Software History

Software History

10186 bookmarks
Newest
Plain language and clear communication | James' Coffee Blog
Plain language and clear communication | James' Coffee Blog
I recently came across plainlanguage.gov, a website maintained by a working group of US federal govenrment employees. The site is maintained by people across agencies with a specific purpose: help government officials and departments use plain language in communications. I have enjoyed clicking through the website, finding guidance. The working group has prepared a list of plain language guidelines that acts as a de facto style guide.
Plain language and clear communication | James' Coffee Blog
First impressions with the Chemex | James' Coffee Blog
First impressions with the Chemex | James' Coffee Blog
I have set myself a little challenge. I want to learn how to use all of the major coffee brewers by the end of 2020. I have a list in my mind of those I want to learn. I started the year learning the Kalita Wave, then I moved onto the V60. My next choice to try out was the Chemex, the world-famous coffee maker designed by Dr. Peter Schlumbaum, a German inventor who moved to the U.S. due to their favourable patent laws. The Chemex is known for its iconic and clever design, so much so that the device is stored in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
First impressions with the Chemex | James' Coffee Blog
Bringing Back My Website | James' Coffee Blog
Bringing Back My Website | James' Coffee Blog
A few months ago, I stopped actively working on my blog where I spoke about programming and technology. I felt it was time for a break and I did not want to push myself into writing when I was not comfortable doing so; the best writing is that which comes from the heart, produced by passion.
Bringing Back My Website | James' Coffee Blog
IndieWeb Search results are also feeds | James' Coffee Blog
IndieWeb Search results are also feeds | James' Coffee Blog
IndieWeb Search has been intentionally designed to be open. The source code for the project is open. From the early days, there was a basic API that let you retrieve content and featured snippets from search results. I often chat about the search engine and how it is designed. The project is well documented. Another way in which the search engine is open is that all search result pages come with feeds. I hope to see more search engines do this too.
IndieWeb Search results are also feeds | James' Coffee Blog
Loneliness | James' Coffee Blog
Loneliness | James' Coffee Blog
Note: This post discusses loneliness. I'm okay. Let me say that again. I'm okay. I feel more connected than I have in a long time. With that said, if it weren't for my friends being open about their experiences with loneliness -- and the encouragement I received to talk about my feelings -- I may not have written this essay. I hope my experience below is helpful to someone and conveys one key point: if you experience or have experienced loneliness, you are not the only one. Let my post below be a testament to that. I have also written about my experiences with anxiety.
Loneliness | James' Coffee Blog
On the road to better espresso shots | James' Coffee Blog
On the road to better espresso shots | James' Coffee Blog
This weekend, I have been taking notes on all of my espresso shots so that I can record exactly which recipes do and do not work. So far, I have experimented with at least 10 recipes and only two of them worked out. I have determined that a 16 gram dose pulled at a 7 grind setting on my Encore with a 15 second preinfusion yields a
On the road to better espresso shots | James' Coffee Blog
Fun with Words | James' Coffee Blog
Fun with Words | James' Coffee Blog
Afficionados of lexicons, linguistics, and all things literary, here I am with another edition of Fun with Words. This is the first post of which I can recall in which the first sentence was architected to use a power-of-three featuring three words that begin with
Fun with Words | James' Coffee Blog
How to Make a Cold Foam Iced Coffee at Home | James' Coffee Blog
How to Make a Cold Foam Iced Coffee at Home | James' Coffee Blog
I saw a post on Instagram yesterday by Starbucks advertising their Pumpkin Spiced Latte and a pumpkin spiced cold foam drink. Autumn must be imminent, despite my wish for the summer to go on longer. The foam drink caught my eye. At Starbucks, you can order some
How to Make a Cold Foam Iced Coffee at Home | James' Coffee Blog
How I am brewing with the Aeropress | James' Coffee Blog
How I am brewing with the Aeropress | James' Coffee Blog
Over the last few weeks, I have been brewing using almost exactly the same recipe when I choose to use my Aeropress (which has been my go-to brewer recently). There are times when I really want to explore brewing variables but at the moment I just want to make some good cups of coffee. I have arrived at a recipe which I can use to make good cups of coffee consistently and that's what matters to me the most right now.
