Digital Life | Attack on Life

How to Register a Nigeria or Turkey Apple ID to Save on Subscriptions

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:04:28 +0800

To save on AI subscription costs, I have long used low-price App Store regions such as Turkey or Nigeria. Besides paying with gift cards, another issue is registering the Apple ID itself. A friend recently asked me about this, so I am summarizing the registration methods here.

There are basically two methods.

Directly register an account for the target country.
First register an account for your own country, do nothing else, such as adding balance, and then change the country/region directly.

Register an Account

I will not go through every detail of account registration, because the official website is already clear enough. Just follow Apple’s steps and fill in the information. One thing to note: when registering an account for a specific country, it is best to have a network environment from that country. For example, when registering a US Apple ID, it is better to use a US IP address. This can avoid unnecessary trouble. If you encounter strange errors during registration, the network may be the reason. For example, I had issues directly registering a Nigeria Apple ID, so I eventually registered with China as the country first, then changed the country to Nigeria after the account was created.

Change Country/Region

The account cannot have a remaining balance. So if this is a new account and you plan to change region, do not add balance during registration. Change the country immediately after registration.
If you already added balance, you need to use it up or contact Apple Support to clear it.

Apple ID Payment

Since you usually do not have a local payment method for the target country, you need to buy an Apple Gift Card for that country. After redeeming it, you can use the account normally. For my Turkey/Nigeria Apple IDs, I solve this by buying corresponding gift cards. In China, for example, you can buy them through Xianyu.

Turkey Gift Card

🎁

Turkish iTunes Gift Card

500 TRY/card · Delivered within 24 hrs · Exchange rate conversion applies — slightly above direct local price

USD $14/card

💡 $14/card · Fixed price · Exchange rate loss included

Quantity

Total: USD $28

After payment, the gift card code will be sent to your email within 24 hours.

Payment issues?

If you see 'payment blocked' or 'too risky', this is Stripe's automated fraud prevention — not a merchant decision. Common causes and fixes:

1. VPN / Proxy
Turn off your VPN or switch to a node matching your card's issuing country. IP-to-card country mismatch often triggers the block.

2. Card not enabled for international payments
Make sure your credit/debit card has international online transactions enabled — some banks disable this by default.

3. Try a different card
Prefer Visa / Mastercard credit cards. Prepaid or virtual cards are more likely to be blocked.

4. Browser issues
Try incognito/private mode, or a different browser. Some extensions can interfere with the payment flow.

5. Still not working?
Contact the author via Alipay or PayPal to complete the payment.

Nigeria Gift Card

🎁

Nigerian iTunes Gift Card

~14,900–15,000 NGN · Delivered within 24 hrs · Slightly above market price to cover service & transaction fees

USD $--/card

⚠️ Loading...

Quantity

Total: USD $--

After payment, the gift card code will be sent to your email within 24 hours.

Payment issues?

Do Not Frequently Lend the Account to Others

Apple IDs also have risk controls. If the account frequently logs into different devices, or you lend it to others too often, Apple may consider it abnormal behavior and ban the account. If you already have subscriptions or purchased apps, that would cause losses. So pay attention to account usage frequency and avoid lending it out frequently, especially for accounts in different countries.

Final Thoughts

In short, I hope you can use the advantages of multi-region Apple IDs and regional pricing to reasonably register and use Apple IDs from different countries, saving on subscription fees and app purchases. It also gives you more app freedom, since some apps are only available in specific countries’ App Stores.

How to Register an Apple ID in Nigeria or Turkey

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:04:28 +0800

To save on AI subscription costs, I’ve been using low-price region App Store subscriptions in Turkey or Nigeria. Besides the payment issue (solved via gift cards), another common question is how to register an Apple ID for these regions. A friend asked me recently, so here’s a summary:

There are two approaches:

Register directly in the target country.
Register with your own country first — don’t do anything else like topping up — then change the country/region immediately.

Registering an Account

I won’t go into every detail of account registration since Apple’s official page is clear enough — just follow the steps there. One thing to note: when registering for a specific country, it’s best to have a matching network environment. For example, if you’re registering a US Apple ID, a US IP address helps avoid unnecessary issues. If you encounter strange errors during registration, it’s likely a network issue. When I tried to register a Nigeria Apple ID directly, I ran into problems. My solution was to register with China selected, and after success, switch the country to Nigeria.

Changing Country/Region

Your account must have no balance. If you have a new account and plan to switch regions, don’t top it up — just register and change the country right away.
If you’ve already topped up, spend the balance first, or contact Apple Support to clear it to zero.

Payment for Apple ID

Since you won’t have a local payment method for the target country’s Apple ID, you’ll need to buy that country’s Apple Gift Card. Once redeemed, you can use the App Store normally. For my Turkey and Nigeria Apple IDs, I resolve this by purchasing the corresponding gift cards — in China, you can find them on Xianyu (闲鱼).

Turkey Gift Card

🎁

Turkish iTunes Gift Card

500 TRY/card · Delivered within 24 hrs · Exchange rate conversion applies — slightly above direct local price

USD $14/card

💡 $14/card · Fixed price · Exchange rate loss included

Quantity

Total: USD $28

After payment, the gift card code will be sent to your email within 24 hours.

Payment issues?

Nigeria Gift Card

🎁

Nigerian iTunes Gift Card

~14,900–15,000 NGN · Delivered within 24 hrs · Slightly above market price to cover service & transaction fees

USD $--/card

⚠️ Loading...

Quantity

Total: USD $--

After payment, the gift card code will be sent to your email within 24 hours.

Payment issues?

Don’t Lend Your Account Frequently

Apple IDs can be banned. If your account logs into many different devices or is frequently lent to others, Apple may flag it as abnormal activity and suspend it. Any subscriptions or app purchases would then be lost. Be mindful of your account usage — especially cross-region accounts — and avoid sharing them frequently.

Wrapping Up

Hopefully this helps you take advantage of Apple ID’s multi-region pricing to reduce subscription and app purchase costs, while also gaining access to apps only available in specific countries’ App Stores.

Side Hustle Guide: Earning Money Through Cloud Storage Promotion

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 21:25:13 +0800

I’ve long seen many people sharing cloud storage content and was curious about how they made money. Until one day, someone contacted me through my WeChat official account wanting to collaborate on cloud storage promotion. After getting involved, I discovered how it works. The key insight is that this partnership doesn’t interfere with how you normally share content. For example, cloud storage links—the address stays exactly the same. When others register for cloud storage, save files, activate VIP memberships, etc., you earn a commission. Why not take advantage of it? Here I’ll share the mechanics and insider tips.

Recommended Cloud Storage Promotion Partners

First, here are some reliable cloud storage promotion partners I know of. Of course, there may be others in the market worth exploring.

Cloud Drive Promoter (what I use)
- Quark Cloud Drive Influencer Registration Form: https://docs.qq.com/form/page/DV3lVU2dCYUl4U0dz
- Baidu Cloud Drive New User and File Transfer VIP Activity Cooperation Details: https://docs.qq.com/doc/DYktEWVRCWk1xT0J0
- There are other cloud services, but I chose these two since I use them regularly and am familiar with them. For inquiries, you can add the partner’s WeChat customer service: bust1332978205
- The mini program I use regularly is “Cloud Drive Promoter Statistics Assistant”—it’s feature-rich with clear data. Highly recommended.
- Cloud Drive Promoter handles withdrawals directly to Alipay with one click, which is very convenient. Earnings settle weekly, usually Friday or Saturday for the previous week’s revenue.
AchisoLink
- I haven’t used it personally, but it’s fundamentally similar. I use AchisoLink mainly for their auto-delivery feature, and their official customer service is very professional and responsive, which left a good impression. I haven’t done a detailed price and benefit comparison, but I understand these services are mature and shouldn’t differ significantly.
- One limitation of AchisoLink is that it only supports Quark Cloud Drive. If you only need Quark and are already using AchisoLink’s other products like auto-delivery, it could be worth considering.

Which Cloud Drive Activities Generate Revenue

Here I’ll use Cloud Drive Promoter as an example since it supports multiple cloud drives. As you can see from the screenshot, new sign-ups, VIP activation, and file transfers all generate income.

How Revenue Gets Attributed to You

Regardless of which cloud drive you use, you simply provide your cloud drive ID to the partner. Then you continue sharing cloud drive content normally—the address stays exactly the same. There are no added parameters or changed links. Your shared content doesn’t change at all, and users won’t notice any difference. When users register a cloud drive account, activate VIP memberships, etc., these actions are tracked by the partner and attributed to your ID based on your promotion, crediting you the commission.

So now you understand—this costs nothing. The only “cost” is submitting the partnership form.

Showing My Earnings

I’ll share my results here, though I’m not a power user. As I mentioned above, this has zero cost, so why not earn some extra money on the side? I continue using cloud drives the same way I always have.

Quark Cloud Drive / Baidu Cloud Drive

Since I use Xianyu (the flea market app) quite a bit, from experience, these are the two cloud drives users rely on most. So if your time is limited, I recommend applying for promotion of just these two.

Quark Cloud Drive VIP?

Since we’re talking about cloud storage promotion, naturally you’ll want as much storage space as possible—otherwise how do you store and share massive resources?

Free storage is very limited. You could purchase VIP separately, but if you want to save money, I personally recommend getting 88 VIP instead, which includes Quark Cloud Drive VIP with 6TB of storage—more than enough for me.

Baidu Cloud Drive VIP?

For Baidu, I got 3TB from a promotion I participated in years ago, which is still sufficient. If you need more, you’ll have to buy VIP. To save money, you can look for discounts on Xianyu.

Here are my personal suggestions, using Quark Cloud Drive as an example (other cloud drives are similar):

Set links to permanent validity—this way you can continue earning promotion revenue. Of course, if the cloud storage data itself needs an expiration date, that’s a different matter.
Enable auto-fill extraction code when sharing links, so it’s convenient for others to access.

Combining with Xianyu?

Combining with Xianyu is actually a great strategy. For example, you’ll see many pirated movies and software on Xianyu. As a seller, you earn money in two ways: 1) the product listing fee, and 2) when buyers download and transfer files, that generates cloud storage revenue. Even better, they might register cloud drive accounts or activate VIP—all generating additional revenue. So if you’re a seller or already a heavy cloud storage user, combining with Xianyu is definitely worthwhile.

Final Thoughts

Through this article, I hope you now understand where the profit comes from when people share content at scale. You often see 1-cent deals for resources on Xianyu—the monetization is essentially this cloud storage promotion model.
This is advantageous because it has zero cost and actually generates income. The downside is that individual earnings may be modest. That said, if you play it right or are already a heavy cloud storage user, your earnings could be significantly higher.
Don’t overthink it. If this sounds interesting to you, just get started.

Xianyu Side Hustle Guide: From Zero to 1k+ Monthly Revenue

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 22:15:30 +0800

I usually play around with Xianyu, also nicknamed “Xiao Huang Yu”, in my spare time. At first, I only used it to sell used items and recover some cash. Later, I found that I could also sell software, materials, coupons, and similar products. Since I have a technical background, I started looking at each step from an engineering perspective: reducing costs, improving efficiency, and increasing sales. Looking back, it can now bring in around 1k per month. Once the income becomes meaningful, the whole thing starts to form a positive feedback loop.

Here I am sharing many practical experiences that are hard to find online, for friends who want to try Xianyu as a side hustle.

Note: this article is continuously updated. Xianyu is also commonly called Xiao Huang Yu in China.

The Value of Xianyu

Many people around me underestimate Xianyu. From a buyer’s perspective, they think it is low-end. From a seller’s perspective, they also think it is low-end. But that is naive. Look at the numbers.

According to QuestMobile, Xianyu’s monthly active users (MAU) exceeded 200 million in March 2025, reaching 209 million, with year-over-year growth close to 20%. It entered the top ten “APP user scale growth list (100M+ MAU)” and ranked first in MAU growth among e-commerce apps.

Xianyu: The “Dark Web” of Everyday Purchases

If you do not know where to buy something in China, try searching on Xianyu. For example: Turkey Apple Card gift cards, ScreenStudio discount codes, Claude/GPT membership accounts, discount coupons, food delivery coupons, and so on. In short, many things can be found on Xianyu, including some things that are no longer easy to find on Taobao.

Use Xianyu well, and you can make money. Use Xianyu well, and you can also save money. For example, when I go to arcades, I sometimes buy game tokens on Xianyu, which is cheaper than Meituan and similar platforms.

My Purchase Records

As the screenshots show, many unexpected things can be bought here. Even if you are not buying or selling used goods, some things are still suitable to buy on Xianyu. This is only for reference, but it may help open your thinking.

I remember spending several thousand RMB on Xianyu last year, mainly on gift cards and game tokens.

My Xianyu Store Sales Revenue Data

Back to the main topic: how much money can you make selling things on Xianyu? Here are some recent revenue numbers from my account.

You can see the recent months are not bad. These numbers are only from the auto-delivery platform. Since some orders are not auto-delivered, the actual revenue is slightly higher.

Now look at last year’s data. Since most revenue goes through Alipay, Alipay’s incoming payments can roughly reflect the income situation.

Notes:

You may wonder: by this calculation, 2025 did not reach 1k per month. That is true. I am not a professional seller, so it may not always reach that level. More objectively, I only really started playing seriously with Xianyu in the second half of the year. The first half was more about exploration.
The store above is not a Yuxiaopu store.

OK, now that you understand the revenue situation, let’s look at specific playbook suggestions. Of course, this is only one person’s experience. The income shown here only proves that the path is possible. If you do it better, the income may be higher. If you do it poorly, the income may be lower, or you may even lose money by spending a lot of ineffective time and effort. But if you never try, you lose one possible path, right?

Xianyu Notes

Xianyu Accounts

Registering a Xianyu account is simple. The key thing to note is that Xianyu is bound to Alipay. In theory, each Xianyu account corresponds to one Alipay account, and one Chinese ID can have multiple Alipay accounts. So in theory, one ID can register multiple Xianyu accounts. However, there are rumors that if one person has multiple Xianyu accounts, traffic may be limited. The official side has not confirmed this, and there is no solid business evidence, so I am only flagging it as a reminder.

Should You Open Yuxiaopu?

After registering Xianyu as a seller, Xianyu will recommend opening Yuxiaopu. After opening it, you can get privileges such as group-buy discounts and a much higher product limit, from 50 items to 10,000. There are many benefits. So should you open it?

I did not open it myself. The main reason is that I do not have more than 50 products, or rather, 50 is enough for now.
Yuxiaopu has requirements such as shipping within 24 hours. Also, if there is a transaction dispute with a buyer, the rules are stricter for sellers.
Think from the buyer’s perspective. If I buy professional items such as gift cards, buying from Yuxiaopu is fine. But if I buy genuinely used items such as phones, I tend to avoid Yuxiaopu, because Xianyu originally feels like a second-hand marketplace, not a professional seller platform. Yuxiaopu naturally labels you as a professional seller, which may scare away some buyers.

For these reasons, I did not open it. My personal advice for new sellers is to proceed step by step. You can skip it at first and open it later when scale or demand makes it necessary.

Exposure: How to Improve It

Pay attention to keywords in the title and description. If you do not know how to write them, search for similar products and see how others write their titles and descriptions, then imitate them. Copying is possible, but if you want users to choose you instead of others, you still need some differentiation. If everything is too homogeneous, users may not choose you.
Xianyu coin deduction: I always enable this myself. The downside is that your profit decreases. From Xianyu’s perspective, it cares more about transaction volume, because it is a platform and its model relies heavily on transactions. So it encourages users to use Xianyu coin deductions to improve exposure. But for sellers, this may reduce profit or even cause losses, so you need to weigh it yourself. If you can maintain profit, enabling it is better because it increases exposure and may lead to volume.
Daily exposure: you can tap it every day, collect Xianyu coins, and once you reach 100 coins, choose products to expose.
Fast Sell: go to My -> Xianyu Coins -> Fast Sell, then click to add exposure to a specific product. Note that the displayed number of exposed users is only a reference. In general, the more expensive the exposure, the more people it reaches.
Red flowers: after each transaction ends, there is a request red flower action. Tap it to send a message asking the buyer/seller for one. The official description does not say red flowers improve exposure, but from actual experience, at least it definitely does not hurt. So if possible, try it.

How to Check Annual Income

Xianyu itself does not show it directly. Only at the end of the year does Xianyu send an annual report where you can see it.
Another method is what I mentioned above: use Alipay bills and annual incoming payments. Strictly speaking, this is not fully accurate, because WeChat can also receive payments. The path is Alipay -> Me -> Bills -> Income and Expense Analysis -> Income -> Annual.

How to Handle Malicious Bad Reviews

First, once a transaction is completed, even if you win through legal channels, the user can still leave a review and even insult you. There is no direct way to remove this type of bad review. However, if the user uses abusive language or defames you, you can report it. If the report succeeds, the review can be deleted. This is currently the only practical solution.

Violations, Restrictions, and Maintaining Xianqi Score

The entry is My -> Safety Center -> Xianqi Score. Normally, we do not deliberately maintain this score, but once it drops below 80, Xianyu will forcibly delist all products. For example, I encounter violation deductions several times a year, causing the score to reach 80 or below, and then all products are delisted for one week. They recover after a week. When violation deductions lead to the account being locked for a week or even longer and unable to publish products, there are a few things we can do.

Before Problems Happen

If a product has risk, do not publish it. The cost of point deductions is currently high. 80 is the key threshold. Also note that even if a product was not considered a violation before, relisting it may still be considered a violation, so pay attention to existing products too.
If you want to play Xianyu long term, it is best to have multiple accounts. If one account gets points deducted, other accounts can still continue shipping. This acts like disaster recovery.
In the Safety Center, some accounts may have tasks that earn points. If you see them, do them. I personally have not encountered them yet, so I can only wait for unblocking.

After Problems Happen

Appeal. In my own experience, I have never succeeded, but it is still worth trying.
After unblocking, go through sold records, click details, and relist from there. This avoids editing the product again. Of course, do not relist products that were actually violations. If the product was penalized as a violation, relisting it will still be a violation and will deduct points again.

What Happens to Exposure After Unblocking?

I have been restricted several times. Based on actual experience, exposure in the first week after unblocking is not good, maybe only a few hundred views per day. But exposure is recovering during that period. The only thing you can do is add exposure yourself.

Third-Party Helper: Agiso Auto Delivery

For product auto-delivery, I personally recommend buying Agiso’s auto-delivery service. It is currently 138 RMB per year. I recommend trying the free one-week trial first, then buying it if it fits.

Auto Delivery Is Powerful

For example, you can enter a batch of codes, and each delivery can take one code from the pool, then reduce inventory by one. You can also repeatedly send the same content without reducing inventory.
Delivery templates can be configured.
It can automatically approve returns.

In short, these functions are all essential and greatly improve delivery and transaction efficiency.

Cons

It cannot automatically leave reviews. More precisely, this auto-delivery product cannot auto-review. For example, when a user confirms receipt, it cannot automatically initiate a review. Their Yudianzhang product can do this, but only if you open Yuxiaopu. I personally do not want to open it, so there is no solution for me.

Pros

It saves time and effort. Auto-delivery mainly solves delivery for no-inventory or digital products. With it, you can basically think of the process as requiring little manual work. Manual work is mostly for answering user questions.

Some Experience

During auto-delivery, you can choose to first send a delivery statement, giving the user a second confirmation opportunity. This avoids cases where some users buy, receive delivery, and immediately request a refund. In short, it gives users a chance to think again. The downside is lower delivery efficiency, but since it is automated, I think this extra step is acceptable for some products, such as high-priced items or products likely to generate returns. This is what I do personally.

Agiso

Final Thoughts

This article is still being updated. I will continue sharing more personal experience and tips later, so feel free to follow along.
The content here is for reference only. Everyone’s situation is different, and what works for me may not work for you. Adjust and experiment based on your own reality.
If you have any experience or questions about doing a Xianyu side hustle, feel free to share and discuss in the comments. We can learn from each other.

OpenClaw (Lobster) Implementing Social Media Image-Text Publishing

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 23:25:13 +0800

Lobster is quite popular, but it doesn’t produce any new technology itself. It simply provides mainstream IM tools with the capability to leverage AI. So I thought it could also solve the daily publishing workflow for social media creators.

Existing Skills

First, let me introduce some existing skills. You can directly ask your AI to install these, and you can ask the AI for usage instructions.

https://github.com/JimLiu/baoyu-skills/tree/main/skills Explanation: From Baoyu’s skills, I currently only use baoyu-cover-image (for generating article cover image prompts) and baoyu-post-to-wechat (for solving WeChat Official Account publishing issues).

For other platforms like Toutiao and Xiaohongshu, I’m currently developing them myself because they’re highly customized, so I won’t share them for now.

For platforms like Xiaohongshu and Toutiao, since they have PC web interfaces, you can use Playwright to simulate browser operations. Of course, you could also use API interfaces, but they’re too easily blocked. I personally recommend directly manipulating the web pages.
For WeChat Official Account, since there’s an official API, the aforementioned Skill recommends using the official API method for publishing, as it’s more stable. Of course, Baoyu’s skill is compatible with both API and non-API approaches. Without an API, it naturally falls back to browser page operations.

Image Generation

Compared to GPT and Gemini, Gemini is much more powerful. Chinese character rendering is now good without obvious issues. Since API pricing is a threshold issue and costs are a concern, I’m using the web-based solution directly. That is, using Playwright to simulate browser operations, generating images directly on the web page, and downloading them locally. This way, you can continue with image-text publishing.

Writing Skills

Although there are some solutions online, whether for security or customization reasons, you always end up needing to modify them. So how to write efficiently? Here’s my approach: I use the Chrome Claude plugin to write directly on the target page. This way, Claude helps generate the rough code and also verifies its effectiveness. Then I can copy the basic logic and have OpenClaw re-encapsulate it.

Final Thoughts

So far, the most critical image generation and publishing are sorted out. This actually saves considerable time, and it also makes it easy to do multi-platform simultaneous publishing. So, let’s get to it!

Getting the iPhone 17 via JD Trade-In: Great Bare-Hand Feel

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 11:46:41 +0800

I bought the 16 Pro in May 2025 for 5469 CNY. Recently it started lagging, and I found out the 128GB storage was almost full (only a few GB left). I had to delete some apps and move photos to Quark cloud storage. The lag improved, but the core storage issue remained.

I happened to see on Xiaohongshu that JD was running another Apple trade-in promotion, so I decided to upgrade. While the phone is still relatively new and worth more, I traded up to the 17.

Here I’ll document my process and experience.

Purchase Motivation

My 16 Pro only had 128G storage, which was too small.

That’s the only reason for upgrading. Nothing else to complain about - I’m a long-time Apple user, and iPhone has always been stable and well-balanced. No reason to switch brands.

Trade-In Plan

Having decided to go from 16 to 17, there were multiple 17 models to choose from (17, 17 Air, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max) - Tim Cook’s product segmentation is still masterful. But considering the upgrade cost and not wanting to pay too much extra, the decision was simple. After 10 minutes of thought, I chose the base 17 model with 256G storage, which is enough for me.

The upgrade cost breakdown looks reasonable - I only paid 450 CNY extra. JD essentially provided both government subsidy + trade-in bonus, which I think is pretty good.

Tip: The government subsidy has a yearly quota. For example, my 16 Pro used the 2025 phone subsidy, and this trade-in uses the 2026 quota - they don’t conflict.

Trade-In Method

I personally chose the one-time home visit option, mainly for convenience. AiHuiShou (the recycling service) calls to schedule a home visit. If the old phone passes inspection, you sign and hand it over, then receive the new phone. If there are issues during inspection, they might try to lower the price. In my case there was no price reduction. Personally, I think if they try to negotiate, you can simply refuse the deal. Considering the cost of a home visit, maybe AiHuiShou would just let it go.

Data Clearing

AiHuiShou will wipe your phone data on the spot. It’s recommended to back up beforehand — you can use a MacBook for backup and then sync directly to the new phone. Alternatively, you can pay a deposit and mail the phone to AiHuiShou later. I had mine wiped on the spot to ensure privacy.

Accessories

After getting the phone, I needed accessories. I still only got 2 items:

SHANMO tempered glass screen protector, from JD, 23 CNY
Huaqiangbei iPhone MagSafe case, from PDD, 45 CNY

After trying them out, I found that the old 16 Pro screen protector and case actually fit perfectly - they’re compatible. If you don’t want to spend money, just use your old accessories.

Current Experience

Pros

The build quality is excellent. While the base 17 doesn’t look dramatically different, the material quality feels better, and the back has a very comfortable hand feel.
The front camera has a noticeably visible improvement, going from 12 megapixels to 18 megapixels.

Cons

The annoying button layout still hasn’t been fixed. Let me copy my complaint from last time:

Both the left-side mute button and volume buttons are buttons, causing me to frequently accidentally press them when pressing blindly. I think this design is a failure and suspect the iPhone team’s testing wasn’t thorough enough.
The camera button on the right side, I admit, is convenient when taking photos, but without it there wouldn’t be much of a problem, so isn’t it quite redundant? Simplicity no longer exists, making the physical buttons feel very bloated. The overall design aesthetics of the iPhone is at least far worse than the iPhone 4 era. The Cook era always feels like the aesthetics have deteriorated significantly, let alone surpassing previous designs.

Upgrading Doesn’t Always Mean Better?

There are actually quite a few differences between the Pro and base models that you might not notice. You get what you pay for. Of course, if your usage is fairly basic, the base model is fine - you save money after all. But it’s good to know these differences so you don’t assume everything is an upgrade.

What About My Old iPhone 12 and 14 Base Models?

After trading the 16 for the 17, I still have 2 other phones. I calculated the trade-in costs - one would need 3000+ CNY extra, the other 4000+ CNY. On second thought, I’ll pass for now. If I really wanted to trade them in, getting an iPad mini cellular version could be an option.

My Apple Ecosystem

From 2025 to now, I’ve upgraded several Apple devices. Periodically refreshing the lineup is nice - one of Apple’s biggest draws is the ecosystem.

Final Thoughts

JD’s trade-in program is decent. If you’re looking to upgrade, it’s a good deal worth taking advantage of. Compared to selling through recycling services or on Xianyu (second-hand market), it saves you the time and hassle.
Complaints aside, Apple products consistently have high sales for good reason. I’ve always thought they’re solid. Of course, the perpetually delayed AI (partly not Apple’s fault) deserves criticism - it borders on false advertising.
The base iPhone 17 is already quite generous - 256GB storage starting point, high refresh rate, front camera upgrade, etc. Even without trade-in discounts, it’s a solid device. Though if you’re used to Android’s big batteries, there’s still room for complaints.

In short, I hope Apple AI comes to the China market soon.

Implement Custom Domain Email with QQ Mail

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 15:23:01 +0800

I use Gmail more often, but it doesn’t support custom domain emails. QQ Mail does support custom domain emails, so this article introduces how to implement a custom domain email with QQ Mail.

Why Not Use Cloudflare

I considered using Cloudflare, which can solve email sending/receiving with custom domains. However, the free version of Cloudflare doesn’t support SMTP protocol - it only supports POP3/IMAP for email retrieval, not SMTP for sending emails.

So I gave up on that. Self-hosting also requires costs, so I still chose to use QQ Mail’s custom domain email feature.

QQ Mail Custom Domain Now Requires Payment

QQ Mail’s custom domain email feature is no longer free. You need to purchase an enterprise email package to use the custom domain email feature. For specific prices, please refer to Tencent Enterprise Email official website. It’s approximately 300 CNY per year. I personally bound my custom domain many years ago, so it’s still available, but I can’t bind new custom domains. If I cancel it, I can’t bind it again.

Steps to Bind Custom Domain Email

Add an MX record mxdomain.qq.com in your DNS records, pointing to QQ Mail’s server address.
If you haven’t logged in to QQ Mail on your local client yet, you need to log in first. Note that the password is not your QQ account password but an authorization password. The login account should be your QQ number, not the custom domain email account.
Add your custom domain in QQ Mail, then add domain email accounts. Each account requires binding to a QQ number.
After logging in, you can add the custom domain account as a sender in email clients like Mac Mail.
Sending emails directly with the custom domain email may fail. Normally, you will receive an email notifying you that the MX record has been added successfully.

Notes

If QQ Mail detects that the MX record is invalid, it will send an email. If not fixed within 30 days, the custom domain email will become unavailable. This is especially important for free users like me. If it becomes invalid and you try to fix it, you might have to pay. So I recommend that if you use a custom domain email as a free user, pay attention to such emails and fix the MX record promptly.

Final Thoughts

For me, being able to use a custom domain email without additional costs is a great choice. Especially since it’s now a paid feature, it feels like I’m saving 300 CNY every year.

My Subscribed Software Services List

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 22:28:25 +0800

As a heavy internet user, I subscribe to a variety of services. Here, I’d like to share the primary services I currently use and how they help me.

List of Subscription Services

Streaming Services

YouTube Premium

Description: Ad-free viewing, background play, and a vast library of content.
Region: Turkey
Subscription Type: Monthly (104.9 TRY/month)
Annual Cost: ~240 CNY

Spotify Premium

Description: Music streaming service, ad-free, and focused on the listening experience.
Region: Turkey
Subscription Type: Family Plan (Shared)
Annual Cost: ~95 CNY

AI Tools

ChatGPT Plus

Description: Access to GPT-4o/o1 models, with strong voice and web browsing capabilities.
Region: Turkey
Subscription Type: Monthly (499 TRY/month)
Annual Cost: ~1,080 CNY

Claude Pro

Description: Assistance with writing and access to Claude Code.
Region: Nigeria
Subscription Type: Monthly (14,900 NGN/month)
Annual Cost: ~1,056 CNY

X Premium

Description: Member benefits such as editing posts; eligible accounts can also participate in the revenue-sharing program.
Region: Turkey
Subscription Type: Monthly (199.99 TRY/month)
Annual Cost: ~330 CNY

Productivity Tools

1Password

Description: Password manager with multi-platform synchronization.
Region: N/A
Subscription Type: Open Source License (Free)
Annual Cost: 0 CNY

GitHub Copilot

Description: AI-powered code completion for VS Code.
Region: N/A
Subscription Type: Educational Eligibility (Free)
Annual Cost: 0 CNY

Cloud Storage and Servers

iCloud

Description: 200GB storage space for data backup.
Region: China
Subscription Type: Monthly (21 CNY/month)
Annual Cost: 252 CNY

Proxy Services (Airport)

Description: Pro lines with 500GB/month data.
Region: N/A
Subscription Type: Annual (Promotional price)
Annual Cost: 470 CNY

Tencent Cloud VPS

Description: Lightweight Application Server for hosting personal services and websites.
Region: China
Subscription Type: Annual (Promotional price)
Annual Cost: 99 CNY

Membership Benefits

JD Plus

Description: Shopping rewards (Jingdou), shipping benefits, and free delivery.
Region: China
Subscription Type: Annual (Discounted via third-party channels)
Annual Cost: ~70 CNY

Total Expenditure

Total Annual Cost: 3,692 CNY

Final Thoughts

These are the main services I currently subscribe to. At a rough calculation, the annual cost is 3,692 CNY. If I didn’t take advantage of lower-priced regions or special promotions, the cost would be significantly higher. However, for a heavy internet user like myself, these services greatly enhance my experience and efficiency, making them well worth the investment.
In addition to these, there are smaller costs like domain registrations, but since they aren’t as significant, I won’t detail them here.

Subscribing to YouTube Premium via Turkey (2025 Guide)

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:54:03 +0800

My previous shared YouTube family plan was canceled, likely due to Google’s stricter enforcement of regional IP consistency within families. To ensure stability, I decided to manage my own subscription. Since direct card payments in the Turkey region usually require a locally issued bank card, I opted for the Apple App Store subscription method instead. Here’s how I did it.

Prerequisites

Turkish Apple ID: You can easily create a new one or switch an existing account to the Turkey region. I already had one on hand, so I used that.
Google Account: Ensure the account you want to use is not currently part of any active subscription or family plan.

Funding Your Turkish Apple ID

I purchased a 500 TRY (Turkish Lira) Apple Gift Card from a third-party marketplace (like Xianyu or SeaGM). The cost was approximately 88 CNY. Once you receive the code, redeem it directly on your Turkish Apple ID.

Alternatively, you can purchase a Turkish iTunes Gift Card directly below (500 TRY/card, USD $14). Note that a small exchange rate conversion cost is included, so it’s slightly above the local direct price.

🎁

Turkish iTunes Gift Card

500 TRY/card · Delivered within 24 hrs · Exchange rate conversion applies — slightly above direct local price

USD $14/card

💡 $14/card · Fixed price · Exchange rate loss included

Quantity

Total: USD $28

After payment, the gift card code will be sent to your email within 24 hours.

Payment issues?

The Subscription Process

Set your proxy/VPN: Set your global proxy to a neutral region (or Turkey if possible).
Log in to YouTube: Open the YouTube app on your iPhone using the Google account you intend to upgrade.
Check Pricing: Navigate to Account > Get YouTube Premium. Because you are logged into a Turkish Apple ID, YouTube should display the price in Lira (currently 104.99 TRY/month).
Subscribe: Confirm the subscription. Since your Apple ID already has a balance from the gift card, it will use that for payment—no need for a Turkish credit card or PayPal.
Confirmation: You’ll receive a notification once the subscription is active.

Since I used a fresh account, I received the first month for free, with billing starting in the second month.

Annual Cost Breakdown

For those who want a quick estimate:

Monthly Cost: 104.99 TRY
Annual Cost: 104.99 * 12 = 1,259.88 TRY
CNY Equivalent: At a gift card rate of 88 CNY per 500 TRY, the total annual cost is roughly 221.34 CNY.

(Note: Prices may fluctuate slightly due to exchange rate changes and gift card pricing.)

Important Tips

Avoid frequent IP switching: I generally use a consistent proxy region (like Japan) for daily viewing to avoid triggering security flags.
Auto-renewal: Ensure you keep enough balance in your Apple ID to cover the monthly renewal.

Final Thoughts

For me, YouTube Premium is a must-have—the ads have become unbearable. If you’re looking for a cheaper way to subscribe, the Turkey region via Apple ID is a solid, relatively low-maintenance option.
Enjoy it while it lasts! These “regional loopholes” are often patched by Google eventually, so cherish the savings while you can.

Extending Caddy Functionality by Installing Modules

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 23:02:16 +0800

I recently had a requirement where I needed Caddy to inject a custom JavaScript snippet into the HTML responses of a proxied web service. After some research, I found that this can be achieved by installing a specific Caddy module. Since I hadn’t worked with Caddy modules before, I spent some time learning how to install and configure them.

Caddy’s Modular Architecture

Caddy is built as a collection of modules. While the default distribution includes the most common features, it doesn’t include everything—even official modules. To add a specific module, you must recompile Caddy with that module included.

Checking Installed Modules

You can verify which modules are currently active in your Caddy binary using the following commands:


# List all installed modules
caddy list-modules

# Search for a specific module (e.g., 'replace')
caddy list-modules | grep replace

Customizing Caddy via Docker

I needed the replace-response module. Since I run Caddy via Docker, the best approach was to create a custom Docker image using a multi-stage build. Here is the Dockerfile:

# Use the official Caddy builder image
FROM caddy:2-builder AS builder

# Build Caddy with the desired external module
RUN xcaddy build \
 --with github.com/caddyserver/replace-response

# Switch to the standard Caddy runtime image
FROM caddy:2

# Replace the default binary with the custom-built one
COPY --from=builder /usr/bin/caddy /usr/bin/caddy

Run docker build -t my-caddy . to build the image. You will then have a my-caddy image that includes the replace-response functionality.

Final Thoughts

By following these steps, we successfully added a custom module to Caddy. Using a Docker multi-stage build is an efficient way to manage dependencies and ensures that your custom Caddy environment remains consistent across different deployments.

Resources

Caddy Documentation: Modules

How to Delete All Photos from Google Photos

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:20:10 +0800

Google Photos only offers 15GB of free storage, after which you need to pay for a subscription. I decided to migrate my photos to a domestic cloud service—Quark Netdisk. Once the migration was complete, I needed to delete the photos from Google to free up space, especially since full storage can prevent Gmail from working properly. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t provide a “Delete All” button, and manual deletion is painfully slow. Here’s how I automated the process.

Why Delete?

As an Alibaba 88VIP member, I get 6TB of space on Quark Netdisk, so there’s no reason for me to pay for extra Google storage. Because Google’s 15GB limit is shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos, my photo backup was starting to affect my ability to receive emails.

Steps to Automate Deletion

Log in to Google Photos.
Open the browser’s Developer Console (usually F12 or Right-click > Inspect > Console).
Access this script: delete_photos.js and copy the entire content to your clipboard.
- This script acts as an automated timer to find and click the delete buttons for you.
- If you don’t want to delete everything but only a specific number of images, you can modify the maxImageCount variable in the script before running it.
Paste the script into the Console and press Enter. Be patient as it works through your library. The script will print its progress in the console.

Final Thoughts

This method allows you to clear out your entire library. If you have a massive number of photos, you might need to leave the tab open for a while or refresh and re-run the script if it stalls.
Remember that deleted photos go to the Trash first and will still take up space until the Trash is emptied or 60 days pass. You may want to manually empty the Trash if you need to free up Gmail space immediately.

My Data & Cloud Sync Solution

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 21:29:22 +0800

There are many cloud sync solutions available, such as iCloud, Google Photos, Baidu Netdisk, or even building your own NAS. After experimenting with various options, I’ve settled on the following setup. Here it is for your reference.

Apple iCloud

I am currently subscribed to the 200GB plan. By using Family Sharing, everyone in the household can access this shared storage. It’s mainly used for full device backups and storing a portion of my photos. So far, it’s been more than enough.

Quark Netdisk

I have an active Alibaba 88VIP membership, which includes a 6TB Quark Netdisk benefit. I use the Quark app on my phone to sync and store high-resolution photo albums. If my phone or iCloud storage runs low, I can safely delete local files, knowing that Quark serves as a full-scale backup for all my data.

Dropbox

I’m using the free tier (2GB), which primarily handles my Alfred preferences and configuration sync. It works perfectly for this specific purpose.

Deprecated Solutions

Google Photos

Since Google ended its unlimited storage offering, the 15GB free tier is too restrictive for me, and I’m not currently looking to pay for an upgrade there.

NAS

I still use my NAS, but no longer as a primary sync solution for photos or documents. It now functions solely as a home media center and a destination for Mac Time Machine backups.

Final Thoughts

This is my current setup. While it may evolve in the future, it meets all my requirements for now.

Talking About Spotify and Domestic Music Services

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 18:10:36 +0800

Spotify is a well-known music streaming app that I’ve been using for many years. I really like it, so here I’ll share the pros and cons. I also recommend it to users who can access it.

Pros

Visual design. Beauty is important. Spotify belongs to those apps that look beautiful no matter how you view them. The interface design is first-class. Similar beautiful apps include Fantastical/Things, all of which are Top1 in their respective fields.
Interactive experience, very comfortable.
Relatively complete Chinese music library. Foreign apps generally have incomplete Chinese music libraries, but Spotify’s Chinese music library is relatively more complete.
Device switching experience.

Cons

Chinese lyrics don’t support Simplified Chinese. You can get used to it, but it would be great if it could support it.

Domestic Music Services

When repeatedly choosing music streaming apps, I’ve also tried the following apps and eventually gave up on them all.

NetEase Cloud Music: I used to really like it, but now it has too much social attributes and copyright issues, so I gave up
QQ Music: Heavy social attributes, and even as a member there are still ads which is intolerable. It’s rogue behavior. Besides, when listening to music, it defaults to showing MVs, live streams, etc. I really admire the product manager. Won’t consider it anymore
Apple Music: Song search is too painful. For example, Chinese artist names can’t always be found, you have to switch to English names, but not everyone knows all the names. Of course there are other issues like incomplete lyrics, so I gave up
YouTube Music: Song search and lyrics also have a bunch of issues, gave up.

It has to be said that in the 21st century, finding a usable music streaming app is still difficult. Currently, Spotify seems to be the relatively optimal solution.

Spotify Free/Premium

There are a few things to note when using Spotify

In Profile, you can modify region settings, but the prerequisite is that you haven’t activated Premium subscription yet.
iOS Spotify can set language independently, unrelated to system language settings.
New registered accounts will get more than ten days of limited premium service for free, then return to free status with ads.
Music streaming is free but features are limited. If you want the full experience, you need to pay. I don’t reject quality services with reasonable prices, so this is acceptable. Spotify subscription payment is relatively troublesome, recommend going through group buying.

