About the Author
I'm Stephan, a Linux user with a passion for open-source, UI/UX design, and exploring what makes fiction work.
In my spare time, I focus on (and write about):
- Programming (mainly in Python and Rust)
- Retrocomputing (mostly DOS but, as of January 2023, I also own a machine running Mac OS 9.2)
- Reading and Reviewing Fiction
- The odd bit of UI/UX design or literary theory
For notification of significant updates to existing posts, consider following me on Mastodon.
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Author Archives: Stephan Sokolow
Error 400: The Web’s Most Under-Appreciated Response
TL;DR: You should respond with Error 400 if the URL is malformed or the parameters fail validation rather than with Error 404. If you’ve ever run a website which reports 404ed requests to the admin, you’ve probably noticed that, every … Continue reading
Posted in Geek Stuff
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Schedule Importer for TaskWarrior
I just wrote another useful little script. This one takes a CSV representation of any schedule in this form and imports it into TaskWarrior for easy time management Week 1 Read pages 1-25 Week 2 Read pages 26-50 Do Exercise … Continue reading
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Sekirei Fics Which Fight/Fix Canon
Last Updated 2020-09-10: Added an entry for Angry, Angry Wizards. Since my last post on Familiar of Zero fics, it occurred to me that there is another series that’s not to my taste but which still manages to make interesting … Continue reading
Posted in Fanfiction
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Worthwhile Familiars of Zero
Updated 2020-12-12: Added “Loopholes” Of all the stories I’ve encountered, Familiar of Zero (or “Zero no Tsukaima” as I still think of it) is an interesting case. I’ve never really seen the appeal of the anime and, while I haven’t … Continue reading
Posted in Fanfiction
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Constant Vigilance: Not Just For Fantasy Characters
Arthur C. Clarke famously said that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic and, but for our knowledge that it’s not, most people would already say information technology fits that criteria. The problem is that we computer wizards, being … Continue reading
Posted in Web Wandering & Opinion
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American Politics: What Does “Liberty” Actually Mean?
I just ran across an episode of The Young Turks which mentioned and briefly summarized a very interesting article. Here’s the relevant part: Now I’ll understand if you don’t have time to read the full article (linked to on Salon.com … Continue reading
Posted in Web Wandering & Opinion
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Happy Mayan Y2K (and birthday to me)
Happy Mayan Y2K but, more importantly, happy birthday to me. (Ain’t I egotistical? :P) Yes, today’s not just the latest in a very long list of failed apocalypses, it’s also my birthday and was the winter solstice for most of … Continue reading
Posted in Web Wandering & Opinion
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