How I am brewing with the Aeropress | James' Coffee Blog
Brewing with the Aeropress in the park | James' Coffee Blog
Brewing with the Aeropress in the park | James' Coffee Blog
A few weeks ago, I decidied that I would brew a cup of coffee in the local park using my Aeropress. I prepared my equipment, boiled some water, and set out of the house to a local park bench where I could sit and brew. If you are ever looking for a new way to brew coffee, try brewing outside, while only taking what you need to make a brew.
Brewing with the Aeropress in the park | James' Coffee Blog
Dog and Hat Subscription Box Review | James' Coffee Blog
Dog and Hat Subscription Box Review | James' Coffee Blog
I have been curious about coffee subscription boxes for a while. My point of hesitation for buying a subscription box has been that I like to pick beans myself, usually ones that stand out to me in some way. For instance, I recently bought a coffee from Full Court Press that went through extended fermentation.
Dog and Hat Subscription Box Review | James' Coffee Blog
Blue Bottle Coffee Course Notes | James' Coffee Blog
Blue Bottle Coffee Course Notes | James' Coffee Blog
At the weekend, I finally got around to taking the Blue Bottle Coffee course about coffee on SkillShare. The course covers the science behind coffee, the equipment needed to brew a cup of coffee, and tasting, among other topics. I was most looking forward to the lecture on tasting and I was not let down.
Blue Bottle Coffee Course Notes | James' Coffee Blog
Starbucks' influence on my interest in speciality coffee | James' Coffee Blog
Starbucks' influence on my interest in speciality coffee | James' Coffee Blog
I recently saw a post by Wendelien Van Bunnik, a World Aeropress Champion, on Instagram. In the post, Wendelien shares her history of drinking poor-quality coffee before discovering speciality. She ends the post with an interesting question that I wanted to write about:
Starbucks' influence on my interest in speciality coffee | James' Coffee Blog
The design of the Kalita Wave | James' Coffee Blog
The design of the Kalita Wave | James' Coffee Blog
I have purchased a Kalita Wave on which I shall practice my pour-over skills. Going from immersion brewing with the Aeropress to pour-over brewing is a big step but I am excited to learn more about how to brew a cup of coffee. I have been reading about the Wave and other pour-over methods to understand the main characteristics between each brewer.
The design of the Kalita Wave | James' Coffee Blog
Coffee Chat with Nasko Panov from NP's Coffee Science | James' Coffee Blog
Coffee Chat with Nasko Panov from NP's Coffee Science | James' Coffee Blog
There are so many questions left unanswered in the speciality coffee industry. Many of these questions relate to the science behind coffeeโ€”why does coffee react in a certain way in certain circumstancesโ€”and not everyone has the know-how or the equipment to answer said questions.
Coffee Chat with Nasko Panov from NP's Coffee Science | James' Coffee Blog
My First Brew with a Scale | James' Coffee Blog
My First Brew with a Scale | James' Coffee Blog
My coffee scale recently arrived and I decided that I'd brew my first coffee with a scale today. This is the biggest change to my brewing process since I bought a grinder almost a month ago. I've never measured the weight of my coffee. I've always eyeballed my measurements.
My First Brew with a Scale | James' Coffee Blog
My Kalita Wave Recipe | James' Coffee Blog
My Kalita Wave Recipe | James' Coffee Blog
Before I even ordered my Kalita Wave, I did some research on potential recipes to use. I did the same thing when I got my Aeropress. I wanted to know how I should go about using the device so that I was prepared to make my first brew. After reading through a few recipes, I found one on Drop Coffee which was simple and easy for me to understand. I did not want to over-complicate my brewing so I choose this simple recipe.
