Keir Finlow-Bates
@blockchaingandalf.com
A bit of maths, a bit of blockchain, books, and some stuff about computer programming
How to efficiently gain control of the #Ethereum zero address and all its wealth (and why it's not practical):
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/chasing-th...
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/chasing-th...
Chasing the Zero Address
An exercise in very low probabilities
blockchaingandalf.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:25 PM
How to efficiently gain control of the #Ethereum zero address and all its wealth (and why it's not practical):
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/chasing-th...
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/chasing-th...
Why does the “Remember me” login checkbox never seem to do anything? It certainly never causes me to be remembered.
November 4, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Why does the “Remember me” login checkbox never seem to do anything? It certainly never causes me to be remembered.
One of the most useful things I've bought in the last half year is a little 1920x400 resolution screen that I keep a Linux terminal active in at all times.
#linux #productivityhacks #terminal
#linux #productivityhacks #terminal
November 1, 2025 at 11:47 AM
One of the most useful things I've bought in the last half year is a little 1920x400 resolution screen that I keep a Linux terminal active in at all times.
#linux #productivityhacks #terminal
#linux #productivityhacks #terminal
Whenever I want to learn a new coding framework or tool, I always turn to a simple game idea. I've always found that coding up a game is usually the best way to learn something new.
October 18, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Whenever I want to learn a new coding framework or tool, I always turn to a simple game idea. I've always found that coding up a game is usually the best way to learn something new.
We're on Windows 11, and there's still no simple way to keep the user space, software install space, and operating system on separate drives without hacking the registry or adding some kind of xml file before creating users?
October 15, 2025 at 4:38 PM
We're on Windows 11, and there's still no simple way to keep the user space, software install space, and operating system on separate drives without hacking the registry or adding some kind of xml file before creating users?
I decided to bite the bullet and get a second-hand iphone, and sign up as an Apple Developer. It was surprisingly painless to get my Android Expo app working on iOS.
Once again, I'm waiting for an app store to approve the results.
#gamedev
Once again, I'm waiting for an app store to approve the results.
#gamedev
October 15, 2025 at 9:07 AM
I decided to bite the bullet and get a second-hand iphone, and sign up as an Apple Developer. It was surprisingly painless to get my Android Expo app working on iOS.
Once again, I'm waiting for an app store to approve the results.
#gamedev
Once again, I'm waiting for an app store to approve the results.
#gamedev
An answer to the question: why does an autonomous #AI need its own bank account, and how can we provide one?
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/why-do-aut...
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/why-do-aut...
Why do autonomous AIs need their own blockchain wallet?
And what problems require solving before this is possible...
blockchaingandalf.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 10:20 AM
An answer to the question: why does an autonomous #AI need its own bank account, and how can we provide one?
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/why-do-aut...
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/why-do-aut...
Want (or need) to get up to speed on the #x402 enhancement proposed by #Coinbase to make HTTP the standard for internet-native blockchain payments?
Read blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/x402-a-pro...
Read blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/x402-a-pro...
x402: a proposal for internet-native payments ...
... provided they're blockchain payments
blockchaingandalf.substack.com
October 2, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Want (or need) to get up to speed on the #x402 enhancement proposed by #Coinbase to make HTTP the standard for internet-native blockchain payments?
Read blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/x402-a-pro...
Read blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/x402-a-pro...
I've written an article on how, despite being a developer and test engineer, as an experiment, I wrote my recent game without looking at any of the code the AI produced.
It's far easier if you a) do look at the code and b) know how to code.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/blind-vibe...
#gamedev
It's far easier if you a) do look at the code and b) know how to code.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/blind-vibe...
#gamedev
Blind Vibe Coding
Writing a program using AI without looking at the code
blockchaingandalf.substack.com
September 23, 2025 at 6:15 PM
I've written an article on how, despite being a developer and test engineer, as an experiment, I wrote my recent game without looking at any of the code the AI produced.
It's far easier if you a) do look at the code and b) know how to code.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/blind-vibe...
#gamedev
It's far easier if you a) do look at the code and b) know how to code.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/blind-vibe...
#gamedev
Finally got approved! The open beta of MUSE is now live:
play.google.com/store/apps/d...
It's a Sokoban clone with a public high score table.