Final Words

Popularity has its reasons, everyone can try this service.

Ethers.js Research

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 14:40:05 +0800

Recently, an open source project needed to implement a web3.js library, so I researched the leading web3.js library - ethers.js.

Code Size

The source code is written in TypeScript, with actual code size around 90k lines.

Cross-Platform Support

ethers.js outputs both ES and CJS compliant code, therefore supporting both Browser and server-side Node.js.

- lib.commonjs
- lib.esm

Features

Wallet management (Wallet)
Ethereum node interaction (Provider)
Smart contract interaction (Contract)
Transaction processing
Utility and helper functions
Support for multiple Ethereum-compatible chains

Architecture

ethers.js is a modular library that includes the following modules:

1. ABI Module (`src.ts/abi`)

Responsibility: Handle Ethereum Application Binary Interface (ABI)

abi-coder.ts: AbiCoder class, responsible for ABI encoding/decoding
interface.ts: Interface class, parse contract ABI, handle function calls and events
fragments.ts: Define ABI fragment types (functions, events, errors, etc.)
coders/: Various data type encoders/decoders

2. Address Module (`src.ts/address`)

Responsibility: Handle Ethereum address-related operations

Address validation and formatting
Contract address calculation (CREATE, CREATE2)
ICAP address format support

4. Contract Module (`src.ts/contract`)

Responsibility: Smart contract interaction

contract.ts: Contract class, provides contract method call interface
factory.ts: Contract deployment factory
wrappers.ts: Event log and transaction receipt wrapper classes

5. Cryptography Module (`src.ts/crypto`)

Responsibility: Cryptographic primitives and key management

signing-key.ts: SigningKey class, elliptic curve key operations
signature.ts: Digital signature processing
keccak.ts, sha2.ts etc.: Hash functions
scrypt.ts, pbkdf2.ts: Key derivation functions

6. Hash Module (`src.ts/hash`)

Responsibility: Various hashing and encoding operations

id.ts: String to hash conversion
message.ts: Message signing and verification
typed-data.ts: EIP-712 typed data signing
namehash.ts: ENS domain name hashing

7. Provider Module (`src.ts/providers`)

Responsibility: Blockchain network connection and data retrieval

abstract-provider.ts: AbstractProvider base class
provider-jsonrpc.ts: JSON-RPC provider
Various third-party blockchain node service providers (Infura, Alchemy, etc.)

8. Transaction Module (`src.ts/transaction`)

Responsibility: Transaction creation, signing, and serialization

transaction.ts: Transaction class
address.ts: Address-related utility functions

9. Utilities Module (`src.ts/utils`)

Responsibility: Common utility functions

data.ts: Byte data processing
errors.ts: Error handling
fetch.ts: HTTP request wrapper
maths.ts: Mathematical operations
utf8.ts: UTF-8 encoding/decoding

10. Wallet Module (`src.ts/wallet`)

Responsibility: Wallet management and key storage

wallet.ts: Wallet class
hdwallet.ts: HD wallet implementation
json-keystore.ts: Keystore format support
mnemonic.ts: Mnemonic phrase processing

11. Wordlists Module (`src.ts/wordlists`)

Responsibility: Mnemonic wordlists

Support for multilingual mnemonics

This modular design gives ethers.js clear separation of concerns, with each module focusing on specific functional areas, making it easy to maintain and extend.

Relationship between ethers.js and MetaMask wallet

Standardized interfaces: Both follow Ethereum standards like EIP-1193
Separation of responsibilities:
- MetaMask: Private key management, user authorization, transaction signing
- ethers.js: Data formatting, ABI encoding/decoding, network communication
Interchangeability: ethers.js can also work with other wallets (like WalletConnect)

MetaMask provides low-level primitive interfaces without any abstraction. While ethers.js provides higher-level abstractions and wrappers, making it more convenient for developers to interact with the Ethereum network.

Additional Concept Introduction

Smart Contracts

This name is indeed somewhat exaggerated, but it emphasizes several key characteristics:

Automated execution
Reduced human intervention
Transparent and verifiable
Reduced trust costs

Methods for Screen Mirroring Mobile Devices to TV and Personal Usage Experience

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 21:30:00 +0800

Recently, family members asked how to mirror their phones to the TV. It seems many people still don’t know about this feature, so I’ll introduce various methods for mirroring mobile devices to TV and share my personal usage experience.

My Own Setup

Let me first talk about my own device situation.

Apple TV
- Currently have the 5th generation, considering upgrading when the new one comes out this year.
Philips TV
- Limited by budget constraints, haven’t upgraded to Sony yet. If buying a new TV, I would definitely recommend Sony.

Current TVs generally come with smart systems (with heavy bloatware characteristics) that support wireless screen mirroring. Since I’m in the Apple ecosystem and Philips’ mirroring experience is quite uncomfortable, I use Apple TV as my main device for screen mirroring.

Daily Usage Scenarios

When mirroring Apple ecosystem devices like iPhone or iPad, whether it’s mirroring or specific media like Youku videos, I simply select AirPlay, choose Apple TV, and both the TV and box automatically activate and enter mirroring mode. Mac works the same way, so sometimes I open Quark Cloud Drive on Mac to play resources, then AirPlay directly to ATV.

It’s that simple. If Android devices need to mirror to Apple TV, third-party apps are required. In that scenario, I directly use the TV’s smart system for mirroring since it’s also an Android system.

Common Screen Mirroring Methods

The above covers my personal devices and usage scenarios. Below I’ll introduce common mirroring methods, including non-Apple devices/ecosystems. Technically, there are 2 mirroring solutions.

Wireless mirroring, such as using Xiaomi Box, Apple TV, or the TV’s built-in wireless mirroring function (TVs like Hisense, Huawei, etc. all support this).
Wired mirroring, as long as the TV supports HDMI or Type-C interfaces, phones can connect to TV via data cable. For example, iPhone can connect to TV through Lightning to HDMI cable.

Note: Both HDMI/Type-C support audio and video transmission, only the ancient VGA interface doesn’t support audio transmission.

What if Traditional TVs Don’t Support Mirroring or Have Poor Mirroring Support?

Replace the TV. For example, if you have a Huawei phone, purchasing a Huawei TV would naturally provide the best integrated experience. The same logic applies if you have a Xiaomi phone and buy a Xiaomi TV.
If you don’t want to go the TV route, you can solve this with TV boxes like Xiaomi Box, Tmall Magic Box, Apple TV box, etc.

Movie Watching Approach - Screen Mirroring

Since screen mirroring can cast device resources, daily movie watching becomes more flexible. Here’s my commonly used approach:

Add and save resources to Quark Cloud Drive
Play videos from Quark Cloud Drive, wirelessly mirror to Apple TV.

This eliminates the need to download resources.

Note: I recommend Taobao 88VIP, which includes Quark Cloud Drive membership, solving speed and storage capacity issues.

Final Thoughts

Device screen mirroring to TV is a common need, and I recommend everyone give it a try.

Getting the Redmi Note 13 5G: A Sub-$1000 Phone with Many Issues, But What More Can You Ask For?

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 09:28:57 +0800

Recently, a family member’s phone became too outdated, so we decided to get a new one. Since she was previously using a Redmi Note series phone, I chose to stick with a relatively newer model from the same Redmi Note lineup. Staying with the same brand means she can continue with familiar system usage habits without additional learning costs.

Note 13 or 14?

The current Redmi Note series has reached the 14 model.
In principle, buy new rather than old, just make choices based on cost considerations.

Here I chose the 256GB version. The 14 costs around 1,000 yuan, which I felt was too expensive, so I downgraded to the 13. After all, upgrading from 13 to 17 in the future is no different from upgrading from 14 to 18. With national subsidies, the 8GB+256GB Midnight Black 5G phone ultimately cost 849.51 CNY.

For target users who aren’t sensitive to new vs. old models but are budget-conscious, I personally think there’s no need to pursue the latest model.

Phone Accessories

It comes with a bundled protective case, which has decent quality. No need to buy another case for now.
The bundled screen protector is not good, poor quality, so you need to buy a separate one. I bought the following style:
- Flashmo Compatible with Redmi Note13 Pro Tempered Glass Screen Protector Note13 [Enhanced Double Anti-Fingerprint] 2-pack, priced at 18 CNY.

Besides these, I haven’t purchased any other accessories currently.

User Experience

After using it for several days, I think this phone has the following pros and cons:

Pros

Build Quality: For a phone in the sub-1000 yuan price range, I think the build quality is good enough, and it’s quite light at 187g. It’s slightly lighter than my iPhone 16 Pro, which I find heavy when using with a case.
Battery Life: It can easily last 1 day or 1.5 days of actual use, thanks to the 5000 mAh battery.
- In comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro only has 3582mAh. The saying “only iPhone users have battery anxiety” really makes sense.
Volume: I think it’s loud enough. At least family members say the music volume is loud, and the audio quality is decent. If family members want better audio quality when listening to music outdoors, besides the phone itself, they can choose to buy a JBL Bluetooth speaker, which only costs around 100 yuan.

Cons

Camera Quality: The rear camera photography is quite average, but considering the price point, it’s understandable. However, the advertised 100 megapixels feels deceptive when you look back at the image quality, especially since even iPhones don’t have such high pixel counts.
Pre-installed Software: After turning on the phone, I found a screen full of apps - it’s like buying a phone and getting a bunch of apps for free. Fortunately, most can be uninstalled, but it takes time to clean up. For elderly users who don’t know how to delete them, they might face issues like storage occupation, data consumption, and potential scams.

These two shortcomings are common issues among most domestic manufacturers. They want to reduce prices while maintaining profits, so they compromise in these areas.

Additional Information

Let me supplement some information about whether this phone supports certain features to avoid confusion.

Wireless Charging

Redmi Note does not support wireless charging.

SD Card

Redmi Note series phones support SD card storage expansion.

Xiaomi HyperOS

The phone supports upgrading to HyperOS. From my brief usage, I don’t notice much difference from the previous system except for cosmetic changes - I’d need deeper usage to feel the differences.

Final Thoughts

These are my genuine experiences using the Redmi Note 13. Overall, for a sub-1000 yuan phone, meeting basic usage needs is sufficient.

Suitable Users:

Users with low phone requirements
Budget-conscious users
Elderly family members or backup phone needs

Purchase Recommendations:

If you prioritize camera experience, consider increasing your budget for other models
Remember to clean up pre-installed software after purchase

Anker Power Bank Recall - I Finally Chose Self-Disposal and Selected Replacement

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 12:05:28 +0800

Both of my Anker power banks were in the recall batch. I recently received a text message suggesting self-disposal, so I decided to follow the recommendation. Here I’m documenting the process.

Self-Disposal Steps

For self-disposal, the steps are as follows. It’s actually not too troublesome - treat it as a fun activity.

‌Salt Water Preparation‌: Use 5%-10% concentration salt water (regular table salt mixed with clean water in proportion).
- I personally think it doesn’t need to be too strict; approximately this ratio is fine.
‌Soaking Process‌: Completely submerge the power bank in salt water for 24 hours.
- I put it in the night before and took it out the next evening.
- For safety considerations, I suggest placing it somewhere like a balcony.
‌Evidence Submission‌: Take photos of the power bank’s SN code (unique product identifier) and soaking photos, then upload to the designated channel.
- Just submit to the Anker recall webpage: Official WeChat account - Participate in Recall - Recall Progress, change to “Self-disposal”, then upload SN code and soaking photos.
‌Safe Disposal‌: After soaking, drain the water and put it in a hazardous waste bag for disposal.
- I haven't disposed of it yet; I plan to throw away the old power bank after receiving the new one.

Official Self-Disposal Video Tutorial

If you still have issues understanding the steps, you can also watch Anker’s official tutorial video:

Modify Recall Method or Benefits?

If it’s a new recall application, you can naturally choose the method you need directly, such as benefits. If you have the same situation as me, with a previously submitted recall application, you can still modify the application under the official WeChat account, such as modifying benefits or recall method. Of course, once everything is finally approved, it cannot be modified.

As shown below, after I changed from mailing the power bank to self-disposal and changed the benefit from “refund” to “replacement”, everything has now been approved, so they’ve all become non-modifiable.

About Self-Disposing Power Banks - Please Note!!!

After sharing the self-disposal process with friends, they were also eager to try disposing of their own.

Please note: Not all brand power banks can be self-disposed with compensation. This depends on whether the brand’s recall policy for that specific model/batch supports self-disposal. For example, the above power bank qualified because it met the model/batch requirements. If it’s not within the supported range, you cannot choose self-disposal. Not all power banks can be directly destroyed for replacement.

About Compensation Plan Selection - Have Power Banks Become More Expensive?

I previously chose a refund, but since I still wanted to get power banks, I searched on JD and found the prices were quite high. For example, Anker’s MagSafe 10000mAh power bank costs over 300 yuan, and wired ones aren’t cheap either. After this whole incident, it seems like everything has increased in price. As expected, consumers always end up paying the bill.

Considering that buying new ones would also cost money, I chose replacement for both. The specific model (A1637 3-in-1 10000mAh fast charging power bank, 3C certified, with built-in AC charging head + Type-C cable, 30W output) - the lack of wireless charging is still tolerable.

Current Progress

After uploading the screenshots following self-disposal, all reviews have now passed and no other operations can be performed. I just need to wait for the new shipment. The current message I received is as follows:

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience! Regarding replacement processing time, it is estimated that new products will be shipped within 4-8 weeks after receiving your returned product. This is mainly due to current tight inventory supply and high demand for replacements of this product model. If you have exceeded this timeframe, we recommend checking the recall progress through this link: https://recall.anker.com.cn/progress-inquiry/. We will track your order throughout the process. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

This is understandable, especially with recent 3C issues causing supply shortages.

Final Thoughts

With this, the recall process has come to an end, and I’m just waiting for Anker to send the new ones.
After this power bank incident, it seems Anker hasn’t been greatly affected, while Romoss appears to be in a more precarious position.

Everyday Magic: Three MagSafe Benefits That Change Your Routine

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 22:52:04 +0800

MagSafe is not just a gimmick. It truly changes how we charge iPhones and use accessories.

What does it mean for daily life? Whether you work from home, commute around, or binge shows on the couch, MagSafe adds real convenience and makes life easier and more efficient.

Here are three reasons MagSafe is worth recommending:

A cleaner, more organized space
Wireless charging anytime, anywhere
Simplified multi-purpose accessories

Let us dive into each point.

1. Save space

MagSafe means no more plugging and unplugging cables and no more hunting for chargers around the house. If you charge your phone before bed like I do, a MagSafe charger can quietly change how your nightstand looks.

It reduces cable clutter and frees up space. No tangled wires, no plugs taking over outlets. Your bedroom looks cleaner and more refreshing.

This change is not limited to the bedroom. The same applies to your home office. Put a MagSafe charger on your desk - it looks good and keeps your workspace tidy and organized.

2. Wireless charging on the go

A MagSafe power bank lets you charge easily while traveling and ditch the bulky combo of power bank plus cable. Just snap it to the back of your phone and charge while using it.

For me, the best part is the “place and charge” experience. No repeated plugging. Just set your iPhone down, the magnets align, and it starts charging.

Precise magnetic alignment brings another benefit: you no longer worry about the coil being misaligned. Wireless charging is a bit slower, but the convenience makes it worth it.

3. Multi-purpose stands and wallets

If your car does not have CarPlay, a MagSafe car mount is the best navigation companion. If you do not want to carry a separate wallet but need to carry some cards or ID, a magnetic wallet is a good option. MagSafe’s snap-on design greatly simplifies the steps and is genuinely convenient.

Final Thoughts

MagSafe is not just cool tech - it brings real convenience to daily life. From charging to accessories, from mounts to mobility, it makes the iPhone experience more efficient, cleaner, and more elegant.

If you have not tried MagSafe yet, it is worth a try.

Japan Free Travel: Step-by-Step Trip Guide

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 12:24:31 +0800

My annual leave was about to expire, so I took a few days off for a trip to Japan. It was absolutely fantastic, so I wanted to document the preparation work and overall journey here.

Preparation

Japan Visa: I went through Ctrip for processing and chose the 3-year visa. Since all my documents were complete, it was very smooth with no issues. I’d recommend choosing Ctrip’s self-operated service.
Japanese Yen Cash: For 2 people over 6 days, I exchanged 50,000 yen, and found I still had 15,000 left when I returned home. I recommend exchanging cash in advance since some merchants are cash-only.
Visit Japan Web Online Declaration: Register and declare in advance. You can also queue up to declare after entering Japan, but doing it beforehand is more efficient.
General Planning: Japan isn’t exactly cheap for things like accommodation, transportation, and dining. Personally, I think it’s a bit more expensive compared to Beijing, so having a plan helps keep everything under control.
Mobile Data Card: You can buy one directly on Taobao. I got a 7-day 15GB plan and didn’t use it all up, but better safe than sorry.
Suica Card: For iPhone users, you can add a Japanese Suica card in advance. You can use it to pay directly on many routes in Japan.
JCB Credit Card: Many Japanese merchants support JCB credit cards. I recommend applying for one in advance as there are activity rebates, and also bring a Visa card - having multiple payment options is safer.

Regarding the plastic bags mentioned online, I personally think it’s unnecessary. At most, carry a few with you. I brought some but barely used them. Just be careful not to litter, which should be the case domestically as well.

Overall Travel Plan

Our route was Beijing → Tokyo → Osaka → Beijing. Since this was our first time in Japan, we wanted to visit the major cities first. Future trips can explore different places.

For both Tokyo and Osaka, we followed recommendations from Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) and AI suggestions, making appropriate selections. I personally don’t recommend “commando-style” traveling - it’s no fun at all.

Transportation

In Tokyo, I bought a Tokyo card but found I barely used it. In Osaka, I bought a tourist pass (including transportation/attractions), which felt very cost-effective.

For navigation, I recommend using Google Maps or Apple Maps. Gaode Maps actually works too, but has obvious shortcomings like missing station times and location drift. However, for navigating in major cities, it’s adequate. This really depends on personal habits and requirements.

Accommodation

I booked accommodation through Qunar. We stayed in a hotel in Tokyo and an Airbnb in Osaka.

Food

I personally really enjoy Japanese fish cakes and udon noodles. My wife loved the fish there - some can be eaten raw and are quite delicious.

Attractions

Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Skytree
Tokyo National Museum
Osaka - Kaiyukan Aquarium
Osaka - Umeda Sky Building
Osaka Castle

Final Thoughts

Japan is wonderful and not too far from China. The cultures are similar - for example, Chinese characters make up 50% of Japanese text, so reading text isn’t actually that difficult.

Anker Power Bank Recall: Both of Mine Are Affected

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 22:23:51 +0800

I recently saw discussions about an Anker power bank recall. I followed the official guidance to check, and unexpectedly both of my Anker power banks are within the recall scope. I haven’t been through this before, so I’m documenting my recall application and key details here.

My Power Banks

I currently use 3 power banks: two are Anker 10,000 mAh and one is a Xiaomi 20,000 mAh.

Two Ankers

One Xiaomi

The power bank on the right in the image below is the Xiaomi.

How to Submit a Recall

Here’s how to confirm whether your unit is covered and how to submit a recall request.

Find your model

First confirm the exact model. You can find it on the back of the power bank, or check the order details on the platform you used to purchase it. I checked JD → Orders → Product details and confirmed my Anker units are model 1642.

Note: Getting the exact model is the first step. If the model doesn’t match, the recall does not apply.

Recall process overview

The process has four steps:

Submit the recall application
Wait for Anker to mail you a protective return bag
Place the old power bank in the bag and return it
Receive compensation based on the option you chose

Detailed application steps

Submit your application on Anker’s recall site: https://recall.anker.com.cn/recall-form/?_=1750768444099

Prepare and fill out the following:

Power bank SN (serial number)
Proof of purchase — invoice or purchase screenshot, as long as it shows the amount and product info. It’s not mandatory to have an invoice. Mine were older purchases and reissuing invoices would be a hassle, so I used JD order detail screenshots.
- Example JD order detail screenshot:
Order number — the order ID from your purchase

Important: Units of the same model are not necessarily all covered. Anker determines recall eligibility by SN (batch). Only specific batches are included.

Compensation options

If your unit qualifies, Anker offers three options:

Original purchase amount + ¥50 no‑threshold Anker Store coupon
Full refund for the original order amount
Free upgrade to the 3‑in‑1 power bank retailing at ¥279 (model A1637)

My take: I find Option 2 (full refund) the most practical. While Option 3’s replacement has a higher retail price, the real value may not match the MSRP, and it does not support MagSafe wireless charging. If your original power bank supports wireless charging, the replacement may not meet your needs.

Since both of my Ankers qualify, I chose different options to try: one with Option 2 (refund) and the other with Option 3 (replacement).

After choosing a compensation option and submitting, just wait for the protective bag and return the old unit as instructed.

Background

Official reason for the recall

During recent quality and safety checks, we found that a supplier changed raw materials for certain batches of industry‑standard cells without approval. This may cause, in very rare cases, separator insulation failure after long‑term cycling, leading to overheating or even combustion risks.

Notably, this is not unique to Anker. Multiple brands using cells from the same batches have issued similar recalls with essentially the same description. This indicates the issue lies with the upstream cell supplier rather than brand‑specific design or manufacturing.

Latest developments and impact

To ensure flight safety, the Civil Aviation Administration issued an urgent notice: starting June 28, passengers are prohibited from carrying power banks on domestic flights that lack a CCC mark, have an unclear CCC mark, or belong to recalled models or batches.

Note: For models under recall, this applies regardless of whether your specific batch is listed. This rule is stricter than the brand recall scope. If you own an affected model and plan to fly, it’s best not to bring that power bank.

How to check the CCC certification

You can find the CCC mark on the power bank itself. I checked mine and found one Anker without the CCC mark and the other with it. Why would big brands have units without CCC? The answer: No CCC doesn’t necessarily mean unsafe, but under current rules such units cannot be carried on flights.

CCC certification started on August 1, 2023. After a one‑year transition, from August 1, 2024 onward, related products without a CCC certificate and mark may not be shipped, sold, imported, or used in commercial activities.

Final Thoughts

Safety recommendations

Check promptly: If you have an Anker power bank, immediately check the model and SN to confirm recall eligibility. Safety first, even if it appears to work fine today.
On brand choices: In a previous post — “Real‑world experience: my current favorite power bank” — I recommended Anker. While this recall is unexpected, there’s no need to write off the brand entirely. The root cause is at the upstream cell supplier and affects multiple brands, not Anker alone.

In short, don’t ignore safety issues with electronics. I hope this helps you understand the recall and take timely steps to protect yourself.

As an Apple User, the 6 Features I Want Most

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 23:23:36 +0800

Here are six features that Apple users (at least me) desperately want—some software, some hardware.

1. iPhone landscape mode

In 2014, the iPhone 6 Plus introduced landscape mode to accommodate its larger display. Ironically, the iPhone 12 mini has a screen size similar to the iPhone 6. Yet today, even larger iPhone models still don’t have landscape mode. WHY? Because in iOS 14, Apple introduced home screen widgets. Keeping the icon and widget grid consistent in landscape is a tough job for iOS developers.

2. AirPods with a display

How great would it be if the case had an LED display? It could show the current track, battery status, and more—like an iPod. Knockoff brands have sold flashy AirPods alternatives with displays for years at less than a quarter of the price. Adding a small LED probably wouldn’t raise costs much. At worst, Apple could sell a display case as an upgrade.

3. Capacitive volume controls

Apple introduced the “Action Button” in the iPhone 15 era to replace the mute switch. After using it, I realized how annoying it is—mainly because of its position.

The Action Button is exactly where the mute switch used to be. And it’s basically a smaller version of the volume button, which makes it confusing. I often press the Action Button when I just want to raise the volume, triggering mute or AI, etc. The core issue is the Action Button is too close to the volume buttons, and both are pressable. By feel alone, you can’t tell which one you’re pressing. It also makes screenshots annoying: I should press Side + Volume Up but accidentally hit the Action Button.

A capacitive volume bar like the camera control key would solve this. Honestly, new iPhones have too many buttons. Since iPhone X removed the Home button, iPhone’s hardware layout has already changed dramatically.

4. MacBook with Dynamic Island

The MacBook notch feels as useless as the LiDAR scanner on the iPad Pro. After all, it’s already 2025 and MacBook still lacks Face ID.

Why not replace the notch with a Dynamic Island design? Face ID could be integrated there, and an always‑present interactive UI element at the top could further enhance macOS.

5. Stylish, colorful AirTags

Right now, AirTags only come in silver/white. Compared with the vibrant colors of other Apple accessories, they feel dull. Like charging cables, it would be great if Apple offered multiple AirTag colors.

It would also help with organization—multiple AirTags would be easier to distinguish at a glance. Apple already sells colorful accessories like key rings, so colored AirTags make sense. It adds personality while keeping Apple’s aesthetic.

Also, Apple won’t update AirTags every year, so keeping multiple colors likely won’t hurt production. They could adjust color production based on demand.

6. Reverse wireless charging

Since Apple replaced Lightning with USB‑C, carrying cables is easier. But sometimes I forget a cable, and I wish the iPhone could reverse‑charge AirPods wirelessly. Reverse wireless charging would be extremely useful: place AirPods, Apple Watch, or even another phone on the back of the iPhone to charge. When you’re out with low battery and no charger, it would be a lifesaver.

Although iPhone still doesn’t support this, many Android phones do. Samsung’s Galaxy S10/S20/S21/S22 series support “Wireless PowerShare.” Google Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro offer reverse charging too. Even OnePlus added it on devices like the OnePlus 10 Pro. So… when will Apple support it?

Final Thoughts

That’s it for my Apple wish list.

How to Download and Install iOS 26 Beta

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 07:32:49 +0800

Apple has provided official methods to download and install developer preview versions of iOS/iPadOS/macOS and other systems, eliminating the need to use third-party platforms for updates. This article uses iPhone as an example to demonstrate how to download and install iOS 26 Beta version.

Important Notes

It’s recommended to experience the Beta system on a secondary device. If installing on your primary device, first connect to a Mac or other device to back up your data before upgrading. If you’re willing to take the risk directly, that’s also an option…
For primary devices, it’s recommended to perform a system backup using a Mac or other device. If you want to revert to the stable version after upgrading, you can restore from the backup.
iOS 26 requires iPhone 11 or newer models.

Download Developer App

Download the official Developer App from the App Store:

Or directly access the download link: https://apps.apple.com/cn/app/apple-developer/id640199958

Log in to Developer App

Install System Update

Navigate through: Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates

Wait for the download and installation to complete. During installation, the device requires at least 20% battery, so it’s recommended to perform this while charging.

Final Thoughts

The installation method for Beta versions on other Apple platforms (such as macOS) is similar. It’s recommended to experience them while ensuring data security. Be careful 🚗.
Beta versions have many bugs and receive frequent updates for a period. If you want to revert after upgrading, simply use your previous backup to restore.

Build Your Private Media Library with NAS for Viewing Freedom

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 22:46:20 +0800

Recently saw many people discussing NAS media library setup. As a long-term Synology NAS user, I’ll also share my approach.

Hardware Equipment

First about hardware, I’m still using the budget Synology NAS DS218j bought in 2019. Configuration isn’t high, but sufficient.

Note: Regarding NAS purchase configuration selection, personally think sufficient is enough, but pay attention to having more drive bays to avoid inability to expand hard drive space later.

Setup Steps

Set up alist service, find a cloud provider’s server to build it, supporting external access.
- I currently use Oracle Cloud's permanently free server, low configuration but sufficient.
alist service mounts Quark Cloud Drive resources, can also be other cloud drive resources.
- If you purchased 88vip, you can exchange for Quark Cloud Drive membership benefits, giving you 6T space.
alist service enables WebDAV service.
NAS sync cloud service adds alist’s WebDAV service, so resources sync to NAS locally.
NAS then enables WebDAV service, mounting resources synced in step 4. If you have public IP at home, directly configure DDNS, so you can access from anywhere.
- For example, Unicom provides free public IP, just apply, no need to buy fixed IP here (100CNY/month, having it is definitely better).
For Apple ecosystem users, you can use infuse app to add such WebDAV resources. Non-Apple users find corresponding methods supporting WebDAV mounting.

Note: If it’s Baidu Cloud Drive resources, since NAS Sync service directly supports adding, you can also skip alist.

Media Viewing Software

Apple users, recommend using Infuse. Infuse supports cross-platform Mac/Apple TV/iPad/iPhone devices, and supports iCloud sync configuration items, making unified management and viewing convenient.
Android users, can consider trying VidHub.
Besides the above app form access, consider directly accessing NAS via web to watch, or disk mount sharing.

Chrome Synology Download Plugin

Here recommend Synology’s official download plugin. This way, besides cloud drive saving resources, you can also usually see some movie resources, directly right-click choose Synology download. After completion, can watch with Infuse etc.

Final Thoughts

NAS is essentially a private cloud. Paired with public IP, capabilities become freer, media viewing is a very common scenario. Personally think domestic media sites all have somewhat poor experience, like member-exclusive ads, so building a personal media library as supplement is a good choice.
Based on the above media service setup, I can actually add resources directly to cloud drive anywhere, home NAS will automatically sync resources, or directly use Synology official plugin to add any torrent resources, NAS directly downloads. Finally go home or anywhere directly use infuse etc. apps to watch.

Do MacBooks Need Screen Protectors?

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 09:22:39 +0800

After owning multiple MacBooks, I’ve gone from bare screens to stick-on films and back again. Community threads reminded me how divisive this topic is, so here’s a structured look at the trade-offs and maintenance tips.

Going Bare (No Film)

Pros

MacBook Pro’s Liquid Retina XDR display looks best without any overlay—maximum brightness, contrast, and color accuracy.

Cons

Everyday cleaning tempts you to reach for any tissue or wipe; abrasive fibers can introduce micro-scratches.
Friends instinctively tap the screen while pointing things out.
Closing the lid with a cable or adapter left on the keyboard risks gouging the panel.

Cleaning Tips

Use a microfiber cloth (Apple’s polishing cloth or a reputable third-party option).
If needed, apply display-safe cleaner to the cloth—not directly on the screen—and wipe gently.
Avoid corrosive liquids and excessive pressure.

Fun fact: starting with the 2015 12" MacBook, Apple stopped bundling a cloth. Later MacBook Pro (2016) and MacBook Air (2018) models followed suit.

Apple’s full cleaning guidance: https://support.apple.com/zh-cn/103258 (Chinese version)

Using a Screen Protector

Pros

Guards against accidental touches, cables, or debris that might otherwise scar the coating.

Cons

Adds reflections and dulls the display.
Thick protectors (especially combined with keyboard covers) can press against the screen, leaving key outlines.
Removing adhesive films can damage the original coating.

Cleaning With a Protector

Same as above—just don’t press hard enough to crease the film.

So…Should You Use One?

If you’re meticulous and enjoy the pristine look, skip the film and keep a cleaning kit handy.
If you’d rather sacrifice a bit of clarity to avoid scratches—or you expect to peel it off later—use a protector.
If you primarily run the MacBook in clamshell mode with an external display, a protector is unnecessary.

Best compromise: a magnetic protector. It attaches when needed and comes off without adhesive.

Accessories to Avoid ❎

Hard shell cases—they trap heat and hurt thermals.
Palm-rest or keyboard skins. Apple explicitly warns against closing the lid with them in place.

“If you use a camera cover, palm rest cover, or keyboard cover, remove it before closing your Mac notebook to avoid damaging the display.” — https://support.apple.com/zh-cn/102051 (Chinese)

My Current Setup

I’ve been using stick-on glass protectors (e.g., a 58 CNY temper glass model from JD.com) but plan to switch to magnetic ones sold by Apple and third-party vendors.
No other protective accessories.

Closing Thoughts

If I buy another Mac, I’ll go magnetic to balance aesthetics and protection. Got a better idea? Drop it in the comments.

Getting the iPhone 16 Pro: Great, But Also Has Issues

Thu, 29 May 2025 15:28:10 +0800

Now the 618 shopping festival lasts for months. Before June 18th even arrives, the activities have already started early. I couldn’t resist and got the iPhone 16 Pro in mid-month. So far, I’ve been using it for several weeks. Here I’ll mark down my usage experience and also explain what I consider to be the issues with the 16.

Purchase Motivation

My iPhone 12’s battery health is at 79%. Now whenever the battery drops to 10-20%, I can clearly feel it draining particularly fast. Additionally, this year some iPhone models have government subsidies (government subsidies for phones under 6000 yuan). Considering that new phones released in October can’t possibly be cheaper than the 16 even at their lowest price, I decided to get the 16.

128 or 256, Non-Pro, Pro or Pro Max

Initially, I was also torn about the configuration, but based on several points of analysis and elimination, I finally reached a conclusion. If you’re also struggling with which one to choose, you can refer to this.

Storage Issue
- With a limited budget, naturally bigger is better. I checked my previous iPhone 12 128G and found I was using under 100G of storage, so 128GB is sufficient for my current usage needs.
- If using Pro camera for video recording, it takes up more space, but I mainly take photos with little recording needs, so photography won’t cause storage shortage.
Pro or Non-Pro
- Pro has better camera and screen, and I like photography.
Weight
- Max weighs 227g which is heavier, while Pro is 199g. Everyone prefers lighter devices. Of course, Max’s biggest issue is the more beautiful price - even at 618’s lowest it would definitely be 7K+.
Configuration
- Pro’s configuration is higher than non-Pro, mainly the titanium body and camera lenses. I lean towards wanting a phone with a better camera.

Based on using the government subsidy as much as possible within 6K, while balancing the several concerns mentioned above, I chose the base model iPhone 16 Pro 128G Natural Titanium, purchased from JD at a price of 5469 CNY.

Note: For 3C digital products without particularly large price differences, I personally still consider JD rather than PDD and other channels.

Accessories

As mentioned in my other article Do iPhones Need Cases and Screen Protectors? You’ll Understand After a Few Drops, I currently only have the following accessories.

SHANMO iPhone 16 Pro screen protector - HD anti-fingerprint borderless transparent window explosion-proof drop-proof non-full screen film, purchased from JD, 18.4 CNY
Huaqiangbei iPhone MagSafe protective case, purchased from PDD, 29.57 CNY

Current Experience

Advantages

The build quality is impeccable, the screen is first-class. I’ve always loved Apple’s display colors and color temperature.
Dynamic Island is quite fun. I was using the 12 non-Pro before and hadn’t experienced it.
Photo quality, especially at night, is excellent.

Disadvantages - Issues

Both the left-side mute button and volume buttons are buttons, causing me to frequently accidentally press them when pressing blindly. I think this design is a failure and suspect the iPhone team’s testing wasn’t thorough enough.
The newly added camera button on the right side, I admit, is convenient when taking photos, but without it there wouldn’t be much of a problem, so isn’t it quite redundant? Simplicity no longer exists, making the physical buttons feel very bloated. The overall design aesthetics of the iPhone is at least far worse than the iPhone 4 era. The Cook era always feels like the aesthetics have deteriorated significantly, let alone surpassing previous designs.

Speaking of disadvantages, besides these above, the entire Apple ecosystem has quite a few shortcomings, such as macOS now having many bugs, iPhone’s yearly toothpaste-squeezing updates, gradually declining aesthetics, the perpetually unchanged stupid Siri, the endlessly delayed PowerPoint-version AI, and so on.

My Apple Ecosystem

Although iPhone has its shortcomings, currently Apple’s ecosystem closed-loop experience is still the best. For example, my current Apple ecosystem device list is as follows. I’m now in a state of complaining while still using these Apple products.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the iPhone 16 Pro is the first time I’ve clearly felt design flaws, as mentioned above with the mute button and camera button, but it’s still a well-balanced excellent phone. Over these years, the charm and aura of iPhone and even Apple has been genuinely fading bit by bit, and many friends around me have already switched to Android. I hope Apple can make some big moves this year, whether in software or hardware, otherwise I’ll also consider switching brands.

One Month In: Monetizing a WeChat Official Account

Mon, 26 May 2025 22:20:27 +0800

While chatting in a creator group, I realized I could try a WeChat Official Account. I’ve been blogging for 10 years—why not publish on another platform? It could earn some money and reach more readers. Exciting thought.

So I went for it. After a little over a month, I got the account up and running and even made a bit. Here’s a summary of what I did.

Notes

I had a WeChat Official Account before, but with a narrow focus (Alfred), and Alfred has faded over the years. That account wasn’t updated much and had few followers—about 137 (as of 3/26). After deciding to reboot, I renamed the account and adjusted the positioning.

Metrics

After a month of publishing, follower and engagement numbers look decent:

Some short “interest” posts performed surprisingly well in reads—pleasant surprise.

Many posts exceeded 10k reads; several hit 30–40k.

Earnings

If I’m doing this, I’m thinking about revenue—money motivates, and I also enjoy writing. Win-win.

I enabled ads on May 15, so revenue started on 5/16.

Current Thoughts

Growth looks good. If all goes well, I should hit 1,000 followers in June—a new level.
Content quality needs to go up. With ~20k reads, eCPM is only 2–3 CNY. If I can push it to 30+, revenue won’t be just a few dozen yuan—it could be much higher.
Mix in some “day-to-day diary” posts. From the data, high-quality/most-liked/high-revenue posts often aren’t the same thing; balance matters.
The “Wen Yi Wen” Q&A feature (launched in 2023) seems worth trying. It integrates with Official Accounts and can drive traffic. I used to like Zhihu; since it’s fading, I can switch to “Wen Yi Wen” with little extra cost.

Plan

Keep publishing through June. Target: 50 CNY/day, 1k/month. That’s motivating. I’ll keep blogging regardless; monetization just nudges strategy and focus.

Course in the Works 📣

I’m documenting lessons learned and turning them into a course. Tech folks have advantages in the creator space—tools, and a focus on what matters: data, audience, content quality. I’ll package these into a course. It helps others and generates income—win-win.

Interested? Give it a try 👇

Final Thoughts

Keep pushing the Official Account.
Keep enriching the course—help others and earn at the same time.

How to Get the Best Price for WeRead Membership: Cheapest Purchase Channels and Money-Saving Tips

Sun, 18 May 2025 21:53:20 +0800

I’ve been a WeRead member for years. Buying membership directly in the app can be pricey. Here are cheaper options.

The most common path: log into the WeRead app. During holidays (e.g., Spring Festival), there are promo prices around 168/188 CNY. You’ll need to wait for the event.

Xianyu (Idle Fish)

Search “WeRead” on Xianyu; you’ll find annual memberships. Prices fluctuate—recently 167 CNY, sometimes 138 CNY. You can also check PDD/Taobao; prices are similar.

Note: Xianyu can be messy. Only use options that directly recharge your own phone number. Safety first.

WeRead Mini Shop

Search “WeRead Mini Shop” in WeChat. Annual membership is currently 168 CNY consistently—no need to wait for promos.

Note: It’s an official shop, so no worries.

WeRead — Redeem with Trial Cards

Trial cards can be redeemed for cheaper membership—so remember to claim them daily.

Note: Trial card benefits differ from full membership.

WeRead App — 365-Day Reading Challenge

Pay 50 CNY to join. If you read for 360 days, you can redeem a full-year membership—effectively 50 CNY/year.

Notes

Claim the weekly reading rewards.
Prefer trial cards over book coins. Book coins expire; trial cards don’t.

Final Thoughts

These are the cheapest options I know. Personally, I’ve used Xianyu direct-recharge before. Recently I joined the 365-day challenge, and I stack trial cards from daily rewards for occasional redemptions. Ideally, that means ~50 CNY/year. It’s hard to stick with—but worth trying.

Real Experience: My Current Favorite Power Bank

Sat, 17 May 2025 18:24:22 +0800

There don’t seem to be that many trustworthy power bank brands to pick from. The really niche ones can be cheap, but safety is a concern — remember how xxx had units catching fire before.

I’ve bought quite a few power banks over time. With some spare time lately, I figured I’d do a quick roundup of the ones I own.

What I Bought

Over the past two years I picked up the following power banks; none of them were expensive.

BULL 10,000 mAh wireless power bank
- Bought on PDD, 130CNY
- I thought of BULL because their power strips left a strong impression. I wanted to see how their power banks compare.
Anker MagSafe magnetic wireless power bank (10,000 mAh)
- Bought on JD, 113CNY; I ended up buying two over time
Xiaomi power bank with built-in cable (20,000 mAh)
- 33W, Deep Space Blue
- Bought on JD, 123CNY

I had bought other models before, but they’re too old to be worth discussing here.

Comparison Photos

Here’s a quick look at the design differences.

