> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.autodidacts.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Autodidacts Newsletter #24 - URL: https://www.autodidacts.io/autodidacts-newsletter-24/ - Published: 2026-01-28T21:34:07.000Z - Updated: 2026-01-28T21:48:06.000Z - Description: One newsletter with more new posts than I published in all of 2025. - Author: Curiositry - Tags: Newsletter, 100DaysToOffload On Dec 31st 2025, I boldly announced that I was thinking of trying to publish a vast quantity of posts, in lieu of a handful of long-chewed-over deep dives. Feedback came in **69:31** in favor of the experiment. Despite my encouragement of honest/blunt feedback, I assume a slight bias toward positive feedback, but the sentiment was probably still >50% positive, which meant it was up to me — and I thought, *let’s go for it.* ![Emacs octopus at the keyboard image](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/2026/01/emacs-octopus-meme.jpg) actually i use helix In the past month, I published four times more posts (24) than I published in all of 2025 (6). I’ll be the first to admit: they aren’t as good. But this is not the beginning of a long slide into short-form clickbait and tech tutorials. This post-a-lot-and-see-what-sticks experiment is temporary, and calculated to do two things: 1) give me a lot of practice writing, and 2) create a large quantity of quietly useful posts that help people solve problems, and also bring in new readers for the more philosophical essays, by giving search engine exposure. In the long run, I plan to continue the gradual transition — which this experiment has temporarily interrupted — toward more in-depth posts and perennial topics. Five or six of the posts are general-interest. My favorites are probably [*Human Beings are Waterproof*](https://www.autodidacts.io/human-beings-are-waterproof/) and [*Dostoyevsky Isn’t Difficult*](https://www.autodidacts.io/dostoyevsky-isnt-difficult/). There are also a couple of posts on sleep (a favorite activity of mine). I drafted many philosophical posts, but I tended to get cold feet about publishing them when they were still raw, and fall back on tech how-tos. I tried to put enough jokes in the niche tech tutorials to make them modestly entertaining even for people who don’t have the problems they solve. I enjoyed writing about [Patching KOReader](https://www.autodidacts.io/star-wallabag-entry-from-koreader/) (because I actually fixed it), [Split Testing in \~50 Lines of JavaScript](https://www.autodidacts.io/split-testing-in-50-lines-of-javascript/) (more technically in-depth than some), and [the psychology of Ghost signup spam](https://www.autodidacts.io/ghost-newsletter-sign-up-spam/) (because I made funny memes). Here’s the full list of posts: [Cerelog’s ESP-EEG is a new 8 channel biosensing board at a hobbyist-friendly priceThe same number of channels of EEG/EMG/ECG for half the price![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-1.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/cerelog-esp-EEG.jpg)](https://www.autodidacts.io/cerelog-esp-eeg-affordable-openbci-like-board/) [Filtering RSS feeds by tagUse CommaFeed filter expressions to hide irrelevant posts like this one![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-2.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/filter-rss-feeds-by-expression-commafeed-100daystooffload-example-2.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/filter-rss-feeds-by-tag/) [An unsolved question in sleep scienceOr, a display of my ignorance of sleep science![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-3.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/sleep-duration-and-all-cause-mortality-1.jpg)](https://www.autodidacts.io/long-sleep-duration-and-mortality/) [A list of public Wallabag instances that seem legitEspecially free-to-use instances that might be around for a while![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-4.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/wallabag.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/wallabag-instance-list/) [Patching KOReader Wallabag Plugin to add star supportNow you can star Wallabag entries from the comfort of your Kobo e-reader![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-5.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/wallabag-star-article-from-koreader-main-lua.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/star-wallabag-entry-from-koreader/) [Sleep is a continuumDon’t believe the Hypnograms![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-6.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/Sleep_Hypnogram.svg.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/sleep-is-a-continuum/) [Wallabag wins, despite its flawsFreedom and flexibility make up for the rough edges (and the competition has its own usability issues)![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-7.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/wallabag-screenshot.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/wallabag-wins-despite-its-flaws/) [Regex is horrible, yet regex is amazingAnd it’s not just for programmers![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-8.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/the-power-of-regex-libreoffice-telephone-number-format-search-and-replace-1.gif)](https://www.autodidacts.io/horrible-amazing-regex/) [Create custom filtered RSS feeds in Ghost, the easy wayCreate custom feeds, on custom routes, without editing theme files![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-9.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/invalid-rss-feed-2-1.