New level daily. Monday's is easiest, Sunday's hardest.
Looking forward to getting feedback.
#gamedev
play.google.com/store/apps/d...
It's a Sokoban clone with a public high score table.
New level daily. Monday's is easiest, Sunday's hardest.
Looking forward to getting feedback.
#gamedev
Muse - Apps on Google Play
Muse is a Sokoban game with an esoteric theme
play.google.com
September 22, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Finally got approved! The open beta of MUSE is now live:
play.google.com/store/apps/d...
It's a Sokoban clone with a public high score table.
New level daily. Monday's is easiest, Sunday's hardest.
Looking forward to getting feedback.
#gamedev
play.google.com/store/apps/d...
It's a Sokoban clone with a public high score table.
New level daily. Monday's is easiest, Sunday's hardest.
Looking forward to getting feedback.
#gamedev
The week when you're waiting for Google Play to approve your app on the store passes so sloooowly.
Fortunately, this time I have a server component as well, so I'm spending the time improving it and automating some of the update processes.
Still, tick-tock, tick-tock
#gamedev
Fortunately, this time I have a server component as well, so I'm spending the time improving it and automating some of the update processes.
Still, tick-tock, tick-tock
#gamedev
September 20, 2025 at 5:08 PM
The week when you're waiting for Google Play to approve your app on the store passes so sloooowly.
Fortunately, this time I have a server component as well, so I'm spending the time improving it and automating some of the update processes.
Still, tick-tock, tick-tock
#gamedev
Fortunately, this time I have a server component as well, so I'm spending the time improving it and automating some of the update processes.
Still, tick-tock, tick-tock
#gamedev
I submitted an Android game app to Google Play as an open beta review, and eight minutes later, I saw three new game accounts being created on my server.
What an odd feeling. Someone at Google was installing it and playing the game within minutes of submission.
#gamedev
What an odd feeling. Someone at Google was installing it and playing the game within minutes of submission.
#gamedev
September 19, 2025 at 11:27 AM
I submitted an Android game app to Google Play as an open beta review, and eight minutes later, I saw three new game accounts being created on my server.
What an odd feeling. Someone at Google was installing it and playing the game within minutes of submission.
#gamedev
What an odd feeling. Someone at Google was installing it and playing the game within minutes of submission.
#gamedev
Keep living the dream.
Unless the dream is riding a bicycle made entirely out of licorice across the Antarctic in the company of a giant talking penguin.
Unless the dream is riding a bicycle made entirely out of licorice across the Antarctic in the company of a giant talking penguin.
September 18, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Keep living the dream.
Unless the dream is riding a bicycle made entirely out of licorice across the Antarctic in the company of a giant talking penguin.
Unless the dream is riding a bicycle made entirely out of licorice across the Antarctic in the company of a giant talking penguin.
#bitcoin is the perfect medium for a #treasurehunt
Here's an article on why it's even more exciting than a box of gold buried in a forest.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/everyone-l...
Here's an article on why it's even more exciting than a box of gold buried in a forest.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/everyone-l...
Everyone Loves a Treasure Hunt
And is there any treasure more gleaming than some bitcoin?
blockchaingandalf.substack.com
September 17, 2025 at 8:01 PM
#bitcoin is the perfect medium for a #treasurehunt
Here's an article on why it's even more exciting than a box of gold buried in a forest.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/everyone-l...
Here's an article on why it's even more exciting than a box of gold buried in a forest.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/everyone-l...
Had to send a picture for KYC compliance by a financial institution today.
A selfie, holding my passport and a note in one hand, taking a picture with my phone in the other, getting my face, the note, and the passport visible.
Perhaps they'd like me to juggle some eggs as well.
A selfie, holding my passport and a note in one hand, taking a picture with my phone in the other, getting my face, the note, and the passport visible.
Perhaps they'd like me to juggle some eggs as well.
September 15, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Had to send a picture for KYC compliance by a financial institution today.
A selfie, holding my passport and a note in one hand, taking a picture with my phone in the other, getting my face, the note, and the passport visible.
Perhaps they'd like me to juggle some eggs as well.
A selfie, holding my passport and a note in one hand, taking a picture with my phone in the other, getting my face, the note, and the passport visible.
Perhaps they'd like me to juggle some eggs as well.