Anker vs Xiaomi

Anker on the left (206.5 g), Xiaomi on the right. Since the Xiaomi is 20,000 mAh, it’s larger and heavier (349 g). In actual use, it feels substantial in the hand.

BULL vs Anker

BULL on the left, Anker on the right.

Before buying I thought BULL and Anker would be similar, but in hand they’re noticeably different. The BULL is thicker with a slightly smaller footprint, while the Anker is thinner with a slightly larger footprint.

With extended use, I find thinness matters more. When the MagSafe pack is attached, you’re holding the phone one‑handed; the thinner pack simply feels more comfortable. Also, in my experience, Anker’s charging detection is a bit more responsive.

That said, the BULL power bank’s build quality is solid—no worse than Anker. I just hope BULL makes a thinner version in the future.

Wireless or Wired

After getting used to wireless, I rarely want to use a cable. Snapping the pack onto the phone is just too comfortable. Only in extreme cases—when I need to charge urgently and use the phone immediately—do I go wired.

Current Usage

These days I mainly use the Anker 10,000 and the Xiaomi 20,000. I use the Anker for wireless only, and the Xiaomi for wired—since it has a built‑in USB‑C cable, there’s no need to bring a separate one. For long days out I carry the Xiaomi; for short outings the Anker is enough.

The BULL is thicker, so it loses out to the Anker—no strong reason for me to pick BULL.

Final Thoughts

If you haven’t tried a wireless battery pack, give it a shot. Most phones support wireless charging now, and it’s very convenient in daily use.

Apple Removes the AirTag Battery Indicator from the Find My App

Sat, 17 May 2025 12:26:08 +0800

I only noticed this because one of my AirTags suddenly died and I realized the Find My app no longer shows a battery indicator for AirTags, while it still does for devices like the iPhone and iPad. After some digging I learned that Apple removed it starting with iOS 15.6.

No Battery Indicator for AirTag

Other Devices Still Show the Battery Level

Versions After iOS 15.6 Removed It

Below is a translated summary of the earlier report.

Apple removed the AirTag battery indicator from the Find My app in iOS 15.6, which caught many users off guard.

In earlier versions of iOS, when you opened the details page for an AirTag, a battery icon appeared under the device name and location. It didn’t show an exact percentage, but it gave you a rough idea of whether the battery was running low.

From iOS 15.6 onward, the icon disappeared. Apple never mentioned the change in the release notes, but it was quietly taken out of the system.

Now, the Find My app only alerts you when an AirTag battery is critically low, prompting you to replace it. You no longer see the routine battery icon status.

Apple also removed the instructions for checking battery levels from its AirTag support document. The page now simply explains that AirTags use a replaceable battery and will notify you when it’s running low.

The AirTag relies on a standard CR2032 coin cell battery, which Apple says should last about a year. Replacing it is straightforward: press down on the metal back of the AirTag and twist to open it.

Some speculate that Apple removed the icon to simplify the UI, while others believe the battery indicator might not have been accurate enough and could have misled users.

Final Thoughts

In practice, the Find My app now alerts you only when the battery is low.
This change hasn’t affected me much, since the AirTag still has excellent battery life.

Hands-On Review: My Current Favorite Mouse

Thu, 15 May 2025 18:53:50 +0800

The backpack I shared earlier struck a chord with many people, so I’m keeping the sharing streak going. Today I’m talking about my mouse.

Logitech M720 - My Daily Driver

I bought it on JD.com in 2023 for 170CNY. I ended up buying two. Both are still alive: one lives at the office, and the other stays at home, where it regularly switches across multiple devices.

How I Use It

Here’s how I use it. I used to haul my laptop + mouse home so I could keep grinding after hours. I brought the mouse along for familiarity; otherwise I’d have to pair whatever mouse was lying around at home, and if it was a different shape it always felt awkward. Once I had a multi-device mouse, I could just bring the laptop home, press the device switch on the home mouse to jump to the work computer, and keep working seamlessly. If I needed to hop back to the home Mac mini or MBA, one more click and I’m back. It’s so much more comfortable overall.

That’s a typical scenario. So what are the pros and cons of this mouse in my setup?

Pros

Multi-device pairing with support for three devices
- That covers me perfectly: company MBP, home MBA, and Mac mini
Battery life
- Logitech’s battery life is solid. Plus I no longer commute with the mouse, so I don’t forget to power it off. Parked at home, it’s very power-efficient—no issues.
Dual mode with wireless USB dongle support
- If Bluetooth fails, the wireless receiver is a fallback. I rarely need it, but it’s nice to have.
Size and shape
- This mouse isn’t small, and once you get used to it the grip feels great. Tiny mice make my hand cramp because I can’t stretch out. Your mileage may vary.

Cons

I honestly don’t have any complaints. It’s more than good enough. If a future revision adds USB-C charging, that would be icing on the cake.

Why I Didn’t Buy a Logitech MX Mouse

Because it’s expensive. I wanted multi-device switching and dual-mode connectivity, and after filtering the options the M720 was the most affordable that checked those boxes. The MX lineup has plenty of other perks, but given the price I can live without them.

Other Mice I’ve Used

Before the M720 I tried quite a few other mice. Here are the main ones.

Logitech M337 (M336)

Bluetooth mouse around the 100 CNY mark. I owned two. One died, and the other didn’t support multi-device pairing, so it didn’t meet my needs.

Logitech M275 Mouse

Wireless mouse, roughly 100 CNY. After using it, I wasn’t a fan.

Logitech M185 Mouse

Wireless mouse priced around 50 CNY.

It’s billed as the king of bang-for-buck, and it genuinely deserves that title. Compact, available in red and black, and built well. Just make sure you’re not buying the silent-click version if you don’t need it. If you like smaller mice and don’t care about Bluetooth, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000

Wireless mouse priced above 100 CNY.

I wanted to try a Microsoft mouse without spending too much, so I went with this one. It looks nice, but the build quality wasn’t great and it eventually died on me.

Perixx PM804 Ergonomic Vertical Mouse

Bluetooth mouse, about 140 CNY.

I bought it out of curiosity. After a stretch of trying to get used to a vertical mouse, I gave up.

Tips for Buying and Using Mice

After going through so many mice, here are a few takeaways.

Prioritize Bluetooth. It’s far more convenient than a wireless dongle, and once you get used to it there’s no going back. Multi-mode support is even better.
If your mouse uses replaceable batteries, I strongly recommend skipping rechargeable batteries. Swapping in fresh ones is faster and means you never have to worry about charging.

Final Thoughts

A mouse is a high-frequency tool, so it’s worth getting one that feels right, whether it’s cheap or pricey. That said, within a set budget there’s often not much to nitpick.

Those are all the mice I’ve used. Feel free to share the ones you love.

Real Experience: My Current Favorite Backpack

Sat, 10 May 2025 11:30:14 +0800

Recently, during a conversation with colleagues about backpack choices for us working folks, I couldn’t help but talk enthusiastically about the backpack I’ve been using for about 5 years. Additionally, during two trips around the May Day holiday, I tried using two other backpacks, which made me appreciate my current old bag even more.

Regarding backpacks, you might have similar needs and frustrations as I do, so let me share my thoughts here.

Nayo Almighty Backpack - Currently My Favorite

I got this in August 2020, choosing the large size 32L. I purchased it from the official website using a discount code for $48.99 USD, which was equivalent to 317.055 CNY at the time.

The screenshot above was taken when I visited Erhai Lake in 2020. Not bad, right? Even when the backpack is empty, it can stand upright on its own.

This model has now been upgraded to the 3rd generation, which should be even better than mine.

Multi-functional Features

What impressed me about this backpack is its multi-functionality. Many detailed design elements perfectly solve my specific scenarios and pain points.

Here are some specific scenarios:

Sunglasses - Position #2 allows you to hang sunglasses directly.
Keys - Position #3 has a zippered pocket specifically for keychains.
ID card - Position #6’s zippered compartment is perfect for it, no need to take off the backpack.
Luggage - Position #4 can be placed directly on the luggage handle, so you can pull both the suitcase and backpack together.

And so on. There are quite a few scenarios where it solves pain points like these. With other regular backpacks, I simply couldn’t achieve this level of convenience.

Additionally, the interior compartments are well-divided, so when I travel and pack clothes/electronics, everything stays organized.

In summary, this backpack currently meets my needs for commuting, travel, and various other scenarios. It’s truly a multi-purpose bag.

Let me break down the overall pros and cons.

Pros

Large capacity.
Well-designed features, such as the strap pocket for keychains, insulated zippered compartment, sunglasses hanging spot, etc. The best part is that it can stand upright even when empty.
Reasonable price. Compared to the hundred-yuan backpacks I bought before, it’s not expensive. I checked and the 2nd generation currently sold on JD is slightly more expensive than what I paid with the discount code, but not by much.

Cons

I personally think the build quality is just average. However, checking the official website, it has now been upgraded to the 3rd generation, while JD still sells the 2nd generation. Both are newer than mine, so this shortcoming might have been improved.

Interesting Point

Sometimes when going through subway security, my backpack can pass through the scanner directly even when it’s empty, due to its naturally bulky and heavy structure. So is this a pro or a con? I’ll categorize it as “interesting.”

Other Backpacks I Currently Own

Recently, my company issued an Anta Baichuan backpack, priced at around 300 CNY. I used it during the May Day trip and found it comfortable for the waist, but the pain point is that when I want to store keys, there’s no dedicated place for them. With only a few interior compartments, I often put things in and then can’t remember which layer I used, which is very annoying.

I also have several other backpacks bought years ago or cheap ones issued by the company. They all have similar problems - they don’t solve many practical pain points and merely provide some crude pockets for storage.

Final Thoughts

I looked up Nayo Smart and it’s a domestic Chinese brand, definitely not a big-name brand. However, I think the design is quite thoughtful. If you’re not pursuing big brands, it’s worth trying.
From my current perspective, I can abandon my plans to try other backpacks several more times. This backpack really is the most suitable for me. It seems like I can use it for a few more years before upgrading to a newer version.

Guide to Apple Podcasts

Tue, 06 May 2025 23:28:58 +0800

I enjoy listening to podcasts before bed at night. Recently someone asked me how to use podcasts, so today I’m writing a guide to share my current usage patterns.

Apple Podcasts

As an Apple ecosystem user, I use Apple Podcasts for podcasts. Currently Apple offers clients for the following platforms, and personally, I mainly use the iPhone version.

Mac
iPad
iPhone
Web version

Note: Apple doesn’t offer a Windows client. If you’re a Windows user, you can either use the web version or third-party apps. If you know of any excellent podcast clients for Windows/Android, feel free to share in the comments.

Favorite Podcast Channels

On Apple Podcasts, I frequently listen to the following channels:

Audiobooks?

Apple Podcasts still has limited resources. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in the client, you can also search on YouTube. Combined with YouTube’s premium feature - background playback, it actually works quite well. For example, I often use YouTube to listen to comedy sketches/“Ghost Blows Out the Light” novels.

Creating Podcasts with notebooklm-audio

If you’ve been playing with notebooklm recently, you can combine it with podcasts in new ways. notebooklm can convert articles/YouTube videos/PDFs, etc., into audio. Here’s the complete workflow:

First, create a new notebook in notebooklm and upload a book PDF or a webpage.
Click to generate audio.
Download the audio, upload it to cloud storage or a file server, and get a remote access link.
Build a podcast RSS feed - I’ve created an example here: Access Link
Add the RSS link in Apple Podcasts, click subscribe, and you’ll find it works when you click play.

As you can see, creating your own podcast isn’t difficult. Of course, if you want to publish it officially in the store, the process will be different.

Latest notebooklm News

The iOS app version is expected to be released this month. With it, the conversion work mentioned above won’t be necessary, giving us another way to listen to podcasts.

Final Thoughts

In summary, podcasts are a pure way to listen to audio content. If you haven’t tried them before, give it a shot - maybe you’ll enjoy it.

Streamlining WeChat Official Account Article Editing

Tue, 06 May 2025 22:32:39 +0800

I’ve been running my WeChat official account again for the past two months and have summarized some efficiency tips for WeChat article editing to share with everyone.

Third-Party WeChat Markdown Editor

The official editor is user-unfriendly and full of bugs. To improve efficiency and article formatting aesthetics, I recommend a free online Markdown editor that you can access directly. If you encounter a white screen when accessing it, it’s likely a network issue. Try resolving network problems, or if that doesn’t work, you can clone the project directly for private deployment.

Editor Configuration Settings

When actually using the above editor, there are some settings I personally think you should enable to make articles more user-friendly.

Convert external WeChat links to bottom references
Display word count and reading time statistics

Inserting Official Account Cards

In many WeChat official account articles, you’ll see account cards that better encourage user subscriptions. How do you implement this in this editor? Here’s the method.

When editing articles, paste the following code at the end of your article in the editor. When you copy the entire article to the WeChat official editor, it will recognize the corresponding account and you can click to convert it.

---

<section style="margin-bottom: 0px;letter-spacing: 0.578px;text-align: center;">
 <strong style="letter-spacing: 0.578px;text-align: center;"
 ><span style="font-size: 12px;"
 ><span leaf=""
 >若对你有所帮助，欢迎关注、分享、点赞及评论区留言👇👇👇</span
 ></span
 ></strong
 >
</section>

<center>
 <img
 src="https://static.1991421.cn/weixin/qrcode_for_gh_16079cf16d77_258.jpg"
 style="width: 100px;"
 />
</center>

Pro Tip - Text Snippet

To conveniently add the official account card to the end of every article, I use Alfred snippets to save the above code fragment with the keyword wxcard. This way, typing wxcard in the editor automatically expands to the account card code. You can also achieve similar functionality with Apple’s built-in text replacement or Raycast.

Daily Editing Workflow

After introducing the key techniques above, the entire workflow is summarized as follows:

Edit MD articles locally
Copy to third-party editor and click copy
Paste into official WeChat account editor
Click preview, check on mobile, and publish according to schedule once confirmed

Final Thoughts

These are my efficiency tips for WeChat official account editing. I welcome everyone to discuss together. I hope this helps you.

How to Read Source Code

Tue, 06 May 2025 15:17:32 +0800

I recently read an article - How To Read Source Code. I deeply resonated with it, so I’m marking down my thoughts here.

Purpose of Reading Source Code

Solving needs, for example, I look at inshellisense to solve auto-completion development needs, check click to component to solve JB IDE support issues. In short, you can’t talk about secondary development based on source code without reading it.
Besides solving needs, you can also understand these experts’ design thinking, even their coding styles.

Should You Read Source Code?

Having mentioned the benefits above, naturally you should. Free code, free learning opportunities - not reading would be a waste.

Ways to Read Source Code

I personally think there’s no fixed way to read code. For example, understanding parts of code through unit tests is fine, running the project is also fine, etc. There are many methods. Of course, the best way is if you can submit a PR, because the prerequisite for submitting a PR is that you probably understand how the entire project runs.

For myself, I’ve previously contributed PRs to several open source projects. For example:

No Time to Read Source Code?

I used to make this cognitive error too, not reading source code for many years. I personally think if a coder doesn’t have time to read source code, that means they’re quite unsuccessful, probably just busy with meaningless work.

Final Thoughts

In short, try reading more source code - it’s all benefits. Let’s encourage each other.

Trip to Baotou, Inner Mongolia

Sun, 04 May 2025 22:33:21 +0800

For the May Day holiday, I wanted somewhere convenient and uncrowded — ended up choosing Baotou. Some friends asked why; to me, travel is about going places I haven’t been. Notes from the trip.

Transportation

Beijing → Baotou is easy by high‑speed rail. Taxi to Beijing North (~30 minutes), then a bit over 3 hours to Baotou. Convenient, though the usual on‑train noise was unavoidable.

Accommodation

We stayed at Hanting. Over May Day, it was inexpensive — ~¥200+ with breakfast — booked 5 days, 4 nights.

To save costs, compare Ctrip/Meituan/QuNar. My final booking on QuNar was cheaper than Ctrip by a few dozen yuan.

Trade‑offs: Hanting’s soundproofing isn’t great; All Seasons left a better impression. Still, buffet breakfast was decent, time‑ and cost‑effective, and service acceptable. We did switch rooms once to avoid street noise.

Food

Tried some things I don’t usually get:

Shaomai — better than the “Inner Mongolia shaomai” I’ve had in Beijing
Roasted milk skin — dairy is strong in Inner Mongolia; lots of variety
Tea soup
Stew dishes

Overall prices were reasonable — didn’t spend much on food.

Sights

I don’t drive, so we mostly took taxis, which limits flexibility. Highlights:

赛汗塔拉城中草原
包头博物馆
- 去玩博物馆一定要注意是否需要预约和开放时间，比如包头博物馆免费，开放时间：每周二至周日，周一闭馆。
赵北长城遗址
湿地公园
世界鹿园
黄河大集
北方兵器城

We also wandered through several city parks. I enjoy slow, aimless walks in the streets.

Is Baotou uncrowded?

During my stay, it felt relatively uncrowded — rarely saw throngs. A taxi driver said that over May Day, “ten leave Baotou, two come in.” It’s an industrial city, not a tourist city. Also, Inner Mongolia’s population is ~20+ million — similar to Beijing’s — but Baotou’s population is only a few million, with a land area larger than Beijing by 10k+ km².

So yes, fewer people — which I enjoyed: fewer lines and less noise.

Final Thoughts

Baotou was great; I’d come again. Driving would help — taxis aren’t always convenient. Time to finally get comfortable behind the wheel this year; waiting on a license plate forever isn’t a plan.

Getting the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P Smartphone Stabilizer

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:00:50 +0800

With an upcoming trip in mind and knowing how shaky handheld smartphone footage can be, I decided to pick up the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P. Here are my thoughts and experiences after using it for a few weeks.

Osmo vs. Pocket 3

I initially looked at the Pocket 3, but it had a few drawbacks for my specific use case:

While the Pocket 3 is superior for video, it’s not primarily a still camera.
Since I always carry my phone anyway, the Pocket 3 felt redundant for photography.

Ultimately, I just wanted my phone to be easier to use for selfies and more stable for video. The DJI stabilizer fits perfectly as a supplementary accessory to my existing gear.

Why the 7P?

The 7P is the latest model. Priced under 1,000 CNY, it follows the “buy the newest” philosophy. With its built-in extension rod and tripod, it’s a solid, all-in-one choice.

I bought mine through Pinduoduo’s “Billions in Subsidies” program for 799 CNY. JD and the official store were priced at 899 CNY, which felt a bit steep. As long as authenticity is guaranteed, I go with the lower price.

DJI Care Refresh

DJI offers a protection plan for its products, with prices varying by device.
Unless you have a specific reason not to, I highly recommend buying it—these are delicate electronics. I purchased the 2-year plan the day I got my 7P and plan to renew it if possible.

Note: You can purchase Care Refresh for a maximum total of 3 consecutive years.

Essential Accessories?

The 7P comes with enough basic accessories. I don’t recommend buying extras unless you have a very specific need.
I specifically advise against the DJI OM Magnetic Phone Clamp. Its biggest flaw is that it’s incompatible with the tracking module.

Usage Tips

Watch the tutorials. I can’t stress this enough. If you find it hard to use, you probably haven’t watched the guide.
Tracking in other apps: You can use the tracking feature during WeChat video calls by pressing the trigger button to start tracking.

Impressions After Several Weeks

Pros

Built-in Extension & Tripod: These solve real-world pain points.
Build Quality: The craftsmanship and interaction design are excellent. The auto-tracking feature is incredibly convenient.
Fill Light: The optional fill light accessory is fantastic for night shots.
Learning Curve: With the tutorials in the DJI Mimo app, it’s easy to get the hang of the button shortcuts.

Cons

App Stability: The DJI Mimo app can be flaky. I’ve been logged out unexpectedly several times.
Bulk: It’s relatively large, making it a bit cumbersome to carry compared to the Pocket series. However, given the built-in tripod/rod, it’s a fair trade-off.

Final Thoughts

This is my first DJI product, and I’m impressed. I recommend anyone interested in mobile photography to give DJI a try—whether it’s a gimbal or another device depends on your needs. I’m already planning to pick up a Pocket and a drone in the future.

Official DJI Osmo Mobile 7 Series Tutorials

Applying for a Wise Account

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 09:55:24 +0800

I recently needed to accept overseas payments via Wise, so I walked through the setup process—documenting it here.

Create an account

Head to the Wise website https://wise.com/ and follow the prompts to sign up. When asked for your country, choose Mainland China—you can change it later if needed.

Mainland China accounts support parts of the Wise offering, such as receiving funds, but debit cards aren’t available.
To change your account’s country later, go to this Wise page.

Account verification

Submit your passport photo page and a selfie as instructed. I scanned the QR code shown on the desktop site with WeChat, followed the prompts to take the photos, and uploaded them. The review was fast—approved the same day.

Receiving payments

Add accounts for the currencies you need inside Wise; it will then provide the relevant bank details for incoming payments.

Getting the iPad 11

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 11:58:50 +0800

I picked up the 11-inch iPad a few days ago. It’s an entry-level tablet, but it’s more than enough for me right now. After using it for a bit, I’m jotting down my impressions.

Why I Bought It

My iPad mini 5 is already six years old, and it can no longer receive system updates. Some apps have stopped working as well, so I took advantage of a government subsidy to upgrade my device.

Purchase

When it comes to 3C products in China, JD.com is my go-to choice.

This time I stacked the government subsidy with the education discount and chose the iPad with the A16 chip, Wi-Fi, 128 GB of storage, and the silver-gray finish. It cost 2379.15 CNY, down from the original 2999 CNY.

I see the subsidy as direct cash back, so for small electronics it's worth prioritizing.

Accessories

So far I’ve only bought a tempered glass screen protector. I skipped the case for two reasons: the iPad isn’t that expensive, so I don’t feel the need to baby it, and I don’t want the extra weight.

Flash Demon tempered glass screen protector

Initial Impressions

After using it for a few days, here’s what stands out.

Pros

The screen is plenty large (coming from the mini, the size difference is obvious).

Cons

The display quality is visibly mediocre, but that’s expected at this price. If you’re picky about screens, I don’t recommend the standard iPad.
There’s no Face ID. I’m so used to unlocking my iPhone this way that it’ll take some getting used to.

Setting Up the iPad

Since it’s a new device, I found the overall Apple experience to be excellent. Place the two iPads next to each other, transfer the data wirelessly, and once it’s done the new iPad has a full copy of the old one. Just sign into your Apple ID and you’re good to go—it saves a lot of hassle.

Final Thoughts

Overall, getting an 11-inch iPad for just over 2,000 yuan feels like a solid value. Combined with the Apple ecosystem experience, I’m very satisfied.

Troubleshooting Apple Universal Clipboard Issues

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 17:30:25 +0800

Like many of you, I rely on Apple’s cross-device clipboard synchronization. Recently, I encountered an issue where copying between my office Mac and iPhone wasn’t working - neither device could directly cloud copy to the other. After some investigation, I finally resolved it. I’m marking it down here, which might help others.

Symptoms

Copying between my office Mac and iPhone wasn’t working. For example, when copying text on a Mac, the iPhone couldn’t detect it, and vice versa. This was particularly frustrating when I needed to quickly transfer a piece of text from one device to another.

Issue Identification

Since I have several Macs at home, I tested with them as well. For instance, the clipboard sync between my home Mac mini and iPhone worked fine, which indicated that the iPhone was working correctly. Therefore, I could confirm that the issue was explicitly with my office Mac.

Based on this observation, it became clear that when a single device has an issue, it affects both sending and receiving copies.

Attempted Fix Methods

After looking through many tutorials online, here are the practical solutions I found:

For Mac or any other Apple device, ensure Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Handoff are all enabled.
Verify that all devices are signed in to the same iCloud account. Note that the iCloud account can be different from the AppStore account.

Issue Fixed

In my case, the issue was resolved after trying the above methods. The problem was caused by switching the Mac’s iCloud account at some point, and signing out and back in fixed it.

How Universal Clipboard Works

While solving this, let’s understand why these methods were necessary:

Apple’s Handoff feature itself uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Clipboard synchronization is one application of Handoff.
iCloud handles authentication, ensuring that only your devices can transfer data between each other.

At the end

Apple’s software services aren’t without bugs; when problems arise, we can only analyze and solve them patiently. However, the Apple Universal Clipboard is a powerful feature that, despite occasional issues, is highly recommended for Apple ecosystem users with multiple Apple devices to try out.

Tips about how to use highlight.js

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 23:43:22 +0800

While developing GitLink, I needed code highlighting functionality, so I researched highlight.js and discovered some implementation details worth noting.

Import highlight.js

For web pages requiring CDN import or direct src import, you should not use highlight.js resources directly, but rather use highlightjs/cdn-release.

For projects involving build tools, you should use the npm package of highlight.js.

Language Registration

Importing highlight.js doesn’t automatically register all languages supported by highlight.js. If you want to register all languages, you need to import and register them manually.
Taking the highlight.js npm package as an example, in /highlight.js/es/languages/, you can see all language files. To register all languages, you need to import all these language files.
Besides official languages, you can also register custom languages. For example, some language packages provided in the official repo, such as highlightjs-4d

Auto highlight

In addition to the highlight method, there’s also highlightAuto for use when the language is uncertain.

Display Line Numbers

highlight.js doesn’t natively support line number display. You need to use third-party plugins for this functionality, such as highlightjs-line-numbers.js

Final Thoughts

These are some issues I encountered while using highlight.js. There might be other considerations, and I welcome any discussion.

Implementing JSON Schema-based Intelligent Suggestions in Monaco Editor

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:53:42 +0800

Recently, while implementing a JSON data editor using Monaco editor, I discovered a method to implement JSON Schema-based intelligent suggestions to enhance user experience. Here’s what I learned.

Implementation

Using Monaco-editor’s language service to implement JSON Schema-based intelligent suggestions.

Setting up JSON Schema

monaco.languages.json.jsonDefaults.setDiagnosticsOptions({
 validate: true,
 schemas: [
 {
 uri: "http://myschema/abi-schema.json",
 fileMatch: [model.uri.toString()],
 schema: {
 type: "array",
 items: {
 type: "object",
 required: ["type"],
 properties: {
 name: {
 type: "string",
 description: "Function or event name"
 },
 type: {
 type: "string",
 enum: ["function", "event", "constructor"],
 description: "Type: function, event, or constructor"
 },
 inputs: {
 type: "array",
 description: "Input parameters",
 items: {
 type: "object",
 properties: {
 name: {
 type: "string",
 description: "Parameter name"
 },
 type: {
 type: "string",
 description: "Parameter type"
 }
 }
 }
 }
 }
 }
 }
 }
 ]
 })

Editor options

options={{
 minimap: { enabled: false },
 lineNumbers: true,
 quickSuggestions: true, // Auto-completion
 autoIndent: true,
 automaticLayout: true,
 validate: true,
 folding: true,
 hover: {
 enabled: true,
 },
 suggest: {
 insertMode: "insert",
 showInlineDetails: true,
 showDetails: true,
 preview: true,
 previewMode: 'prefix',
 maxVisibleSuggestions: 12,
 },
 }}

Notes

If you only need suggestions for specific editors, use fileMatch to restrict the scope; otherwise, it will trigger JSON suggestions in other editors.

Results

At the end

We now understand how to implement code suggestions for fixed JSON data types in Monaco editor.

Getting the MacBook Air M4

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:31:38 +0800

I recently picked up a MacBook Air M4. After a few days of use, I’m quite happy with it, so here are some quick notes on my experience.

Why I Bought It

I already have a Mac mini as my non-work machine, but I was missing a truly portable laptop. I don’t plan to use it as my primary device — more as a “just in case” backup. With that goal and budget in mind, I decided on a MacBook.

Purchase

For 3C purchases in China, JD is the default choice.

This time I used the national subsidy plus the education discount to get a 13-inch MacBook Air M4 with 16 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD for 5799 CNY (down from 7999 CNY).

Accessories

I already have plenty of accessories, so I’m mostly reusing what I own. The only new addition so far:

Tempered glass screen protector (recommended)

Initial Impressions

Compared with the Mac mini, the MBA isn’t exactly the “value king” in my view, and its pros and cons are quite clear.

Pros

Sensible base configuration. M4 + 16 GB RAM is plenty for everyday use.
The new sky-blue color really does look nice.
Compared with the Pro, being lighter is never a bad thing — it’s genuinely appealing.

Cons

Only two Thunderbolt ports, both on the left side, which means no charging from the right — inconvenient.
Storage is small at 256 GB. That’s on me for budget reasons, haha — but it’s actually fine for my use.
The included 30 W charger is underwhelming; I prefer using Anker or ThinkPlus chargers day-to-day.

Final Thoughts

Overall, getting an M4 MacBook Air for under 6,000 CNY is great value. It meets my needs for mobile work and light development.

How to Use Stripe (Step-by-Step Guide)

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 20:22:50 +0800

Medium’s MPP and GitHub Sponsors both use Stripe for payouts and payments. Here are a few Stripe notes and fixes I’ve run into.

Common Questions

Change the dashboard display language

Press ⌘ K to open the search bar, type language, and jump to the language settings page.

https://dashboard.stripe.com/settings/user

Close an account

Open the settings page and choose “Close account”. https://dashboard.stripe.com/settings/account

CNCB Offline Mortgage Prepayment

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 20:11:24 +0800

I’ve always used CNCB’s app to book mortgage prepayments. The rule there is: no pending prepayment and a 30‑day advance reservation. I saw talk that offline prepayment might bypass the 30‑day wait, so I tried it — and it worked. Here’s what I did.

First try: ask the loan manager about offline prepayment

The manager said offline also requires 30 days — no early prepayment.

File a complaint via 12378

Call 12378 to file a complaint. CNCB will contact you. Clearly state your request: offline prepayment without waiting 30 days.

Process for offline prepayment

Go to the designated branch and take a number.
- Bring your ID card.
- Must be a business day.
At the counter, state your request. If they insist on a 30‑day reservation, say you’ve already filed a 12378 complaint and are dissatisfied. They will provide an application form.
Fill out the form; staff will submit it for manager approval.
- The prepayment amount only needs to be greater than your monthly payment; it does not need to be in ten‑thousand increments.
After approval, deduction can happen the same day. The app will show a new prepayment request as “processing”; wait for the deduction.
- I hit a snag: Friday after 4pm I was told “approved”, but deduction didn’t happen until Monday. The explanation was vague — likely someone forgot to process. Annoying, but the extra interest was small, so I let it go.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of others’ views on prepayment, I simply dislike owing money and paying interest. If you can afford it, keep prepaying. After two years, my bank loan is almost cleared; I’m down to about a hundred yuan per month — no pressure.

Animated PNGs

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 15:02:36 +0800

While using Tencent Docs today, I noticed this VIP badge image. The URL ends with .png, yet it’s animated. I always thought PNGs were static, so I dug around and learned that PNGs can, in fact, be animated. Here’s a quick summary to fill that knowledge gap.

Animated PNGs

The proper term is APNG.

The file extension remains .png.
The MIME type is still image/png.
PNG supports a transparent channel.

In other words, you can’t distinguish static PNGs from animated ones just by looking at the file metadata.

PNG vs. WebP

Besides PNG, we often use WebP for animated images. WebP files tend to be smaller, so if the browser supports it, WebP is usually the better choice.

Example

Let’s compare the Tencent Docs VIP badge in both formats.

WebP

PNG

Note: Tencent Docs auto-negotiates the best format. So even though the URL ends in .png, modern browsers receive WebP data behind the scenes.

Final Thoughts

That’s a quick primer on animated PNGs.

Getting the Mac mini M4

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:52:36 +0800

I recently picked up a Mac mini M4. After using it for a few weeks, I’m really happy with it, so I’m jotting down my impressions here.

Why I Bought It

My only non-work computer was a 2019 MacBook Pro with 32 GB of RAM, but it’s sluggish and runs hot. To make tinkering more enjoyable, I decided to get a Mac mini.

Purchase

There aren’t many options for buying 3C products in China, so I went straight to JD for the national subsidy. Final price: 6000 CNY (originally 7499 CNY). The configuration is 24 GB of memory and a 512 GB SSD. I didn’t go higher because of budget constraints.

Accessories

I haven’t bought any new accessories yet—just using what I already have.

Two Dell U-series monitors
Filco 87 mechanical keyboard with red switches
Logitech M720 mouse
Microphone – XFAN D1 on-camera mic

Initial Impressions

The M4 is genuinely fast and runs cool.
The small footprint is fantastic—it looks neat on the desk.
Even though I bought the base configuration, it’s more than enough for light development.

Final Thoughts

All in all, getting an M4 for 6,000 CNY feels like an excellent value.

Refresh Rate Explained (Simple Guide)

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 17:54:35 +0800

I’ve been looking into frontend animation jank, which is related to refresh rate. I looked up some basics about refresh rate and took notes here.

What is refresh rate

Refresh rate refers to how many images a display shows per second, measured in hertz (Hz). For example, my MBP is connected to a Dell monitor, and in the OS I can see the monitor’s current refresh rate.

Refresh rates humans can perceive

The human eye recognizes around 10–12 fps as continuous animation, 24 fps as cinema-level smoothness, and 60 fps as close to day-to-day “no perceptible latency.” Studies suggest our sensitivity to change can exceed 200 fps, especially when tracking fast-moving objects 589.

Baseline perception thresholds

Individual and scenario differences

General users: 60–90 fps is already smooth enough; further improvements are harder to notice 610.
Esports players: 144 fps and above improves capture of dynamic visual information. For example, many CS:GO pros use 240 Hz monitors to shorten reaction time 39.
Motion blur: Fast motion in the real world naturally includes blur; high frame rates in games can better simulate this and increase immersion 711.

From this we can see that 60 Hz is very smooth, and rates above 60 are not meaningless—differences are perceptible in specific scenarios like gaming.

Final Thoughts

Looking at the budget iPhone in my hand, it might be time to upgrade—no high refresh support.

My Medium Earnings in 2024

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 18:03:15 +0800

In 2024, I resolved the issue with using Stripe for payments on Medium, so I subscribed to Medium membership at the beginning of the year and joined the MPP program to start writing. Here’s an analysis of my Medium earnings over the past year and my future direction.

Let me first show you the modest earnings.

Earnings Overview

Total earnings = $12.95

Followers

Article Reading Statistics

Here’s an example from December 2024 showing article reading performance.

Number of Published Articles

As of now, I’ve published 200+ articles on Medium, including 80+ English articles.

Data Analysis

On average, I only earn about $1 per month, while Medium membership costs $5 per month.
Comparing to article views, with just over a thousand monthly views and reads, the numbers are quite low.
The proportion of articles that generate earnings is very low.
English articles generate more earnings than Chinese articles, as there’s a larger English-speaking audience.

Next Steps

Improve article quality and focus on key directions based on articles that have generated some earnings. Currently, aimless writing yields very low returns.
Increase social media sharing to boost article readership. In 2024, I shared one article on Reddit and instantly got hundreds of views, which was the fastest growth I’ve seen so far.

Complaints About Medium

Medium requires joining the MPP program to earn money, and joining MPP requires Medium membership first. Therefore, if monthly earnings don’t exceed $5, the membership fee is essentially wasted. Of course, if you’re also reading paid articles, it might still be worthwhile.
Medium’s traffic seems lower than before, and you can find pessimistic voices about Medium online.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, current Medium earnings don’t cover the membership fee, so I need to keep working hard. If you have any good suggestions, feel free to share them.

Achieving Ebook Reading Freedom

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 18:21:57 +0800

Ebook reading really comes down to two things: a pleasant reading app and an easy way to find books. After plenty of tinkering, I finally landed on a simple, efficient setup—sharing it here.

Reading app — WeRead

I’ve tried Kindle, MarginNote, Apple Books, and others. After switching to WeRead (WeChat Reading), it became my favorite. A few highlights and tips:

Cross‑platform

Download the official app directly from the iOS/Android stores.
On macOS, grab the iPhone version from the App Store if you have an Apple silicon Mac (M series); Intel Macs can use the web version.

Membership

I recommend purchasing a membership so you can read licensed titles outright. Promotional pricing hovers around 168 CNY/year (for reference).
Claim the daily reading reward and choose the trial pass instead of book coins.
- Book coins expire; trial passes do not.
- Trial passes can be converted into paid reading cards—essentially membership days.
- Join the reading challenges for discounted membership offers.

Import ebooks

If WeRead doesn’t have a specific title, import it yourself. Two easy approaches:

On iPhone Files (or similar), tap an EPUB or other supported format and open it with WeRead to import.
Visit the web app at https://weread.qq.com/, choose “send book to phone,” and upload the file.

Telegram Z‑Library bot

When the WeRead catalog falls short, turn to the Z-Library bot on Telegram.

Once you add the bot, search by keyword to download ebooks and then import them into WeRead.

Full bot setup guide: Z-Library + Telegram for ebook downloads

Final Thoughts

With WeRead plus the Z-Library bot, you can practically achieve ebook freedom. If neither source has the book, chances are there isn’t an ebook edition yet.

Converting MP3 and Other Formats to WeChat Silk Audio Files

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 17:44:49 +0800

I’ve been playing with WeChat bots in my spare time, and recently wanted to add support for sending voice files. Research shows that WeChat voice files use the Silk format, while AI voice synthesis typically provides MP3/WAV formats. So I need to solve the conversion from MP3 to Silk.

Silk

Silk is an audio compression format developed by the famous Skype company. It’s like a “sound magician” that can compress voice signals into very small sizes while maintaining high audio quality. WeChat recognized these advantages of Silk and uses it for voice message transmission.

Solution

Use ffmpeg to convert to PCM (skip this step if direct PCM output is supported)
Use pysilk to convert PCM to Silk
Host the Silk file on a web service for WeChat sending

Mac Silk Player

Recommended to use SilkPlayer

Selection complete
Choose to open
Drag file to player, click play

Final Thoughts

Through sending voice messages via WeChat, I learned that Silk is quite interesting. Those who are interested can research it further.

The Secret Behind WeChat Voice: Exploring the Silk Format

JD Plus Membership Tips

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 21:33:50 +0800

As a JD Plus member for more than seven years, I’ve collected a few tips worth sharing.

Notes

JD Plus perks change over time, so I’m only highlighting the ones I currently find most useful.

Buying a JD Plus Membership

Purchasing directly from JD is pricey—wait for bundle promos such as Tencent Video + Plus. I usually buy through a discounted channel for about ¥60-70/year, though I’ve hit the current recharge cap.
To catch deals, keep an eye on Telegram channels or sites like Smzdm.

Noteworthy Plus Benefits

Free shipping on purchases Great for small, urgent orders—no need to hit the free-shipping threshold.
Shopping rebates in JingDou points; remember to claim them manually. Power users might script the claim process.
Lifestyle service bundle. The new 12-point policy is less generous, but still worthwhile.
- Laundry and shoe cleaning costs 3 points and covers items like down jackets—the service quality is solid.
- Free express shipping costs 1 point; in my experience it really is expedited.
- Watch for limited stock on some services (car washes, etc.), so redeem early if you need them.
Free medical consultations: 12 per year with real doctors. Handy when you want advice before heading to the hospital; my experiences have been positive.

Other Perks

There are additional benefits, but none impress me right now, so I’ll skip them.

Final Thoughts

Relative to the membership fee, I think it’s worth it—annual down-jacket cleaning, daily JingDou rebates, and a few shipping redemptions easily cover the cost.
One annoyance: JD search still can’t filter for JD self-operated stores, so you have to check each store name manually.

Visiting Peking University Third Hospital

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 12:11:00 +0800

I went to PUTH to buy finasteride and encountered various pitfalls. Here’s the full process; hope it helps.

What to bring

Even though you can pay with the digital medical insurance card, the hospital systems go down a lot, so bring the physical card just in case.
Appointment timing is wildly unpredictable, so take a power bank with you. If you don’t want to carry one, each floor has paid shared chargers.

Full visit flow

Make an appointment through the 114 WeChat public account.
- Book 1–2 weeks ahead if you can; the Third Hospital’s slots disappear fast.
On the day of your visit, use the outpatient kiosk to print your number; you can scan Alipay’s digital insurance card, your physical insurance card, or your ID card.
After you have the number, go to the corresponding department. I went to dermatology, so I headed to the fifth floor.
Scan the QR code to join the queue. There’s no clear confirmation on screen, so if you’re unsure, ask a staff member to check.
Wait to be called according to the number on your ticket, and watch the display to get a sense of the current progress.
When it’s your turn, head into the consultation room. The doctor will prescribe the medication and you’ll receive a medical record slip, which is necessary for commercial insurance reimbursement.
Pay at any of the kiosks on each floor. When prompted for a password, the default for medical insurance accounts is six zeros. Entering the wrong password repeatedly will lock the card, and you’ll have to pay at the manual service window.
You can also print invoice copies at the kiosks. Some machines produce faint printouts that affect reimbursement, so double-check and switch machines if needed.
After paying, pick up your medication at the first-floor pharmacy.

