Things I build, break,
fix, and write about

9 March 2025
Home Automation
n8n | n8n@1.109.2

n8n version 1.109.2 is out, featuring crucial bug fixes, including a fallback removal for Basic LLM Chain Node and a corrected OIDC configuration update path.

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5 March 2025
Real Life
Apple’s Legal Battle Against UK Government Over Encryption: The Latest Updates

Apple’s Legal Battle Against UK Government Over Encryption: The Latest Updates Apple Fights Back Against UK’s Encryption Crackdown The battle between Apple and the UK government over encrypted data has escalated, with Apple formally appealing against a government order that demands the company create a backdoor to access encrypted iCloud data. This move comes after […]

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28 February 2025
Real Life
Apple’s Capitulation to UK Government Demands: A Grave Threat to Our Digital Privacy and How to Fight Back

Apple Bows to UK Government, Sacrificing User Privacy In an alarming turn of events, Apple has bowed to the UK government’s demands by removing Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for iCloud users in the country. This is not just a policy change—this is an assault on digital privacy. Apple’s ADP feature provided end-to-end encryption, ensuring that […]

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22 February 2025
Home Automation
Reinventing Old Security Devices

Revitalize your outdated security devices into useful tools for your smart home. Discover creative ways to repurpose old tech, saving money and reducing waste.

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7 February 2025
Home Automation
Voice Activation for Smart Homes: Harnessing Home Assistant's Assist

Introduction Ever tried shouting at your house to turn off the lights only to be met with silence? The struggles of getting smart home devices to respond to voice commands can leave you feeling more like a magician casting a spell than a tech-savvy homeowner. As we dive deeper into a world increasingly dominated by […]

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23 January 2025
System Admin
How to Choose the Right MQTT Broker for Your IoT Project

Practical guidance on choosing an MQTT broker for IoT, covering security, scalability, performance and migration.

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14 January 2025
System Admin
How to Set Up Home Assistant Without a Raspberry Pi

Run Home Assistant without a Raspberry Pi: hardware options, HAOS or container installs, networking and maintenance.

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10 January 2025
Home Lab
Managing a Compromised Mailbox on Sophos XGS Firewall

When a mailbox is compromised, it can lead to a surge of spam and harmful emails, threatening your organization's reputation. This guide offers key steps to manage and clear the email spool on your Sophos XGS Firewall, including stopping the SMTP service and optimizing your database. Don’t let a compromised mailbox disrupt your operations—read on to take control!

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18 December 2024
Home Automation
age | v1.2.1

Age v1.2.1 addresses a critical security vulnerability, enforcing new plugin naming conventions. Users should update to ensure system security.

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25 October 2024
System Admin
Configuring Apache2 and PHP on a Fresh Installation

Setting up Apache2 with PHP on a Debian-based server is crucial for hosting websites or applications. Follow these steps for a smooth configuration.

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