My Kalita Wave Recipe | James' Coffee Blog
Brewing Coffee With the Aeropress | James' Coffee Blog
Brewing Coffee With the Aeropress | James' Coffee Blog
The Aeropress is the device that first got me into the world of specialty coffee. Before I knew that there were different grind sizes and origins (and to think that was only a few months ago) I wanted a device that was as simple as possible. I was interested in coffee after having an experience drinking, of all coffees, a Greggs Cappuccino. It was my first coffee this year and it felt special. I was drinking coffee again and it tasted delicious.
Brewing Coffee With the Aeropress | James' Coffee Blog
Why I Drink Speciality Coffee | James' Coffee Blog
Why I Drink Speciality Coffee | James' Coffee Blog
It's another one of those days where I cannot think of something to write about. I've been drinking speciality coffee for a few months. I've never thought about coffee as something that I could drink of a higher quality. I grew up with the idea that coffee came from a Nescafe jar. My parents would always complain about the rising price of coffee. They tried to, and still do, buy jars of coffee on offer. Coffee was not meant to taste great. Coffee kept you going.
Why I Drink Speciality Coffee | James' Coffee Blog
Hario Mini Mill Grinder Review | James' Coffee Blog
Hario Mini Mill Grinder Review | James' Coffee Blog
This afternoon, my first electric coffee grinder arrived. Up until now I've been using the Hario Mini Mill for all my grinding needs. My decision to buy a hand grinder was somewhat of an accident. I purchased an at-home coffee cupping kit and all of the samples came in whole bean form. I was offered a session in the next class and a kit with preground beans but I was excited for the session and so I decided to buy a hand grinder.
Hario Mini Mill Grinder Review | James' Coffee Blog
Observations on gooseneck kettles | James' Coffee Blog
Observations on gooseneck kettles | James' Coffee Blog
A gooseneck kettle is almost essential when it comes to brewing pour-over coffee. I was doing a cupping yesterday and I used my regular electric kettle to pour water into my cupping bowls (read: three mugs I had in the cupboard). While I was able to pour to a surprising degree of accuracy, my water flow was not consistent. The water sometimes dripped, the flow rate was bouncing back and forth, and I had little control over where the water was going in the cup.
Observations on gooseneck kettles | James' Coffee Blog
Using the Tricolate coffee brewer | James' Coffee Blog
Using the Tricolate coffee brewer | James' Coffee Blog
I have been thinking a lot about pour over drippers over the last few weeks. I used to wonder what innovation was left in pour over drippers but recently my eyes have been opened to the opportunity left in this realm. There isn't a
Using the Tricolate coffee brewer | James' Coffee Blog
My First French Press Brew | James' Coffee Blog
My First French Press Brew | James' Coffee Blog
For the last few months, the Aeropress has been my go-to device for brewing coffee. I like the process of preparing for a cup. Making a cup of coffee has become a ritual. There's so much involved in making one cup and at the end I feel a great sense of accomplishment. The Aeropress is an involved brewing process. I cannot take my eye off the ball.
My First French Press Brew | James' Coffee Blog
Coffee Chat with John from Artisan Roast and Coffee Nexus | James' Coffee Blog
Coffee Chat with John from Artisan Roast and Coffee Nexus | James' Coffee Blog
Starting a career in coffee is often seen as becoming either a cafe owner, a roaster, or a barista. But there are other paths: coffee organisations offer many roles. In this chat with John, the Head of Coffee at Artisan Roast, I talk about careers in coffee, training, building flavour references, and Robusta. John is a certified R grader (Robusta grader) so he was able to give some great insights on Robusta coffee and what needs to happen for Robusta to be more appreciated in the speciality market.
Coffee Chat with John from Artisan Roast and Coffee Nexus | James' Coffee Blog
The Aeropress: Inverted vs Regular Methods | James' Coffee Blog
The Aeropress: Inverted vs Regular Methods | James' Coffee Blog
I am a firm believer in the inverted Aeropress method. But, I did not always feel this way. An IndieWeb community member encouraged me to try out the Aeropress method a few days after I got the device. Up until then, I was a devoted regular method brewer.
The Aeropress: Inverted vs Regular Methods | James' Coffee Blog