Reimbursement

Since I needed to claim commercial insurance, I kept every receipt and submitted photos via the app.

Things that felt unreasonable

The kiosk complained about an incomplete address when I tried to print my number. Because the full address is long, it took a while to figure out that it only checks for keywords—entering something like “XX Road No. XX” works.
You scan a QR code to queue for the department, but you’re actually called in the kiosk ticket order. If your ticket is 59, expect 58 people ahead. The only way to estimate wait time is to watch the current number being called.
- Other hospitals such as the 306 Hospital, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, and Peking University People’s Hospital call patients based on the QR registration order and show the queue on screen.
The kiosk suddenly asked me for a password during payment without explaining which password. After several failed attempts the machine rebooted—this happened on two different kiosks—so I had to pay at the manual window.
- Staff later explained it’s the medical insurance payment password; the default is 000000. Entering it incorrectly multiple times locks the card, and you must visit the manual window to unlock it.
To pick up medication on the first floor, you first scan at a pillar-mounted machine and then wait. The success prompt appears at the bottom of the giant display rather than centered, so it’s easy to miss.

All in all, the patient experience at PUTH is middling right now—hopefully it improves over time.

Final Thoughts

First time at PUTH — average experience, but needs must; adapt to the process.

2024 Year-End Review

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 22:25:38 +0800

2024 is over, and 2025 has already begun. Looking back at 2024, it’s time for a summary.

Career Status

The three years from 2021 to 2024 have proven that “choosing the right path is more important than working hard.” I find myself back in a situation similar to my early years after graduation: three years spent with zero economic gain or professional promotion. In fact, income has decreased in real terms, and benefits have been steadily cut.

The objective reason is that the company’s business is struggling. My future path there is already clear, and I’ll have to deal with it as it comes.

Personal Growth & Contributions

Despite the poor environment, I’ve managed to maintain some personal growth.

Open Source

Alfred Workflows: I didn’t add many new workflows this year as the collection is quite mature. It currently features 56 workflows with over 642 stars. I also built an official website for it. This project remains my most rewarding; beyond efficiency gains, its community impact has earned me a JetBrains All Products License and a free 1Password Team License.
Whisper Web: A project built entirely using Cursor to convert voice recordings to text. Since iPhones don’t yet have a built-in “audio-to-Chinese-text” feature, this tool remains very useful.
click-to-component (PR): Added support for JetBrains IDEs to solve a personal pain point.
inshellisense (PR): Contributed a minor PR to this Microsoft project.
repo-discussion-count-action: Developed this GitHub Action to help track discussion counts for my Alfred workflow repository.

Blogging

I published 113 posts this year. Maintaining a writing habit is one of the few things I’ve stayed consistent with.

Gadgets & Tools

Apple Watch S10 (Macau Edition)
Caixin Global Subscription (primarily used on iPhone).

For a full list of my “tools of the year,” check this post.

Travel

Due to decreased income and ongoing mortgage payments, I didn’t travel extensively. I visited a few cities, mostly for weddings:

March: Wuhan & Xianning (for a wedding).
August: Shenyang, Liaoning.
October: Henan (for a wedding).
November: Langfang, Hebei.

Housing

Beijing’s housing market has seen a massive decline. There’s nothing to do but keep paying the mortgage. After two years of frugal living, the remaining balance is small, and I expect to pay it off in 2025. Once the debt is cleared, I plan to save while also traveling more. If the current apartment feels too small, I might rent a larger place and lease this one out as a financial safety net.

Finances

Monetization: I started experimenting with blog monetization. Google AdSense currently brings in about $1/month.
Medium: I’ve mirrored some articles to Medium, which also earns roughly $1/month. Between server/domain costs and the Medium membership fee, the blog is still technically operating at a loss.

Investments: My domestic stock portfolio saw some recovery this year but remains in the red. I’ve started exploring US stocks, but without significant spare capital, I haven’t seen substantial gains yet. Once my domestic holdings recover, I plan to shift my focus entirely to the US market.

2025 Goals

I hope to improve my work situation and break out of this cycle where effort doesn’t yield results.

Final Words

Looking back, I’ve become the person I used to dislike: old and broke. It’s time to work hard on changing that.

Must-Have Tools in 2024

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 18:04:07 +0800

This year, I updated some software and hardware. There are not many items, but all are practical tools. Let’s take a look.

Hex Key Set

Purchased from JD, price: 45CNY. I previously bought various models of Xiaomi electric screwdrivers, but I still needed hex keys. This time, I got a hex key set that includes multiple sizes, which is very practical. Combined with the Xiaomi electric screwdriver, I’m now prepared for all types of screws.

Solar-Powered Mountain Bike Tail Light

Purchased from JD, price: 14CNY. I found that mountain bike tail lights consume a lot of power, and changing batteries is easy to forget. I got this solar-powered tail light that can charge through solar power; It is very convenient. Also, the unit price is low, so there is no significant loss if lost.

HUAWEI Original Type-C Earphones

I purchased these from JD for 59CNY. Black looks cool, but the Apple original only comes in white, and Huawei has black, so I got these. These efficient wired earphones complement wireless ones nicely.

Plantronics Poly 3220 Call Center Customer Service Office Headset

Purchased from JD, price: 199CNY. Got these headphones for my wife’s work needs.

Xiaomi (MI) 20000mAh Power Bank with Built-in Cable

Purchased from JD, price: 128CNY. I previously used the MagSafe 10000mA power bank; this time, I chose a larger capacity one with a wired connection.

Apple Watch S10

Purchased in-store at Macau Apple Store, equivalent to 3132CNY. Compared to my previous S4, the visibly larger screen is really comfortable. As for functionality, compared to the S4, I haven’t noticed any significant changes.

Caixin Premium `Service`

Due to the current promotion, purchased from Idle Fish for 2 months, the price is 20CNY/month. Compared to WeChat official account articles and other content streams, Caixin Premium’s article quality is relatively high and worth recommending. After 2 months expire, you can only renew through official channels/recharge cards, about 500CNY/year, which is quite expensive.

Conclusion

The above are just personal recommendations; feel free to try them if interested.

Elderly Parent Hukou in Beijing

Sat, 28 Dec 2024 00:26:19 +0800

We planned to move my mother‑in‑law’s hukou to Beijing. The procedures are numerous and the outcome is uncertain — many cases are “queued indefinitely”. Here’s the process; I’ll update if there’s progress.

Current status

12月份时候已提交老人投靠申请，收到了受理决定书，还在等消息，民警说会在1个月左右给消息，但目前都是在轮侯，即使资料审核过也不会立即办理入户，具体要等上面给消息。
2025年1月底收到派出所电话，去签字-不予许可决定书。

Not successful yet, but at least we’re in the queue. Documents prepared below:

Requirements and documents

在开始准备时，建议是跑一趟所在地区派出所，取一下最新的要求文件，上面会说明白需要准备的资料，每个时间段要求的材料会有所不同。比如今年上半年和下半年的就有所不同。

What we prepared:

老人的户口本/身份证/照片/退休证明/镇政府出具的查档证明
北京这边的户口本/结婚证/身份证/公司出具的查档证明

Note: date on the “record check” letter must be within the same calendar year as submission.

Use 12345 and similar channels

The township initially refused to issue a letter; community-stamped letters weren’t accepted by the Beijing PSB. Calling 12345 applied pressure; the township asked for a formal letter from the Beijing PSB. After explaining, the PSB agreed to provide a paper letter, and the township then relented and issued the document without needing that letter.

最终在凑齐所有手续文件后，带着家人，直接去派出所让民警预审材料了，当民警告诉OK了，就可以正常提交了。但提交录入系统必须是工作日。录入后，会给受理决定书，签字后就可以回家等消息了。

Acceptance notice

决定书编号的后四位是排名听说是这样。
目前的政策情况决定，受理决定书后，会收到不予通过即代表着轮后，遥遥无期。

Beijing 2024 hukou data

这里分享一个微信群看到的落户数据，只能说落户真难。

欢迎各位，北京最常见的积分落户，计算方式如下图： 2024年北京积分落户共有10万人申请，6002人成功，录取5.9%。普遍集中在42岁左右，上岸分数线114分。在职提升学历的占47%；74%的人具有硕士以上学历，20%的人具有博士学历；年收入在70万以下的仅21%。99%的人都在郊区有房，其中93%的人郊区有房6年以上，只有2人郊区无房。投靠层面，基本都改轮候了：夫妻需要老家+北京无业2年，45岁结婚满10年；子女随迁，要求未满18岁；父母要求双退休，外省无子女，没听说轮候成功的学历落户：目前留服只给中直单位央企指标，不给北京市指标了，北京市统一走人社ju渠道。应届生对年纪有严格限制，研究生在27周岁以内，博士在35周岁以内；博后本人的落户不明朗，配偶要结婚21个月了。

Final Thoughts

It’s hard to obtain hukou, especially for the elderly; spousal hukou is also difficult. New graduates hoping to stay in Beijing should seize any window of opportunity.

NAS with Alist Integration to Solve Quark Cloud Drive Viewing Experience Issues

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 22:45:11 +0800

Quark Cloud Drive cannot be directly integrated into Infuse for viewing. To make movie watching more convenient, here we combine NAS+Alist to solve cloud drive experience issues.

Alist

Add Quark Cloud Drive under alist.
alist service supports providing WebDAV externally, enabled by default. The address is http[s]://domain:port/dav/, with the same username and password as the web interface. For example, mine is https://alist.1991421.cn/dav.

NAS-CloudSync

Add WebDav service, select the folder to sync. After the task starts, cloud drive resources will gradually download to the NAS.

Infuse/Video

After NAS downloads the resources, there are many viewing options. Add NAS WebDAV service in Infuse or directly use NAS Video for viewing. Since cloud drive resources have been synced and downloaded to NAS, as long as NAS speed is fine.

If at home, recommended to add NAS via local network form; if on public network, add domain name/IP.

Final Thoughts

Following the above method, whether it’s Quark/Aliyun Cloud Drive/Baidu, all can be solved with this solution. But the drawback is that key resources are not timely, after all, NAS download synchronization is needed.

https://alist.nn.ci/zh/guide/webdav.html

Updating GLIBC on CentOS 7

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:00:19 +0800

When executing npm commands on the target server, I encountered the error “node: /lib64/libm.so.6: version `GLIBC_2.27’ not found (required by node)”. Here I’ll mark down the repair process.

Commands

# Check current version
ldd --version

# Download
wget http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/libc/glibc-2.25.tar.gz

Bundle Size Issues Caused by Misusing Lodash

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 15:58:40 +0800

I spotted problematic lodash imports in a real project and wanted to document the fix.

The Problem

The project depended on the CommonJS build of lodash in package.json.

import _ from 'lodash';

import { cloneDeep } from 'lodash';

Regardless of the bundler, both patterns pull the entire library.

The Quick Fix

import cloneDeep from 'lodash/cloneDeep';

This only brings in cloneDeep. The downsides:

Multiple functions mean multiple import lines.
Those per-method modules are still CommonJS files that re-require other helpers, so extra code sneaks in anyway.

The Better Option

Lodash ships an ES module build. You can swap dependencies to lodash-es, or alias it without touching call sites:

{
 "lodash": "npm:lodash-es@^4.17.21"
}

Then import like this:

import { cloneDeep } from 'lodash-es';

Even with the ES module, avoid import _ from 'lodash-es'; that still drags in the whole bundle.

Size Difference After the Change

In testing, the optimized imports trimmed roughly 100 KB.

Before

After

Final Thoughts

The root of the size issue is that CommonJS modules are bundled wholesale, whereas ES modules let your tooling tree-shake away the unused code.

AntV X6 Diagramming: Step-by-Step Guide

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:34:08 +0800

Recently, a work requirement needed to draw DAG graphs with interactive operations. After research, I decided to use AntV X6 as the solution. After using it in practice, here’s a summary of common issues.

How to choose between X6, G6, and others

There are many visualization graph libraries under AntV, so how do you choose? In fact, each library has a different positioning, so use what fits your needs. Here’s the official introduction to each library.

AntV plugins

As you can see, AntV provides many plugins that can be loaded as needed. For example, to implement a component that deletes selected nodes with the backspace key, you need the selection and keyboard plugins.

For a specific list of plugins, see here: https://github.com/antvis/X6/tree/master/packages

Custom node styles

Automatic layout

Install the dependency package dagre
During initial rendering, just call the layout(graph) method.

The implementation code for layout is as follows, for reference only.

https://gist.githubusercontent.com/alanhe421/1e2942d8e7134a53f1e54d4802c3e437/raw/f0b06508525f12874d36831935e8fb04dcb39a4c/antv-x6-layout.ts

3D/2.5D support?

The official library doesn’t provide a solution for this; you currently need to solve it yourself.

2.0 Plan

👉 https://www.yuque.com/antv/x6/sk3zdn_nsgg4p

https://antv.antgroup.com/

How to Use Synology Photos (Step-by-Step Guide)

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 22:24:30 +0800

I wanted to browse family photos on Apple TV, so I revisited Synology Photos. Here’s my setup.

Log into DSM → Package Center → install Synology Photos (not the deprecated DS Photo).
On iPhone/Apple TV, install Synology Photos from the App Store and sign in.

Add Photos

Upload via the DSM web interface.
On iOS, enable uploads or automatic backup directly in the mobile app.

Combine with Cloud Sync (e.g., Baidu Cloud)

Cloud Sync often creates folders outside the default Photos path (/homes/<user>/Photos), so synced images won’t show up. Two options:

Copy files manually into the Photos folder (not recommended).
Bind the synced folder into Photos:
```
mount --bind /volume1/Download/Cloud-Disk/PersonalPhotos /var/services/homes/<user>/Photos/PersonalPhotos
```
After binding, rebuild the Synology Photos index. Run the mount via SSH or create a scheduled script in DSM.

Remote Access

QuickConnect is the easiest option.
For custom domains, you’ll need a public IP + DDNS (or a static IP).

Final Thoughts

With this in place, Synology Photos becomes genuinely useful for multi-device photo viewing.

Recommended YouTube Channels (for Chinese-Speaking Digital Nomads)

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 22:40:10 +0800

I’ve been scrolling YouTube for about ten years and watch it regularly while barely using domestic short‑video platforms like Bilibili.

To navigate YouTube better, I’ve compiled a list of channels I watch and find high quality.

Channel List

Technology and Digital

Apple: Apple’s official channel featuring product launch events, ads, and tutorials.
GitHub: GitHub’s official channel for developer tools, tutorials, and community events.
Microsoft Developer: Microsoft’s developer channel, providing tools and technology sharing.
Linyi LYi: Tech product reviews and user experiences.
Review First: Product reviews and data to help purchasing decisions.
Best Partners TV: Lifestyle and entertainment content.

History and Culture

CCTV Lecture Room: Historical and cultural program, storytelling Chinese history.
History Shell Collector: Self‑media exploring human nature through historical events.
Straight Guy History Class: Uses comics to teach history.

Entertainment and Variety

1818 Golden Eye: Down‑to‑earth news program.
MangoTV Music Channel: Music programs and MVs.
Mediastorm: Film/TV teaching, gear reviews, shorts, and commercial content.
Sharky Movie Talk: Classic movies and life stories.
Rio Eats: Food exploration and recommendations.

Crime

Zheng Jixiang: Cases from ancient to modern times through simple sketches.
X Investigation: Stories of detectives, reasoning, curious people, and mysteries.

Travel and Food

Shijingji: Street food across the country.
MaiZong Eats: Food exploration and reviews.

Health and Fitness

FunSport Fitness: Fitness and exercise tutorials.

Games and Entertainment

IGN: Game reviews, news, walkthroughs.
Highlight NBA: NBA highlights and news.
TESTV: Humorous reviews of tech products and daily items.
ToyFilms SnowboardMovie: Skiing videos and related content.

Education and Learning

GPINTALK: Aviation knowledge and industry information.

First Apartment Hardware List

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 22:28:36 +0800

I’ve lived in my first apartment for 1.5 years now. Overall, I think the hardware choices were pretty good. Here’s a record of them.

The apartment itself was chosen with Beewo Decoration, so the foundation is decent. On this basis, I supplemented with hardware.

TV

Limited by apartment size and budget constraints, I currently chose Philips. When I move to a bigger place, I still plan to go with Sony. But for now, Philips is sufficient, in the 2K-3K price range.

Air Conditioner

Gree

Refrigerator

Panasonic. Limited by apartment size, I bought a single-door model, but it’s quite good. The space is relatively large and currently meets the needs of a two-person household.

Washing Machine

Little Swan. Cheap and works well. It also has mini-program networking support, but I find the experience too cumbersome. Currently used to direct operation.

Water Heater

Haier

Bed, Wardrobe

Kuka Home. Good quality.

Computer Desk

Loctek. 2K cost, very good.

TV Cabinet

QuanU Furniture. Hundred yuan cost, very good, extremely cost-effective.

Outlets & Switches

Bull. Quality and safe, more reassuring.

Toilet

Arrow. First-class energy efficiency. In 1.5 years of use, no problems have occurred.

Desk Lamp

Xiaomi

Digital Clock/Thermometer

Xiaomi

Personal Hardware List

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:46:18 +0800

Continuously updated

MacBook Pro 2024 14‑inch 💻

Currently using a company‑issued M3 Pro, 12‑core/36 GB RAM/1 TB SSD — plenty. I’ve grown used to 14 inches; it strikes a nice balance between portability and performance.

Mac mini 2024

Purchased early 2025: M4 with 10 cores/24 GB RAM/512 GB SSD. Compact and sufficient for home use.

MacBook Air 2025 13‑inch 💻

Purchased early 2025: M4 with 10 cores/16 GB RAM/256 GB SSD. Intended for non‑work scenarios at home or on the go — a personal backup beyond the limitations of a company machine.

AirPods 3 🎧

AirPods loyalist from Gen 1 through Gen 3 — excellent earbuds.

Apple Watch S10 ⌚️

Long‑time Apple Watch user. Recently retired a Series 4 for an S10 for the larger screen — very happy. Next up, probably Ultra.

AirTag

On my keys — decorative and, more importantly, helpful with Find My. Love it. Battery life is solid; 1.5 years in without a swap.

Apple TV 5

Using the 5th gen — sufficient. Mostly Infuse + YouTube + Surge for shows. Beats domestic TV boxes by a mile.

Filco 87 Wireless (S2) ⌨️

I like 87‑key layouts. Great build quality; exaggerating a bit, but this could last a lifetime.

Logitech M720 🖱️

Supports multi‑device switching and Bluetooth. Around ¥100 — very good value.

Anker MagSafe Power Bank 🔋

Anker quality is solid. I bought two 10,000 mAh units. 7.5 W charging is slow, but convenient — fine for on‑the‑go emergencies.

Thermos Insulated Tumbler

Vacuum insulated tumbler for year‑round use. Tiger is also good; either brand works.

Loctek Electric Standing Desk

Multiple memory presets. Standing at home is great. High value for the price.

MUJI Beanbag Sofa

The most comfortable beanbag I’ve tried so far.

Getting the Apple Watch S10

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 22:44:01 +0800

I got the Apple Watch S4 in November 2018 and have used it for almost six years. The battery health has dropped to 77%. Considering that the latest Watch OS11 no longer supports the S4 and has been used for a long time, I decided to get the S10.

After using the S10 for a few days, I’ve compiled the pros and cons for your reference.

Purchased Version

First, let me explain the version I bought.

My S4 was the GPS 44mm version; this time, I chose the GPS 46mm version (the new version only comes in 42mm and 46mm).
Since the mainland China doesn’t support fast charging, I opted for another version. I chose the Macao version, priced at 3499MOP, equivalent to 3132CNY.
As for the color, I went with glossy black. Regarding paint chipping, I’ll have to see after using it for a while.

The reason I didn’t buy the Ultra version is purely due to budget constraints.

S10 vs. S4

This compares the S10 and S4, so the differences are more apparent.

Pros

Visibly larger screen and thinner design.
Fast charging: charging from 0% to 80% only takes 30 minutes. The S4 does not have fast charging.
The screen is always on, so you can see the watch information without raising your wrist. The screen is also brighter during regular display.
The charging cable is now woven, which feels and looks higher quality.
The double-tap gesture is convenient.

Cons

There aren’t any significant cons compared to the S4. Just keep in mind that the mainland China version lacks fast charging.

Of course, the Watch itself still has some drawbacks.

Battery life still requires daily charging and cannot last two full days. It would be amazing if it could match Garmin’s battery life.

At the end

In short, the S10 is great, and I recommend that new users and old users with devices like the S4 try it.

https://www.apple.com/hk/watch/compare/?modelList=watch-series-4,watch-series-10

Toutiao Search SEO

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 10:26:30 +0800

I already submitted the blog to Google, Baidu, and Bing, but never to Toutiao Search. I added it today—here’s the process.

Add the domain (subdomains aren’t grouped—you must add each host separately).
Verify ownership via HTML file or meta tag; I chose the meta tag.
Submit the sitemap.
Enable automatic indexing by injecting their JS snippet into the site.

Console: https://zhanzhang.toutiao.com/

How to Use Draw.io (Step-by-Step Guide)

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 20:42:44 +0800

Technical reviews are required for functions that take more than three days to develop, so drawing skills are essential.

My company encourages the use of draw.io for drawing, and the more I use it, the more amazing I find this tool. So, regarding its usage, here’s a basic explanation for marking.

Platform

Draw.io is free and cross-platform.

Web
App

It uses Electron, so it supports various OS.

Open Source?

Draw.io is an open-source project that can be commercialized and redeveloped. Draw.io uses the Apache2 license, which is relatively permissive.
Internally, my company uses Draw.io integrated with Confluence, making creating drawings directly in Wiki convenient.

Project link, click here

Usage

For specific usage, it is recommended to watch the official video tutorials. Here are some tips:

Pay attention to the use of hotkeys.

Draw.io has a set of intuitive hotkeys, and it is recommended that you practice them deliberately. This can improve drawing efficiency.

https://drawio-app.com/tutorials/shortcuts/
Draw.io supports animated connectors, just like the image at the beginning of the article, which looks fantastic.
It supports cross-line settings, so even intersecting lines can remain clear.
Make good use of the search function on the left.
When exporting, if you want to keep the connector animation, you can choose SVG and then convert it to GIF.
Use templates when creating diagrams. I use them less, but templates are a great way to learn.

There are many more tips, but they won’t be covered here.

Learning Channels

How to learn tips and tricks? The following channels are recommended:

QuickView Support?

It is not supported. So, if you want to preview locally, there are the following two methods:

Install plugins in IDEs like VSC/JB to open it.
Open it with the local Draw.io app.
Directly export as an image to open.

At the end

Draw.io is a free and excellent drawing software, and I recommend that everyone try it.

Trip to Shenyang, Liaoning

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 22:55:06 +0800

I spent August 2–5 wandering around Shenyang. A few observations worth recording.

Lodging

I usually default to Hanting when I travel.

Breakfast is convenient but mediocre—this branch had a tiny spread and bland food.
Staff were friendly and efficient when I needed help (room change, extra hangers, etc.).
Sound insulation was terrible—the worst I’ve experienced at a Hanting.
Room hardware felt tired: the shower diverter jammed, the door card didn’t work on first entry, so I ended up switching rooms. To their credit, the staff resolved everything quickly.

Summer vacation crowds meant the hotel was busy.

Night and morning markets

Shenyang leans into its night/early-market culture. I made it to Tawan Night Market, Xita Night Market, Laobeishi Night Market, Caita Night Market, and Xiaoheyuan Morning Market—lots of good food.

Tawan was my favorite: tasty and reasonably priced. Laobeishi felt overpriced. Personal highlights: fried menzi (a mung-bean starch dish) and giant pears.

Transport

Pedestrians frequently run red lights—saw it daily.
Shenyang North Railway Station left a bad impression: only one restroom in the waiting area and no seating in the Beijing-bound hall.
The subway is solid. Every station had a restroom, which was surprisingly convenient.

Sights

Heat and limited time meant I only visited the Liaoning Provincial Museum, Shenyang Imperial Palace, and Shenyang Museum. The rest of the time I strolled and hunted for snacks.

Final Thoughts

Shenyang’s night markets are the standout—so much good food. Beyond that, the city didn’t completely win me over this time.

Large File Downloads with StreamSaver.js

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 22:21:14 +0800

If you use the blob object for browser-side file downloads and then call the URL.createObjectURL(blob) method, the file will be downloaded directly. However, the downside is that it only supports small file downloads. How can we solve this without changing the backend? StreamSaver.js was created to address this issue.

Principle

StreamSaver.js uses ServiceWorker to intercept requests. If the result of the request is a stream, it can be continuously written to the local browser side. This breaks the limitation of JS single-thread, allowing large file downloads without blocking the thread.

Usage

import streamSaver from 'streamsaver';

streamSaver.mitm = 'https://example.com/custom_mitm.html';

const fileStream = streamSaver.createWriteStream('hello.mkv', { size: 10_000_000 });
const fileWriter = fileStream.getWriter();

fileWriter.write(new Uint8Array(chunk));

fileWriter.close();

Browser Compatibility

Since StreamSaver.js uses ServiceWorker, it is not supported in browsers that do not support ServiceWorker. For example, Firefox versions below 100 do not support WritableStream and require a polyfill to solve this issue.

https://unpkg.com/web-streams-polyfill@4.0.0/dist/polyfill.js

At the end

The above is just one method for large file downloads. Additionally, the server can directly support stream downloads. Which solution to use depends on the specific scenario.

Handling Errors in Streaming Responses

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 23:37:24 +0800

AI APIs often return server-sent streams. When the server reports an error, the payload still arrives as a stream, so error handling differs from typical JSON responses.

Example

Using Axios as an example:

axios.post('http://api.com/v1/chat/completions', data, {
 headers: {
 Authorization: `Bearer xxxx`,
 'Content-Type': 'application/json',
 },
 responseType: 'stream',
})
 .then(res => res.data)
 .catch(async (e) => {
 let error;
 if (e.isAxiosError) {
 let streamString = '';
 await new Promise(resolve => {
 e.response.data
 .on('data', (utf8Chunk) => {
 streamString += utf8Chunk;
 })
 .on('end', () => {
 error = JSON.parse(streamString);
 resolve();
 });
 });
 } else {
 error = e;
 }
 throw error;
 });

In streaming mode you must consume the error payload through the same evented interface as normal data. Wrapping the listener with a Promise ensures you capture the full string before parsing and rethrowing.

Final Thoughts

When dealing with streaming APIs, remember that error paths are still streams—structure your error handling accordingly.

Installing Flarum on CentOS 7

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 22:33:45 +0800

Installing PHP 7.3

sudo yum install epel-release -y
sudo yum install https://rpms.remirepo.net/enterprise/remi-release-7.rpm -y
sudo yum install yum-utils -y
sudo yum-config-manager --enable remi-php73
sudo yum install php php-cli php-fpm php-mysqlnd php-json php-opcache php-xml php-mbstring php-tokenizer php-curl php-zip php-gd -y

# Check version
php -v

MySQL8

yum localinstall -y https://dev.mysql.com/get/mysql80-community-release-el7-2.noarch.rpm
yum install -y mysql-community-server

rpm --import https://repo.mysql.com/RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2023


# Get temporary password
grep 'temporary password' /var/log/mysqld.log

# Initialize DB configuration

Installing the Forum

# flarum is the folder under the current directory
composer create-project flarum/flarum flarum

Caddy

Here I use Caddy

# Forum
forum.xxx.cn {
 root * /var/www/flarum/public
 php_fastcgi unix//var/run/php-fpm/php-fpm.sock
 header /assets/* {
 +Cache-Control "public, must-revalidate, proxy-revalidate"
 +Cache-Control "max-age=25000"
 Pragma "public"
 }
 file_server
}

Installing Flarum Plugins

# Chinese language pack
composer require flarum-lang/chinese-simplified

# Upload plugin
composer require fof/upload

# sitemap
composer require fof/sitemap

After installing plugins, you need to enable the corresponding plugins in the admin panel.

Data Backup

Copy the vendor folder, composer.json, and composer.lock to the newly built flarum folder on the new server.
Export the entire database and then import it into the new server.

Line Separators in Text Files

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 12:29:08 +0800

When processing text files, we encounter different line separators. Why do these differences exist and how should we handle them? Let me note this down here.

System Differences

Windows uses \r\n, while Unix/macOS uses \n

For example, when creating a text file in Windows using NotePad, after saving and dragging it to editors like VSC, you can see the separator is indicated as \r\n.

Editor Settings

In editors, we also see explanations about Line Separators.

When we open files in editors like WebStorm or VSC, we also see such prompts in the status bar, telling you what the line separator of this file is.

Program Text Processing

Different separators result in different text files, which can also cause exceptions in actual code processing. What if we want to handle this compatibly? For example, when processing text strings to arrays, we can use regex to solve this problem.

str.split(/\r?\n/)

Final Thoughts

Done.

Z-Library & Telegram: eBook Downloads

Thu, 02 May 2024 10:04:15 +0800

In my opinion, downloading e-book by Z-Library combined with Telegram will have the most comfortable experience. Just mark it here.

Visit https://z-library.sk/
1. If you don’t have an account, register one.
2. If access fails, suggest to try using a proxy.
Go to https://z-library.sk/z-access#telegram_bot_tab to create a TG Bot.
Once the TG Bot is successfully created, you can search for any book on your private Bot and click “download”.

Note that the daily download resource is limited.

Xbox Remote Play

Wed, 01 May 2024 14:17:17 +0800

If you want to play your home Xbox/PS games while away, one option is remote play. Here’s how to set it up with Xbox as an example.

Setup

Router: enable UPnP. DMZ is not required.
Enable remote features on Xbox
- Devices & connections → Remote features → Enable remote features
- General → Network settings → Test NAT type should be [Open]
You should now see related entries appear under step 2.
On an external network device (e.g., iPhone), sign in to Xbox and choose your console → Remote play.

Public IP?

In testing, a public IP is not required. As long as the console has outbound internet connectivity, remote play works.

Current Issue

On mobile, if Surge proxy is enabled, remote play may fail to connect even with direct rules. Disabling Surge resolves it.

Final Thoughts

The steps are similar for PlayStation — just enable remote features and you’re set.

Automatic Review for User-Uploaded Images

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 22:31:27 +0800

Recently, I received news that the image upload feature in my project needs to undergo security review. After solving this problem, I’m marking it down here.

I’m currently using Tencent Cloud’s COS-CDN, so I’ll use this product as an example to introduce the process.

Current COS usage

Images are currently uploaded via COS, which returns a path after storage. I use COS with a bound domain name through CDN for users to access.

Review configuration

COS supports configuring automatic image review. Since my COS also contains other resources, I enabled COS path restrictions for automatic image review—for example, only images in the /user-images path are reviewed.
Since my image upload function was already online before, I needed to handle two types of images: existing and new ones
1. Existing images are reviewed by configuring a task for COS to review them again
2. For new images, I use the COS SDK, which automatically triggers review after upload
Configure actions for non-compliant reviews. Considering that user images might be misjudged or the current standards are too strict, I configured the system to automatically move non-compliant images to a specified directory so there’s still a chance to recover them.
Since the review is configured to be post-upload, the COS upload environment doesn’t know if the image is non-compliant. Therefore, if you want to notify users about non-compliant images in your project, you still need to call the review API yourself or configure a review callback API. Otherwise, the upload will succeed without any violation notification, but the image will return 404 when accessed because it was processed after the post-upload review.

Final Thoughts

Now I understand how to use image review and have solved the requirement. However, I have to say that these needs are really driven by the domestic environment…

First Experience Recycling an MBP via Xianyu

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 15:11:58 +0800

I’ve got a new MBP now, so I decided to recycle my 2019 model for some cash back — better than letting it gather dust.

Device

MacBook Pro 2019 / 16 GB RAM / 512 GB SSD / i7. Purchased in 2021, no hidden issues.

The 2019 model still looks great, but for my usage it stutters fairly often.

Xianyu recycle vs. JD recycle

I first tried JD’s recycle program via their PC site; the quote was under ¥3,000 even “after applying coupons”. I figured Xianyu’s official recycle might offer more, so I tried that next.

Xianyu process

First, here’s how the Xianyu process goes 👇

Get an in‑app quote and book pickup.
Sign out of your Apple ID on the MBP.
SF Express picks it up from your door.
- No need to include accessories like the charger; no packaging needed — the courier handles it.
After pickup they send an initial payment (I got a bit over ¥1,000).
They do inspection → confirm final price → transfer the balance.

Notes

If you’re mailing the machine, record a video beforehand to avoid disputes if they later claim “issues found”.

Why I declined Xianyu’s offer

Following the process, I shipped it — but the price got lowballed. Xianyu support called with a quote a bit over ¥1,000, rattling off issues I didn’t really follow. Crucially, it was far below the app estimate — a harsh cut — so I refused and asked for a return. Then they called back offering a “special” extra ¥400–¥500, raising it to the ¥2,000+ range. At that point it wasn’t much different from JD, but the bargaining felt excessive, so I declined.

If a simple refusal gets an extra ¥400–¥500, that says a lot about the haggling. Major turn‑off.

Final choice — JD Aihuishou

Since leaving it unused has little value, I ended up going with JD Aihuishou, placing the order online and completing the deal in person.

Final Thoughts

My Xianyu recycle experience was poor — maybe it was “just my case,” but still.
For maximum payout, selling directly on Xianyu second‑hand is likely best — if you have the time and patience.
If you don’t want the hassle (my case), JD Aihuishou with in‑person handoff is the most convenient, albeit at a lower price.
Alternatively, gifting the old laptop to family/friends is nice — no payment avoids later disputes.

Enable IPv6 on Home Broadband

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 13:02:42 +0800

I saw posts saying IPv6 livestreams are more stable, so I upgraded my home network. Here’s the process.

Hardware

Hardware involved:

China Unicom ONT
ZTE router
Clients (Mac, Apple TV, iPhone, etc.)

Bridge the ONT

Record your PPPoE username/password first—you’ll need them later.

Report a “broadband issue” via the China Unicom app; the technician will call and switch the ONT to bridge mode remotely. If devices still connect afterward, bridging failed—ask them to retry or visit in person.

Forgot the credentials? Call 010-112, then press 0 for a human agent.

Router PPPoE Setup

Configure PPPoE on the router with the same credentials, ensuring IPv4 works first.

Enable IPv6 on the Router

On my ZTE router I had to enable IPv6 in two places:

System → IPv6 (toggle on)
WAN → IPv6 (toggle on)

Then reboot the router.

Test IPv6

Connect a device and visit https://test-ipv6.com/

If it reports an IPv6 address, you’re set.

On macOS/iOS, check network details for an IPv6 address.

Note: If you proxy through Surge, enable ipv6-vif; otherwise test-ipv6.com fails.

Putting IPv6 to Use

Livestream sources labeled “IPv6” now play smoothly on Apple TV (iPlayTV). IPv6-only URLs work as well, e.g.:

http://[2409:8087:1a01:df::7005]/ottrrs.hl.chinamobile.com/PLTV/88888888/224/3221226450/index.m3u8

Closing Thoughts

Dual-stack devices keep IPv4, so enabling IPv6 has no downside—worth doing if your ISP supports it.

TinyMCE's GPL License Explained (Simple Guide)

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 11:25:13 +0800

TinyMCE is a veteran editor. When I looked into it, I noticed it uses the GNU GPL. That led me to ask: can I use it commercially? Can I fork it? Time to unpack GPL.

Explanation

Here’s a summary adapted from a Zhihu answer:

The GPL’s purpose is to ensure code remains open source and free to use. Its defining trait is the copyleft effect—if a company ships a product using GPL code, in theory it must open-source its own codebase as well.

Emphasis on “in theory.” Large companies often have ways to sidestep the requirement. In 2015, for example, Xiaomi was accused of violating the GPL. MIUI builds on Android, whose kernel is GPL-licensed Linux, so MIUI should be open-sourced. Xiaomi’s reply? “We’ll open source it soon,” then delayed indefinitely without outright denial.

Example

Consider a commercial SaaS product using TinyMCE. You must follow TinyMCE’s licensing terms. GPLv2 allows the usage, but only if you meet certain conditions:

Distributing source code: If you modify TinyMCE, you must provide those modifications to anyone who receives your product. If you don’t plan to ship the site’s source, this might not apply—provided you never touch TinyMCE’s source.
Copyleft clause: Any derivative of TinyMCE must also be licensed under GPLv2. If integrating TinyMCE makes your site a derivative work, you would need to publish the site’s source under GPLv2. There’s debate about whether loading TinyMCE via JavaScript counts as a derivative; some say no if it runs as a separate program.
Dynamic linking: If your site links to TinyMCE dynamically (for example, through JavaScript), it’s often treated as separate, which might sidestep the copyleft. Interpretations differ, so legal advice is best to ensure compliance.
Because your site is publicly accessible, review GPLv2 carefully and consider legal counsel so you don’t unintentionally violate the license.

Conclusion

If my web project relies on the GPL version of TinyMCE—even with no modifications—I’m still required to follow the GPL, meaning the whole project must be open source. The alternative is to obtain a commercial license.

So, for commercial work where I want guaranteed compliance, the GPL build of TinyMCE is not the safe route.

Other Open Source Editors

There are other solid options besides TinyMCE.

For example, monaco-editor uses the MIT license, so it’s freely usable in commercial products. Visual Studio Code’s editor is built on Monaco.

Product Documentation Writing Guidelines

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:57:26 +0800

Beyond in‑product help, we publish standalone product docs. Here are conventions I learned while writing docs at my company.

Use respectful “您” rather than “你”.
Avoid arrows in screenshots; mosaics and red highlight boxes are fine.
Include static images and animated GIFs where helpful.
External links are okay.
End sentences with periods, including bullet items.
Start each document with a brief overview.
Steps should begin after login and include the full path to the feature, not just a partial step.
In Chinese docs, add spaces around embedded English words.
Bold action nouns (menu items, buttons) to highlight them.
Use full‑width punctuation (colons, parentheses) for Chinese; half‑width for English.

How to Use Eudic Dictionary (Step-by-Step Guide)

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:57:09 +0800

Since 2017, Eudic Dictionary has become my go-to dictionary app. Here’s an introduction to Eudic.

Cross-Platform

Eudic supports major systems including Mac/Win/Linux. I primarily use it on the following platforms:

iPhone Daily Use

Eudic has both free and enhanced versions 98 CNY. I currently use the free version, which also supports loading third-party dictionaries.
Mac Daily Use

Has both free and enhanced versions 168 CNY. I currently use the enhanced version because the free version doesn’t support loading third-party dictionaries.
iPad Occasional Use

Authorized with the same iPhone account. I currently use the free version, which also supports loading third-party dictionaries.

All paid versions are for permanent use with free upgrades.

Features

I primarily use the word lookup and translation services. Of course, Eudic also has other features like vocabulary notes and encyclopedia.

Configuration

Notes:

Eudic configurations may vary slightly across different clients
The following are my personal setting preferences, use as needed

Custom Dictionary Library

Eudic doesn't support dictionary synchronization, so Mac and iOS need to add dictionaries separately. Eudic’s dictionary import creates a copy of the resources.

I’ve added the following dictionaries:

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (Bilingual)
Merriam-Webster

Dictionary resources can be found online.

Adding Dictionaries on Mac

On the management page, simply drag the mdx file in. Eudic will automatically find the corresponding mdd files and other resource files for import.

Adding Dictionaries on iPhone/iPad

For adding local dictionaries on iPhone/iPad, it’s recommended to add them directly through Mac Finder by dragging, or use third-party management clients like iMazing.

The iOS version requires manually dragging and adding all resource files.

Custom Translation

The translation services supported in Eudic like Tencent/Baidu/iFlytek/Youdao/Default Translation/Microsoft are all quite poor. The ones with OK quality are Eudic AI and DeepL.

Through analysis, I believe Eudic AI uses OpenAI behind the scenes, but I don’t like Eudic reselling and making a profit margin here, so I recommend enabling DeepL translation free. From screenshots, you can see that DeepL quality is still quite good.

Disable Double-Click Word Lookup in Explanation Interface

For Mac, I recommend turning off this setting because it’s easy to accidentally trigger during personal use. After disabling, it will also affect the translation page, but requires restarting Eudic.

The similar setting on iOS is Single-click word lookup on explanation page.

