Blog

Marskramer Path part 02

Hiked part 2/20 of the Marskramer Path, 17.3 kilometres from Oldenzaal to Borne.

Hiking

Swift at scale: building the TelemetryDeck analytics service

The service handles data from millions of users each month. It helps thousands of app makers improve their products. The backend uses Swift. They chose Swift and the Vapor framework for the server.

Development

Monthly update #0430 • February 2026

Monthly update 430 • February 2026 • 2026-02-01 - 2026-02-28

Monthly Updates

E2EE Backend part 3: Passkeys with the PRF Extension

Third in the series on privacy-first backends: use Passkeys and the PRF extension to derive encryption keys on the client device. The server never sees your keys.

Development

Serious Cryptography by Jean-Philippe Aumasson

Jean-Philippe Aumasson's 'Serious Cryptography' gives a practical guide to modern encryption. It explains key ideas like block ciphers, hash functions, and public-key methods with real-world focus and updates in the 2024 second edition.

Books

E2EE Backend part 2: Private Information Retrieval

Second in a series on privacy-first backends: demo shows how to do encrypted keyword lookups with KeywordPIR using Apple's frameworks. Server learns nothing about the query.

Development

Announcing Swift System Metrics 1.0

Apple released Swift System Metrics 1.0. It is a Swift package that collects system metrics from a process. It works on Linux and macOS with the same API.

Development

You're Not Enough (and That's Ok) by Allie Beth Stuckey

Allie Beth Stuckey's 'You're Not Enough (And That's Okay)' says self-love culture is toxic. She argues we are not enough alone, but God is, and we find freedom in Christ instead of ourselves.

Books

Nuremberg

Nuremberg (2025), directed by James Vanderbilt, tells the story of the Nuremberg trials through the eyes of a US Army psychiatrist. Rami Malek plays Douglas Kelley, who must assess the minds of top Nazi leaders to see if they can stand trial.

Movies

Utrecht Path part 11

Hiked 11.3 kilometres from Maarssen to Utrecht.

Hiking

Scattered Minds by Gabor Maté

Gabor Maté's 'Scattered Minds' shows that ADHD is not genetic but a reversible developmental delay from early stress and attachment problems, with real hope for healing.

Books

E2EE Backend part 1: Homomorphic Encryption

First in a series on privacy-first backends: demo shows how to sum encrypted numbers using Apple's HomomorphicEncryption (BFV) without decrypting data. Server sees only ciphertexts.

Development

Pelgrims Path part 01

Hiked part 1/27 of the Pelgrims Path, 17.3 kilometres from Amsterdam to Amsterdamse Bos.

Hiking

Monthly update #0429 • January 2026

Monthly update 429 • January 2026 • 2026-01-01 - 2026-01-31

Monthly Updates

Utrecht Path part 10

Hiked 18.0 kilometres from Hollandsche Rading to Maarssen.

Hiking

Announcing the Windows Workgroup

Swift starts a Windows workgroup to maintain support, improve tools and packages, and guide future work on the platform.

Development

Utrecht Path part 09

Hiked 13.5 kilometres from Baarn to Hollandsche Rading.

Hiking

Improving the usability of C libraries in Swift

Swift calls C libraries easily, but they feel unsafe and old. Use module maps and API notes to make them safe, modern, and Swifty without changing the C code.

Development

Toxic Empathy by Allie Beth Stuckey

Allie Beth Stuckey's 'Toxic Empathy' argues that progressives manipulate Christian compassion through empathy on issues like abortion, gender, and immigration, calling for truth-based responses.

Books

Utrecht Path part 08

Hiked 17.0 kilometres from Amersfoort to Baarn.

Hiking

End-to-End The Worlds Longest Train Journey by Scott Manson

Scott Manson's book 'End-to-End' recounts his 18,295 kilometres, 35-day train journey from Portugal to Vietnam in 2019. He describes people met, landscapes, food, challenges, and how Covid later made the route impossible.

Books

Number Station 44

Number Station 44. At the end of the dial, the numbers never lie.

Projects

On Democracies and Death Cults by Douglas Murray

Douglas Murray wrote On Democracies and Death Cults. He looks at the fight between Israel and Hamas. Murray calls it a clash between a free country and a group that loves death.

Books

Monthly update #0428 • December 2025

Monthly update 428 • December 2025 • 2025-12-01 - 2025-12-31

Monthly Updates

I love snow

Today it snowed again, and it stayed on the ground. This does not happen often in the Netherlands any more. I love snow. I always have, and I always will.

Journal