alan
@alanwsmith.com
my current thing is bitty. a free, open-source web component for making pages interactive without a framework: https://bitty.alanwsmith.com/
I converted the math for a linear interpolation function into CSS. Let's you do things like smoothly convert a small square into a big rectangle with a single slider
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/or/mx/...
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/or/mx/...
CSS Linear Interpolation Map Range Function Math
a post from alan w. smith
www.alanwsmith.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:24 PM
I converted the math for a linear interpolation function into CSS. Let's you do things like smoothly convert a small square into a big rectangle with a single slider
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/or/mx/...
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/or/mx/...
Bookshelves are filled with justice, and tolerance, and science, and art, and hope. And, when you combine hope and truth, that is the enemy of the people who need fear and lies to stay in power.
-- Steve Hofstetter at the American Association of School Librarians
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bplG...
-- Steve Hofstetter at the American Association of School Librarians
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bplG...
They Always Come For the Books (Full Speech)
YouTube video by Steve Hofstetter
www.youtube.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Bookshelves are filled with justice, and tolerance, and science, and art, and hope. And, when you combine hope and truth, that is the enemy of the people who need fear and lies to stay in power.
-- Steve Hofstetter at the American Association of School Librarians
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bplG...
-- Steve Hofstetter at the American Association of School Librarians
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bplG...
*goes to look up `cursor: copy;`
*finds one zillion other options
*brain xplodes
developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/W...
*finds one zillion other options
*brain xplodes
developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/W...
November 11, 2025 at 8:41 PM
*goes to look up `cursor: copy;`
*finds one zillion other options
*brain xplodes
developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/W...
*finds one zillion other options
*brain xplodes
developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/W...
I'm updating my color theme switcher. I'm using custom CSS vars that don't exist by default w/ fallback to ones that do via `prefers-color-scheme`. Second step: an inline script that populates the custom variables if the user has made a selection
write up is here: theme-switcher.alanwsmith.com
write up is here: theme-switcher.alanwsmith.com
Page Theme Switcher
my page color theme switcher
theme-switcher.alanwsmith.com
November 11, 2025 at 7:46 PM
I'm updating my color theme switcher. I'm using custom CSS vars that don't exist by default w/ fallback to ones that do via `prefers-color-scheme`. Second step: an inline script that populates the custom variables if the user has made a selection
write up is here: theme-switcher.alanwsmith.com
write up is here: theme-switcher.alanwsmith.com
Remi Wolf - Woo! (Official Video)
YouTube video by Remi Wolf
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:07 PM
i've watched this trio probably 20 times since finding the video a last month:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPzC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPzC...
Trio per Uno トリオ ペル ウーノ - ジヴコヴィッチ
YouTube video by 徳島文理大学音楽学部・短期大学部音楽科
www.youtube.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:40 AM
i've watched this trio probably 20 times since finding the video a last month:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPzC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPzC...
this version of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For from KT Tunstall and POMPLAMOOSE
youtu.be/sCxyOJKCLWc?...
youtu.be/sCxyOJKCLWc?...
I Still Haven't Found // U2 // KT Tunstall + POMPLAMOOSE
YouTube video by PomplamooseMusic
youtu.be
November 9, 2025 at 4:20 AM
this version of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For from KT Tunstall and POMPLAMOOSE
youtu.be/sCxyOJKCLWc?...
youtu.be/sCxyOJKCLWc?...
today's ponder: if there's no longer a chance of any of my posts showing up in search engines because off all the slop, is there any reason not to just deliver garbage to every bot/scrapper/crawler?
November 8, 2025 at 6:49 PM
today's ponder: if there's no longer a chance of any of my posts showing up in search engines because off all the slop, is there any reason not to just deliver garbage to every bot/scrapper/crawler?
I think my dream job is Ethical Mad Scientist
November 7, 2025 at 10:25 PM
I think my dream job is Ethical Mad Scientist
finish big project. need nap.