Turn off LightPeek

For Mac, I recommend turning off this setting.

Online Synchronization

The online synchronization feature saves your vocabulary book and note information to the network. It not only prevents data loss but also conveniently shares learning resources with your phone.

Here I recommend logging into your account across multiple devices.

Combining Alfred-AppleScript

Eudic has decent AppleScript support, so you can script word lookup/translation based on cursor-selected words. Here I use Alfred to implement one-click word lookup/pronunciation.

Unfortunately, Eudic’s AppleScript doesn’t support calling translation.

For specific configuration, you can refer to the article Using Alfred for Efficient Word Lookup with Eudic Dictionary

Eudic vs Others

The reasons I use Eudic are mainly several aspects:

Cross-platform - I have high-frequency usage needs on iPhone/Mac
No ads/few ads - I’ve been using the free version on iOS and haven’t noticed any ads. The startup screen is also clean, unlike domestic apps
Customization support - Eudic supports loading third-party dictionaries/AppleScript. A certain degree of customization means you can optimize usage habits according to your own preferences

Other Issues

To Buy or Not to Buy?

As mentioned above, we understand the differences between free and paid versions on various platforms. For me, adding third-party dictionaries is important, which is why I bought the Mac enhanced version, while other platforms remain on the free version. If there are no special needs, I don’t recommend paying, because the free version is sufficient.

mdd, mdx

I see online resources have these two types of files, with a big size difference, where mdd is larger. What’s the difference between them, and should we import which one or both?

Mdict dictionary files are generally composed of mdd and mdx. Some dictionaries will have css files to adjust the dictionary appearance, and some even have js files to implement more awesome features. Therefore, both types of files need to be imported.

Shortcomings

Here are a few shortcomings I’ve noticed with Eudic in actual use:

Custom translation isn’t truly custom - there are only a few translation services included, and they’re all poor quality. User choices are too limited. Fortunately there’s DeepL, otherwise we’d have to buy AI translation. If Eudic really wants customization, they should integrate OpenAI and domestic AI services.
Limited AppleScript support - currently only supports word lookup and pronunciation, translation isn’t supported
Incomplete account synchronization - for example, custom translation engine settings aren’t synchronized

Final Thoughts

Eudic does have shortcomings, but it excels in being simple and clean, ad-free, and having certain extensibility. Therefore, I still like it a lot and recommend everyone give it a try.

Comprehensive Introduction to Fig

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 22:29:06 +0800

Fig is a tool designed to enhance command-line efficiency and collaboration. It offers a range of features. Recently, due to work requirements, I’ve gained a relatively comprehensive understanding of Fig, so I’m documenting it here.

Update: Fig » Amazon

On 08/28/2023, Fig was acquired by Amazon, which demonstrates Fig’s value.

https://fig.io/blog/post/fig-joins-aws
Currently, Fig has been sunsetted. Downloading Fig from the official website now redirects to CodeWhisperer. However, the completion experience remains consistent, with the main difference being the removal of non-completion features.

Fig Supported Platforms

Currently only supports Mac
Linux is still under development, with current status available at:
- https://github.com/withfig/fig/issues/34
- https://fig.io/user-manual/linux

Additional Features Beyond Completion

Dotfiles
Scripts

Completion Mechanism

Traditional command completion is installed on the target machine, but many command-line tools either lack completion support or have fragmented support when installed. Fig addresses this by implementing the solution on the client side. After installation, Fig essentially loads predefined completion specifications on the client, prompting users to select appropriate command options, and then writing them back to the original terminal when Enter is pressed. This cycle repeats to solve the problem of difficult command input. The advantage of this approach is speed, though it does consume some performance and storage space since more commands need to be loaded as the user’s command repertoire grows.
How Fig achieves cross-terminal completion GUI display:
- The GUI itself is built using frontend JS/HTML/CSS
- Terminal interaction is achieved through a combination of shell function hooks, accessibility positioning, and frontend completion display

Fig Resources

Fig is not just an App; over the years it has contributed a set of valuable resources

Completion Specifications

The specifications loaded in the App come from here, and with the power of the GitHub community, they are continuously updated. If you want to build a completion tool, you can directly use these specifications, meaning the Fig App is also a user of these specifications.

https://github.com/withfig/autocomplete
Completion Specification Scaffolding

https://github.com/withfig/autocomplete-tools

For contributing specifications, debugging specifications, etc., you can use the official completion tools.
Command Manual

To see which commands Fig includes, you can check here:

https://fig.io/manual

Products Using Fig Completion Specifications

Warp
inshellisense
XTerminal

Final Thoughts

Fig is an App, and its most important feature is command completion.

Fig’s most valuable aspect isn’t the App itself, but rather the establishment of a complete set of completion specification protocols. Leveraging community power, it has contributed 500+ command completion specifications. If we’re talking about subcommands, that’s 28k (currently), which is excellent. This is likely why it was acquired by Amazon.

Microsoft Remote Desktop URL Scheme

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 21:56:38 +0800

In development, I hope users can launch the RDP app with one click on a web page. URL schemes seem like the answer.

Tests show that RDP URL Scheme support is incomplete.

Platform

macOS

System versions behave differently. Verified: Big Sur works.
```
rdp://full%20address=s:<ip>:<port>&username=s:Administrator
```
Click to test: rdp://full%20address=s:49.232.185.70:3389&username=s:Administrator

(Copy and paste the above URL into your browser address bar to test)

Sonoma does not work.

Failed to launch ‘rdp://full%20address=s:127.0.0.1:3389&username=s:Administrator’ because the scheme does not have a registered handler.

Manually install RDP
Windows

Only supports launching the RDP client; parameters cannot be passed.

Click to test: ms-rd://

(Copy and paste the above URL into your browser address bar to test)

RDP file download

The most reliable approach is to let users download the .rdp file and open it manually. The file content is:

full address:s:9.9.9.9:3389
username:s:administrator

Note: macOS requires manual installation of Microsoft Remote Desktop.

Docs

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/clients/remote-desktop-uri

Nine Years with My Mountain Bike

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 23:06:35 +0800

I’ve had this mountain bike for quite some years now. I got it around 2015 - a Merida Duke 600, cost 2500 CNY with a lock included. I’m still riding it today.

Here I’ll summarize the accessories I’ve purchased and my thoughts on the bike/brand

Accessories

Here are the ones I commonly use:

Folding combination lock
Xiaomi portable air pump
Half-finger/full-finger gloves
Tire valve caps

The valve caps will get damaged over time, so you can buy these third-party ones - they’re good quality and look better too
Bicycle chain lubricant
Seat cover
Bell

Companion Apps

Cycling often needs apps to make it more interesting.

Route tracking: I still recommend Xingzhe, although I’ve stopped using it myself due to ads and bloat, and now just use Apple Watch Workout directly.
Daily navigation: Gaode Maps, of course

Brand/Bike Quality

After riding for 9 years, the quality is indeed quite good. Apart from changing tires, I haven’t done any repairs. However, I will consider switching to other brands in the future for two reasons:

There are too few brand stores in Beijing - at least none near me, which makes bike maintenance inconvenient. Many shops only service their own brands.

Of course, for minor issues, I still recommend tinkering with it yourself to exercise your hands-on skills
Official accessories are not abundant

Common Problems

Wheel falling off

Quick-release lever loosened and not properly tightened

Final Thoughts

When the weather warms up, I’ll continue cycling to and from work…

https://github.com/alanhe421/others-note/issues/522

Writing TypeScript in Monaco Editor

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 22:26:34 +0800

Providing a high-quality TypeScript editing experience in Monaco Editor on the web requires specific configurations. Here are some key tips:

1. Set the Language to TypeScript

When initializing the editor instance, ensure the language is set correctly:

monaco.editor.create(document.getElementById('container'), {
 value: "const x: number = 10;",
 language: 'typescript'
});

2. Add Custom Type Declarations (Typings)

To provide IntelliSense for external libraries or custom interfaces, use addExtraLib. This allows the editor to recognize types that aren’t defined in the current file:

monaco.languages.typescript.typescriptDefaults.addExtraLib([
 'declare class MyLibrary {',
 ' static doSomething(): void;',
 '}',
].join('\n'), 'filename/to/mylib.d.ts');

3. Essential Editor Settings

Common UI settings that improve the developer experience:

Minimap: Toggle the code overview on the side.
Theme: Switch between ‘vs’ (light), ‘vs-dark’, or ‘hc-black’.
Automatic Layout: Enable automaticLayout: true so the editor resizes with its container.

These configurations transform a basic text area into a powerful IDE-like environment right in the browser.

Mastering Fig: Custom Autocomplete Specifications

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:44:08 +0800

While the Fig interface is sleek, its real value resides in the specification (spec) definitions. These specs tell Fig how to interpret commands and provide intelligent completions. This post covers the workflow for customizing these specs and bringing them into your production environment.

Anatomy of a Fig Spec

A Fig spec is a TypeScript file that defines the structure of a CLI tool, including its subcommands, options, and arguments. Here are some examples from the official repository:

cd command: cd.ts
git command: git.ts

You can find the underlying Type definitions in the autocomplete-tools repo.

1. Contributing to the Official Repository

If your CLI tool is public, the best approach is to contribute directly to the withfig/autocomplete repo. Once merged, your completions become available to all Fig users.

The Development Workflow:

Fork and Clone: Fork the repository and clone your fork locally.

Setup: Add the original repo as a remote and install dependencies.

git remote add upstream https://github.com/withfig/autocomplete.git
pnpm install

Create a Spec: Use the Fig CLI to scaffold a new spec (e.g., for a tool called mytool).
```
pnpm create-spec mytool
```
Developer Mode: Enable dev mode. This tells your local Fig instance to load specs from your current directory instead of the global cache.
```
pnpm dev
```

2. Managing Private or Internal Specs

If you’re building completions for private internal tools, you don’t want to submit them to the public repo. Instead, you can manage them in your own standalone project.

Standalone Setup:

Scaffold the project:

npx @withfig/autocomplete-tools create-spec

Build and Register: Running the dev command will compile your TypeScript spec and register it with Fig.
```
npx @withfig/autocomplete-tools dev
```

Example Spec Structure:

Here is a basic template for a custom completion spec:

const completionSpec: Fig.Spec = {
 name: "mytool",
 summary: "A powerful internal dev tool",
 subcommands: [
 {
 name: "deploy",
 summary: "Deploy the project to production",
 options: [
 { name: ["--force", "-f"], summary: "Force deployment" }
 ]
 }
 ],
 options: [
 { name: ["--help", "-h"], summary: "Show help information" }
 ],
};
export default completionSpec;

Developer Mode Toggles

To test your specs, you must ensure your terminal environment is in developer mode.

In Amazon CodeWhisperer (which acquired Fig): Toggle this through the application settings UI.
Via CLI: Use the following command to toggle the NPM developer mode:
```
fig settings autocomplete.developerModeNPM true
```

Summary

By mastering Fig specs, you can transform your command line from a blank prompt into an intelligent, guided experience. Whether you’re helping the global community or just streamlining your team’s internal tools, custom specs are the key to a faster CLI workflow.

Fig Completion Specification - Filter Highlight

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 21:10:53 +0800

When using Fig, as data is continuously entered, suggestions are continuously filtered and highlighted. Actual testing and analysis revealed the highlighting logic.

Logic

While generating the completion list, calculate N characters from current input command cursor to start matching, defined as charactersToDrop=N
Split N characters into character array, each character performs match highlighting using lazy matching
When user presses enter, terminal first deletes N characters, then writes the matched completion value
User presses enter to select suggestion

Example

Input cd ar, charactersToDrop=2

Each character performs matching. After ‘a’ matches, ‘r’ continues to match, but ‘r’ must match after ‘a’

How to Use YouTube Kids (Step-by-Step Guide)

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 12:58:20 +0800

We recently had kids over at home, and I wanted to play age‑appropriate videos on the TV. I discovered YouTube’s dedicated Kids section and, after some trial and error, found it quite good. Here’s how to use YouTube Kids.

Introduction

YouTube Kids is a free app designed for children, providing a safer environment for browsing YouTube videos. It offers kid‑friendly content and tools for parents to control what their children watch.

Requirements

Same as YouTube:

YouTube Kids is free; subscribers can remove ads.
A network proxy may be needed depending on access restrictions.

Platforms

iPhone
Web
Apple TV

It’s available across platforms, which is great.

Using on Apple TV (ATV)

My main use is on Apple TV.

Download the Kids app on ATV
After logging in, follow the prompts to activate and bind the device on iPhone/web
- Activation URL: https://kids.youtube.com/activate. iPhone activation didn’t work for me; the web worked. After activation, the app will prompt success.

The parental management page lets you set age, watch time, etc.
- Web settings: https://www.youtubekids.com/
Tap the child profile to enter their recommendations page

Drawbacks

Not all videos have subtitles. While YouTube supports auto‑generated captions, Kids may not.

Some videos with Chinese subtitles:
- Giwa’s Science

Final Thoughts

YouTube Kids is pretty good overall and worth a try.
I previously tried YouTube Music as a music option and Studio as a content management platform. Kids is another focused product under YouTube.

References

https://www.youtube.com/intl/ALL_tw/kids/

The DOM Event Model

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 22:23:56 +0800

I’ve been wiring up keyboard shortcuts lately and needed a quick refresher on DOM events.

Event Flow Visualization

JavaScript APIs

Binding events is straightforward. Use addEventListener, and pass the third argument to opt into the capture phase. For pure bubbling, handlers like onclick work too.
The event.stopPropagation() method halts propagation—whether the event is bubbling or capturing—exactly as the diagram shows.
event.preventDefault() doesn’t stop propagation, but it blocks default behaviors such as following a link when clicking an <a> tag.

References

https://www.w3.org/TR/DOM-Level-3-Events/#event-flow

done

How to Use inshellisense (Step-by-Step Guide)

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 22:34:10 +0800

IDE style command line auto complete

Hereafter, inshellisense will be abbreviated as is

Installation

# If Node.js is not installed yet, recommended to install via nvm
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash

nvm install 18
npm install -g @microsoft/inshellisense
npm install -g node-gyp

Don’t worry about the npm WARN EBADENGINE required: { node: '>=18' } warning during installation - it’s just the Fig specification recommending Node 18+. inshellisense supports Node 16, but higher versions are recommended.

Node <21

Testing revealed that Node 21 installation fails because the dependency node-gyp doesn’t support version 21 yet.

Usage

# Enter completion session, press space after typing commands to trigger completion popup
is

# Use complete subcommand to get JSON completion results (not supported in rc-5 yet)
is complete "git l"

If it doesn’t enter normally, check for any error messages
If it enters without errors but doesn’t trigger completion popup, it’s usually due to PS1 prompt detection issues. Official troubleshooting documentation is not yet available.
- Personally encountered issues with powerlevel10k/powerlevel9k themes in ZSH. Current solution is to switch themes.

Key Bindings

Currently, inshellisense does not support custom key bindings

Action	Keybinding
Accept Current Suggestion	`tab`
View Next Suggestion	`↓`
View Previous Suggestion	`↑`
Dismiss Suggestions	`esc`

Supported Shells

export enum Shell {
 Bash = "bash",
 Powershell = "powershell",
 Pwsh = "pwsh",
 Zsh = "zsh",
 Fish = "fish",
 Cmd = "cmd",
}

Project Overview

https://github.com/microsoft/inshellisense

Tech Stack

"@withfig/autocomplete": "^2.633.0", # Fig completion specification
"node-pty": "^1.0.0", # Fork pseudoterminals in Node.JS
"xterm-headless": "^5.3.0" # xterm.js headless terminal

Project Structure

├── shell
│   ├── bash-preexec.sh # for bash, extended function hook support
│   ├── shellIntegration-env.zsh # zsh
│   ├── shellIntegration-login.zsh
│   ├── shellIntegration-profile.zsh
│   ├── shellIntegration-rc.zsh
│   ├── shellIntegration.bash # bash
│   ├── shellIntegration.fish # fish
│   └── shellIntegration.ps1 # for Windows Powershell/Pwsh
├── src
│   ├── commands # is command definitions
│   ├── index.ts # entry point
│   ├── isterm # terminal emulator for is
│   ├── runtime # load specifications, get suggestions based on input
│   ├── tests # tests
│   ├── ui # terminal rendering and interaction (completion/uninstall prompts, etc.)
│   └── utils

Program Logic

process(<=>pty<=>xtermjs)

User enters command is to enter auto-completion mode
Load is configuration files
Determine shell type
- User can specify shell in is command, otherwise automatically determined from SHELL environment variable
Initialize shell configuration
- For Zsh, add the following files to temporary directory:
```
- shellIntegration-env.zsh
- shellIntegration-login.zsh
- shellIntegration-profile.zsh
- shellIntegration-rc.zsh
```
- For Bash, add bash-preexec.sh to user home directory
Load full Fig specification in is
Set process.stdin.setRawMode to true to ensure each keypress triggers data events
Execute clear screen
node-pty opens a pseudo terminal, loads corresponding shell configuration, and creates xterm headless terminal client
process.stdin.on(“data”) listens for user input and continuously writes to pty
pty listens for input, displays echo data, and writes to xterm
xterm listens for written data
- Calculate prompt start/end positions based on OSC in data. Command manager synchronizes terminal state
- Completion manager calculates completions and determines whether to display them
- Completion command module performs lexical analysis of commands, determines command context, and generates completions
- Completion generation depends on 3 factors: input, cwd, shell
```
// input is current command: this.#term.getCommandState().commandText, process.cwd() is current path
getSuggestions(input, process.cwd())
```
- Key bindings are also handled during character listening, e.g., tab writes completed command:
process.stdout writes to terminal

Completion Calculation Logic

Analyze command text to determine token array

const lex = (command: string): CommandToken[] => {
 ...
 return tokens;
};

First token in array is rootToken, used to fetch completion files

const loadSpec = async (cmd: CommandToken[]): Promise<Fig.Spec | undefined> => {
 const rootToken = cmd.at(0);
 if (!rootToken?.complete) {
 return;
 }

 if (loadedSpecs[rootToken.token]) {
 return loadedSpecs[rootToken.token];
 }
 if (specSet[rootToken.token]) {
 const spec = (await import(specSet[rootToken.token])).default;
 loadedSpecs[rootToken.token] = spec;
 return spec;
 }
};

Determine if last token in array is a path based on whether it contains /
Calculate completions starting from second token in array
Completion filtering

Suggestion Data Definition

export type Suggestion = {
 name: string;
 allNames: string[]; // command parameters in Fig can have multiple names, e.g., ["-p", "--paginate"] in git
 description?: string;
 icon: string; // emoji font
 priority: number; // priority, descending order in is
 insertValue?: string; // actual value inserted into terminal
};

Debugging

Directly execute npm ru debug, then enable Attach to Node Process ⌘ in VSCode
Check logs at ~/.inshellisense/inshellisense.log

Final Thoughts

Personally, I think the performance of this design approach for is is acceptable, but drawing completions directly in the terminal brings issues: if position calculation is incorrect, the cursor position can easily become misaligned
Looking forward to is being officially released soon

iframe-embedded code-server communication issues with host page

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 20:51:10 +0800

Background

A web page embeds code-server web in an iframe, both pages are same-site, and now we need code-server to send messages to the host page after triggering operations.

Requirements

Customize code-server UI to support displaying buttons, such as in the top-right toolbar
Enable communication between code-server and the host page

Solutions

First, it’s important to understand code-server’s limitations: code-server extensions cannot add custom buttons in the title position. Through plugin solutions, only the bottom status bar and left activity buttons can be modified.

Host page element rendering, positioned to move to code-server area
- Advantage: No need to customize code-server
- Disadvantage: code-server’s title bar/layout controls can be freely toggled on/off. If turned off, it looks awkward and requires watching for display changes in the editor
code-server extension
- Register buttons in activity bar or add right-click menu directly in editor
- Register Actions
- When menu/button is clicked, Action executes and sends message to host page server
- Server sends message to host page frontend, which then executes related actions
- Advantage: Flexible
- Disadvantage: The communication chain is quite long

Solution 2 Details

Fetch requests: Node.js also has built-in fetch object, so the fetch solution can support extensions in both code-server and VS Code. However, the fetch solution is not bidirectional.

Final Thoughts

When dealing with iframe-embedded code-server communication, it’s crucial to consider the trade-offs between implementation complexity and flexibility. The extension-based approach, while more complex, offers better integration and maintainability in the long run. For simpler use cases, the host page element positioning approach might suffice, but be prepared to handle layout changes dynamically. Always test both same-origin and cross-origin scenarios to ensure robust communication channels.

Visiting China–Japan Friendship Hospital

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 18:31:06 +0800

I recently went to China‑Japan Friendship Hospital and hit several procedural pitfalls, ending up with multiple wasted trips. Here’s the process I wish I’d had.

What to bring

Medical insurance card for partial reimbursement

Optional — Alipay/WeChat e‑insurance also works
Phone — for ticketing and paying for medication
ID card just in case

Full visit flow

Book via WeChat mini‑program “China–Japan Friendship Hospital” or the public account “Beijing 114 Appointment Registration”.
- I recommend 114 for a better experience.
Go to Outpatient Building B, 2F to get your number from a kiosk.
Go to the department on your ticket → scan to check in → see the doctor.
- Most clinics require QR check‑in — don’t skip it.
After the visit, nearby kiosks support insurance/mobile payment. If e‑insurance scan fails, try switching between Alipay/WeChat.
Print the invoice.
- Nice touch: self‑service invoice printers (e.g., on 2F).

Things I found unreasonable

Doctors don’t proactively provide a printed visit record; some hospitals do.
1. For reimbursement only, use the official mini‑program → Outpatient Services → Information Query → Outpatient Medical Record Query → select patient → view record.
Alipay e‑insurance scan error

Try WeChat e‑insurance. I didn’t bring my card; kiosks showed Alipay e‑insurance but scanning failed. Switching to WeChat e‑insurance worked. The hospital should indicate “e‑insurance” generically, not just “Alipay”.
Restrooms are not clearly marked in the hallways; I had to ask staff in the outpatient building.

Final Thoughts

Every hospital is different — and often frustrating. Research the process to avoid extra trips.

How to Use code-server (Step-by-Step Guide)

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 22:02:37 +0800

While developing a Web IDE, I discovered code-server. After using it for some time, I’m summarizing some issues encountered with code-server usage and customization.

Introduction

code-server is the web version of Visual Studio Code. In its architecture, code-server actually develops vsc as a submodule, so many features are compatible. If you need a powerful development experience that’s almost identical to vsc, then code-server is very suitable.

Technology Behind Code-Server

code-server is a Node.js program, but the installation package includes Node.js built-in, so you don’t need to manually install Node.js environment
The code-server project itself depends on code (Visual Studio Code). This reveals that vsc is also based on Node.js, but the performance is actually quite good
The editor part in code-server uses Monaco Editor, and the terminal part uses xterm.js. Both should be familiar, 😊.

Browser Support List

According to official sources, modern browsers are supported. Specific version requirements aren’t clearly defined yet, but from the technology stack perspective, it uses service workers.

Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge

Nowadays, IE has exited the stage, Edge aligns with Chrome, so service worker support is not a problem anymore.

Installation

Use the official one-click installation script Cross-platform support

# Supports specifying version installation
curl -fsSL https://code-server.dev/install.sh | sh -s -- --version=4.7.1

Official documentation: https://coder.com/docs/code-server/latest/install

Due to network issues in China, if installation fails, proceed with method 2

Use offline installation packages, pay attention to server architecture differences and choose appropriate packages

https://github.com/coder/code-server/releases

Distribution Package Differences

linux-amd64 represents 64-bit x86 architecture (typically called "PC" or "desktop").
linux-arm64 represents 64-bit ARM architecture (typically used for servers, mobile devices, and embedded systems).
linux-armv7l represents 32-bit ARM architecture (typically used for older Raspberry Pi or similar devices).

Running in Background

Manually add to service

cat > /usr/lib/systemd/system/code-server.service << EOF
[Unit]
Description=code-server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=exec
Environment=HOME=/root
ExecStart=/usr/bin/code-server
Restart=always
EOF


systemctl start code-server

Disadvantage: Requires root privileges since it needs to be added to system startup services

Supervisor

Requires installing supervisor program, which depends on Python 2 environment. Advantage is that it doesn’t require root user privileges
& background running

Directly run `code-server &

$HOME/.config/code-server/config.yaml

Extensions

Multiple installation methods: offline installation by placing extensions in target directory, or directly search and install from marketplace when accessing code-server web interface

code-server –help

Besides starting the service, code-server command can perform various operations

# List all command properties
code-server --help

# List installed extensions
code-server --list-extensions

# Install extension
code-server --install-extension
...

Common Issues

Opening Specific Folder by Default

Configure folder parameter in URL

http://127.0.0.1:8080/?folder=/Users/xxx

Opening Specific Line and Column

code-server cli has -r parameter support: -r filename:row:column.

Related community discussion coder/code-server#5801

Language Switching

After installing language packs, you can switch display language in the web interface. You can also set default language directly through configuration file, provided the corresponding language pack is installed

cat << EOF > $ROOT_PATH/.local/share/User/argv.json
{"locale": "zh-cn"}
EOF

Besides this method, another way is code-server --locale=zh-cn

Passing parameters directly via command line, disadvantage is it directly overwrites the original language setting, not recommended.

Port Forwarding

In actual usage, noticed that when starting web under code-server, code-server itself performs port forwarding, which is also a configurable setting

 // When enabled, new running processes will be detected and their listening ports will be automatically forwarded. Disabling this setting will not prevent all port forwarding. Even when disabled, extensions will still be able to cause ports to be forwarded, and opening certain URLs will still cause ports to be forwarded.
 "remote.autoForwardPorts": true,

microsoft/vscode#108346

Heartbeat

Noticed that code-server periodically sends heartbeats to the server to ensure connection stability and avoid disconnections. By default, the heartbeat interval is 5 seconds.

Main Page

For example: code-server-4.8.3-2-linux-amd64/lib/vscode/out/vs/code/browser/workbench/workbench.html

CDN

code-server itself doesn’t support CDN configuration, but it can be solved by directly modifying workbench.html since all static resource entries are here. Simply change all static resource URLs to CDN resource addresses. Prerequisite is that all static resources in the program package are already hosted on CDN.

When accessing code-server, the real dynamic content is mainly through 2 WebSocket requests and a few HTTP requests.

Code-Server Customization

code-server itself doesn’t have much customization capability

Through configuration files
- i.e., VSC configuration files
Logo and other information can only be changed by modifying source code
Extensions can add IDE functionality and some UI changes, such as bottom status bar, left menu - this is consistent with local vsc

Final Thoughts

If you’re considering building a web IDE, you can try code-server

[Original issue][https://github.com/alanhe421/coding-note/issues/412]
https://github.com/coder/code-server

[https://github.com/alanhe421/coding-note/issues/412]:

Tools of the Year: 2023 Gear Review

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 10:05:55 +0800

Another year of hardware and software upgrades. Here’s a summary of my 2023 pickups.

EZVIZ C6C Home Security Camera

Purchased in January 2023 for 233 CNY, including a 32GB SD card. I previously tried a Xiaomi camera, but the image quality was poor, and it bricked during a firmware update right out of the box. I returned it and went with EZVIZ.

After a year of use, I’m very satisfied with the C6C. While the app experience could be more polished, it fulfills its purpose perfectly.

Check it out on JD.com: EZVIZ C6C

NIU Electric Scooter (MQiL Urban Edition)

Purchased in July 2023 for 5,699 CNY.

The overall experience has been great. I love being able to use my Apple Watch or iPhone to lock and unlock it, and the aesthetic is top-notch.

Dyson V8 Vacuum Cleaner

Purchased from JD in September 2023 for 1,989 CNY.

Budget constraints led me to the V8, and it’s been fantastic. The suction is powerful, and it doubles as a handheld vacuum for cleaning sofas and mattresses.

Logitech M720 Mouse

Purchased from JD in September 2023 for 169 CNY. I love the multi-device switching feature; it makes managing two Macs simultaneously much easier.

Loctek Electric Standing Desk E5-N

Purchased from JD in September 2023 for 2,071 CNY. It features four height presets and memory function. I love being able to switch to a standing position with a single click after sitting for a long time.

I looked at IKEA options, but Loctek was more affordable and met all my stability and functional requirements.

Apple AirTag

Purchased from JD in June 2023 for 178 CNY. I find it most useful on my keys. Whenever I can’t find them, I just ask Siri or use “Find My” to make them beep—it’s incredibly convenient.

AirPods 3

Purchased from JD in May 2023 for 1,196 CNY. Typical Apple quality. I’ve upgraded from the 1st and 2nd gens and remain a loyal user.

Bull MagSafe Power Bank (10,000 mAh)

Purchased from Pinduoduo in November 2023 for 130 CNY. I really like the build quality. Wireless charging has been a game-changer—no more searching for cables. Compared to Anker, the Bull model is a bit thicker, but given Bull’s reputation for electrical products, I decided to give it a try and I’m happy with it.

ASICS GT-2000 12

Purchased from JD in October 2023 for 519 CNY. This is my fourth pair of the ASICS GT-2000 series. While the newer designs since the 7th gen have improved comfort, they’ve sacrificed some breathability. Still, the overall comfort is excellent.

ChatGPT Plus

$20/month. Absolutely worth it. Being able to access the latest GPT features as they release is fantastic. Compared to pay-as-you-go API costs, the unlimited (fair use) access is a steal.

GitHub Copilot

$10/month. An essential AI coding assistant. It even helps with writing Markdown documentation.

Netflix

Currently using a shared family plan for 40 CNY/quarter. It’s great to have high-quality shows readily available without hunting for resources.

Nintendo Switch Online Membership Purchase

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 23:59:24 +0800

Online membership allows you to play classic mini-games like Double Dragon for free, and of course there are other benefits. Recently, because I wanted to play some mini-games, I subscribed to experience the membership.

Membership Subscription

I chose the HK individual membership at 25HKD/month. Family membership offers better value, but requires more people for carpooling, so I didn’t bother with that.

Payment Method

Visa is supported, so you can simply bind a domestic credit card.

Enter EShop on your Nintendo Switch
Select Online
Follow the instructions to subscribe

Canceling Subscription

Currently, canceling subscription needs to be done on the Nintendo Switch device. I couldn’t find an unsubscribe option on the website.

Enter EShop on your Nintendo Switch
Click on your avatar
Select Online
Click Stop

https://www.nintendo.com.hk/support/switch/qna_sub/35585.html

Netflix Membership Purchase

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 23:04:40 +0800

Currently, I mostly use Infuse+Aliyun Cloud Drive for watching movies, but finding resources can sometimes be troublesome, so considering getting Netflix membership here.

Prerequisites

Proxy, whether carpooling or self-registering/paying/using, all require solving proxy
Registration region corresponding country proxy IP/payment method

Note

Netflix resources don’t follow the account but depend on proxy nodes. For example, Cybertron animation is available under HK proxy nodes. To specifically determine if resources are available in target region

Can use this site to query: https://unogs.com/

Current Solution - Carpool 🚗

Considering no proxy IP for countries like Pakistan, let alone payment bank cards, choosing carpool to solve the problem, after all personal Netflix demand isn’t that strong yet

Telegram carpool - Pakistan
40CNY/quarter
Pakistan payment currency is Pakistani Rupee (PKR)

Sharing a daily carpool channel here 👉https://t.me/hezu2

Usage Notes

First month cannot use Hong Kong proxy
From second month no HK restrictions
Everyone shares same email/password, each uses one profile, recommend enabling PIN code for Profile
For proxy, if using rule-based proxy, need to note Netflix domains aren’t just one. Sharing Surge format proxy rules here, for reference only

Common Questions

What determines the series played

The IP address used when watching Netflix. If using Singapore region IP to watch Netflix, then Netflix series will be Singapore region series content, same for other regions.

Which region has most content sources

Singapore region has most Chinese content sources.

Shows incorrect password

99% of cases are because of your proxy node issues, because Netflix detects your IP during login, and only during login detection is slightly stricter: App > Web

Solution: Close browser, then change proxy software node (or change region), re-enter web/App login.

Web has lower node requirements. If App login fails, can try web login first. If web can login normally but App cannot, this definitely indicates node issues.

Final Thoughts

Used Netflix for several months now, feelings as follows

Currently feel Netflix resources aren’t particularly abundant, like Marvel stuff definitely not available, but categories are comprehensive enough, sufficient for me
No ads etc., compared to all domestic video sites, much better
Multi-subtitle/multi-language support is great, though specific depends on content source

Most Cost-Effective Netflix Account Registration Method, This Article is Enough for China Netflix Subscription

Getting the Dyson V8 Vacuum

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 08:50:54 +0800

I bought a Puppyoo D531 five years ago. For something that cost around 1,000 CNY, it’s served me well, and the battery life is still acceptable. The powered floor brush, however, keeps breaking.

So this time I decided to switch to Dyson.

To keep costs under control, I went with the entry-level V8. Newer models like the V12 are only about 1,000 CNY more, but I wanted to stick to my budget—good enough is good enough. I grabbed the V8 from JD for 1989 CNY. After two weeks of use, here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons.

Pros

Top-notch aesthetics

Once unboxed, the vacuum looks fantastic. It’s mostly plastic, but still stylish, and it’s not heavy in the hand.
Great user experience
- Scan a QR code with WeChat on first use to register, watch tutorials, and manage warranty via the mini program. Learning how to use each attachment is quick.
- My old Puppyoo required removing the battery to charge; the Dyson just drops onto the docking station.
- Filters and heads are easy to detach and clean. Use a coin or flathead screwdriver to open the main head and a brush to clean it.
Useful attachments

I barely used the Puppyoo accessories, but the Dyson attachments are genuinely effective. Swapping them is smoother, so I use them more often.
Solid suction

Most importantly, the suction power is strong and the noise level is reasonable.

Cons

You have to hold the power trigger the entire time, which also makes accidental presses more likely.
Emptying the dust bin isn’t very clean—debris tends to stick.
There’s no official no-drill charging stand.

Most of these drawbacks are reportedly addressed in newer models like the V12, so I’ll look at those when it’s time to upgrade again.

Final Thoughts

For around 2,000 CNY, the Dyson V8 delivers exactly the experience I was hoping for—it looks cool and works well.
The pain points I had with the Puppyoo are all resolved with the Dyson.

Routine Dyson V8 Cleaning

Home Renovation Issues Record

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 22:46:21 +0800

Description

First time dealing with this renovation company, also my first time renovating, this renovation does not include custom furniture.

Renovation Package

Cost around 110,000 CNY

B3 package
Additional items: Only tile grouting

Company’s Official Marketing

Screenshot from recent Beijing subway ads

Actual Issues

From the start of renovation to now (0831 - one week after moving in), I’ve discovered the following issues. All are marked with final status.

1. Grouting worker urinated in kitchen, violation - Resolved

Reported to the company, went through official complaint process, eventually settled privately. Grouting company and the main company provided compensation and cleaning service. Of course there were some twists during this process. The lesson is that third-party services like grouting in renovation are very unreliable.
Since this issue involved compensation resolution, I removed the original video online to avoid too much impact on the foreman.
To avoid affecting appetite, I won’t post the original images/videos here.

2. Kitchen tile color was changed during process, but designer didn’t remind that grouting color also needed to change, causing significant color difference in kitchen - Left unresolved

This issue was left unresolved because changing grouting would damage tiles.

Screenshot shows current kitchen tile + grouting effect

Screenshot shows bathroom tile + grouting effect

The direct cause of this issue was that I changed tile color, but as a non-professional, I didn’t think about changing grouting color accordingly. The designer, being more professional, didn’t remind me either, causing this major color difference issue. Had to accept it.

3. Outlets not horizontally aligned, some angles ridiculously off - Resolved

Several were very crooked. I got a level and checked each one, finally had the worker go through and fix them all.

The foreman’s explanation for this issue: Some outlets didn’t have level available during installation, so they weren’t done properly. 😮‍💨

4. Company promised 2 USB port outlets not installed - Resolved

Reported to designer/foreman, finally foreman compensated with 2 USB outlets. I found on JD there are two types with price difference of 20 vs 70 CNY, so if we don’t pay attention, it’s quite a rip-off. Foreman’s explanation was that if you don’t mention it, he won’t proactively buy and install these. But the absurd thing is that the company’s package clearly stated this.

5. Bathroom vanity includes light, but corresponding electrical handover stage didn’t leave appropriate outlet - Resolved

Since no outlet was left, had to use the method shown below, but it’s dangerous and unsightly

After negotiation, solution as shown in image 2

6. After handover completion, discovered all outlets had no power

This issue was extremely absurd and wasted my time. Finally resolved, it was due to weak current box issues.

7. After handover completion, first use revealed bathroom drain blockage

8. Bathroom shower fixture left large gap, but wasn’t informed

I personally used air conditioning putty to fill the gap, didn’t report this upward.

9. Washbasin faucet hot/cold connections reversed

Finally had worker come fix this by reversing the washbasin drain pipes.

Notes

Of course these issues don’t represent that other brands/teams won’t have these problems, this is just a record. My impression of this company is that at least it doesn’t match their advertising promises.
Currently it’s still okay, just don’t do their add-ons and renovation needs close supervision.

NPS Explained (Simple Guide)

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 22:55:58 +0800

We integrated NPS into our web product a while back, but I hadn’t studied it systematically. I read up on it and summarized here.

At the same time, I also used NPS to analyze the current product and clarify some of the deficiencies reflected by user feedback. I will work hard to improve it.

NPS

NPS stands for Net Promoter Score — a metric of how likely users are to recommend a brand/product/service.

Formula

NPS = (Promoters / Total) × 100% − (Detractors / Total) × 100%

Examples

If 100 users participate in the survey, 80 recommend and 20 detract, then the NPS value is

80% - 20% = 60%

If 100 users participate in the survey, 20 recommend and 80 detract, then the NPS value is

20% - 80% = -60%

If 100 users participate in the survey, 20 recommend, 40 detract, and 40 are neutral, then the NPS value is

20% - 40% = -20%

Notes

Users give 0–10 ratings, but NPS ranges from −100% to +100%. Seeing 80 or 100 in charts is normal because it’s a percentage.
The 9 vs. 10 distinction doesn’t matter to NPS — both are Promoters.

Our product right now

Our NPS hovers around 10 — positive, but with lots of room to improve. Only about 10% likelihood of recommendation.

Final Thoughts

NPS is useful to surface user feedback via surveys. Listen and fix issues; next goal: reach 40%.

Data Metrics Designers Must Understand — NPS

CLI Flags: -v, -V, and --v

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 22:49:19 +0800

I’ve been studying CLI tools and keep seeing different flag styles. Here’s what I’ve learned about conventions and differences.

Command structure

First, a common command structure:

A few more points:

Some commands have both short and long formats for options. In the figure, b doesn’t have a corresponding long format, but f has both -f and --force. Short and long parameters have the same effect; they’re just different ways of writing.
Short flags can often be combined, but not always. For example, git checkout -b newBranch -f cannot be combined into git checkout -bf newBranch.
Flags are case‑sensitive; some commands use uppercase flags.
Flags may take values using a space or = depending on the CLI. Docker supports both: --name="doc-searcher" equals --name "doc-searcher".

-v, -V, –v

With the structure in mind:

-v is a short flag.
--v is a long flag (though uncommon — most tools use names like --version).
-V is a short flag using uppercase.

Recommendations

Different tools vary, which adds learning cost. When building your own CLI, follow common conventions. See commander.js for a well‑adopted model.

Use spaces to separate parameter values
Use both short and long formats: short format as a single character, long format as a complete word
Use lowercase for subcommands/parameters

Final Thoughts

Following CLI conventions improves efficiency and avoids mistakes.
Good CLI design lowers the learning curve.

Kubernetes Quick Start: Step-by-Step Guide

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 23:07:48 +0800

I recently needed to learn Kubernetes for work, so I recorded some common operations here.

Note: Images are from the web.

Terms

k8s

Kubernetes, similar to how internationalization is abbreviated to i18n.
Ingress Manages HTTP/HTTPS routes from outside the cluster to internal services.

