#tech resources

even as a tech idiot i found these instructions clear and easy to follow. this time i hit a bit of a snag with the command prompt window, but that was solved by typing ".\adb" (without the quotation marks) every time the guide told me to type "adb".

If you're like me who codes every day but sometimes forgets to push your code to your Github repository to secure your streak for the day (this can be so heartbreaking) but you still want something to track your progress then I've found the perfect solution 🟩.

WakaTime is a plugin/extension that tracks the hours you've been on your IDE think of it like FitBit,  it's a personal analytics service for programmers that shows you how you spend your time and helps you be more productive.

It breaks down the time you've spent on your IDE visually as seen below:

You can also set daily goals to ensure that you code daily to build that habit and many more features at your disposal.

Installation is simple. My IDE is Visual Studio Code, so the steps below are tailored to VSC. 1. Register an account on WakaTime. You'll be given a unique API key after registration, copy the API key into your clipboard. 2. Download "WakaTime" extension via the extension tab on VSC 3. A popup to insert your API key should automatically pop up, then you paste your API Key and that should set you up. You can track your progress on your dashboard.

I've managed to get a good start on the website, and I am currently satisfied with how everything is working. You may guess what it is but I'm waiting till it's finished to do a full reveal. I worked on the main page and some subpages and got them looking to how I want and I happy with the look.

I've decided to finally use a new extension that I've found out through tumblr from a post @leaveblackkbrosalone shared, WakaTime, and it allowed me to see how long I've worked on the site.

This extension is pretty amazing, and I think you guys should check it out if you don't use it already.

Goal for tomorrow is hopefully to complete this website and eventually overtime as I learn more, improve on it and make it better.

So I would say today was a great success!

I've seen a bunch of people not being able to read news articles due to a lack of subscription so I figured I'd link my favourite newspaper bypasser. It bypasses when the website loads in the part that locks the website and tells you to log-in/subscribe/disable your adblock and lets you continue on normally. As the name implies it is designed to get rid of adblock blockers so it helps there too (the way many websites load in those restrictions is the same). I'd recommend ghostery if you want a good adblock, adnauseum works too if you want to give the website the clicks without the ads (also obscures your ad fingerprint with an overload of information). Some people claim adneuseum got their YouTube accounts disabled though so don't use on YouTube while logged in if you're worried.

If you have additional trouble (like with the NYT) you may need to combine it with another extension to bypass the paywall entirely.

Here's one for the NYT that works with it: https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/12903-nyt-article-limit-remover

I've tested the exentension on its own for a few other popular paywalled newspapers and I think for now it works pretty much perfectly on its own but feel free to DM if you run into a site that it doesn't work on its own with.

Facebook’s Oculus to Bring Virtual Reality to California Libraries - Mercury News

The Future of Libraries: Talking Tech with Seattle City Librarian Marcellus Turner - GeekWire

How to Design a Library That Makes Kids Want to Read - TED (Includes video)

The Library Is a Place Where All Are Welcome - Tucson.com

Oh the Places You'll Go! Dr. Seuss Museum Opens Its Doors - Associated Press

Studies in the News – a weekly compilation of policy-tested articles and reports compiled by the California Research Bureau

My laptop doesn't have HEVC and most of the media I consume needs HEVC; I couldn't get it from the Windows Store for free because well, it has 0.99$ on it and I know you can find absolutely anything for free on the internet. I was also slightly pissed that all the updates from Windows didn't just include that (H.265 is the latest international standard for video compression since 2013). I did some digging and found a Script; All this script does is check to make sure you have prerequisite apps installed first (Microsoft Photos and HEIF Image Extensions apps) and installs them if needed, then installs the HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer app. These are the steps that worked for me: 1. Open PowerShell ISE

Free Learning Resources That Actually Help (No Fluff)

Stop wasting time in tutorial hell or paying for overpriced bootcamps that overpromise and underdeliver. If you are trying to upgrade your programming, development, or overall tech skills, the best materials are often completely free—you just have to know where to look.

We stripped away the fluff and compiled the ultimate checklist of high-quality, free tech learning platforms that actually deliver results.

🖥️ Online Courses & Tutorials

Coursera: (Audit tier for free access to world-class university lectures)

edX / MIT OpenCourseWare: Serious, structured academic tracks.

freeCodeCamp / Codecademy: Interactive, hands-on environments to build muscle memory.

📚 Official Documentation & Practice

MDN Web Docs: The absolute gold standard for web development.

HackerRank / LeetCode: Where you go to bridge the gap between "learning" and actual problem-solving.

GitHub Guides: Essential for mastering version control and open-source collaboration.

💾 Save this post to your tech or coding queue so you don’t lose it when you're ready to study.