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/create-custom-filtered-rss-feeds-with-ghost-cms-routes-channels/) [Script: export post as Markdown via Ghost Admin APIOnce upon a time I deleted the production database![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-10.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/ghost-markdown-export-script.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/script-export-post-as-markdown-via-ghost-admin-api/) [How to Migrate Kobo eReader Books & Annotations to a New DeviceAnd probably not even brick it![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-11.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/Kobo_ereader_touch_black_front.JPG)](https://www.autodidacts.io/migrate-kobo-ereader-content-books-annotations-to-new-device/) [What’s the end game for Ghost newsletter sign-up spam?My theory of mind is failing![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-12.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/Bavarian_troops_attack_rebels_in_a_towerhouse.jpg)](https://www.autodidacts.io/ghost-newsletter-sign-up-spam/) [A Fish shortcut for rapidly appending clipboard data to text filesText editors are for normies![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-13.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/fish-bash-rapid-append-to-text-file.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/fish-bash-clipboard-append-to-file/) [Split Testing in \~50 lines of JavaScriptI tried to use a Matomo A/B testing plugin and it didn’t work, so I wrote my own: sometimes, re-inventing the wheel is the fastest way to get on the road.![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-14.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/matomo-segment-split-test-analysis-1.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/split-testing-in-50-lines-of-javascript/) [Finally, an open-source dictation app for Linux that actually worksFor decades, I’ve contemplated capitulating and buying a proprietary dictation app, such as Dragon Naturally Speaking. Now I don’t have to.![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-15.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/whispering-open-source-linux-dictation-app-screenshot-2.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/whispering-open-source-dictation-app-for-linux/) [And then there’s ReadeckA look at another open-source read-it-later app with Kobo support![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-16.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/readeck-read-it-later-screenshot.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/readeck-open-source-read-it-later-app-with-kobo-support/) [Human beings are waterproofSome exceptions apply![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-17.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/storm-run.jpg)](https://www.autodidacts.io/human-beings-are-waterproof/) [The Benefits of Creating a Personal Shorthand of SymbolsA guide to devolving your handwriting![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-18.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/Gregg_shorthand_A_Christmas_Carol.jpg)](https://www.autodidacts.io/personal-shorthand-symbols/) [I couldn’t find a free Silver price API — so I’m making oneWriting a web app because I want to do calculations in a spreadsheet![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-19.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/Ag_annual_average_USD_price_1792-2005.svg.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/free-silver-price-api/) [Dostoyevsky isn’t difficultOther than the names. The names are difficult.![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-20.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/Dostoyevsky_on_his_Bier-_Kramskoy.jpg)](https://www.autodidacts.io/dostoyevsky-isnt-difficult/) [My Free Daily Silver Price API is LiveWhat comes before alpha?![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-21.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/free_daily_cad_silver_bid_price_api.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/my-free-daily-silver-price-api-is-live/) [It’s 2026 and LibreOffice Calc still can’t parse JSON API responses without a pluginI check every year or so![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-22.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/how-to-use-libreoffice-calc-jsonparse-plugin-big.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/parse-filter-json-api-responses-in-libreoffice-calc/) [I fixed my crashing AWS t2.micro instance by adding swapAn obvious solution to a simple problem, overlooked due to previous experience![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-23.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/aws-htop-screenshot.png)](https://www.autodidacts.io/i-fixed-my-crashing-aws-t2-micro-instance-by-adding-swap/) [You’re in a computer literacy filter bubbleSomeone I know started teaching a podcasting course at a better-than-average high school in one of the richest parts of one of the richest countries. After his first day, he told me, with wide eyes, some of the students don’t know how to move or copy a file. I![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/icon/autodidacts-logo-small-25.png)The AutodidactsCuriositry![](https://www.autodidacts.io/content/images/thumbnail/fortran-1.gif)](https://www.autodidacts.io/computer-literacy-filter-bubble/) --- **Thanks for sticking with us for this experiment!** If you have any topics you’d like to see covered in the next 25 posts, hit reply. The Autodidacts