The Technology Behind the Site
Here are some details about the site’s setup for you geeks out there:
The Machine
Linode
The site is hosted on a Linode virtual host. I’m enough of a geek to like having root access on my machines, yet not rich enough to support dedicated hardware.
Debian
This is the only Linux distribution that I trust with fully automatic updates and in-place upgrades of major OS versions. I’d rather use my Linode than babysit it, and such features help streamline administration. Debian’s also well suited to running on low-end systems, and its popularity helps ensure its future.
Apache
While Apache’s a bloated mess, I’m familiar with it and I’m using some fancy features that aren’t supported by nginx and similar lightweight servers.
The Content
Markdown and Dropbox
The content of the site is created within plaintext files, enhanced with Markdown formatting and uploaded to Dropbox. Dropbox synchronization allows for access from any computer or device, version controls, and automated backups. Forgoing the use of database servers like MySQL also increases performance, security, and ease of administration.
Pelican
The Markdown source files are converted to HTML using Pelican, a static blog generator written in Python. I didn’t go through any rigorous selection process before deciding on it, but I was able to get it running easily, and it has active support from the developer.
Twitter Bootstrap
The theme uses the Bootstrap framework, and is derived from the tuxlite_tbs Pelican theme.
The Protocol
DNS
The .by country code TLD is assigned to Belarus. The name cur.by has nothing to do with dogs.
HTTPS
On May 22, 2012 the site started serving content via HTTPS by default. All unencrypted connections are redirected to use the secure protocol.
Twitterfeed
The site’s posts are heedlessly spammed to Twitter and Facebook using Twitterfeed. Posts tagged with shypost are ignored.