Tech Resource Hub
Practical reference notes on infrastructure as code, hypervisors, Linux, CI/CD pipelines, IoT, GitHub and AI-assisted development — plus a handful of free browser-based tools.
About Me
I'm a hobbyist who enjoys scripting, networking, and IoT. This page showcases some of the tools and technologies I work with. One point of interest about this site is that I've created it mostly using AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude Code. I was particularly interested in how AI interprets the current state of systems I experiment with. I will note that using these AI tools is certainly a skill of its own, and getting specific results requires a well-thought-through prompt — see the Best Practices for Using AI section below.
Reference topics
Notes written up as I have worked through each subject — opinionated where I have a view, and honest about the trade-offs where I do not.
- Infrastructure as Code — Three ways to define servers, networks and cloud resources in version-controlled text, and the sweet spot of each.
- Learning to Script — The six things that reliably stall a new scripter, with worked examples of how to get past them.
- Hypervisors — Comparing the three hypervisors you are most likely to run, plus optimisation and live video handling.
- Linux — Choosing between the three most common server distributions, and the system knowledge that applies whichever you pick.
- CI/CD Pipelines — The case for automating your build and deploy, the common ways it goes wrong, and what good practice looks like.
- IoT — The open-source platforms worth knowing, and an honest look at what IoT delivers and what it risks.
- GitHub — Pull, push, commit, merge, squash and branch — plus the conventions that stop a shared repository turning into a mess.
- AI Practices — How to use AI coding assistants so they multiply what you can build, rather than handing you code you cannot debug.
- Cookies & Storage — Two browser storage mechanisms, constantly confused: what each is for, and how both get abused.
- Browser Stats — A live read-out of what this page can see about your browser — the same things every other site can.
Free browser tools
Small, single-purpose tools that run entirely in your browser — no account, no upload, nothing stored.
- Bitrate Calculator — Turn a bitrate and a duration into total throughput and estimated file sizes, across kbps, Mbps and Gbps.
- Speed Reading — An RSVP reader: paste text or fetch a page, then read it one word at a time at a pace you set.
- Random Film Selector — Search the OMDb film database by keyword and let it pick one at random, so you stop scrolling and start watching.
- Scorepad — Keep score for card and board games with per-round entry, running totals and a winner screen.
Support Me
If you find my work interesting, please consider supporting me.