Common commands

# Install on Mac
brew install kubectl

# Upgrade CLI on Mac
brew upgrade kubectl

# Version
kubectl version


# Connect to Kubernetes cluster with kubectl
export KUBECONFIG=$KUBECONFIG:$HOME/Downloads/cls-xxxx-config
kubectl config --kubeconfig=$HOME/Downloads/cls-xxxx-config get-contexts
kubectl config --kubeconfig=$HOME/Downloads/cls-xxxx-config use-context cls-xxxx-xxxx-context-default

# View cluster
kubectl get pods -n kube-system

## Download files
kubectl exec -i [containerId] -- tar -cpf - -C '/apiserver-proxy' 'cert.pem' > download.tar

## Upload
 tar -cf '/Users/alanhe/Desktop/csr (1).tar' '/Users/alanhe/Desktop/csr (1).pem' | kubectl exec -i kubernetes-proxy-884c9c6c9-vkgtg -- tar -xf - -C '/apiserver-proxy/csr (1).tar'

Image push

Before deployment, the image must be pushed to the target registry.

docker build -t centos-lrzsz:latest .
docker tag centos-lrzsz:latest xxx.com/ai/xxx:xx

# Login to registry
docker login

# Push
docker push xxx.com/ai/xxx:xx

References

Bought a NIU Electric Scooter (MQiL)

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 23:36:02 +0800

After trying Segway-Ninebot and NIU models both online and in stores, I went with the NIU MQiL Urban. I picked it up on the 15th; nearly two weeks later I’m still satisfied overall. Here are my notes.

Brand Considerations

I’m picky about user experience. Within my budget and spec requirements, the shortlist came down to Ninebot and NIU. Ninebot’s design didn’t appeal to me, and I saw a lot of posts about minor issues, so I chose NIU.

Configuration

To stay within budget, I picked the MQiL Urban priced at ¥4999. Due to mandatory bundles, the final price was ¥5699.

Bundle Included

Rearview mirrors
Rear seat

Add-ons

Upgraded to a wider rear seat for 75 CNY

No other extras so far.

Beijing Dealer Shenanigans

The dealer forced bundles (only for this model). I filed a complaint but didn’t get anywhere.

Details: https://www.v2ex.com/t/956842

Usage Notes

The NIU app is pretty good, though the pop-up ads are annoying—standard behavior for domestic apps. I’ll see if a proxy rule can block them.
The scooter looks great; the design is instantly recognizable.
I love the keyless start—no more carrying keys—but it does make me worry about my phone dying.
There’s a onboard USB-C port, so you can trickle charge your phone.
Supports Apple Watch NFC unlocking.
- Official tutorial: Learn to unlock the NIU MQiL with Apple Watch NFC in one minute

GB Speed Limit

The 25 km/h cap can be lifted—just ask the shop.
The beeping above 15 km/h can usually be disabled at the same time.

Third-Party Accessories

Dashboard protector film
Metal footpeg end caps
Extended kickstand base / widening pad
Xiaomi portable inflator

I bought most of these on Pinduoduo because the prices are lower.

RuiZhi VIP

I recommend keeping the subscription—the features are essential, and a 3-year plan is cheaper overall.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m pleased with the NIU so far.

Getting Started with Jupyter

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 16:09:47 +0800

Jupyter Notebook is a web-based application for interactive computing. It can be used across the full workflow: development, documentation, execution, and result display.

Positioning

Scientific computing
- https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/scientific-tools.html

Installation

# python require

# install
pip install notebook

# Chinese language pack
pip install jupyterlab-language-pack-zh-CN


# start
jupyter notebook --allow-root --ip 0.0.0.0 --port 8888

jupyter server list


# run in background
nohup jupyter notebook --allow-root --ip 0.0.0.0 --port 8888 &


# version
jupyter --version

Product forms

Customization

Internationalization
- install language pack as above
Plugins and extensions

Other

The terminal in Jupyter uses xtermjs + codemirror

References

Bought an AirTag

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 16:26:55 +0800

Recently bought an AirTag on JD.com for 178 CNY. Played with it and thought it was quite interesting. Here’s a summary.

Update

As of now, I’ve bought 2 AirTags.

Basics

AirTag was released in 2021, and after 2 years, the price remains firm. Initially, you could get one for around 100 CNY on Pinduoduo, but now it’s almost 200 CNY per unit. Apple products indeed retain their value well.
Battery life is approximately 1 year, which is sufficient, and replacing the battery is relatively simple.
AirTag’s function is to track items using Find My.
Since AirTag doesn’t come with a protective case and official ones are expensive, I recommend buying third-party protective cases to prevent loss and scratches.

Use cases

I only bought one for now, so I put it on my keychain. The scenario it solves is when I’m in a hurry to go out and can’t find my keys but am sure they’re not lost. With AirTag, it’s much better—I can locate them and make it emit a sound.

I’m considering using it for a while longer, and if it’s good, I might buy a few more to put on items like my backpack and suitcase.

Impressions

The build quality is excellent, as expected from Apple.
The positioning capability, especially indoor positioning, isn’t very accurate, but most of the time, distance estimation + sound can solve the problem.

Fun use — Shortcuts + NFC

AirTag can be used as an NFC tag in iPhone’s Shortcuts for automation. For example, tracking water drinking status — touch once to record.

I don’t have this kind of need currently; it’s more of an exploration of usage possibilities.

Cheaper alternatives?

For budget considerations, I tried buying a cheaper alternative, but found it to be a fake alternative in practical use. The most critical flaw is that AirTag can use any nearby Apple device to send location information, while cheaper alternatives can only communicate location information with the bound device. For example, if the bound iPhone is separated from the tag, you will always see the location where they were separated, so the most crucial location information becomes invalid. Therefore, cheaper alternatives are not recommended.

Conclusion

The advantages of AirTag lie in its accurate tracking ability, seamless integration with Apple ecosystem, and strong privacy protection features.
Apple ecosystem users, especially those who are forgetful and often can’t find their keys, are more recommended to buy. The fact that the price remains so firm 2 years after launch also indicates its value to some extent.

Purchasing AirPods 3

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 23:15:06 +0800

From June 2020 to now, 3 years later, my AirPods 2 couldn’t keep up anymore, so I upgraded to the 3rd generation during the 618 sale. I continued with JD, chose the MagSafe version, purchase price 1179CNY.

After using the 3rd generation for 2 days, the overall feeling is below expectations, hoping to gradually adapt. Here I’ll list the pros and cons I personally discovered.

3rd Generation vs 2nd Generation

Disadvantages

Comfort

Mainly because the 1st and 2nd generations share the same design, and after years of getting used to them, currently wearing the 3rd generation causes some discomfort, mainly feeling tighter. Of course, the benefit is that they’re less likely to fall out. Overall, currently feel the comfort is not as good as the 2nd generation.
Charging Case Earphone Slot

Still influenced by the first two generations, the earphone insertion direction is exactly opposite to before, causing each insertion to take a bit longer than before.

Advantages

Wireless Charging

Currently not being used, mainly because I don’t have a car yet, but better to have it than not
Increased Battery Life

Controversial Points

Operation Experience

For example, to activate Siri besides voice activation, manual activation requires pressing the earphone - successful press gives audio feedback, so normally two fingers would be needed. Whereas before, just tapping with one finger was enough. Playing music, pausing music, hanging up calls are the same, same experience.

The operation is a bit more troublesome, but the benefit is that previous tapping was easy to get the force wrong and cause the earphones to fall out. So this has both advantages and disadvantages.

Summary

Personally, I’ve used from the 1st generation to the current 3rd generation. The current 3rd generation has less experience than the previous 2nd generation and has these disadvantages, but it’s still a capable product. Paired with other Apple devices, I genuinely like this ecosystem experience.

So, I still recommend everyone to try it.

Unofficial AirPods 2 Battery Replacement

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 10:29:22 +0800

I purchased AirPods 2 in May 2020, and after nearly 3 years, the earbuds became unstable, mainly showing occasional connection failures/disconnections, and the earbuds themselves weren’t very durable. To avoid affecting usage, I decided to fix this.

Option 1: Trade-in through JD and get a new pair, valued at 200+ CNY. AirPods 1 had the same trade-in value back then. Plus, AirPods 3 are still quite expensive at 1K+ CNY.
Option 2: Replace the battery 🔋

In the spirit of frugality, I decided to try unofficial battery replacement.

Update⚠️

After using the battery-replaced AirPods for several months, I found the battery became very unreliable, and the earbuds’ connection sensitivity decreased. So I no longer recommend this approach.

Downsides of Unofficial Repair

Before repair, you should know that once you go through unofficial repair, you can no longer use Apple’s official after-sales service or trade-in programs, except selling on second-hand platforms like Xianyu.

Process

I used a shop recommended on V2EX, link below:

[Taobao] https://m.tb.cn/h.UrtpzaT?tk=iHRSdkm6Xb2 CZ3457 (AirPods battery replacement service) Click the link to open directly or search directly on Taobao

Repair content: Both earbud batteries

Price: 75 CNY

I mailed the entire set including the charging case. The shop also helped clean it.

Interlude

I had repairs done twice.

After the first repair, I found the left earbud’s microphone had issues - it would make strange noises during calls, which was scary and made me worry about explosion. After communicating with the shop, they agreed to re-repair at their expense for shipping costs.
After receiving it the second time, I found no issues during use.

After Repair

Previous issues like battery life and unstable connections were significantly improved. I felt it could last another year or so.

Final Thoughts

If money isn’t tight, I’d recommend against third-party repairs
Given that this repair still required a second attempt, I’m somewhat uneasy about third-party repairs for Apple’s small precision devices. So next time I probably won’t go with repairs - this was more of an experience for me.

Registering a Marriage in Beijing

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 19:46:38 +0800

Today I went to register for marriage, which marks a new era for me.

Here I also summarize the marriage registration process in Beijing. Because my situation is special—one party has a Beijing collective hukou and the other has an out-of-town collective hukou—I was worried about document issues, but everything went smoothly in the end. I summarize this here in case it helps some friends.

Requirements

To get married in Beijing, at least one party must have a Beijing hukou. The exception is if you are from Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan—you can also register.
If you have a Beijing collective hukou, you must register in the corresponding district. I have a Haidian collective hukou, so I chose Haidian District for registration.

Appointment

Search for “marriage registration” on WeChat, enter Beijing Government Services, and select “Marriage Registration Appointment”.
You will receive SMS reminders when your appointment is successful and as the appointment date approaches.

Documents to bring

Original ID cards of both parties
Personal hukou page
- For Beijing collective hukou: Provide the blue permanent resident registration card and a copy of the collective hukou front page. If you don’t have a hukou page, you need to apply for one at the talent center.
- For out-of-town collective hukou: Provide corresponding documents, such as the original permanent resident registration form.
- For non-collective hukou: Provide the original household registration book.
Marriage photos
- 2 photos with red background, white shirts, etc.

If you are worried about document issues, be sure to go to the registration office in advance to ask. I couldn’t get through to the phone number provided online, so I went to the civil affairs bureau in person.

The marriage registration location in Haidian is the Civil Affairs Bureau Marriage Registration Sub-center of Haidian District Government Services.

Registration

On the appointed date, bring all complete documents to register. The process is very fast—just confirm the information, sign, press your fingerprint, and you can leave.

Final Thoughts

Marriage is the formal step to start a family, so I will work hard.

How to Use AList (Step-by-Step Guide)

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 11:57:12 +0800

The alist-infuse-atv combination is fantastic, here’s a summary

AList Installation

Aliyun Drive has been very popular recently, and alist deserves part of the credit. AList aggregates cloud storage resources and exposes WebDAV services or can be used for online viewing directly.

I recently deployed it on an Oracle Cloud server so it can be accessed from the internet.

# Official script installation, note that account password will be printed after startup
curl -fsSL "https://alist.nn.ci/v3.sh" | bash -s install

# Start service
systemctl start alist

# Update, password won't be modified
curl -fsSL "https://alist.nn.ci/v3.sh" | bash -s update

Official documentation 👉here

Auto Update

Manually configure a cron job to execute updates at scheduled times

# Execute daily at 6 AM, use crontab -e and press Enter to open editor
0 6 * * * curl -fsSL "https://alist.nn.ci/v3.sh" | bash -s update

HTTPS

For internet-deployed alist, if possible, it’s recommended to use HTTPS with a domain name. I recommend Caddy because it automatically applies for free certificates based on configured domains by default, ready to use out of the box

yum install yum-plugin-copr

yum copr enable @caddy/caddy

yum install caddy

Caddyfile configuration is as follows

alist.xx.xxx

reverse_proxy :5244

Common AList Configurations

Don’t deny guest user access

Create an empty storage directory, such as /404, and set the guest user’s base path to /404 in the user settings

Index

If you want search functionality on the web version, it’s recommended to enable indexing. The URL path is /@manage/indexes
Enable GitHub single sign-on support

Usage

Check current AList version
- Management page - Settings - Site - Version

Infuse

After deploying alist, besides web access, you can access it through apps like Infuse.

I use Infuse across multiple devices. The common approach is to add alist’s exposed WebDAV service to Infuse on Apple TV, which is very convenient for viewing.

Final Thoughts

Let’s start playing with it.

Oracle Free Machine Usage

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 00:12:38 +0800

Oracle offers permanently free cloud machines, and I recently deployed and started using them. Here’s a summary of the experience.

Free Machine Application

For application guidance, I recommend checking out this guide

If it doesn’t work, try changing your proxy IP and attempt multiple times.

How Many Machines Allowed?

According to some introductions, the maximum is 4 machines with total disk space limited to 200GB. I tried and only claimed 2 machines, using the default elastic disk space.

Configuration/Stability

I’ve been using it as a proxy for 1.5 years - latency is noticeable but acceptable, after all, it’s free so can’t complain too much
Default configuration is 1GB RAM, which is sufficient for running basic services
10TB/month traffic, shared across multiple instances

About Creating Instances

Use the default instance image - many others may incur charges, while the default is permanently free
Default login method is key-based authentication, so be sure to save your private key to avoid being unable to log in after creation

Default login account is opc, requiring private key authentication

After logging in, you can switch to root account using sudo su root and enable password login

vi /etc/ssh/sshd_config

PermitRootLogin yes
PasswordAuthentication yes

service sshd restart

# Change root user password
sudo passwd root

Default firewall is enabled. If deploying external services, remember to open firewall ports or directly disable the firewall service

Common Issues

vi ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Delete the following section

no-port-forwarding,no-agent-forwarding,no-X11-forwarding,command="echo 'Please login as the user \"opc\" rather than the user \"root\".';echo;sleep 10;exit 142"

Installing Docker

# Install Docker CE
dnf config-manager --add-repo=https://download.docker.com/linux/centos/docker-ce.repo
dnf install docker-ce -y
systemctl start docker
systemctl enable docker
systemctl status docker


# Install Docker Compose

dnf install -y curl

curl -L https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/v2.5.0/docker-compose-linux-x86_64 -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

docker-compose --version

Installing Git

yum install git

Services I Personally Deployed

I launched 2 instances here - one can serve as a US proxy, while the other can be used to deploy alist/telegram bot services

Final Thoughts

Oracle Cloud console is really difficult to use - Tencent Cloud is much better by comparison, but hey, it’s permanently free
For example, the Oracle machine I launched here also works decently as a proxy for accessing openapi and other services

How to Install Docker and Docker Compose on Oracle Linux 8

Bought EZVIZ C6C Home Camera

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 23:18:58 +0800

I have two parrots at home and wanted to check on them remotely—especially while traveling—so I bought a home camera. Here are my purchase and usage notes to help others avoid pitfalls.

Brand Choice

I went with EZVIZ. I’d tried Lenovo and Xiaomi before—my quick take:

Lenovo’s activation flow is terrible and the hardware quality isn’t great.
Xiaomi’s app experience is decent but overloaded with ads. One brand-new device prompted me for a firmware upgrade out of the box, and tapping upgrade bricked it. Search online and you’ll see tons of similar complaints. The fix requires formatting a memory card and flashing manually. Other annoyances include no 5 GHz Wi-Fi support.

So those two brands are on my blacklist. After watching a few YouTube reviews, I chose EZVIZ.

EZVIZ is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hikvision, a professional security company—so the product matches the parent company’s expertise.

Picking a Model

With the brand decided and a 200–300 CNY budget, I landed on the C6C. I paid 233 CNY, which included a 32 GB Class 10 SD card, via JD (link) for reference.

This model ticks the boxes I care about:

4 MP resolution, which is plenty clear for my needs.
Supports 5 GHz Wi-Fi, which is rare in this price range and better than certain competitors.

Setup

Activating the EZVIZ was smooth:

Plug in the camera.
Download and log into the mobile app.
Follow the prompts in the app to bind and activate the device.

Tips

After a week of use, here are a few handy tricks:

You can disable ads in the mobile app. Once they’re off, even the launch screen is clean.
- Steps to disable ads are documented here.
EZVIZ offers lots of services—cloud storage, phone alerts, etc.—but almost all of them are paid add-ons, with short trials after activation.
- Be careful not to subscribe accidentally. Only pay for what you really need.
- For storage, EZVIZ supports SD cards and the cloud. I disabled cloud storage and left out the SD card for now to keep things private; I don’t need recordings yet.
You can share the camera with up to five people for free. Handy when multiple family members want access.

Impressions

Here are the pros and cons of the C6C:

Pros

The image is sharp—much better than Xiaomi’s so-called 2K models.
5 GHz Wi-Fi support is great; you don’t have to switch your phone off your usual network during setup.
I like the design more than Xiaomi’s—it looks nicer overall.

Cons

The EZVIZ app is less polished than Xiaomi’s. For example, you have to use on-screen arrow keys to move the camera; gesture control isn’t supported.
Most features beyond live viewing require separate subscriptions, which feels a bit stingy.

Final Thoughts

Sure, there are downsides, but the core functions—live view, two-way audio, device sharing—work well. At this price, I’d still recommend it if you have similar needs.

2022 Year-End Review

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 21:32:53 +0800

2023 is here. Looking back at 2022, it’s time for my annual summary.

Work

First Half: I primarily focused on business-oriented projects. While the technical skill gain wasn’t massive, there were some notable achievements:
- Wallet Extension Development: This gave me deep insights into dApps, the gRPC communication protocol, and Node.js support for ES modules.
Second Half: The focus shifted to WebShell development. This project was technically intensive, and I learned a great deal about terminal emulation and secure communication.

Growth & Contributions

Open Source

2022 was even more productive than 2021. Here are the highlights:

Alfred Workflows: Developed 30+ new workflows, reaching 446 stars. This represents a growth of 300 stars over last year. The project has entered a virtuous cycle:
- As a power user myself (regularly using tools for OCR, Gongfeng, Whistle, and Surge), I naturally discover bugs and feature needs that drive iterative development.
- The project solves real pain points. I’ve seen active Issues, PRs, and even Sponsors. Some users liked the tools so much they voluntarily submitted them to the official Alfred Gallery for review.
- The repository’s infrastructure is maturing, including weekly CI-generated star statistics, automated versioning, README auto-generation from metadata, and standardized GIF recordings.
- Maintaining this repo has also earned me free licenses for 1Password and JetBrains IDEs, saving me over 1,000 CNY annually.
dash-docset-tcapi:
- Since I frequently use Tencent Cloud APIs, I created a custom Dash docset. This has made API lookup significantly faster.
- Integrated with CI to ensure the docset automatically updates whenever the official documentation changes.
toolbox-browser-extensionx:
- JetBrains’ official browser extension doesn’t support Tencent Gongfeng. Since I use both WebStorm and VS Code, I modified the official extension to add Gongfeng support and other personalized tweaks to speed up repo cloning.
iterm2-trigger:
- iTerm2 supports triggers to open files. I built this tool to dynamically choose the right editor: Go projects open in GoLand, JS projects in WebStorm, and individual files in VS Code.
v2ray-docker:
- Managing proxies across different machines used to be a chore. I encapsulated my preferred setup (WebSocket + HTTPS) into a Docker-based tool. Now, I just submit a simple form to generate a config package and run it.
github-issue-bot:
- I use GitHub Issues as a personal knowledge base. To make cross-repo searching easier, I built a Telegram Bot. Now, I can search all my summarized solutions using simple keywords.

Blogging

I published 88 articles this year, bringing the total to 528. Most are reflections on technical problems I’ve solved. Writing remains my way of “leaving footprints in the snow.”
Monetizing the blog remains difficult. Total referral income was under $20, and AdSense only brought in a few dollars. I might need to explore video content on YouTube to supplement this.

WeChat Official Account

I maintain a low-frequency account called "Alfred Road to Refinement." It has 121 followers. Paid knowledge sharing is tough when so much quality content is available for free.

Learning

I read very few books this year across design, programming, or history. This is something I definitely need to improve in 2023.

Tools

My hardware and software setup is nearing saturation. For a detailed breakdown of the few pieces of gear I did acquire, see Gear Review 2022.

Travel

Despite the ongoing pandemic, I managed to get out a bit:

August: Handan, Hebei.
October: Xianning, Hubei.

Review of 2022 Goals

Marriage/Buying a Home: Only partially completed. This is now a 2023 priority.
Career Advancement: Due to the pandemic and company-wide furloughs, this was a difficult year. I did my best given the circumstances.
Open Source Growth: Exceeded expectations in both quality and quantity of output.
Monetization (Mini Programs/Official Account): Still a work in progress.
Medium Monetization: Abandoned due to the difficulty of linking a bank account without overseas citizenship or identity info.

Final Thoughts

The second half of the year involved a lot of overtime. Reflecting on this, I realized some of it was due to inefficient methods leading to a vicious cycle. I need to adjust my workflow in 2023 and communicate more proactively with management.
With the current economic climate and benefit reductions, I need to think critically about my long-term career path. Value is only created when there is growth and the benefits outweigh the costs.
I’m another year older and looking to start a family. My plan is to get married this year.
My fitness routine stalled over the past two years. With restrictions lifting, it’s time to get back to the gym. Health is the foundation of everything.

Apple Family Sharing

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 10:35:27 +0800

Recently, my family also switched to iPhones and entered the Apple ecosystem. I researched family sharing to allow my family to use the Apple ecosystem services I’ve been using for years for free and conveniently.

The official documentation about family sharing is vague, leading to some pitfalls. Here is a summary. Overall, family sharing is quite appealing. I recommend it to those who have purchased many Apple ecosystem services. With family sharing, others can use some excellent services without additional costs. OK, let’s start.

This feature can be understood as similar to the YouTube family membership/Spotify family membership. Family-sharing services cover a variety of subscriptions:

iCloud, Apple Music, Apple TV, and other subscription services
- Generally, Apple family membership uses this method. For example, with iCloud space, the initiator cannot directly configure to limit the available size for each person. The entire space size is shared.
App Store purchased apps [excluding in-app purchases]
- In-app purchases are not supported. For example, the MarginNote app itself is free to download, but Pro features are in-app purchases. Family sharing will not share Pro services; family members must purchase them separately. However, apps like Things, which require a one-time purchase, can be shared.
Please refer to the official website for more details about location information.
Family sharing is account-based, and both iPhone and Mac will be included.

About Family Invitations

Personal tests in the China region support repeatedly inviting someone, which means you can invite someone again even after removing them. There is no limit on the number of times.
The number of people is limited to 6, including the initiator.

Downloading Paid Apps for Family Members

The normal way to search in the store will still show the price. You need to go to Store - Top Right Corner Avatar - Purchased - Select the items purchased by the initiator. Only through this page can you download paid apps for free.

To download shared content, your family must use a valid payment method.

If this error appears when downloading paid apps on a family member’s phone, note that both the initiator and the family member need to have a payment method configured. My test found that this error would still occur if the initiator configured a payment method but the family member did not.
If the phone shows the payment method edit button as gray, try using a Mac device or a web method.

At the end

Currently, these are the issues I’ve found. I will continue to use/observe.

Understanding 127.0.0.1 vs. 0.0.0.0

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 23:37:04 +0800

When starting a web service we often bind to 0.0.0.0 or 127.0.0.1. Both work, but they have different behaviors. Here’s a quick refresher.

Example using Express:

app.listen(conf.server.port, '0.0.0.0', function () {
 console.log(`Example app listening on port http://0.0.0.0:${conf.server.port}!`);
});

127.0.0.1

Loopback address. If the service binds here, neither the public IP nor the LAN IP can reach it.
Even if you disconnect from the network, ping 127.0.0.1 still responds because the packets never leave the host.
We often use localhost when binding here. Strictly speaking they’re not the same—localhost is a hostname that typically maps to 127.0.0.1 via /etc/hosts.

0.0.0.0

Represents all addresses on the machine (loopback, LAN, WAN). Bind here when you want the service reachable via any of them.

Final Thoughts

Choose deliberately based on exposure. Internal services should bind to 127.0.0.1 to reduce risk.

References

Buying YouTube Membership (Turkey Region)

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 00:47:28 +0800

Update

YouTube India/Turkey are now geo‑locked and require locally issued bank cards. If you have a card, continue with the tutorial; otherwise consider a family plan with others.

Watching YouTube is a high‑frequency activity for me, but the free tier has too many ads. Surge/AdBlock helps but has side effects, so I opted for a paid membership.

Membership pricing varies by region. India is quite affordable: personal plan (₹129 ≈ ¥11.23 RMB)/month. Purchasing via India has hurdles - here is my process.

Prerequisites

VISA dual‑currency card for payment
Indian proxy with a native IP
Google account

Indian proxy

If you already have an Indian proxy, skip this. Otherwise, rent an Indian cloud VM.

Rent an Indian VM

Recommended providers with per‑minute billing:

Vultr
DigitalOcean

Not recommended

lightnode - IP may still be recognized as HK

Set up the proxy

If you use Surge, prefer SSH proxy; if it doesn’t work, configure a proxy chain.
If SSH proxy isn’t supported, set up a proxy manually: https://alanhe421.github.io/v2ray-docker

After setup, confirm your public IP geolocates to India.

Visiting YouTube should show “India”, and membership pricing should be in INR.

Payment

Once you’re on an Indian IP, you can subscribe and pay. Updating payment methods later isn’t strictly tied to Indian IP (e.g., HK IPs worked); the Indian IP is mainly needed for activation.

Change Google account country/address

https://pay.google.com/gp/w/u/1/home/addressbook

Join a YouTube family plan

If you’re joining a family plan, note: for Indian memberships you need to click the activation link under an Indian IP, otherwise activation fails.

Premium benefits

My must‑have reasons for Premium:

No ads
Background playback

Final Thoughts

YouTube Premium is worth the hassle.

AddThis Share Button Service

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 12:01:17 +0800

Today I integrated my blog with the AddThis service. Here’s the process I followed.

Register and log in to AddThis
Click on profile - there’s a default profile available

A Profile is essentially a sharing statistics service. Since I want separate statistics for my blog, I’ll manage it with a dedicated profile
Click on Profile Setting in the top right corner to get the unique ID. Configure this ID in the required location for your site framework. If you’re integrating manually, click “Get The Code” and paste the code into your site
After integration, you need to manually create sharing tools - multiple tools are supported. Without creating tools, the share buttons won’t appear when visiting the website.
After creation, refresh the page to see the share buttons

Notes

If the buttons still don’t appear after following these steps, check the network requests - ad-blocking plugins might be blocking them
Currently, AddThis is not blocked by the Great Firewall

How to Use Certbot (Step-by-Step Guide)

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 15:25:13 +0800

Free Let’s Encrypt certificates only have a 3-month validity period. To solve automated renewal, I had previously integrated Certbot, but it never worked.

Recently, checking the logs, I found that the error was due to one of the domains I configured at that time being *.1991421.cn, a wildcard domain. This type of domain requires manually adding DNS TXT records, so my multiple certificate applications have been blocked and not working. To solve this problem, I recently found a solution, which I’ll mark here.

Automated Renewal

Looking for solutions, I found this library: certbot-letencrypt-wildcardcertificates-alydns-au.

The basic implementation principle is to use APIs provided by DNS service providers to solve the problem of automatically updating DNS records, while Certbot exposes hooks so it can be integrated with the domain application process. This library also supports Tencent Cloud/Alibaba Cloud services.

Overall it’s OK, but there are a few issues:

Not all domains are supported, such as VIP domains, which need to be added manually.
The certbot-auto script doesn’t exist, but research shows you can directly switch to certbot instead.

After figuring this out, I modified it. If you need it, you can directly use this library: https://github.com/alanhe421/certbot-letencrypt-wildcardcertificates-alydns-au

Testing shows this is very convenient. After the first manual application, it can be automated afterwards. Whether it actually works can be checked when it’s about to expire to see if it renews normally.

This way, under normal circumstances, you don’t need to worry about domain renewal issues.

Notes

For example, CentOS comes with a Python environment by default, so it’s recommended to choose Python.
There’s no need to install certbot using Docker; installing it globally is fine and very convenient.

JSON vs BSON Comparison

Sat, 24 Sep 2022 19:58:15 +0800

Recently while working on service integration, the other service provided data in BSON-serialized binary format. I only knew about JSON before, not BSON. Here’s a summary.

BSON

BSON is the binary version of JSON data - JSON serializes objects into strings, while BSON serializes into binary
BSON supports richer data formats, such as Date/Binary types
The JavaScript library for BSON processing is js-bson, which supports both browser and Node.js environments

Example

// Serialized as string
JSON.stringify({a: [104, 101, 108, 108, 111, 32, 119, 111, 114, 108, 100]})


// Serialized as buffer - binary data type
BSON.serialize({a: [104, 101, 108, 108, 111, 32, 119, 111, 114, 108, 100]})

BSON vs JSON

As shown above with JSON serialization, it carries minimal metadata besides the actual data, resulting in higher space efficiency. However, BSON carries more metadata, so you’ll find that the same object takes up more space when serialized with BSON. But this isn’t absolute - in specific scenarios, BSON can actually use less space than JSON. For example:
```
let now = new Date();
let data1 = JSON.stringify({a: now});
let data2 = BSON.serialize({a: now});

console.log(Buffer.from(data1).byteLength);
console.log(data2.byteLength);
```
JSON serializes into strings, making it more human-readable. Binary data, without deserialization, cannot be understood directly.
BSON carries metadata, essentially trading space for time, making traversal, querying, and modification relatively faster.

References

Shortcuts on iPhone

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 23:43:20 +0800

On Mac, Alfred already boosts efficiency. On iPhone, the official Shortcuts app can also help. Here are some workflows I use.

Common shortcuts

Quickly open ID document
- I renew every three days for health checks. To make it easy, I store my ID file in iCloud and use a shortcut to open it. I avoid Photos because it contains personal pictures, and ID info is sensitive. So I store it as a file instead.
Unicom SMS quick send
- For common SMS like points redemption, I add them as options and trigger send directly.
Quickly open cycling workout (Go)
- For daily commuting, I want to quickly open Workout -> Cycling. I built a shortcut for that.
- I also show it on Apple Watch and place it prominently on the watch face for one‑tap start.
Make GIF

To enrich WeChat stickers, I often record short videos and convert to GIF with one tap. Then in WeChat, long‑press to add as a sticker.
WeChat scan

This simply opens the WeChat scan URL scheme: weixin://scanqrcode

I summarized a list of common app URL schemes here
AirDrop latest image

Sometimes after saving an image, I want to send it to another device without searching in Photos.
ChatGPT Chinese‑English translation
- Requires the ChatGPT iOS app
- Install

etc.

Notes

These workflows are based on my own needs and are not universal. This is more about ideas; build your own based on your use cases. The barrier is low.
What Shortcuts can do depends on the host system (iPhone/Mac, etc.) and the capabilities exposed by apps. Understand the limitations.

A Trip to Handan, Hebei

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 22:39:55 +0800

I went to Handan, Hebei from the 12th to the 15th, walking around and experiencing different aspects of the city. Here’s what I recorded.

Accommodation

I stayed at Hanting Hotel for all 3 days in the urban area. This time, I tried Hanting Premium. After checking, I found that Premium is a brand upgrade from the original Hanting Economy Hotel, but I really didn’t see much improvement—only a slight price increase.

However, there are a few things I liked about Hanting Hotel:

Convenient self-service breakfast—not the most delicious, but very convenient.
Self-service luggage storage—directly scan your ID card to store luggage, which is very convenient and supports large items.
Provides iced drinks and tea; the cookies are great. It’s been really hot lately, so being able to have a lemon iced drink right when entering the hotel was wonderful. Unfortunately, not all stores have this. I happened to switch hotels and found that some have fewer offerings.
The hotel provides a 24-hour beverage vending service, which is a godsend for people like me who love iced drinks with extra ice. A lemon cool drink at night is really great.

For a few hundred yuan, Hanting is still a good choice. However, the so-called membership discounts don’t feel particularly cost-effective. If you’re paying for personal consumption, the discounts available on platforms like Gaode Maps are also very good.

Food

I visited three night markets in the urban area: Xinhua Night Market, Chengnan Night Market, and Tangren Street Night Market. I also walked around the nearby roads for a long time. Overall, I found many night stalls with delicious and affordable food. I really liked the flowing heart wide noodles, sweet potato fries, and fried skewers—unhealthy, but still delicious…

During my time in Handan, I didn’t see any Nayuki’s Tea or HeyTea stores. Instead, there were more Mixue Ice Cream & Tea and Shanghai Ayi stores, which says something about the local average consumption level.

Transportation

On the one hand, I was not familiar with the area; on the other hand, electric bikes were too reckless, so I only rode once in a few days—safety first. After that, I took taxis the whole time. The cost wasn’t too high, acceptable.
I also visited Daming County under Handan City. The high-speed train from Beijing to Handan took 2 hours, but getting to Daming by bus took 1 hour, which was quite troublesome.
When returning to Beijing at Handan East Railway Station, I found it was very crowded, and it was still Monday. So I can only draw a rough conclusion: transportation is not very convenient, so all the pressure is concentrated at Handan East Station.

Attractions

I visited Daming Ancient City/Guangfu Ancient City. Daming Ancient City is free. These are Ming and Qing Dynasty ancient cities, and I didn’t expect them to be so well preserved. Looking at the ancient city walls, I couldn’t help but imagine those historical dramas—it was quite nice. History rolls forward; through these precious historical sites, let’s imagine the past. Recommended for history enthusiasts. The only bad impression was the overall ticket-buying experience at Guangfu Ancient City, which showed how unregulated and rogue it could be.
- Buying tickets online through platforms like Ctrip was successful but could not be validated, so we had to buy tickets on-site. This was really rogue.
- Tickets for Guangfu Mansion can be bought online but are only valid 2 hours after purchase.
- When buying tickets for Wujia Courtyard on-site, the staff casually said that once you enter, you can’t come out and re-enter. We directly refuted by saying, “Look at the back—it says ‘one day’ and there’s no limit on the number of entries.” The staff had nothing to say. So can staff just make up random rules without being able to justify them?
- When buying tickets for Wujia Courtyard on-site, the staff asked if we had bought the city wall ticket. If not, we could get a 5 yuan discount here. But when buying the city wall ticket, no one mentioned this. So it seems that offline prices vary in different places—everything is random.
Handan Meile City is the largest shopping mall in the city. The night view is great, and the snacks in the supermarket are wonderful—I think they taste better than those in restaurants.
I noticed that many places didn’t have as strict health code/mask requirements as Beijing. It gave me the feeling that others were living a normal life while I was the only clown. I hope everything opens up soon.
Handan Botanical Garden is quite large, but it’s a bit noisy because it’s close to the railway station.

Final Thoughts

It’s been really hot lately, so I didn’t visit many outdoor attractions. But the ancient cities are still worth visiting—after all, these are real historical relics. However, you need to be mentally prepared for the unregulated aspects mentioned above.
I saw that the night market culture in Handan is great, so there are really many delicious foods. Beijingers can only be envious of this.

How to Use Spotify (Step-by-Step Guide)

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 22:36:27 +0800

Spotify is a world-famous streaming service I’d never tried. I recently wanted a better music app and decided to give it a shot. Here are my notes.

Before You Start

Using Spotify from China has a few hurdles:

Mainland networks block it—use a proxy (Surge, Shadowrocket, or another VPN).
Free accounts work but have heavy restrictions. I’m happy to pay for reasonable services, so this isn’t a deal-breaker.
It’s absent from the Chinese App Store; you need a foreign Apple ID.

Accept these constraints and you’re ready to proceed.

Registration

Using a proxy may trigger: “Your account was not created. Your device appears to be connected to a proxy or VPN service…” Many proxy IPs belong to cloud providers, so Spotify flags them.

I registered with a VMess service routed through Macau. Check your IP at https://whoer.net/ first—make sure the IP and ISP look like a normal residential provider. DNS didn’t matter in my tests.

Once registered, you can use the free tier.

Using Spotify

You can change your region in your profile, provided you haven’t subscribed yet. I switched to the Philippines. You can only switch to the region matching your current proxy. I recommend LightNode VPS for Philippines nodes.
The iOS app lets you set Spotify’s language independently of iOS.
New accounts typically receive a short trial of Premium (about two weeks) before reverting to Free with ads.

Premium Options

I suggest the Family plan; the Philippines region is the cheapest. I’m currently on a Philippines family group (≈21 CNY/quarter).

Key points:

Joining a family plan requires an email registered in the same region. When clicking the invite link, ensure your IP matches (e.g., Philippines). Enter the family address supplied by the host and you’ll see a confirmation like this:
If you prefer solo premium, pricing varies by region—the Philippines remains the lowest.
Paying yourself is tricky. For example, Hong Kong plans need Hong Kong payment methods; PayPal requires a Hong Kong account; mainland Visa cards fail. I haven’t solved this yet, so I stick with family plans.
The iOS app doesn’t support in-app purchases; subscribe via the web.

(Price chart from https://sspai.com/post/55367)

Drawback

One annoyance: Chinese lyrics are only in Traditional characters—no Simplified support yet.

Other Services I Tried

NetEase Cloud Music – formerly great, now overloaded with social content + copyright gaps.
QQ Music – social-heavy, shows ads even for premium, pushes MVs/livestreams when I just want songs.
Apple Music – search is painful; Chinese songs often require English names, lyrics are incomplete.
YouTube Music – search limitations similar to Apple Music.

In 2024 it’s surprisingly hard to find a satisfying music app. Spotify feels like the best compromise so far.

Conclusion

There’s a reason Spotify is popular. After trying it myself, I’m staying. Give it a shot if you can navigate the regional hurdles.

Visiting Peking University People’s Hospital (PKUPH)

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 11:29:30 +0800

Treatment at Hospital 306 didn’t go smoothly, so I switched to PKUPH. The care is stronger overall, but the process still has its pain points. Here are my notes.

What to Bring

Social security card — only required the first time to activate the hospital’s e-insurance; not needed afterward
Phone — for booking appointments and paying bills

Full Visit Flow

WeChat 114 registration — note that it’s the service account, not the mini program
- Each doctor has different clinic hours. I recommend sticking with the same doctor to avoid repeating your case history, even if it’s in the records. The doctor I like is on duty Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so I only book those days.
- New appointments are released at 8:00 a.m.
Scan the QR code at the entrance to fill out the pandemic screening form.
Use the self-service kiosk on the left side of the entrance to print your visit slip. Paying with the phone—Alipay + e-insurance—works well.
Head to the outpatient building for your consultation. Dermatology is on the 4th floor; scan the code to check in and wait to be called.
After the visit, pay for medications at any self-service kiosk on the 4th floor or elsewhere.
Pick up your meds on the 1st or 4th floor, depending on what was prescribed.
I need paper invoices for commercial insurance reimbursement, and the hospital doesn’t issue e-invoices, so I have to queue at the staffed payment window to print them. Sometimes you have to remind the doctor to include the registration fee on that invoice.

Friction Points

Some ticketing kiosks at the entrance are out of order with no signage. If something seems off, flag down a staff member instead of wasting time troubleshooting it yourself.
The medication pickup line for dermatology shares the same queue as in-clinic treatments, so it can crawl. Just ask the outpatient doctor to arrange for someone to fetch the meds. It takes minutes versus an hour of waiting.
Medical records don’t sync across hospitals. Exams done at Hospital A may not be recognized at Hospital B, which wastes both time and money. Stick with one hospital for the same condition if you can.

Summary

Compared with the dermatology department at Hospital 306, PKUPH feels more professional, so I’ve been doing all related treatments here lately.
Hospital visits reveal plenty of inefficiencies. Use every trick you can to save your own time.

Character Encoding Basics

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 17:29:23 +0800

Common encoding settings

IDE/editors

Screenshot shows configuring the encoding for a single file in WebStorm.
Page source

Screenshot of the page source in Chrome.
Network requests

Screenshot of the encoding info shown for an XHR request in Chrome DevTools.

URLs
Programming languages

Why encodings exist

Inside a computer, everything is ultimately stored as the binary digits 0 and 1. Encodings define how characters are persisted and rendered.

ASCII vs. Unicode vs. UTF-8

A few concepts show up frequently; it helps to separate them clearly.

