading: Roadkill from Dennis E. Taylor 📕.
Yesterday, my brand-new reMarkable Paper Pro arrived, and I couldn’t wait to share my first impressions!
Here’s what I think so far:
Of course this is all relative to the other colored eReaders - even with Gallery 3 the colors do look washed out compared to an iPad - so I am not sure if I can recommend this device to someone who is not into E Ink.
Despite these drawbacks, I’m still thrilled with my purchase. I’m eager to dive in and start journaling and organizing my thoughts on it!
After this nearly perfect summer, I’m really enjoying the cooler autumn temperatures—they’re just right for long walks outside.
A few weeks ago, I started to simplify my smartphone use.
First, I ordered a refurbished iPod. It still syncs perfectly—even with Mac OS Sequoia, which I find great. After that, I deleted the Music and Podcast apps, and I don’t miss them at all. Now, the music-listening issue is solved, and I love running with my iPod. The HDD was swapped out for an SD card, so the music never skips.
Next, I got a Ricoh GRIII—a fantastic little camera. I love the photos I take with it much more, though I sometimes forget to pack it in my bag.
Now, onto the tougher parts: I’m unsure how to completely ditch my smartphone. I rely on banking apps and digital tickets that aren’t easy to replace. Plus, Signal and WhatsApp don’t really work on dumb phones.
Even communicating with my health insurance is easiest on my smartphone. I wish phone manufacturers would simplify these devices and make them less addictive.
As for my little experiment, I already use my phone infrequently. Maybe switching to something like a Light Phone isn’t the answer after all.
I do not own a car and I generally don’t like cars that much - but I must say that some old-timers look really elegant. Much nicer than contemporary cars.
Finished reading: Pantopia by Theresa Hannig 📚
I love to take a walk along the Amper-river in the evening. It always calms me down.
A fresh delivery of sardines 😍
I had my first Aikido training yesterday, and I must say, the movements seem to be quite challenging to learn. I am looking forward to delving deeper into the practice during my next session on Friday.
Finished reading Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr.
I really enjoyed reading this very creative book. It involves a public library, the love for ancient Greece and nature, some science fiction and a hand full of great protagonists.
I really enjoy playing Octopath Traveler II, a classic JRPG, that reminds me of the games of my childhood.
Despite looking old on first glance, the 2.5D art style, the story and the voice acting are really superb. This is really an AAA game in my opinion!
A few weeks ago, I resigned from my current job. I am delighted about it! I finally will being an independent programmer again. The pay-check will not be safe – but I will have a lot more freedom to write great software.
Finished reading Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr.
I really enjoyed reading this very creative book. It involves a public library, the love for ancient Greece and nature, some science fiction and a hand full of great protagonists.