Category: General

  • Solana Blockchain: Proof of History analogies

    Solana Blockchain: Proof of History analogies

    Here are some attempts to compare Proof of History (PoH), as used by the Solana blockchain, with Proof of Work (PoW). Comparisons to real-world activities, such as dice rolling or outer-space rubber-stamp throwing are also included.

  • Array Thickening: More can be less

    Array Thickening: More can be less

    When turning flexible file formats into data structures, the consensus seems to be to avoid using arrays whenever possible. However, more arrays may reduce code and coding errors. A plea against the extinction of arrays.

  • CompanyON: Serving as gutSTEIN

    CompanyON: Serving as gutSTEIN

    Our gift card solution for regional brick-and-mortar stores and restaurants has been successfully used in Stein am Rhein for almost a year. As of today, the local version of our gift card for Stein am Rhein, provided by the regional business association, also has a local name: gutSTEIN. The card has become an important asset…

  • Contact Tracing — Quo Vadis?

    Contact Tracing — Quo Vadis?

    How much we are all looking forward to returning to normal lives: Meeting friends, hugging family, a cool beer, culture. After more than a year, we really deserve it! However, there are still roadblocks in the form of a bloody virus and the countermeasures. Anyone promising a quick end is hailed as a saviour. (This…

  • The Phone Advantage

    The Phone Advantage

    Smartphones and apps have been hyped for over a decade now. But sometimes, the smartphone is not the smartest thing to get an interaction done. A dedicated device or even a plain old phone may be better. Let us look at some advantages of telephones.

  • Toy store for grown-ups

    Toy store for grown-ups

    Toys, games, handicraft and fun should not be limited to children, especially not in a society where creativity is important. I am therefore excited to announce that our small yet beautiful town of Stein am Rhein has a new toy store, focusing on grown-ups. The bigger sibling of the children’s toy store Wundernas, the new…

  • DNSSEC: Beware during algorithm transitions

    DNSSEC: Beware during algorithm transitions

    DNSSEC is cool. It easily adds security to probably the most important enabling protocol in today’s Internet: No web pages could be found, email delivered, or instant message received, without the Domain Name System (DNS). DNSSEC also enables DANE, a step forward for certificates for most applications. Sometimes you want to change a few settings.…

  • Open Education Day 2017: Open Source Solutions for Schools

    Open Education Day 2017: Open Source Solutions for Schools

    /ch/open invites to the Open Education Day: Saturday, 29 April 2017 in Windisch. We present JSXC, an easy way to extend any web application into a communications hub, e.g. for learning applications.

  • Federated XMPP chat (and more) with Movim: A success story

    Federated XMPP chat (and more) with Movim: A success story

    There are many reasons to be unhappy with current social media sites and chat applications. For a long time, there was no viable alternative, especially not, if you wanted usability and integration. Now there is hope, with Movim.

  • One Page CV Template

    One Page CV Template

    One-Page CVs are a common way of getting attention. Services like enhanCV.com allow you to create them online, even autofilling some information from your social network presences, if you want to. Using those online services is not always the best choice, as you might