ASCII is an encoding based on the Latin alphabet that represents 128 characters, so it cannot represent many languages (Chinese included).
- Those 128 characters cover a-z, A-Z, 0-9, punctuation such as +-, and some control characters such as ACK.
Unicode is a character set whose goal is to assign a code to every symbol in every language. For example, the Chinese character for “middle” is U+4E2D, while the Japanese katakana character “u” is U+30A6. Every symbol maps to a unique code point. The code points themselves are fixed-width, so naïvely storing everything in Unicode would waste space. Unicode is also called Universal Coded Character Set or UCS.
UTF-8/ASCII are encodings — they define how code points are stored or transmitted. UTF-8 is one implementation of Unicode. For example, that “middle” character becomes 中 when encoded in UTF-8.
- UTF-8 is backward compatible with ASCII.
- If Unicode is the interface, the various UTF encodings are implementations.

Timeline

The first ASCII standard was published in 1963.
Unicode 1.0 arrived in 1991.
UTF-8 debuted in 1992.

Where is a file’s encoding stored?

Per the Unicode spec, a file may start with a special character called the zero-width no-break space to indicate encoding order (the BOM).

Other encodings

Base64

Characteristics:

Any binary file can be converted into printable text so that it can be edited as plain text.
It provides a lightweight form of obfuscation.

Aside from Base64, there is Base58. Compared with Base64, it drops characters that are easy to confuse: the digit 0, uppercase O, uppercase I, lowercase l, and the symbols + and /, i.e., 64 − 6.

URL encoding

JavaScript provides helpers such as encodeURI and encodeURIComponent for URL encoding.

Why mojibake happens

Because the encoding used to store the data doesn’t match the encoding used to read/display it.

![image-20220703175332829](/Users/alanhe/Library/Mobile Documents/com~~apple~~CloudDocs/Typora/image-20220703175332829.png)

![image-20220703175750816](/Users/alanhe/Library/Mobile Documents/com~~apple~~CloudDocs/Typora/image-20220703175750816.png)

![image-20220703180749581](/Users/alanhe/Library/Mobile Documents/com~~apple~~CloudDocs/Typora/image-20220703180749581.png)

A quick example: ISO-8859-1 is based on ASCII and adds 96 characters in the 0xA0–0xFF range for Latin languages with diacritics, but it still cannot represent Chinese characters. UTF-16 is not backward compatible with UTF-8.

Detecting encodings

https://github.com/aikuyun/iterm2-zmodem/blob/master/iterm2-recv-zmodem.sh

![image-20220703211018747](/Users/alanhe/Library/Mobile Documents/com~~apple~~CloudDocs/Typora/image-20220703211018747.png)

![image-20220703211555644](/Users/alanhe/Library/Mobile Documents/com~~apple~~CloudDocs/Typora/image-20220703211555644.png)

![image-20220703214219452](/Users/alanhe/Library/Mobile Documents/com~~apple~~CloudDocs/Typora/image-20220703214219452.png)

How to Use Whistle (Step-by-Step Guide)

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 17:53:01 +0800

During frontend debugging, our team uses Whistle to proxy specific resources to target addresses.

Install Whistle

Install NodeJS

Recommended via NVM. Windows: nvm-windows. Others: nvm.
Install Whistle
```
npm install -g whistle
```

Start Whistle

# Run in terminal
w2 start

# Check status
w2 status

Open http://127.0.0.1:8899 in a browser
HTTPS interception

To proxy HTTPS URLs, enable HTTPS:
- Turn on HTTPS switches
- Download the root certificate and install it
  
  Besides the popup, you can download it via http://rootca.pro if the Whistle proxy is active.
- Trust the certificate in Keychain Access

Browser extension

Install the Whistle Chrome extension

To route browser requests through Whistle, install the extension and enable Whistle proxy
If the extension is unavailable in your store, use SwitchyOmega
Safari has no proxy extension; use system proxy software like Surge/Proxier

Use Whistle as system proxy

I wrapped a tool to set Whistle as the system proxy to support apps like Safari.

Run the following commands as needed; success output means it’s set.

# Set system proxy
npx @stacker/whistle.globalproxy set

# Custom host/port
npx @stacker/whistle.globalproxy set --port 8899 --host 127.0.0.1

# Clear system proxy
npx @stacker/whistle.globalproxy clear

Note: system proxy is unique. If you already have one, this will override it.

Verify proxy success

There are many ways: visit a site and check the certificate shows Whistle; or check Whistle’s Network tab for entries.

After these steps, you can proxy all browser requests through Whistle.

SOCKS proxy

If you only need to proxy HTTP sites, configure Whistle HTTP proxy. If you need SOCKS, enable SocksServer. For browser extensions, requests are HTTP/WebSocket, so HTTP is enough.

Whistle proxy

Whistle is just a proxy service. It does not take over system or app proxies by default, so you can mix and match. I previously wrote Surge + Whistle, but Surge has a learning curve. If you only need browser proxy, the extension is enough. If you want other apps (terminal, etc.) to use Whistle, you need additional setup (e.g., shell proxy env vars).

Mobile proxy

Sometimes you need a phone to access a site and capture traffic on a PC. Solution: connect the phone to the PC’s Whistle proxy.

Set proxy on phone network.
Scan to download Whistle cert, install and trust it.
Visit the site and confirm requests appear in Whistle Network.

Configuration tips

Modify request UA header

Add rule:

https://1991421.cn ua://{browser_ie10_ua}

Configure browser_ie10_ua in values:

Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; Trident/6.0; SLCC2; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET CLR 3.0.30729; InfoPath.2; .NET4.0C; .NET4.0E)

Modify window.navigator.userAgent

Some logic like compatibility pages can be simulated by programmatically changing UA.

Add rule:

https://1991421.cn jsPrepend://{ie11_js_ua}

Configure ie11_js_ua in values:

window.navigator.__defineGetter__('userAgent', function(){
 return "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; WOW64; Trident/7.0; .NET4.0C; .NET4.0E; SE 2.X MetaSr 1.0; rv:11.0) like Gecko"; // customized user agent
});

Remote Address

After routing through Whistle, the remote address shows as Remote Address: [::1]:8899. To see the original Remote Address, add this rule:

* resHeaders://`x-remote-address=${serverIp}`

Establishing a Chinese Blog Translation Workflow

Mon, 02 May 2022 23:12:49 +0800

I’ve been trying to translate Chinese blog posts into English and publish them on the Medium platform. Currently, I manually select articles and give them to my girlfriend for translation, then she gives them back to me for publishing. The whole process is still inefficient, so I’m taking advantage of the holiday to optimize this workflow.

Update and optimize the Chinese blog CI process
- Add an automated script to pull article MD source code, so there’s always a copy of the latest Chinese blog on the VPS
Deploy a web service for blog source files on the VPS
- Using local-web-server here
- Also add some security measures with auth configuration
```
ws --auth.user root --auth.pass 123456
```

This way you can directly access all MD article source code via web, and ws also provides simple search highlighting, which is basically sufficient

Manually save source files locally
Send to publisher after translation
Manually commit to English repo, auto-deployment

This is the first phase of the workflow. In the future, I’ll address the issue of automatic publishing after translation based on needs.

Bought an Xbox Series S

Sun, 01 May 2022 21:15:47 +0800

With the pandemic keeping me at home, I picked up an Xbox Series S to beat the boredom. Here’s how the purchase and setup went.

Prerequisites

Register an Outlook account—it’s your Microsoft services login.
Make sure your TV or monitor is ready and supports external audio or has speakers.
Install the Xbox mobile app; you’ll need it later to pair with the console.

Choosing the Console

I already own a Switch, which is great for casual games, but this time I wanted to play big-budget titles. The real options were down to PlayStation or Xbox, and then whether to go high-end or entry-level.

Since I’m still a beginner and really wanted to play Microsoft’s exclusives—especially Halo—I chose the lower-tier Xbox Series S.

Key specs of the XSS:

It handles 2K output just fine.
The 512 GB SSD fills up quickly, but with AAA games you won’t rotate through many at once.
Supports external storage, so there’s an escape hatch if space gets tight.

Decision made, I ordered it right away. To avoid any surprises with the domestic market, I went with the Japanese model for about 2100 RMB. The box only includes one controller.

Xbox Game Pass (XGP)

Once you have the console, you need games. Microsoft isn’t shy about investing here, so Game Pass is more than enough.

Subscribe at: https://www.xbox.com/zh-hk/xbox-game-pass#join

Keep a few things in mind:

Even with Game Pass, not every game is included. If it’s covered, you’ll see an install button. If you still see a price—discounted or not—you’ll need to pay separately.
The first month is heavily discounted. I subscribed to the Hong Kong region and paid 10 HKD for month one. After that it gets pricey, so if you’re just trying it out, subscribe, then manually cancel to avoid automatic renewal. Manage your subscription here.
If you’re only playing on console, pick the Console tier. The Core tier only includes multiplayer access.
If you bought the wrong plan, don’t worry—you can upgrade to something like Ultimate and Microsoft will prorate the price.

Powering On

Press the Xbox logo on the console or controller to turn it on.
The controller takes two AA batteries.
Signing into Outlook on the Xbox is a bit clunky. I recommend choosing the “Use another device” option: the Xbox will display a code, and you can go to https://www.microsoft.com/link on your phone to enter it and sign in.

Connecting to the TV

Once the console arrives, hook it up to your TV.

I ran into an issue where audio wouldn’t play. The Xbox misdetected the connection as DVI even though the cable was HDMI.

To fix it, go to Settings → Video Output → Video fidelity & overscan and manually select HDMI.

To make managing Game Pass easier, download the official app on Android or iOS.

First Impressions

After a few hours of playtime, here are my takeaways:

Compared with buying games individually, Game Pass is already a great deal.
The Game Pass app is decent—you can view clips, screenshots, and use it as a remote.
The Xbox hardware feels well-made, and the controller is excellent.

Glob Patterns

Sat, 19 Mar 2022 22:38:46 +0800

I often encounter glob patterns at work, such as include configs in eslint/tsc, file filtering in shell, and IDE file masks. I never learned them systematically, so I used them inefficiently. I’m documenting them here.

Glob vs regex

After reading some materials, here are my notes:

Glob is not regex, and metacharacters differ. For example, ? means a single character in glob, while in regex it means the previous token is optional.

So you must distinguish glob and regex metacharacters.
Glob and regex are used differently. Regex is for text processing, like searching in content, while glob is for file matching. It is not that glob cannot be used for text, or regex cannot be used for files, but this is the common convention.
Regex is more powerful, while glob is concise.

There are many glob syntax guides online, so I won’t list them here.

Practice glob

The best way is practice, especially common wildcards like ** and ?.

I recommend this site for testing patterns online:

https://globster.xyz/

File Masks

In WebStorm, a common feature is search with file masks. It turns out file masks are a subset of glob with extensions (comma for multiple patterns).

So you can use *.css,*.less to match multiple file types.

Final Thoughts

Glob is like regex: not always high-frequency, but a basic skill. Practice and memorize.

Resources

How to Use Keys and Certificates (Step-by-Step Guide)

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 18:49:05 +0800

OpenSSL

# 版本信息
$ openssl version -a

# 性能测试
$ openssl speed

PEM Basics

-----BEGIN <whatever>-----
data
 -----END <whatever>----

Stores certificates or private keys.
Each line is 64 characters.
PEM is Base64-encoded DER.

PEM or Privacy Enhanced Mail is a Base64 encoded DER certificate.
DER/CER are binary encodings (cer typically omits the private key).
The first 32 characters of a PEM file are cosmetic; they don’t affect usage.

Canvas Drawing with GIF Animation Issues

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:51:40 +0800

Recently, I’ve been working on a mini-program with a poster sharing feature. The basic approach is to draw images and text onto a poster Canvas, which also supports output as dataURL, making downloads simple. However, one type of image resource is GIF, which is a dynamic resource containing multiple frames. Testing shows that GIF resources work fine when drawing posters, but the question is: which frame does a GIF animation use when generating a static image, and how can we change this? Let me explore this during the holidays.

canvas.getContext(‘2d’).drawImage

This is the function used for drawing posters. Since each frame of a GIF might be different, I examined several typical GIFs and found through comparison that when drawing, the first frame of the GIF is used.

On Mac, you can use Preview to preview GIFs, and the displayed number represents the frame count.

Specifying Which GIF Frame to Draw

Canvas or HTMLImageElement don’t provide this capability natively, but the third-party library libgif can solve this problem.

The main approach is to use the function superGifEl.move_to(50); superGifEl.pause(); to move to a specified frame, then stop playback to get the canvas in that context.

Here’s a complete example:

 const canvas = document.getElementById('canvas');
 const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
 const parentEl = document.createElement('div');
 parentEl.style.display = 'none';
 const imgEl = new Image(60, 45);
 imgEl.src = './5-160914192R4.gif';
 parentEl.appendChild(imgEl);
 const superGifEl = new SuperGif({ gif: imgEl });
 superGifEl.load(function () {
 superGifEl.move_to(50);
 superGifEl.pause();
 drawImageForGif();
 console.log('The number of frames in the gif:' + superGifEl.get_length());
 });

 function drawImageForGif() {
 canvas.width = imgEl.naturalWidth;
 canvas.height = imgEl.naturalHeight;
 console.log(superGifEl.get_canvas().toDataURL('image/png'));
 ctx.drawImage(
 superGifEl.get_canvas(),
 0,
 0,
 imgEl.naturalWidth,
 imgEl.naturalHeight
 );
 }

 function downloadURI(uri, name) {
 var link = document.createElement('a');
 link.download = name;
 link.href = uri;
 document.body.appendChild(link);
 link.click();
 document.body.removeChild(link);
 delete link;
 }
 function download() {
 downloadURI(canvas.toDataURL('image/png'), 'wp.png');
 }

A Small Pitfall

The reason we need const parentEl = document.createElement('div'); is because libgif’s implementation involves using the parent element of the GIF resource. Since we’re using the Image constructor here rather than document.createElement, there’s no parent element. To avoid console errors, we add a hidden parent element.

WeChat Mini Program Component - Painter

WeChat mini programs support Canvas drawing, but the native Canvas APIs are still cumbersome to operate. For convenience, I use the Painter component.

The Painter component supports image resources in URL format, and with SuperGif => Canvas => toDataURL, this problem is solved in mini programs.

Final Thoughts

With the above solution, when sharing posters with GIF resources, you can flexibly control which frame to select.

US App Store Apple ID Payment Options

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 22:38:55 +0800

A US (or other non-mainland) Apple ID lets you download apps not available in the China store, but paid apps require a valid payment method. Without a US PayPal or US-issued Visa, Apple gift cards are the practical option. Here’s the workflow.

Gift cards are region-locked

Because gift cards are tied to regions, they cannot be used across stores. If you want to fund a US account, you must buy the card from Apple’s US store.

Buying a gift card

Visit the US Apple Store and follow the steps. The purchaser and recipient can both be you.
Apple requires a minimum of USD 10; the current range is USD 10–2,000.
Visa works for payment, and Apple does not validate the issuing country for this flow.
The phone number can be a fake entry or your Google Voice number.
Delivery is not instant; expect the email within an hour. My recent orders arrived in about ten minutes.

Redeeming the card

When the email titled xxx sent you an Apple Gift Card arrives, open the App Store and redeem it.

After the redemption confirmation, purchases will automatically draw from the balance.

Hong Kong Apple ID + Hang Seng debit card?

I also hold a Citic Hong Kong card and hoped it could fund my Hong Kong Apple ID. Turns out Hong Kong Apple IDs only accept credit cards, not stored-value/debit cards, so that path is closed. Gift cards remain the workaround.

Tax-free purchases

If your account is tied to a taxable state, you will still be charged tax. To avoid it, you must change the region, but only when your balance is zero. If you have only a small amount left, contact support and ask them to clear it.

Final Thoughts

Gift cards aren’t perfect, but they’re simple and effective for solving US App Store payments, freeing you from the “free apps only” restriction.

Integrating Google AdSense

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 17:12:14 +0800

My blog has integrated Google AdSense. Although it doesn’t make money, it’s a virtuous process - the more articles I write and the better they get, naturally SEO improves, user traffic increases, and ads naturally generate income, and it’s 24/7.

I found there’s not much introduction online about integrating Ads, so I’ll explain here

Google AdSense/Search Console/Analytics

Google has these 3 services. Do you need to activate all of them? What are the differences? Let me explain.

AdSense controls ad placement on websites to make money
Search Console is basically a webmaster tool where you can submit sitemaps to Google for indexing, the purpose being SEO
Analytics comprehensively analyzes your site - like what users, where they stay longer, etc. The data is more detailed and multi-dimensional.

For example, my blog doesn’t need such detailed analytics data, so AdSense/Search Console are sufficient. The reason I need Console is for SEO, thereby improving the probability of users finding my articles through search. With traffic, there are naturally opportunities to place ads and make money.

Ad account is separate from the Google account itself, it just supports Google account SSO. Directly logging into AD will prompt that the Google account hasn’t registered for AD service, just choose sign up

Follow the prompts for website integration, which will eventually add an ads.txt file.
Confirm that adsbygoogle code has been integrated

After correct integration, it takes about 1 hour before ads will display

Search Console Integration

There are two ways to add sites: domain/URL. Domain will include all subdomains and the verification method is DNS record addition. URL only covers the target domain.

Since I only want to add two domains and track them separately, I chose URL, then flexibly choose the method. For example, I chose HTML tag here, configure google_site_verification, then select verify.

When Google Adsense account balance reaches $10, PIN code verification will be triggered. This means sending a PIN code via regular mail to the payee address in the publisher account. If verification isn’t completed within the specified period, ad display will be stopped.

Check your mailbox for PIN code related emails - the Chinese title is Action needed: Please verify your payment address in AdSense
PIN code can be received up to 4 times, note that if you apply for a new PIN code but receive an old PIN code, it can still be used for valid verification
Domestic addresses can’t receive the mail, so you need to wait until all 4 attempts fail, then proceed with online verification

https://support.google.com/adsense/troubleshooter/1094206?hl=en&visit_id=637492546905021027-2584291833&rd=1#ts=1106772%2C1106778%2C1106795

Online Verification

Bank Card Cannot Accept Remittance

Taking China Merchants Bank as an example, starting from May 2024, overseas remittance receipts will find $5 missing. This fee is not a handling fee charged by China Merchants Bank but a deduction by the remittance correspondent bank.

For related issues, there’s discussion on v2ex

Considering that ads affect webpage loading speed and impact user browsing experience, if you don’t like ad placement services, you can manually close it. The closing address is Console - Settings - Account, close account.
If you want to enable it later, visit the console and the webpage will prompt to reactivate the account, just click enable.

Final Thoughts

Since I haven’t used domestic ad services, I can’t make horizontal comparisons, but currently I think Google AdSense is a relatively simple and professional service.

Tools of the Year: 2021 Gear Review

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 16:43:33 +0800

Great tools need to be refined and occasionally replaced. 2021 is over, so it’s time to review the hardware and software additions I made this year and how they’ve enhanced my workflow.

iPhone 12

Purchased in early May. I’ve really enjoyed using it, particularly the Face ID integration and the synergy with my Apple Watch.

Favorite Features

Face ID: The recognition speed is solid, though it still fails occasionally. I hope future versions are even more precise.
Apple Watch Unlock: Being able to unlock my phone while wearing a mask (via AW) is a fantastic quality-of-life improvement.
Shortcuts: I use these for automating SMS, checking mobile balances, and one-tap health code scanning. While some apps limit full automation, it’s still incredibly useful.

Electric Heating Faucet (A Lifesaver for Older Apartments)

I live in an older building where the kitchen isn’t connected to the central water heater. I bought a Supor electric heating faucet in December for 179 RMB. It’s been a great addition.

Key Notes:

The water gets warm but not scalding hot.
Be careful with installation; ensure the faucet specs match your sink.

Typora

The $14.99 one-time purchase is very reasonable. It supports up to three devices.

Pros:

Excellent keyboard shortcuts (e.g., ⌘2 for H2 headers).
Works perfectly with iCloud for multi-device document syncing.

Cons:

Doesn’t sync configurations/themes via iCloud.
Occasional performance lags or hangs.

Apple TV (ATV 5)

Purchased in November for 820 CNY. While Chinese streaming services have TV apps, they are expensive and often have restricted libraries. The ATV via AirPlay is a much better solution.

Pros:

Access to YouTube (requires router-level proxy).
Connects to my NAS for a home theater experience.
AirPlay from iPhone/iPad works flawlessly for streaming services like Tencent Video.
The classic Apple experience: smooth, professional, and reliable.

Cons:

A mainland China Apple ID provides almost no services. You need a US or other regional ID to download most useful apps.

WeChat Reading

I only started using this seriously this year and found it to be excellent.

Pros:

Massive collection of Chinese books.
Great user experience and typography.
Social features that actually encourage reading.
“Free” model: By reading regularly, you can earn “Unlimited Cards,” allowing you to read without a paid subscription while building a consistent habit.

Cons:

Like many domestic apps, the social features can sometimes feel like “noise.”
The selection of foreign language books is limited compared to services like O’Reilly.

Final Thoughts

After several years of refining my hardware and software ecosystem, it has reached a state of relative stability. The focus now is simply on using these tools effectively to maintain high quality and efficiency in my work and life.

2021 Year-End Review

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 12:37:49 +0800

2021 is over. Looking back at the past twelve months, it’s time for my annual summary.

Career Transition

In May of this year, I changed jobs after 1.5 years at my previous company. While I’m not someone who enjoys frequent job-hopping for salary bumps, I stand by the explanation I gave HR: “The wasted years early in my career taught me a hard lesson—if you’re unhappy and feel your time is being squandered, move on without overthinking it.”

Looking back at those 1.5 years, I did grow technically, but the environment provided too few external challenges. Overall, my rate of growth was lower than I desired.

The New Role

Since joining my new company in May, I’ve observed several key differences in the environment:

Maturity: The IT infrastructure is incredibly mature, the organizational structure is clear, and IT carries significant weight within the company. There are always resources to draw from and experts to consult.
Talent Density: The caliber of my teammates has noticeably improved. One of the best ways to measure your own growth is by the quality of the people and environment surrounding you.
Opportunities: Working at a major firm brings more resources and, consequently, more challenges. In just six months, I’ve worked on Mini Programs, Chrome extensions, CLI tools, scaffolding templates, and component documentation. The variety of roles—from UX designers to blockchain experts—makes cross-disciplinary learning easy.

Growth & Contributions

Open Source

Since 2020, open source has been a major pillar of my personal output, and the returns have been steadily increasing.

Alfred Workflows: Developed 10+ new workflows, bringing the total to 32 with 147 stars. This growth proves they solve real needs. As a daily user myself, value drives my continued development.
Alfred SDK/CLI: Created a scaffolding tool to streamline the development of new workflows.
webpack-replace-plugin: Developed an AST-based string replacement plugin to solve specific bundling issues at work.
chrome-extension-react-typescript-boilerplate: Frustrated by the lack of a good starter kit, I refined a template for building Chrome extensions with React and TypeScript.
codetracker-wxapp: Built a WeChat Mini Program client for WakaTime to track my coding stats on the go and share them with friends.
repo-star-count-action: A GitHub Action to track repository star statistics for use in CI workflows.

Beyond personal satisfaction and community contribution, open source has a practical perk: it saves money. My active projects earned me free licenses for JetBrains and 1Password, saving me hundreds of yuan annually.

Blogging

I wrote 108 articles this year, bringing my lifetime total to 445. I’m proud of this consistency and plan to keep it up.
I experimented with Medium. While the response was good, withdrawing earnings to a Chinese account is cumbersome. Now that I have a Hong Kong bank card, I may re-explore this as a viable monetization path.
In terms of direct blog monetization, referral links brought in about $80. While small compared to server costs, it confirmed the value of traffic. Google AdSense only yields a few dollars a year, but it’s a positive feedback loop that encourages higher quality and quantity.

WeChat Official Account

I operate “Alfred Road to Refinement.” Alfred is a niche topic, and my updates are infrequent, resulting in 45 followers. While I get positive feedback, “knowledge tipping” is rare in the current domestic climate. Once the audience grows, I’ll consider advertising.

Personal & Lifestyle

Learning

WeChat Reading: I’ve become a fan of this platform and read several books this year (e.g., How the Network Connects, Simple and Usable, Half-Hour Manga, Docker). My strategy going forward is WeChat Reading for Chinese content, O’Reilly for English technical material, and MarginNote for offline PDF study.
Geek Time: I used this heavily during my job transition. Courses on frontend fundamentals provided great value during my commute.

Tools

iPhone 12: Upgraded from an 8 Plus. I love Face ID, though I’ve realized I prefer a larger screen. My next upgrade will definitely be a Max model.
Numbers: I moved my financial tracking to Apple Numbers. Dedicated budgeting apps are often either intrusive or insecure. Numbers is simple, private, and effective.
Apple TV: A fantastic addition for home entertainment via AirPlay.
Typora: Even though it’s now a paid app, it’s so good that I didn’t hesitate to purchase a license. It’s my primary tool for blog drafting.

Travel

Despite the pandemic, I managed two trips with my girlfriend: Inner Mongolia in May and Qingdao in September. Traveling is a great way to recharge and gain perspective on how others live. I hope to increase this to 3+ trips per year in the future.

Major Milestones: Marriage & Housing

Given our ages and long-term plans, we’ve started planning for marriage and buying a home in 2022. This will be the primary focus of the coming year, requiring a continued commitment to frugal living and saving.

Other Achievements

Health Insurance: I finally started using the supplemental health insurance provided by my company. After five hospital visits this year for minor issues, I realized how much I had been overpaying by not utilizing these benefits earlier. In one case, a 50 CNY bill was reduced to just 1 CNY after insurance.
Hong Kong Bank Card: One of the benefits of working for a large firm is access to better resources. After several months of processing, I finally secured a HK bank card. This makes managing a HK Apple ID and trading international stocks much simpler.

2022 Goals

Get married and purchase a home.
Reach the next level in my professional career.
Double the quality and quantity of my open-source output.
Begin monetizing my personal products (Mini Programs/Official Account).
Establish a functional earnings workflow for Medium.

Final Thoughts

As I get older, I find myself becoming more pragmatic. I worry about becoming the “jaded veteran” or the “utilitarian” I once disliked. Regular self-reflection and a commitment to continuous self-improvement are my best defenses. Here’s to a productive 2022!

How to Use WakaTime (Step-by-Step Guide)

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 21:46:03 +0800

WakaTime is a fully automated time-tracking tool. It relies on plugins for many IDEs and text editors to visualize the time you spend coding, helping you understand exactly what you did during those hours.

Getting Started

Visit https://wakatime.com/login and sign up for an account.
Go to https://wakatime.com/settings/account and copy your API key.
Install the WakaTime plugin in WebStorm/Visual Studio Code (and other editors), then enter your API key.
From then on, coding activity in those apps will be tracked. Visit WakaTime to view your stats.

If possible, use a proxy when accessing WakaTime for faster speed.

WakaTime Client — Mini Program

To make it easier to view the charts, I built a mini program over the weekend.

It mainly does two things:

Proxies the WakaTime API service. My VPS is in Japan, so it’s not super fast yet, but it’s much better than accessing WakaTime directly.
Provides visualizations based on the API + mini program.

TODO

Add scheduled reminders when I exceed goals—less grindy and more humane. That will be implemented later; flag planted.

WeCom (Enterprise WeChat) Bots Explained (Simple Guide)

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:54:38 +0800

In work, WeCom (Enterprise WeChat) is our collaboration tool, and CI mechanisms are well-established in our company. For notification purposes, we often use it for instant feedback.

Recently I’ve been involved in integrating some projects and learned about the WeCom API, so here’s an explanation of bots.

Strictly speaking, we can create two types of bots:

Group Bots
Regular Account Bots

Group Bots

Requires an administrator to create in the group, obtaining a webhook address
Usage: Send request messages normally according to API requirements
During testing, you can use curl commands or Postman for experimentation.

Regular Account Bots

Sometimes we want bots to send direct messages or perform more complex interactive operations. This can be achieved by calling APIs with a regular WeCom account.

Register a WeCom account
Call the API to obtain an access_token, then use it to send messages, create groups, etc.

Final Thoughts

Different approaches have different capabilities. For example, currently group bots can’t send messages with interactive buttons. Choose the solution that fits your needs.
Personally, I think WeCom’s API is not as good as Telegram’s, but in the domestic Chinese environment, its ecosystem advantage is huge, so… we have to use it.
I hope WeChat will also open up its API… not sure if that will happen.

Getting Apple TV: It has a learning curve, but it's really good

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 17:25:08 +0800

During the 618 shopping festival, a friend recently asked me if it’s necessary to buy an Apple TV (ATV). I strongly recommend it! I need to admit that ATV has some usage barriers, but it’s really great—the experience completely beats domestic streaming boxes. Today, I’ll just write an article to share my experience using it.

Purchase Motivation

Although my home TV is a smart TV, the operating system is very sluggish with all kinds of annoying ads, and the remote control is inconvenient. I’ve bought several Xiaomi boxes before but was not satisfied with any of them. So I decided to just buy an Apple TV—after all, it’s part of Apple’s ecosystem, and the experience shouldn’t be bad.

In the end, I bought an Apple TV 5th generation 4K 64GB A1842 on Xianyu (a Chinese second-hand marketplace) for 820 CNY. After using it for a few days, the experience has been very good.

Note: Currently, the Apple TV 7th generation is out, but models from the 5th generation onwards are all 4K. Buy according to your needs; the principle is to buy new if you can, but older models work too.

Purchase Advice

US version is the best. The Hong Kong version has a British-style plug and requires a converter. There is no Chinese mainland version of Apple TV.
I personally think TV devices have a very low update frequency and the configuration is sufficient. You don’t need the latest model—just get what’s within your budget and meets your needs. Of course, models before the 5th generation are not recommended.

Some Barriers to Entry

Apple TV isn’t very popular in China, and I think the biggest issue is the usage barriers.

You need an international Apple ID. If you need to pay for some apps in the future, you’ll also need to buy gift cards to solve payment issues.
- When logging in with a Chinese mainland Apple ID, the App Store won’t be available, and the main usable feature is just AirPlay.
- A US Apple ID cannot enable Chinese Siri unless it’s for regions like Taiwan. However, Siri is very weak, so it’s not a big loss.
Network issues need to be solved by yourself.
You need to have an iPad/iPhone or other Apple devices to solve input operation problems, such as logging in with passwords. Therefore, if you don’t have other Apple ecosystem devices, there’s no need to buy an Apple TV.

Accessories

ATV accessories are relatively simple.

Apple TV remote control sleeve, Apple TV protective case, remote control silicone sleeve.

I personally don’t recommend buying a protective sleeve for the set-top box.

Setup Recommendations

Recommended Apps to Install

The main apps I currently use are:

YouTube (YT)
- Recommended to purchase a Premium membership.
- The TV version doesn’t require a separate payment, which is much better than domestic platforms like iQiyi and Tencent Video—it’s much more honest.
Infuse
- Accesses local NAS resources.
- Alibaba Cloud Disk is great; I recommend using them together.
Miao
- A third-party client for Bilibili.
- Paid app, $5.99 in the US App Store.
- If you can’t find it in non-Chinese App Stores, pay attention to the re-listing time to purchase. Price: $6. More information: https://paladinfeng.notion.site/140462eaa3134ff68909102cb2b37e32. Official Telegram channel: https://t.me/miaoproject.
iPlayTV
- Paid app, $5.99 in the US App Store.
- Views live TV channels like CCTV, requires manual addition of live broadcast sources.
  - 1. Free sources: such as https://github.com/YueChan/Live/tree/main.
  - 1. Paid sources: such as Xianyu/Taobao.
Synology NAS
- Synology’s official client, can access local network or external NAS resources. Here I use it to access some external NAS resources. If your NAS has WebDAV enabled, I still recommend using Infuse for a better experience; if not, this app works.

Of course, besides these apps, the most recommended is AirPlay. For example, if you find movie resources on your iPhone/iPad, you can directly AirPlay them to your TV to watch. This way, you no longer have to worry about not having resources or annoying video app ads.

Settings

Update the system to version 16+, enable Chinese Siri. Some apps like YouTube can use it.
Log in with multiple accounts (Chinese mainland/ international). When downloading apps, just switch accounts.

Current Experience

I’ve been using it for a few years now and have the following impressions:

The TV/remote control experience is excellent. Xiaomi has only learned the superficial aspects and is far behind. Of course, Xiaomi’s products are cheaper.
- Using your phone’s remote to enter long text is very convenient, or you can use your phone directly as a remote control.
AirPlay is really great.

For Apple fans, I highly recommend buying it.

Apple TV Internet Access Issues

Apple TV has the ability to access the external internet, which is convenient for using resources. There are three main methods:

Install a client on Apple TV.
Solve it at the router level.
Enable remote device connection on Mac/iPhone and change the network settings’ gateway on Apple TV.

How to Check Your Apple TV Model

https://support.apple.com/en-us/101605

How to Use Vim (Step-by-Step Guide)

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 23:34:00 +0800

I was previously attracted by a colleague’s fast coding operation, and upon asking, I learned it was IdeaVim - a Vim plugin for IntelliJ IDEA. I tried it for a while but felt uncomfortable with it, and there were also a lot of hotkey conflicts, so I gave up.

Recently, I read a book “Practical Vim” and was attracted by Vim’s modal editing and the design philosophy behind all its commands. At the same time, a comment in the book moved me - one-time investment, lifelong benefit.

I think it’s a bit embarrassing as a programmer to have never really used Vim, so I decided to learn it.

Vim Plugins

One of Vim’s strengths is its cross-platform compatibility and well-developed ecosystem. If you are familiar with the entire keyboard workflow, switching platforms will be smooth.

Currently, after sorting, I have included two Vim plugins in my productivity tool system:

IdeaVim

Used in WebStorm IDE to improve coding efficiency.
Vimium

Used in Chrome/Safari browsers for web scrolling, bookmark operations, etc., to improve efficiency.

Learning Cost

I didn’t stick with learning Vim before because of the learning cost. However, over the past few years, my persistent efforts in English translation, open-source project development, and self-developed productivity tools have brought me benefits that far exceed the initial costs.

Now I have a new understanding of the so-called “learning cost”: cost is an investment. As long as the probability of high returns is high, then I should try it. So now I realize that it’s a pity I didn’t learn Vim earlier, and I’m no longer afraid, so I’m starting to learn it.

Expectations - Learning Benefits

From now on, it will take a lot of time to master Vim proficiently, and I believe there will be two main gains:

Vim’s functionality itself will further improve my efficiency, just like my previous set of hotkeys.
Vim’s design philosophy will also bring me some reflections on software design.

How uBlacklist Works

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 20:48:32 +0800

V2EX recently discussed the wave of content-farm results polluting Google (e.g., “Little X Knowledge”). Since we moved from Baidu to Google for better quality, seeing garbage in Google results is frustrating.

The community solution: install uBlacklist, subscribe to a shared blacklist repo, and block those domains client-side. It works surprisingly well.

Curious about the implementation, I read the source code. The core idea is simple: intercept the search results page, match entries against the blacklist, and hide them via CSS. In other words, the extension modifies the HTML after the page loads.

Limitation: paginated results may show different counts per page because some entries get removed—but that’s acceptable compared with seeing spam.

What About Baidu?

This approach requires result URLs to be present in the DOM. Baidu proxies all search results—links point to Baidu first—so uBlacklist can’t reliably match domains.

In theory, you could fetch the proxied URL and inspect the redirect. But out of the box, uBlacklist currently supports Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia (partially), and Startpage.com.

Final Thoughts

Thanks to https://github.com/iorate/uBlacklist for cleaning up search results.
It’d be nice if Google proactively filtered these sites.
Baidu’s proxying of search results keeps traffic under its control. Yet another reason to avoid it.

How to Use Wireshark (Step-by-Step Guide)

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 21:53:47 +0800

For web debugging, Chrome DevTools Network is often enough. For HTTPS MITM or iPhone captures on macOS, I use Surge. But if you want raw HTTP request/response bytes and to inspect layers beneath the application layer, Wireshark is the right tool.

I recently analyzed a download issue and found Wireshark powerful. Online docs are scattered, so here’s a consolidated summary.

What is Wireshark?

A network protocol analyzer.

As noted, Chrome shows application layer protocols (HTTP, WebSocket), while Surge focuses on HTTP. For a full-stack view of protocols across layers, Wireshark shines.

Common Issues

Installation

Select “Add Wireshark to the system path.pkg” so you can launch it from the command line.

The capture session could not be initiated on interface ’en0’ (You don’t have permission to capture on that device).

Fix:

sudo chmod 777 /dev/bpf*

Capture localhost

To capture local traffic, double‑click loopback on the start screen to begin capturing.

Show local time

By default, timestamps are “since capture started”. To show local time:

Analysis Tips

Highlight frames, then filter marked frames only: frame.marked == 1
Filter by source/destination IP: ip.src = 192.168.12.66 and ip.dst = 192.168.12.66

Syncing Settings

It takes time to tune Wireshark (columns, coloring rules, plugins). To sync across devices and avoid losing configs, store them in iCloud (or similar) and symlink to Wireshark’s config directory.

ln -s /Users/alanhe/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/conf/wireshark /Users/alanhe/.config/wireshark

Final Thoughts

I agree with this Zhihu answer: in frontend work you may not often need Wireshark, but using it to understand the OSI model and full-stack protocols is a superpower.

Learning in progress.

References

What Is Dva? A Simple Guide

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 16:52:05 +0800

Some company projects use DvaJS (D.va). To use it better, I researched and summarized notes here.

Overview

React and redux based, lightweight and elm-style framework.

First and foremost, dva is a data flow solution based on redux and redux-saga. To simplify the development experience, dva also includes built-in react-router and fetch, so it can be understood as a lightweight application framework.

dva does three main things:

Unifies store and saga into a single “model” concept, written in one JavaScript file

Adds Subscriptions to collect actions from other sources, such as keyboard operations

Model syntax is very concise, similar to DSL or RoR, making coding very fast ✈️

So dva focuses on Redux‑based data flow, with built‑in react‑router and fetch.

Usage

dva.js

// products-model.js
export default {
 // Key on global state
 namespace: 'products',

 // Initial value, here is an empty array
 state: [],

 // Equivalent to reducer in redux, receives action, updates state synchronously
 reducers: {
 'delete'(state, { payload: id }) {
 return state.filter(item => item.id !== id);
 },
 },

 subscriptions: {

 }
};

// Initialize dva application
const app = dva({
 initialState: {
 products: [
 { name: 'dva', id: 1 },
 { name: 'antd', id: 2 },
 ],
 },
 });
// Register view

app.model(productsModel.default);

app.router(() => <ConnectedApp />);

// Start the application
app.start('#root');

Model reuse

dva-model-extend

Utility method to extend dva model.

https://github.com/dvajs/dva-model-extend

import modelExtend from 'dva-model-extend';

const human = {
 state: {
 stomach: null,
 },
 reducers: {
 eat(state, { payload: food }) {
 return { ...state, stomach: food };
 },
 },
};

const benjy = modelExtend(human, {
 namespace: 'human.benjy',
 state: {
 name: 'Benjy',
 },
});

Source

The project uses lerna for multi-package management

├── dva // Official React bindings for dva, with react-router@4.
├── dva-core // The core lightweight library for dva, based on redux and redux-saga.
├── dva-immer // Create the next immutable state tree by simply modifying the current tree
└── dva-loading // Auto loading data binding plugin for dva. :clap: You don't need to write `showLoading` and `hideLoading` any more.

Code size

JavaScript source code in /packages, statistics script cloc . --md --exclude-dir=test --include-ext=js

Language	files	blank	comment	code `physical lines`
JavaScript	26	128	110	962
——–	——–	——–	——–	——–
SUM:	26	128	110	962

sideEffects : false
Uses ES syntax, and exports in CommonJS format for third-party tools

The small code size suggests a lightweight abstraction.