Just hit my 100th Medium article: medium.com/@kf106/dns-e...
I didn't even notice until several hours had passed.
I didn't even notice until several hours had passed.
DNS Exfiltration Explained
Stealing data 63 bytes at a time
medium.com
September 9, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Just hit my 100th Medium article: medium.com/@kf106/dns-e...
I didn't even notice until several hours had passed.
I didn't even notice until several hours had passed.
Even if your network is carefully locked down, hackers can still send data out using carefully crafted DNS queries. This article explains how.
open.substack.com/pub/blockcha...
@resonancesecurity.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/blockcha...
@resonancesecurity.bsky.social
DNS Exfiltration Explained
Stealing data 63 bytes at a time
open.substack.com
September 9, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Even if your network is carefully locked down, hackers can still send data out using carefully crafted DNS queries. This article explains how.
open.substack.com/pub/blockcha...
@resonancesecurity.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/blockcha...
@resonancesecurity.bsky.social
In this video, I talk specifically about why #ethereum Account Abstraction does not solve the problem of making the #blockchain #quantum secure.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/why-erc-43...
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/why-erc-43...
Why ERC-4337 (Account Abstraction) Does Not Quantum Secure Ethereum
You can't build a fortress on foundations of sand
blockchaingandalf.substack.com
September 8, 2025 at 7:41 PM
In this video, I talk specifically about why #ethereum Account Abstraction does not solve the problem of making the #blockchain #quantum secure.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/why-erc-43...
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/why-erc-43...
Account abstraction - yet another complicated #ethereum construct, but quite an interesting one. Can it really provide gasless transactions and solve the problem of quantum-insecure signatures?
No.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/what-is-er...
No.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/what-is-er...
What Is ERC-4337 (Account Abstraction) on Ethereum All About?
Moving the protocol from the base layer to smart contracts
blockchaingandalf.substack.com
September 7, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Account abstraction - yet another complicated #ethereum construct, but quite an interesting one. Can it really provide gasless transactions and solve the problem of quantum-insecure signatures?
No.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/what-is-er...
No.
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/what-is-er...
Writing a book is the counterexample to the sunk cost fallacy: the cognitive bias where people continue an endeavor and invest additional resources because they’ve already spent effort on it.
Even when continuing isn’t the rational choice.
Without the sunk cost fallacy, we would have no books.
Even when continuing isn’t the rational choice.
Without the sunk cost fallacy, we would have no books.
September 3, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Writing a book is the counterexample to the sunk cost fallacy: the cognitive bias where people continue an endeavor and invest additional resources because they’ve already spent effort on it.
Even when continuing isn’t the rational choice.
Without the sunk cost fallacy, we would have no books.
Even when continuing isn’t the rational choice.
Without the sunk cost fallacy, we would have no books.
Oh, look, I got an email from Morgan Stanley about my ages-old stock option account from a previous employer. Because I am holding no stock, I got a dividend worth “not a number” dollars.
What a shame it wasn’t an integer overflow bug.
What a shame it wasn’t an integer overflow bug.
September 3, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Oh, look, I got an email from Morgan Stanley about my ages-old stock option account from a previous employer. Because I am holding no stock, I got a dividend worth “not a number” dollars.
What a shame it wasn’t an integer overflow bug.
What a shame it wasn’t an integer overflow bug.
I've written two books on blockchain
It was a painful process. To be honest I don't know how people like @aptshadow.bsky.social manage to churn out hundreds of thousands of words more than I have
Despite that, here's my breathless advice for writers
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/three-writ...
It was a painful process. To be honest I don't know how people like @aptshadow.bsky.social manage to churn out hundreds of thousands of words more than I have
Despite that, here's my breathless advice for writers
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/three-writ...
Three Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors
If you feel compelled to bang your head against that wall...
blockchaingandalf.substack.com
August 31, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I've written two books on blockchain
It was a painful process. To be honest I don't know how people like @aptshadow.bsky.social manage to churn out hundreds of thousands of words more than I have
Despite that, here's my breathless advice for writers
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/three-writ...
It was a painful process. To be honest I don't know how people like @aptshadow.bsky.social manage to churn out hundreds of thousands of words more than I have
Despite that, here's my breathless advice for writers
blockchaingandalf.substack.com/p/three-writ...