Table of Contents
A New Site
Posted October 16, 2022
It has been almost exactly a year since I changed from a Wordpress blog
to a site hosted on IPFS. I was working on updating my site and decided
to partially switch back to a standard host. I'm still using simple
HTML built from scratch, and I'll still mirror my content on IPFS at
ipfs.nathankmbowie.com, but I've just had too many times when my site
took way to long to load in CloudFlare's IPFS gateway service. I'm now
hosting on GitHub pages, NeoCities, and IPFS. I'm also more or less
restarting my blog I guess. Not that I couldn't while on IPFS, but I
might as well now that I'm in the process of revamping my site.
I'm still posting on YouTube, and posting written content on Hive.Blog
(as well as occasional content in the tutorials section of my website).
I also worked on a mini documentary with a few fellow Hive creators.
World's also still a bit crazy too. I mean I guess it's always been,
but lets hope I'm still around in another two years to keep updating
this blog.
Bitrot PSA, a YouTube Short
Posted on January 26, 2021
My second video, a YouTube short, explaining the time in which Bitrot can take hold.
https://youtu.be/Dlxtn_yO3Gw
Okay, here is the longer version of this YouTube Short. While data loss
can occur for a variety of reasons, Bitrot occurs when data on a
storage device degrades after a considerable time of no use. Digital
electronics use binary code, or ones and zeros, which are then
interpreted by the device to recompile data in a usable form. This is
very reminiscent of smoke signals, Morse code, and the telegram, where
data is compressed for transportation and storage, then decompressed to
regain it’s original meaning.
Solid state storage, such as SSDs as well as many thumb drives and SD
cards trap electrons to store those ones and zeros. Eventually those
electrons escape, damaging the integrity of the data. You should expect
this type of storage to last at least a year without data loss due to
bitrot in normal conditions, however, a brand new storage medium of
good quality that is mostly empty can last considerably longer.
Hard drives and similar media use magnetic switches to store those ones
and zeros. Over time some of those switches can flip themselves in an
unwanted way, eventually damaging the integrity of the data. You can
expect a hard drive to store data around a decade without being powered
before Bitrot sets in.
Optical media such as CDs and DVDs have data literally burned into
them. Because they are read by the computer optically (similar to how
we read paper), they experience bitrot when the surface becomes
physically damaged to a point where they cannot be read. Because this
is physical decay they are a lot more dependent on the environment
around them for their data storage capabilities, though in a good
environment they should outlast all other mentioned storage mediums.
Overall, make sure to keep your data backed up. Remember, data loss can
also come from faulty storage, environmental damage, and human error.
If you rely on physical backups for long term storage (as apposed to
cloud storage) be sure check the storage semi regularly to stave off
bitrot and be sure that your data is in tact.
I started a YouTube Channel
Posted January 25, 2021
I like writing, and enjoyed writing my book (believe me, if I was in
for money I would be long gone, as the only financial benefit from my
writing is a capitol loss write off at the end of the year). That said,
writing a book is a long process that does not give too much instant
gratification and requires a lot of writing on one very specific topic.
Yeah, there are books of essays like Shooting an Elephant and other
essays by George Orwell, but I don’t have the clout or writing skills
to write articles and essays that people will pay for.
That said, writing article sized content and providing them in both
written form and narrated form is something that I can do. This way I
can write shorter content on a random topic and provide it in an
entertaining way. Though the drawbacks include listening to my voice
and watching my video editing, I do think that I may be able to produce
some interesting content worth watching. My first video, featured
below, is my attempt to gauge which ways the crypto market can go.
https://youtu.be/7DykAy3Tq_c
Free Promo + Leaving KU
Posted September 8, 2020
It’s been about five months since I made an update here, not that I get
much traffic on this part of my website – but if you’re reading this
then ‘hey. Not that I’m upset about that, I’m coming close to having
100 books (mostly digital) distributed and for a hobby I feel great to
see that.
Anyway, on to the update. On Sept. 11-15th I’ll have my second free
promotion for an ebook copy of my book. If you’re interested in it then
that would be a great chance to check it out. Additionally, my
exclusivity agreement with Kindle Unlimited expires Sept. 30th. Beyond
that I hope to look into extending the distribution of my book (I think
it would be really cool if I could pick up my own book at a Walmart or
bookstore – even if it had to be ordered online ahead of time).
Additionally, if you fact check my previous posts I said I’d increase
the price from $0.99 to $2.99 in May. The changes is mostly due to
royalties: Epic thinks they have it bad at 30% fees, well on Amazon if
you charge $0.99 on your book they’ll take a $0.69 cut with the 70% fee
becoming a 30% fee at $2.99. When I exit Kindle Unlimited I’ll probably
raise the price. I’d tell you to buy it before it changes, but you’d be
better off participating in the free promo I just mentioned above.
Finally, over the next week or so I’ll probably make a few minor
revisions to the book. Nothing insane, but I’ll probably add another
more direct note against leaking confidential information and also note
some of China’s new security laws and the response that some
universities have taken to implement pseudonymity because of that as
reasons why this form of knowledge is good to have. If you already have
an ebook from Amazon it should update automatically to the updated
version once it is out.
All in all, I’m looking forward so far. Stay healthy, stay safe, and have a good one!
Well, I’m Live
Posted April 4, 2020
How to Leak Documents and Surf the Web Anonymously is officially live
on Amazon. I currently have the ebook version at $0.99 (or free with
Kindle Unlimited) and the paperback at $7.99. The ebook’s price will
remain $0.99 throughout the end of April when it will change to $2.99,
and I will remain in the Kindle Unlimited program for at least the next
90 days.
Official Release
Posted March 24, 2020
It’s official – I’m now on Goodreads and Amazon with a release date of
April 4th 2020 and an option to pre-order my book “How to Leak
Documents and Surf the Web Anonymously” for $0.99 or with a Kindle
Unlimited Subscription.
I intend to keep the book @ $0.99 for all of the month of April and on
Kindle Unlimited for at least the first 90 days of the release – so if
you are interested (especially if you have a KU subscription) then now
is a great time to check it out.
I’ve got an awesome editor who is working on some finishing touches,
but otherwise everything is just about set here. If you are interested
and reading this I’d love for you to subscribe to my blog, follow me on
twitter @NathanBowie6, or simply bookmark my Amazon/Goodreads/website
for further information.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, I’m really excited to be releasing so soon. Wish me luck internet!
Announcing My Book
Posted March 22, 2020
Alright, here this goes…
I am announcing my book “How to Leak Documents and Surf the Web
Anonymously” today with an intended release date of Saturday April 4th.
If you wanna read about it you can check out my “works by me” page.
While I can’t guarantee that it will be live on the 4th that is my
intended release date and do expect to do so by then. It will be in
both digital and physical form, and like everything other product in
the world (maybe minus toilet paper right now) it will be found on
Amazon.com. At the moment I am working on the final touches of it, as
well as also getting the word out (putting it on Goodreads, tweets,
getting podcast interviews, ect).
Wish me luck internet.
Hello World
Posted March 9, 2020
Okay, so I just installed WordPress. At the moment my site is pretty
much a shell, though I’m getting it a bit more decked out here. If
you’re reading this and there’s not much else on this site yet then
stay tuned, there is (hopefully) plenty more in store.
Contact Me:
Mastodon @natebowie@mastodon.social
Twitter @NathanBowie6