Linux & Electronics

Getting into Linux led me to servers and small computers. I use Debian and Ubuntu daily and have started exploring Arch Linux. Curiosity about how the OS works underneath is the starting point, and Linux is the foundation for everything from server operations to hardware control to security research.

I self-host a Flask backend on a Sakura shared server (FreeBSD) via CGI, with JWT authentication, SQLite, and automated deploys through GitHub Actions, all built by hand. It used to run on Coolify on a VPS before I moved it to cut costs.

I also turned a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W into a portable terminal controlled from an iPad, and experiment with radio on ESP32 and M5Stack boards. Find the parts on DigiKey, wire them up, and go back to reading when it does not work. Moving between software and hardware to make one thing run is where I feel most at home.

I also built a V-carving GUI in Python and Tkinter for engraving things such as nameplates. It uses a shape's centerline and distance to its outline to calculate the toolpath and cutting depth. At one point the preview looked right while the generated path was vertically flipped. I changed it to overlay the output path on the input outline.

Another bug skipped recalculation when settings changed through the mouse wheel or reset action. A value on screen is not necessarily the value used for output. Building software for physical work keeps exposing these gaps. Inspecting a toolpath is useful, but testing an actual cut is still a separate step.