Key functions

dva()

// packages/dva/src/index.js
export default function(opts = {}) {
 const history = opts.history || createHashHistory();
 const createOpts = {
 initialReducer: {
 router: connectRouter(history),
 },
 setupMiddlewares(middlewares) {
 return [routerMiddleware(history), ...middlewares];
 },
 setupApp(app) {
 app._history = patchHistory(history);
 },
 };

 const app = create(opts, createOpts);
 //
 const oldAppStart = app.start;
 app.router = router;
 app.start = start;
 return app;
 ...
}

model()

// packages/dva-core/src/index.js
function injectModel(createReducer, onError, unlisteners, m) {
 m = model(m);

 const store = app._store;
 store.asyncReducers[m.namespace] = getReducer(m.reducers, m.state, plugin._handleActions);
 store.replaceReducer(createReducer());
 if (m.effects) {
 store.runSaga(app._getSaga(m.effects, m, onError, plugin.get('onEffect'), hooksAndOpts));
 }
 if (m.subscriptions) {
 unlisteners[m.namespace] = runSubscription(m.subscriptions, m, app, onError);
 }
 }

subscriptions

// packages/dva-core/src/subscription.js
export function run(subs, model, app, onError) {
 const funcs = [];
 const nonFuncs = [];
 // Loop through and execute each subscription function
 for (const key in subs) {
 if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(subs, key)) {
 const sub = subs[key];
 const unlistener = sub(
 {
 dispatch: prefixedDispatch(app._store.dispatch, model),
 history: app._history,
 },
 onError,
 );
 if (isFunction(unlistener)) {
 funcs.push(unlistener);
 } else {
 nonFuncs.push(key);
 }
 }
 }
 return { funcs, nonFuncs };
}

start()

// packages/dva/src/index.js
function start(container) {
 // Allow container to be a string, then use querySelector to find the element
 if (isString(container)) {
 container = document.querySelector(container);
 invariant(container, `[app.start] container ${container} not found`);
 }

// Validate container type
 invariant(
 !container || isHTMLElement(container),
 `[app.start] container should be HTMLElement`,
 );

// Check if router is registered
 invariant(app._router, `[app.start] router must be registered before app.start()`);


 //
 if (!app._store) {
 oldAppStart.call(app);
 }

 const store = app._store;

 // export _getProvider for HMR
 // ref: https://github.com/dvajs/dva/issues/469
 app._getProvider = getProvider.bind(null, store, app);

 // If has container, render; else, return react component
 if (container) {
 render(container, store, app, app._router);
// Handle hot module replacement
 app._plugin.apply('onHmr')(render.bind(null, container, store, app));
 } else {
 return getProvider(store, this, this._router);
 }
 }

plugin/use()

In dva, classes are used in only two places: dynamic component loading and plugin definitions

 use(plugin) {
 invariant(isPlainObject(plugin), 'plugin.use: plugin should be plain object');
 const { hooks } = this;
 for (const key in plugin) {
 if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(plugin, key)) {
 invariant(hooks[key], `plugin.use: unknown plugin property: ${key}`);
 if (key === '_handleActions') {
 this._handleActions = plugin[key];
 } else if (key === 'extraEnhancers') {
 hooks[key] = plugin[key];
 } else {
 hooks[key].push(plugin[key]);
 }
 }
 }
 }

Final Thoughts

Reading the source code shows that dva’s encapsulation is relatively shallow, but it solves the logic organization problem around redux, while providing routing configuration/subscriptions and plugin extensions.

References

Custom Calendar Publishing and Subscription

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 20:08:09 +0800

Fantastical or TickTick support calendar subscriptions. Generally, we look for quality calendar sources, such as legal holidays and work adjustments. After knowing the corresponding calendar, we also need to pay attention to whether the author continues to maintain it, otherwise there will be time-sensitive issues.

So can we maintain a calendar ourselves? The answer is YES. Here I’ll use the most basic China Holiday Arrangements to introduce how to maintain a calendar yourself.

Information Reference Source

Since I want to create a holiday calendar, I need to refer to the State Council’s arrangements. Information source - Notice of the General Office of the State Council on Some Holiday Arrangements for 2021

Note: Since each year will be different, if it’s a new year, I still need to maintain it manually, but the workload is very small, just a few minutes of work.

Calendar Creation

For those curious about how to make it, continue reading. Here I use Calendar on iCloud to create it. The advantage is that it can be directly hosted and published, and others can directly add and use the calendar.

Visit https://www.icloud.com.cn/calendar/
- For overseas regions, please visit https://www.icloud.com/calendar/
Click to create a new calendar
Edit events
Select calendar, click the share button

Usage

There are multiple ways to use this

Visit the subscription address directly in the browser, follow the prompts, and select the appropriate app like Outlook to open
Use apps like Fantastical directly for calendar subscription

Click Download

Final Words

I used to be quite curious about how calendar events are edited and published. After doing it once, I found it’s quite simple. To extend this, using the calendar event system, for example, some key release plans at work can be done this way, so everyone can quickly understand the product’s release plan. Another example is following TV series - you can update Marvel’s release schedule for several years, which is also a good approach.

Notice of the General Office of the State Council on Some Holiday Arrangements for 2024

Chained Assignment in JavaScript

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 23:11:53 +0800

I ran into a seemingly easy JavaScript puzzle in a chat group today and still got it wrong, so I’m jotting it down.

var user = {
 n: 1
};
user.x = user = {
 n: 2
};
console.log(user.x);

Wrong Turn #1

I assumed it was equivalent to the code below:

var user = {
 n: 1
};
user = {
 n: 2
};
user.x = user;
console.log(user.x);
/**
 * {n: 2, x: {…}}
 */

Running it in the browser or Node showed the actual answer is undefined.

Wrong Turn #2

I went back to review the assignment operator. For chained assignment specifically:

Chaining the assignment operator is possible in order to assign a single value to multiple variables.

So a = b = c should behave like b = c; a = c;.

By that logic, I rewrote the snippet as:

var user = {
 n: 1
};
user = {
 n: 2
};
user.x = {
 n: 2
};
console.log(user.x);

I figured that must be correct, but the browser printed {n: 2}—still wrong. The missing piece? The member-access operator.

The Real Answer

The dot operator for member access has higher precedence than assignment.

Let’s analyze it again:

var user = {
 n: 1
};

user.x = {
 n: 2
};

user = {
 n: 2
};
console.log(user.x);

/**
 * user.x points to the original object (call it “1”).
 * The object literal {n: 2} is assigned to that original object's x.
 * The final assignment rebinds user to a new object (call it “2”).
 * console.log reads x from “2”, which has no such property, so the result is undefined.
 */

A simple question, yet it tripped me up—reminder that fundamentals matter. A few key takeaways:

The dot operator has higher precedence than assignment.

Chained assignment copies a single value into multiple variables, and it evaluates from right to left. You can prove this with a quick Proxy experiment:

var superman = {
 name: 'clark'
};

var batman = {};
var flashman = {};

const batmanProxy = new Proxy(batman, {
 set: function (target, key, value) {
 console.log(`batman: ${key} set from ${target[key]} to ${value}`);
 target[key] = value;
 return true;
 }
});

const flashmanProxy = new Proxy(flashman, {
 set: function (target, key, value) {
 console.log(`flashman: ${key} set from ${target[key]} to ${value}`);
 target[key] = value;
 return true;
 },
 get: function (target, key) {
 console.log(`flashman: ${key} get from ${target[key]}`);
 return target[key];
 }
});

batmanProxy.name = flashmanProxy.name = superman.name;

The logs show flashman’s setter firing first. Also note this is not the same as batmanProxy.name = (flashmanProxy.name = superman.name); because the proxy’s getter never runs.

Object assignment copies references, not values.

Final Thoughts

Elementary question, valuable lesson. Back to studying—and back to slinging code.

Clever Uses of Zero-Width Characters

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 14:10:19 +0800

I recently learned about zero-width characters and found them quite interesting, so I’m documenting this here.

Above is an “empty” Weibo post I sent using zero-width spaces, and it worked! However, the same method doesn’t work on WeChat Moments or Twitter, likely because their empty content detection logic filters out zero-width characters.

OK, let’s begin the main content.

Zero-Width Characters

Unicode includes a special class of characters called zero-width characters. The term “zero-width” should be familiar - regex assertions are called zero-width assertions, meaning they don’t consume width, which makes them easy to understand.

Zero-width characters are still characters and thus occupy character space, but they typically don’t display in most software like Sina Weibo, browsers, Excel, WeChat, etc.

There are several types of zero-width characters: zero-width space, zero-width joiner, and zero-width non-joiner.

Zero-width space U+200B
Zero-width joiner U+200D
- Common complex emoji expressions use this character to indicate multi-character relationships for composing complex new characters
Zero-width non-joiner U+200C
Zero-width no-break space U+FEFF
Left-to-right mark U+200E
Right-to-left mark U+200F

Clever Uses

Watermarking
- For websites with strict copyright requirements, convert article visitor usernames to zero-width characters and hide them within article content. This doesn’t affect readability while marking user information. If article content leaks, simply decode the username to identify the leak source.
  
  As shown below, the left side shows what we see, but I actually encoded my name into the information. The right side shows the decoded name.
Evading Keyword Matching
- Insert zero-width characters within keywords to evade some keyword matching programs

Invisibility

As mentioned above, these characters are invisible in most software. To see them, you can use development tools like VSC or IDEA to create text files and paste content to reveal these hidden characters.

Recommended Tools

If you want to implement zero-width character watermarking for text, you can refer to these tools:

A Visit to the 306 Hospital

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 22:12:37 +0800

What to Bring

Medical Insurance Card: For reimbursement of partial costs.
Smartphone: For retrieving registration numbers and paying for medication.
ID Card: In case of unexpected requirements.

Step-by-Step Process

Appointment: Use the official WeChat account PLA Strategic Support Force Specialty Medical Center for online appointments. Note: You must book at least one day in advance; same-day appointments are not allowed. Alternatively, use 114 Registration.
- Recommendation: I found 114 Registration to provide a much better user experience with clearer information on available slots. Scan the QR code below via WeChat to access it:
Pre-screening: Fill out the pre-screening form (formerly for COVID-19). Note: This is no longer required as of late.
Check-in: Go to the outpatient building and use the self-service machines to retrieve your registration number.
Queueing: Proceed to the designated waiting area as indicated on your ticket and check in with the nurse station.
Consultation: Wait for your number to be called and enter the consultation room.
Payment: Take the prescription/order from the doctor and pay at the self-service machines in the outpatient building. Note: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) orders may require manual queueing at a counter.
Pharmacy: Pick up your medication at the pharmacy counter as per your payment receipt.
Invoices: If you need to file a claim with commercial insurance, visit the designated window in the outpatient building to get a printed invoice (including the registration fee).

Critical Observations

Official Website Performance: The official appointment site is incredibly slow. Users might easily mistake it for a dead link or a device issue. Stick to 114 instead.
Lack of Clear Communication: There’s confusing messaging about onsite vs. online appointments. I waited 30 minutes in a queue marked “Registration” only to be told I had to book online. Hospitals should provide clear, large signage for these policies.
Inefficient Payment Systems: The 30+ minute queue for payment is inexcusable in the digital age. This is particularly difficult for elderly patients who may struggle with technology or have hearing issues.
Counter Allocation: As a military hospital, prioritizing personnel is expected. However, when the “General” counter has a massive queue and the two “Military” counters are empty, management should dynamically reassign staff to alleviate the pressure.
Flow Management: Many people in queues are simply there to ask questions because they lack information. Increasing the number of mobile medical staff to assist patients in the halls would significantly improve overall efficiency.
Doctor Conduct: While I understand doctors are overworked, a heavy workload is no excuse for a hostile or dismissive attitude toward paying patients.

Final Thoughts

The management needs a serious reality check. The leaders should go through the entire process as an ordinary patient to understand where the system is failing.

Managing Compatibility with Browserslist

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 17:39:29 +0800

The web pages we develop need to run on various browsers, and different browsers and versions all have slight differences in page parsing. If it’s IE, it’s even more troublesome. At one time, frontend developers would groan when talking about IE compatibility, cursing IE countless times in their hearts.

How to elegantly handle compatibility issues is a constant challenge. Now there are relatively systematic solutions to this problem, which I’ll document here.

Note: Different scenarios and habits lead to different configuration methods. Here I’ll explain based on my personal practice, for reference only.

Browserslist

Configuration

Create a .browserslistrc file in the project root directory and write down the target browser range according to your requirements. For example, my configuration is as follows:

# Browsers that we support
last 1 years

Meaning: Support browsers and versions from the last year.

For specific Browserslist configuration syntax, click here

Testing

After configuration, execute the following command in the terminal to get the list of target browser versions:

$ npx browserslist

Note

Browserslist only provides a mechanism to conveniently set and retrieve target browsers and their versions
Actual compatibility handling still requires other tools to detect and fix based on the browser list

Below, continue with installation and configuration.

eslint-plugin-compat

Installation

$ yarn add eslint-plugin-compat -D

Configuration

Add the following configuration to .eslintrc.js:

module.exports = {
 root: true,
 extends: [
 'plugin:compat/recommended'
 ],
 rules: {
 'compat/compat': ['error'],
 }
};

Run eslint src/main/webapp/**/*.{ts,tsx} --quiet to perform compatibility detection based on target browsers. If there are errors, they will be displayed.

Since my browser support above is quite modern, compatibility issues aren’t likely to appear. For example, if I change my browser list to last 10 years, then errors will appear:

Note

eslint-plugin-compat mainly focuses on WEB API and doesn’t check ES API. Therefore, other Lint plugins are needed to detect ES API compatibility.

eslint-plugin-es

This plugin is designed for ES detection. For example, lookbehind assertions in ES9 are not supported by Safari, so we need to add corresponding rules to block this usage.

Installation

For example, to block lookbehind assertions, the following configuration is needed:

$ yarn add es/no-regexp-lookbehind-assertions -D

Configuration

Add the following rule to .eslintrc.js:

'es/no-regexp-lookbehind-assertions': ['error']

CSS

CSS issues are similar to JS, but CSS itself won’t cause page white screens, only some styles that don’t work. At the same time, postcss can generate specified CSS syntax for target browsers.

Installation

$ yarn add postcss-loader -D

$ yarn add stylelint-no-unsupported-browser-features -D

$ yarn add obsolete-webpack-plugin -D

Configuration

Add the following configuration to .stylelintrc.json:

{
 "plugins": [
 "stylelint-no-unsupported-browser-features"
 ],
 "rules": {
 "plugin/no-unsupported-browser-features": [
 true,
 {
 "severity": "warning"
 }
 ]
 }
}

Add configuration to Webpack:

{
 test: /\.css$/,
 use: [
 'postcss-loader'
 ]
 }

When executing the stylelint command stylelint src/main/webapp/**/*.less --syntax=less, it can detect style support in target browsers
postcss automatically adds some compatible style syntax to ensure styles work in target browsers

obsolete-webpack-plugin

When a page is not supported, it sometimes shows a blank screen, which is a terrible user experience. Therefore, detection scripts can be added to alert users, and this plugin solves this problem.

Installation

$ yarn add obsolete-webpack-plugin -D

Configuration

plugins: [new ObsoleteWebpackPlugin()]

Testing

After packaging, an obsolete.js script file will be generated, and index.html will include this JS.

Conclusion

As shown above, we can effectively manage frontend browser compatibility.
If the target browser and version range changes, all you need to do is modify browserslist => detect JS, CSS => fix according to error prompts.

References

https://watofundefined.dev/posts/regexp-lookbehinds-bit-me-in-the-behind/

Nintendo Switch Game Purchase Strategy

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 23:27:17 +0800

Here I summarize my personal NS game purchase strategy.

Since NS game prices vary across regions, using multiple accounts can save some RMB while keeping games playable.

How to do it? Here’s the approach:

Gmail multiple email aliases

Recommended alias strategy for multi-region account management. For example, if my email is alanhe@gmail.com, I create aliases like:

alanhe+us@gmail.com for US
alanhe+jp@gmail.com for Japan

Nintendo account registration

Use https://accounts.nintendo.com/login to create new accounts. Nicknames can be like:

AlanHeUS
AlanHeJP

Notes

Use consistent passwords
Ensure country/region matches the account name and email

Add accounts on Nintendo Switch

Entering passwords with controllers is inconvenient, so use the touchscreen. The display name can differ from the account nickname, but I recommend using the same pattern for easier management. Bind the account to the Nintendo account created above and you’re done.

Check target game prices

I recommend the WeChat mini program Master in Hand to check prices across countries.

Purchase on eShop

Notes

Payment methods are usually PayPal or Visa.
Brazil requires a tax ID, and mainland China Visa cards do not work.
If using PayPal, you need a proxy. You can connect the NS to your phone and use the phone’s proxy, or connect the NS to a home router with proxy support.

Games I’ve purchased

Here are the games I own/like:

Ring Fit Adventure
- Cartridge
Mario Kart 8
- Cartridge
Just Dance 2021
- Digital
- I also subscribed to Unlimited via Hong Kong, 178 HKD/year, about 157.522 CNY. Subscription is purchased by searching for Just Dance in the eShop.

Common questions

If Just Dance was purchased as a Hong Kong digital version, can Unlimited be purchased in another region? So far, yes. Games purchased in different regions support cross-region play, so there is no restriction. The downside is that different accounts have different game records. If you buy games across multiple regions, it can be tiring to track unless you manage it well.

Final Thoughts

Switching regions for purchases is a bit troublesome, but also fun.
I recommend creating accounts for the regions you use most and solving it once and for all.

2020 Year-End Review

Sat, 16 Jan 2021 16:36:04 +0800

Compared to previous years, 2020 saw significant growth for me, though I still have a long way to go to reach the level of the true masters.

2021 has arrived, and looking back at the past twelve months, it’s time for some serious reflection.

Health

The body is the foundation of everything. 2020 was the year I finally took fitness seriously—outdoor running in the first half and systematic gym training in the second.

I started as a total novice with gym equipment. By using YouTube tutorials and observing the form of regular gym-goers, I’ve finally started my professional fitness journey.
The data is encouraging: my weight has stabilized. While I haven’t quite dropped below 70kg yet due to moderate intensity, the habit of regular exercise is now firmly rooted. The physical improvements are visible—I’m less “puffy,” and my chest muscles are taking shape.

Learning

I’ve refined my learning methods and settled into a mature workflow. I now use a combination of Medium, Twitter, O’Reilly, Kindle, and MarginNote to cross-reference and synthesize knowledge.
However, my reading volume is still too low (less than 10 books). As a friend bluntly put it, I lack “cultural depth.” I need to push harder here.
The improvement I’m most proud of between 2018 and 2020 is my English. Reading is no longer a significant hurdle. My writing still needs work, but I’ve taken the first step. In 2021, I aim to reach a level where I can communicate basic ideas in writing without friction.

Technology & Open Source

Technology is my livelihood; open source is my primary means of communication, exchange, and growth. I was more active in the open-source community this year than ever before.

Achievements:

Developed 19 Alfred Workflows.
Developed 3 JetBrains Plugins.
Open-sourced several repositories on GitHub containing best practices from my work and solutions to everyday life problems.
Continued blogging consistently. As quality and quantity improved, the blog started providing positive returns:
- Several readers reached out via comments or email.
- I integrated Google AdSense on my self-hosted blog and mirrored high-quality articles to Medium. Both platforms are now generating modest income.

Life

I’ve hit 30 without even realizing it. The big questions—marriage and housing—are now front and center. I can no longer avoid planning for these.

Work

I joined a new company in January 2020 and spent the year focusing on a single major project. Key takeaways include:

CI Improvements: Automated MR generation and email delivery of CHANGELOGs, eliminating manual releases. Refined Lints and Hooks to ensure environment and code style consistency.
Component Library: Established a shared frontend component library to boost efficiency in common scenarios (e.g., auto-generated directories and hotkey-bound forms).
Chrome Extensions: Developed tools like a daily stand-up meeting timer/reminder.
Data Tools: Built JS utilities to convert Excel and JSON to SQL, speeding up production data fixes.
IDE Plugins: Created a JetBrains plugin to log code review issues directly within the editor.

The Road Ahead

Despite the successes listed above, I’m reminded of Jack Ma’s observation about why people leave jobs: they’re either underpaid or unhappy. I feel I’ve hit both points. The current environment is incredibly inefficient for me, and the frustration is compounded because the inefficiency isn’t a result of my own ability.
At 30, it’s time to stabilize my life. I’m an adult now, and I need to act like it.

2021, here I come!

Tools of the Year: 2020 Gear Review

Sat, 02 Jan 2021 21:11:40 +0800

Great tools are meant to be refined and occasionally replaced. 2020 is over, so it’s time to review the hardware and software additions I made this year and how they’ve improved my workflow and quality of life.

AirPods 2

Purchased in late May for 997 CNY. My 1st gen AirPods had reached the end of their life—after two years, the battery barely lasted 30 minutes on a single charge. The 2nd gen was a necessary and welcome relay.

Key Uses:

Remote meetings and calls.
Listening to music and YouTube during commutes.
Hands-free calls via Siri—a genuinely smooth experience.

ASUS RT-AC1900P Router

Purchased in early September for 469 CNY. Compared to my previous Xiaomi router, this is a much more professional device. Signal stability, throughput, and extensibility are all significantly better.

Key Features:

High-performance routing for a stable home network.
AiMesh support for expanded signal coverage in larger spaces.
Support for custom firmware (Merlin, etc.).

XFAN External Microphone

Purchased in November for 153 CNY. The build quality and sound capture are excellent for the price.

Main Use Case:

Serves as an external microphone for my MacBook when used in clamshell mode.

Minor Drawback: Since this is technically a camera-mount microphone, I had to use some Blu-Tack to secure it to my desk—a simple and flexible solution.

Magic Keyboard (1st Generation)

Picked up second-hand from Xianyu for 148 CNY. It serves as a quieter backup to my Filco 87 mechanical keyboard.

Pros:

The layout is identical to the built-in MacBook keyboard, making for a seamless transition.
Top-tier Apple build quality.
Significantly quieter than a mechanical keyboard, which is essential when others are sleeping nearby.
Personally, I prefer the AA battery design of the 1st gen over the rechargeable 2nd gen—swapping batteries is faster than waiting for a charge.

Nayo Almighty Backpack

Purchased in August (large size) for $48.99 USD (~317 CNY).

Pros:

Massive internal capacity.
Smart storage: strap pockets for keys, an insulated zip pouch, a sunglasses hook, and a structured design that stands upright even when empty.
Very reasonable price compared to other boutique tech bags.

Cons:

The overall craftsmanship is decent but not exceptional; I hope to see improved materials in future iterations.

Costa Coffee Mug

A gift from my department’s annual meeting (market price around 138 CNY).

Pros:

Great aesthetic.
Perfect size for daily tea or coffee at my desk.

Cons:

Since it’s ceramic, it has zero heat insulation.
Not microwave-safe.

Despite the drawbacks, this has become my primary hydration vessel at home.

MarginNote 3

Purchased in December. The Mac version was 251 CNY and the iOS version 88 CNY. I bought this to fill a gap in my digital reading workflow.

My current system: O’Reilly for technical English books, Kindle for general Chinese reading, and MarginNote for deep study of PDF resources. MarginNote is uniquely designed for synthesizing complex information.

Pros:

Integrated mind-mapping and outlining.
Excellent annotation and excerpt experience.

Cons:

The app can still feel a bit unpolished. For example, PDF rendering on Mac is noticeably blurrier than in PDF Expert.
As an indie app, it lacks the stability of big-tech offerings, but I hope the developers continue their active development (similar to Surge).

YouTube Music

Became a subscriber in December. YouTube Music is included with a YouTube Premium membership. I recommend the India region—at 129 INR (~11.6 CNY) per month, it’s incredible value.

I’ve tried QQ Music, NetEase, Apple Music, and Kugou, but I’ve settled on YouTube Music. Why?

I’m a heavy YouTube user, so the ecosystem synergy is perfect.
The UI is clean, ad-free, and focuses on music rather than distracting social comments.
The library is surprisingly comprehensive, even for Chinese songs.

Pros:

Massive global library.
Easy switching between audio and official music videos.

Cons:

Cannot be directly summoned via Siri, meaning my HomePod has become a simple external speaker rather than a smart one.
No official Mac desktop app (requires browser or third-party wrappers).

Final Thoughts

Good tools solve real problems and are always worth the investment.
However, more tools can lead to more clutter. Choose what fits your hand and your workflow naturally.
2020 was a year of global upheaval. Whether we spent it productively or simply drifted through it is a question only we can answer. Here’s to even more progress in 2021.

Third-Party Services Used by My Blog

Sat, 02 Jan 2021 13:34:58 +0800

During the New Year holiday, I spent some time deploying my personal English blog site. It uses the same services and tech as my Chinese blog; the only difference is the content. So this is also a review of the vendor services used in my blog deployment, summarized here.

Hexojs — static blog framework

Using Hexo: posts are written in Markdown and compiled to static HTML, so it’s fast to serve. Downsides: as content grows, build times slow. With 300+ Chinese posts, a full build took ~8 minutes.

This remains unresolved for now.

theme-next

I use theme-next. I customize parts, but keep custom templates/CSS separate to ease framework/theme upgrades.

Vultr

I deployed static pages on Vultr Japan, $6/mo — decent speed from mainland China.

Now migrated to Tencent Cloud.

GitHub

Source code is hosted on GitHub; CD uses GitHub Actions. It’s stable and free.

Telegram Bot

I added notifications for deployments; Telegram is ideal. Using appleboy/telegram-action.

Notes

The token is obtained via @BotFather. The token format is 1234567890:ABCDEFGHIJKLMN.
The URL to get the chatId using the token is https://api.telegram.org/bot1234567890:ABCDEFGHIJKLMN/getUpdates. If the result says OK but the result array is empty, send a message to the bot and try again.

Let’s Encrypt

Most sites are on SSL now; I use Let’s Encrypt because it’s free and Certbot automates issuance/renewal.

Since I host both Chinese/English sites and an image host, I applied for a wildcard cert.

GitTalk

Comment system based on GitHub Issues — convenient.

Algolia

Search: fast, good UX, and free tier.

Hosting isn’t free; AdSense may offset costs. Ads do slow page loads, admittedly.

Google Search Console

Webmaster tools:

SEO for Google: submit sitemaps for crawling
Monitor site traffic

Final Thoughts

That’s the stack of third‑party services behind my blog. Even a small blog ties together quite a lot of tech.

JSON vs XML Comparison

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 22:52:12 +0800

In today’s frontend-backend separation era, backend APIs typically provide data in JSON format, but it’s important to understand this is just one format option among many, such as XML. Not all service communications or frontend-backend interactions use JSON - some services explicitly use XML instead of JSON. Therefore, understanding the differences between these two formats is crucial for making appropriate choices based on requirements.

Definitions

Understanding a technology starts with its name and pronunciation. For detailed JSON and XML introductions, refer to Wikipedia.

JSON：JavaScript Object Notation

- Pronunciation: JAY-sawn

XML：Extensible Markup Language

 - Pronunciation: /ˌeks em ˈel/

Why isn’t XML called EML?

Curious about this, I Googled and found a related question. The relatively accurate answer is that when determining XML, committee members proposed their suggested full names and abbreviations, one of which was XML：Extensible Markup Language. Based on voting results, XML was finalized. The X represents anything, special, cool, and in the mathematical field, it represents variables, unknowns, possibilities.

No wonder naming has always been a challenge in the coding field.

JSON vs XML

In practical development, choosing a data format requires understanding the differences. Here are the key differences:

JSON has smaller size compared to XML, with faster transmission speed and parsing speed
JSON doesn’t support comments, while XML does
JSON has explicit data types (string, boolean, number, object, array, null) - 6 data types, while XML has no restrictions on data types
XML supports namespaces, while JSON does not

I personally agree with a friend’s answer on Zhihu

JSON’s existence is a typical case of 20% functionality solving 80% of requirements. Why not use XML? Because 80% of its features you don’t need, but when you do need them, you’ll understand that only XML can do it, JSON cannot.

Note: Both XML & JSON are case-sensitive.

JSON Serialization and Deserialization

Understanding JSON and XML requires understanding serialization issues, which can be tricky.

Using JSON as the data format and Java and JavaScript as languages, here are some points to watch out for - if you don’t pay attention, they can become pitfalls.

Java

Classes implementing the Serializable interface must provide a public no-argument constructor. If there’s no no-argument constructor, a runtime exception will be thrown: java.io.InvalidClassException
Objects transmitted in MVC controllers don't need to implement Serializable because controllers transmit not objects but bind objects to network packets, not involving serialization and deserialization
Commonly used Jackson and Gson libraries don't require target classes to implement the Serializable interface during serialization and deserialization
In serialized class files, you often see the serialVersionUID variable

serialVersionUID is for controlling version compatibility. If we consider bean modifications backward compatible, we don’t change it; otherwise, we increase the value. If serialVersionUID’s value isn’t explicitly defined, Java automatically generates it based on class details. If class source code is modified and recompiled, serialVersionUID might change. The default value of serialVersionUID depends on Java compiler implementation, so for safety, manual declaration is better.

JavaScript

Objects after JSON.parse have undefined getter methods

class Person {
 firstname: string;
 lastname: string;

 get fullname(): string {
 return this.firstname + ' ' + this.lastname;
 }
}

const p = new Person();
p.firstname = 'alan';
p.lastname = 'he';
console.log(p.fullname); // alan he

const p2 = JSON.parse('{"firstname":"alan","lastname":"he"}') as Person;
console.log(p2.fullname); // undefined

Deserialized objects don’t have methods defined in the class, so you need to instantiate a class object, for example:

const userJSONObj = JSON.parse('{"firstname":"alan","lastname":"he"}');
const p2 = new Person(userJSONObj['firstname'], userJSONObj['lastname']);
console.log(p2.fullname); // alan he

References

Relearning Regular Expressions

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 22:01:38 +0800

While writing an Alfred workflow, I hit many text‑processing problems and doubled down on regex. Although every language course touches regex early, my skills were rusty. I took the chance to study properly; here are my takeaways.

Why regex matters

Regex is the Swiss army knife of text processing — unavoidable for many tasks. For example, extracting multiple metadata fields from Markdown is quickest with regex.

The right mental model

I avoided regex because I feared “hard parts” like lookarounds. The fix was reframing:

Assertions match positions (zero‑width); lookahead/lookbehind choose direction; positive/negative choose condition (must match vs. must not).
Metacharacters match content; assertions match positions; add in grouping, repetition, and greediness/laziness — that’s most of it.

Don’t fear it; practice deliberately; then apply correctly in the right scenarios.

Recommended resources

Final Thoughts

With the mindset corrected and concepts organized, I can finally use regex effectively. As with JS itself: understand it properly, practice intentionally, reflect in use — familiarity grows into mastery.

Buying Safari Online (O'Reilly) Membership via ACM

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 18:36:50 +0800

Our company dropped the O’Reilly Safari Online subscription. To keep learning freely, I needed a personal workaround.

The official price is steep: “Safari Books Online costs $39 per month or $399 per year.” If you can afford it, great; if not, read on.

One alternative is to join ACM for $25/year and use that to access Safari. That’s the route I took.

Register for ACM

Sign up here: https://services.acm.org/public/qj/proflevel/proflevel_control.cfm?level=3&country=China&form_type=Professional&promo=LEVEL
Choose the lowest tier ($25 ≈ 164.51 RMB).
Pay via PayPal.
After payment you’ll be prompted to finish registration. Complete the forms and save the generated username/password.
Check membership status at https://myacm.acm.org.
ACM emails renewal reminders annually; renew manually for the same $25 rate.

Log in to Safari Online

Enter your ACM email (with the @acm.org suffix). Safari redirects to ACM’s login page.
Use the same username without the @acm.org suffix; the password is unchanged.
Works across iOS, iPad, and the web.

Notes

O’Reilly doesn’t limit device count, so multiple people can share the same account (though sharing may violate terms—use judgment).

Reference

https://learning.acm.org/faq/oreilly-faqs

Final Thoughts

For $25 a year you gain full access to O’Reilly’s library—not bad.
I’ve moved away from paper books; they’re bulky and hard to manage. Kindle + O’Reilly cover my needs across languages and topics.

A Loving Inn in Dali — Guanyuan

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 22:19:21 +0800

I recently “sneaked” off to Dali. While keeping up with work, I also switched into a mode of appreciating Dali and Erhai Lake.

I expected just to enjoy the scenery, but the inn I stayed at was so wonderful that it added many delightful elements to the trip. I left determined to stay here again next time!

A few words to record this goodness and to praise the lovely people who run this place.

Not an ad — just heartfelt impressions.

Beautiful Scenery

The inn overflows with lush greenery — genuine garden art.
From the rooftop you can see the Cangshan Mountains on one side and Erhai Lake on the other, with a sky full of stars overhead. I went up nearly every day, paired my phone to a Bluetooth speaker, and soaked in the views with music.

Delicious Food

Breakfast is complimentary: authentic rice noodles and other noodles each morning, plus my favorite corn cakes.
Lunch is a communal meal for 30 RMB per person. Everyone eats together, chats, laughs, and unwinds.
Dinner can be shared as well, or you can order your own feast like barbecue at market prices. I skipped it to explore the old town’s food.

Hosts Who Love Life

If the owners didn’t genuinely love life, the inn couldn’t feel like this. That was my first impression, and chatting with them confirmed it.

Examples:

The “uncle” (one of the hosts) tends every plant himself.
From bedding to décor, everything is chosen to keep guests (and themselves) comfortable.
Even the rice is carefully sourced. I’m not a foodie, yet I liked it so much that I ran to the kitchen to check the brand — later bought it on Taobao.
…

Adorable Animals

Alongside the lovely hosts are many pets. In just a few days I somehow stopped being afraid of cats. My favorite remains the dog — especially their Border Collie, Jasmine.

Final Thoughts

When I checked out, I told the owner the stay far exceeded expectations. Airbnb can’t convey these human touches, and the inn doesn’t advertise aggressively.
I watched the hosts greet every guest warmly, sip tea, strum guitars, cuddle cats and dogs — an enviable, inspiring rhythm of life. This is what living looks like.
Think of this as a small shout-out for a genuinely wonderful place.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Book Review

Sat, 07 Nov 2020 23:13:11 +0800

During a pleasant work trip, I read a few books, including The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I have some personal reflections and thoughts on these seven habits.

While marking this down, I also encourage myself to improve and adjust continually.

Be Proactive

I think I am at least proactive when it comes to learning. Looking back at the past year, I feel I have made some gains in

Reading, especially in English, has improved, resulting in a reduction in reading difficulties.
Communication and consulting: I’m not a closed-off person due to my personality. So, I often like to talk, share, ask questions, and engage in discussions.

Therefore, I think I’m doing pretty well with this habit, but there’s still room for improvement.

Put First Things First

Reflecting on this habit, I can only say that I’m making progress but still not doing well enough.

For example, at work, I often want to do everything well, but this often results in everything being half-finished or falling short of my expectations.

In life, the problem is less pronounced but still exists. The result is that nothing is done well, leading to a lack of a sense of accomplishment and rewards.

Begin with the End in Mind

This habit is about not forgetting your original intention. I think I’ve done well in this regard and always had this understanding. Many programmers are more like wage earners, who code for money without much joy. But if you love it, it’s different. The money is just an added bonus; the real joy comes from the love of programming.

I’m also a programmer, but my motivation is love. To this day, I still love programming. I hope to use programming to solve real problems and meet others’ or my own needs. This is my original intention, and it won’t change.

Think Win-Win

I think I’ve done well with this habit, as I often don’t see personal interests as conflicting with others. Many times, a win-win situation is possible.

Recently, I’ve had some thoughts on this in my work. If you always set yourself against others, you may lose, even if it’s just losing a relationship. But if you can consider others’ interests while considering your own, your actions and final rewards will extend beyond just yourself, and everyone will gain.

Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

The essence of this habit is listening. Indeed, listening to others’ ideas can often solve some of your own puzzles.

I think I haven’t done enough in this regard, especially in the past year, where I’ve been a bit closed off. I need to listen more and communicate more.

Synergize

The benefit of synergy is that 1+1>2. For example, in my current work, the people I deal with and the communication needed—sometimes, it can be very simple if others can cooperate well. However, some people only focus on their own interests without considering the overall benefit, resulting in losses for everyone.

But from another perspective, if we can unite, everyone can be efficient, and achieve more. Why not?

Sharpen the Saw

Yes, no one is always right. Therefore, we often need to adjust ourselves. All habits, as do the methodologies behind them, need constant updating. We can only ensure that we remain relatively excellent by constantly updating, allowing us to handle the ever-changing external environment better.

At the end

These are just a few notes expressing some feelings after reading this book.

Book Notes: Life’s Moat (《人生护城河》)

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 21:38:19 +0800

I decided to take a trip over the weekend. Four long hours in the air and I just couldn’t sleep, so I started reading this book, 人生护城河, and finished it in a few hours. Leaving a trace for myself, I’m jotting down some quick reflections here.

Love Writing

It’s been 6.5 years since I graduated. How many blog posts do I have? 311. That’s not many. Compared with the author, who publishes daily, the gap isn’t just the number of posts; it reflects the thinking and reading behind them.

I agree with his view: love writing, stick with it, and write bravely. I’ve gained a lot from writing in practice:

Because I struggled to find writing topics, I started thinking about technical problems at work, summarized them, practiced them, and then wrote about them in blogs.
Because of the blog output, the cost of explaining issues to team members or netizens has been reduced.
Because I wanted to present technical articles more systematically and accurately, I read more relatively authoritative books.
Because I wrote a few high-quality blog posts, I made some excellent friends.
And so on

Writing has many benefits. Since it’s so worthwhile, why not keep at it? I do have the habit, but the frequency is too low — in part because I don’t read enough, solve enough problems, or summarize enough.

So I need to reflect, summarize, and strengthen both the writing and the habits behind it.

His successful practice is a strong proof to me: you must keep writing.

Three Income Streams

Money is unavoidable, but I’ve often managed it passively or muddled through.

I agree with the plan for multiple income sources:

Salary
Second income (side projects)
Investments

For ordinary wage earners, indeed, a single source of income and diverse uncertain expenses are destined to make individuals stretched thin. To solve this problem, we must be brave, face this problem squarely, and intentionally move in the right direction to gradually improve the situation. Otherwise, when will we stop being poor, and when will we achieve financial freedom?

For me, the plan is:

Grow salary by improving professional skills.
Build a second income via blogging, Medium, open source, and paid plugins. Thanks to affiliate links on the blog, I’ve made about $20 — not enough to cover VPS costs, but the model is healthy and sustainable. Still, content quantity and quality are the real key.
As for investing, I started with stocks last year. No losses so far, but no real gains either. The reason is simple: I lack investment knowledge — haven’t even read a single book. So back to the old advice: read more.

Forget It — Play to Your Strengths

This point in the book really hit home. Personally, I love tinkering with software and gadgets, and I love sharing. For a long time I saw these traits as flaws, and my family did too — which made me unhappy. But thinking back, because I tinker, I developed an instinct for user experience that still influences my work. Because I love gadgets, people ask me for help and I’ve deepened and expanded friendships. Because I love sharing, I’ve helped and met many people. I need to admit these traits shaped me. If they take time, why not invest that time?

We often try to learn from others, change ourselves, and fix our weaknesses. But some weaknesses are hard to fix. Why not shift the mindset, amplify and showcase our strengths, and sidestep weaknesses where reasonable?

I often think: our differences come from our strengths, weaknesses, and quirks. If we truly changed them all, wouldn’t we all become the same?

Final Thoughts

I suspect the author, Zhang Hui, has achieved financial freedom — built on excellence, which in turn comes from excellent habits.

So: change yourself, become better, and once you identify the right things, keep doing them. Quantity becomes quality. If you keep doing the right things and keep improving, how bad could life be? Looking back when we’re old, how much regret would there be?

Review: AFTERSHOKZ Bone-Conduction Headphones

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 14:57:14 +0800

A family member bought the AFTERSHOKZ AS650 Air bone-conduction headphones. I’d never used this style before, so I borrowed them for a while. Here’s what stood out—useful if you’re deciding between bone conduction and traditional earbuds.

Pros

Novel design. It’s fundamentally different from in-ear or over-ear headphones, great for people who dislike having tips in their ears or pressure on their head.
Decent build quality. Nothing mind-blowing at the ~¥1,000 price point, but it feels well-made.
Comfortable. There’s no ear canal contact and the unit weighs only about 30 g, so there’s virtually no fatigue.

Cons

Sound quality. That’s half the equation (the other half being battery life). These fall short of my AirPods 2, and they’re nowhere near my Bose 700s.
Experience polish. This model doesn’t auto-pause when you take it off. After getting used to Apple’s ecosystem, that feels clunky. Forget about tight integration with voice assistants or companion apps.
Price. Bone-conduction tech is mature and this is a domestic brand. I don’t see ¥1,000 worth of value here.

Verdict

At this price, unless you specifically need bone conduction, I’d stick with in-ear options from Xiaomi, Huawei, Apple, etc. AFTERSHOKZ touts “safer” listening because your ears stay open, but with the volume high enough you’ll still miss conversations around you. Long-term headphone use also carries the same hearing risks.

If you’re curious or simply like trying new gadgets, go for it. For most buyers, other options offer better value.