November 7, 2025 at 8:55 PM
finish big project. need nap.
new page: fonts.alanwsmith.com
It provides `size-adjust` values that normalize the `ex-height` of different fonts (i.e. the lowercase `x` character become the same height for any given `font-size` value). Type scales are easier to use with different fonts since 1rem becomes the same for all faces.
It provides `size-adjust` values that normalize the `ex-height` of different fonts (i.e. the lowercase `x` character become the same height for any given `font-size` value). Type scales are easier to use with different fonts since 1rem becomes the same for all faces.
Font Normilization Data
a set of adjustments to normalize font sizes
fonts.alanwsmith.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:47 PM
new page: fonts.alanwsmith.com
It provides `size-adjust` values that normalize the `ex-height` of different fonts (i.e. the lowercase `x` character become the same height for any given `font-size` value). Type scales are easier to use with different fonts since 1rem becomes the same for all faces.
It provides `size-adjust` values that normalize the `ex-height` of different fonts (i.e. the lowercase `x` character become the same height for any given `font-size` value). Type scales are easier to use with different fonts since 1rem becomes the same for all faces.
putting this on repeat in the headphones for the next few hours. perfect loop to zone code to:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cdD...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cdD...
King Biscuit Time - I Walk The Earth
YouTube video by PK Ireland
www.youtube.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:22 PM
putting this on repeat in the headphones for the next few hours. perfect loop to zone code to:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cdD...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cdD...
brain took a bit of a break for the past couple days. pretty sure it's not depression. just a combination of recovering from an eight hour social interaction day at the niece's b-day and the time change. feels like it's coming back online today.
November 6, 2025 at 3:19 PM
brain took a bit of a break for the past couple days. pretty sure it's not depression. just a combination of recovering from an eight hour social interaction day at the niece's b-day and the time change. feels like it's coming back online today.
I couldn't find a modern function to check if a font is available on a web page or not. A few hours later: Check if a Font is Available on a Web Page with JavaScript
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/17/1f/...
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/17/1f/...
Check if a Font is Available on a Web Page with JavaScript
a post from alan w. smith
www.alanwsmith.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:23 PM
I couldn't find a modern function to check if a font is available on a web page or not. A few hours later: Check if a Font is Available on a Web Page with JavaScript
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/17/1f/...
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/17/1f/...
needed to figure out the "Aspect Value" for different fonts. The process involves resizing text with an `font-size-adjust` until the size matches the same text without the style. Here's an hour and a half of the processes running through every google font.
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/17/nv/...
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/17/nv/...
Automatically Calculating Google Font Aspect Values
a post from alan w. smith
www.alanwsmith.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:45 PM
needed to figure out the "Aspect Value" for different fonts. The process involves resizing text with an `font-size-adjust` until the size matches the same text without the style. Here's an hour and a half of the processes running through every google font.
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/17/nv/...
www.alanwsmith.com/en/35/17/nv/...
Ever try to record a video showing a browser that you want to shrink so show more code beside it, but the browser won't let you?
Allow me to suggest launching the page in a popup.
A pain, you say? Not any more!
popup.alanwsmith.com
Allow me to suggest launching the page in a popup.
A pain, you say? Not any more!
popup.alanwsmith.com
popup launcher
enter a url, launch a window
popup.alanwsmith.com
November 1, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Ever try to record a video showing a browser that you want to shrink so show more code beside it, but the browser won't let you?
Allow me to suggest launching the page in a popup.
A pain, you say? Not any more!
popup.alanwsmith.com
Allow me to suggest launching the page in a popup.
A pain, you say? Not any more!
popup.alanwsmith.com
waited until 3pm to eat lunch because I got lost in writing. The headache is worth it.
October 31, 2025 at 7:24 PM
waited until 3pm to eat lunch because I got lost in writing. The headache is worth it.
