Handling Large Files in Kubernetes on Azure
When handling large files in a Kubernetes-based backend, memory capacity and spikes in memory usage become problems that force us towards more complicated design solutions. Over the last few weeks, my team worked on speeding up load times of 3D models in our web application. Model files are uploaded by users and we have to run them through a server-side conversion process to extract only the parts relevant for rendering the model. We now do this by dynamically creating jobs on our Kubernetes cluster after a new model file is uploaded.
This is what I call a report "from the trenches" of software development: a design decision we made with imperfect knowledge and limited resources. Read on, if this is your thing!
Read on →Raising Kids Embracing Diversity - SoCraTes 2023 Session
At SoCraTes 2023 we had a session about "Raising Kids Embracing Diversity". The topic has become important to me since I started living with a 3-year-old who is increasingly picking up gender stereotypes. Read on for a list of book recommendations at the end.
Our session host, Mareike, framed the discussion with her idea of a "toolbox for living a happy life with meaningful connections & relationships" that we would want the kids in our life to have. The more specific question was: how do we talk with children learning and bringing home stereotypes from kindergarten? Do we object, if they repeat harmful stereotypes, or would that simply confuse them?
Read on →My Note Taking System - Storage Layer
My personal note taking system evolved from a collection of unstructured text files on a laptop to its current form. It is helping me a lot, and it's one of the systems that I happen to maintain just for myself. Nevertheless, it became complicated enough that it has become difficult for me to explain it well to others without documentation to support me.
I use a text-based note taking system that takes most of it's good ideas from the Zettelkasten method. Here is a great resource on how to use a Zettelkasten for note taking. I won't detail it in this post, because I want to focus on the storage layer of my system, which has been the most volatile part so far.
Read on →