I spent the morning setting up the yabai tiling window manager on my mac. It's great. The docs are a little hard to parse in places so I wrote up the process here:
www.alanwsmith.com/en/34/pl/ar/...
www.alanwsmith.com/en/34/pl/ar/...
Setting Up the yabai Tiling Window Manager for Mac - 2025 Edition
a post from alan w. smith
www.alanwsmith.com
October 31, 2025 at 6:45 PM
I spent the morning setting up the yabai tiling window manager on my mac. It's great. The docs are a little hard to parse in places so I wrote up the process here:
www.alanwsmith.com/en/34/pl/ar/...
www.alanwsmith.com/en/34/pl/ar/...
petition to stop calling it "AI Slop". That's to generous. "AI Bullshit" gets the point across better
(yes, there are times with AI/ML can be useful, I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about the bullshit)
(yes, there are times with AI/ML can be useful, I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about the bullshit)
October 29, 2025 at 1:11 PM
petition to stop calling it "AI Slop". That's to generous. "AI Bullshit" gets the point across better
(yes, there are times with AI/ML can be useful, I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about the bullshit)
(yes, there are times with AI/ML can be useful, I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about the bullshit)
I got a basic two window set up to sync for doing slides and speaker notes.
doesn't look like much yet. that doesn't stop me from being very happy with it.
(I was not, as the title suggest, adding RSS. that's done, I just forgot to change it)
www.twitch.tv/videos/26038...
doesn't look like much yet. that doesn't stop me from being very happy with it.
(I was not, as the title suggest, adding RSS. that's done, I just forgot to change it)
www.twitch.tv/videos/26038...
adding RSS to my static site generator - theidofalan on Twitch
theidofalan went live on Twitch. Catch up on their Software and Game Development VOD now.
www.twitch.tv
October 29, 2025 at 3:31 AM
I got a basic two window set up to sync for doing slides and speaker notes.
doesn't look like much yet. that doesn't stop me from being very happy with it.
(I was not, as the title suggest, adding RSS. that's done, I just forgot to change it)
www.twitch.tv/videos/26038...
doesn't look like much yet. that doesn't stop me from being very happy with it.
(I was not, as the title suggest, adding RSS. that's done, I just forgot to change it)
www.twitch.tv/videos/26038...
okay, streaming now, like i haven't done it in months: www.twitch.tv/theidofalan
TheIdOfAlan - Twitch
just working on the codes. right now, working on a static site generator
www.twitch.tv
October 28, 2025 at 10:37 PM
okay, streaming now, like i haven't done it in months: www.twitch.tv/theidofalan
You know that thing where folks go, "I'm not a racist, but...."
I'm writing a piece and just thought to myself, "I'm not a communist, but..."
I'm writing a piece and just thought to myself, "I'm not a communist, but..."
October 28, 2025 at 5:15 PM
You know that thing where folks go, "I'm not a racist, but...."
I'm writing a piece and just thought to myself, "I'm not a communist, but..."
I'm writing a piece and just thought to myself, "I'm not a communist, but..."
finished the docs and pushed v3.0 of bitty¹ live. Next up is making examples and videos.
¹ bitty's a web component for adding interactivity to pages without requiring a framework
bitty.alanwsmith.com
¹ bitty's a web component for adding interactivity to pages without requiring a framework
bitty.alanwsmith.com
bitty - interactivity without a framework
A web component that creates interactive pages without requiring a framework
bitty.alanwsmith.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:16 AM
finished the docs and pushed v3.0 of bitty¹ live. Next up is making examples and videos.
¹ bitty's a web component for adding interactivity to pages without requiring a framework
bitty.alanwsmith.com
¹ bitty's a web component for adding interactivity to pages without requiring a framework
bitty.alanwsmith.com
did discord change their sounds or do I just have my volume up more than normal and am hearing stuff that's always been there?
October 26, 2025 at 4:41 PM
did discord change their sounds or do I just have my volume up more than normal and am hearing stuff that's always been there?