# Alson Kaw

> Thoughts, reviews & portfolio

Language: en
URL: https://alsonkaw.com/

All pages on this site are available as clean Markdown by adding the header `Accept: text/markdown` to any HTTP request.
REST API: https://alsonkaw.com/wp-json/mescio-for-agents/v1/markdown?url={page_url}

## Pages

- [Setup](https://alsonkaw.com/desk-set-up/): Desk Set-up My desk set-up for productivity. More detailed information below.Last updated: 6th September, 2024 Hide Hotspots 1. iPad Air 5 & Accessories2. Orico 5-Bay HDD Dock More info 3. Edifier R1280DBs More info 4. Scarlett 2i25.1 Sharge Elevator5.2 Sharge
- [How to Convertium](https://alsonkaw.com/how-to-convertium/)
- [Protected: Set-up-old](https://alsonkaw.com/setup-old/): Desk Set-up My desk set-up for productivity. Last updated: 1st April, 2024 1. Aulumu M01 Wireless Charging Stand 2. Dual Prism+ W280 Max 3. Mi Computer Monitor Light Bar​ 4. Edifier R1280DBs 5. Wowstick 1F+​ & 2-Bay Orico HDD Dock
- [Reviews](https://alsonkaw.com/reviews/)
- [Muses](https://alsonkaw.com/muses/)
- [Home](https://alsonkaw.com/): Muses. Reviews. Portfolio. This is my digital playground — a space where I share my  thoughts and dive deep into the world of technology, development, marketing, business, and psychology.Here, you’ll find a mix of my notable works, insights, product reviews,
- [Connect](https://alsonkaw.com/connect/): Connect Hey there. I’m Alson, the person behind this site — because I figured you might enjoy my insights on the latest tech and trends. I’ve been tinkering with this site since 2008. The site has went through countless revisions
- [Privacy Policy](https://alsonkaw.com/privacy-policy/): Privacy Policy I’m a strong advocate for privacy, and your confidentiality is of the highest importance to me. I neither can nor wish to identify you through site analytics. Site analytics are important for managing a website like this. When
- [Disclaimer](https://alsonkaw.com/disclaimer/): Disclaimer This blog has been around for quite a while—my first post dates back to 2009, where I rambled on about Rails vs. PHP. Initially, I created this space to share my journey and insights.Over the years, I’ve shifted my
- [About](https://alsonkaw.com/about/): Hello there, here we are. I am a thirty-five year old serial entrepreneur on a mission to make life easier for everybody using technology. I started out as a designer before pivoting into a developer and finally back to a
- [Portfolio](https://alsonkaw.com/portfolio/): Portfolio

## Blog Posts

- [Why Does CORS Keep Blocking Me?](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/cors-errors-are-the-browser-protecting-you/) (2026-06-23): CORS errors confused me too. Here's what Same Origin Policy and CORS actually do, why browsers enforce them, and how to configure your way out.
- [Building Dark Mode Emails That Works](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/building-dark-mode-emails-that-works/) (2026-06-12): MJML handles responsive email boilerplate so you don't have to. Here's how to implement dark mode, logo switching, and survive the email client minefield.
- [Project Apollo: Rebuilt After 13 Years](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/project-apollo-rebuilt-after-13-years/) (2026-06-08): Project Apollo started as a static HTML page in 2012. Here's how I rebuilt it into a self-hosted PWA on Docker, Directus, and vanilla JS — no bundler, no framework.
- [Your meeting. Their podcast.](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/your-meeting-their-podcast/) (2026-04-18): WebinarTV has been secretly infiltrating Zoom calls, recording them without consent, and turning them into AI podcasts. Here's the full breakdown.
- [Velocity Is the New Authority](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/velocity-is-the-new-authority/) (2026-02-24): By the time you finish this paragraph, the feed has refreshed itself several times. A handful of new headlines have surfaced. Most will disappear before the hour ends, including for the people who posted them. Scroll for ten minutes and
- [Lossless Streaming Now On Spotify Premium](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/lossless-streaming-now-on-spotify-premium/) (2025-09-18): via Spotify, For the Record Spotify just rolled out something listeners have been asking about for years: lossless audio for Premium subscribers. That means you can finally stream music in 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC, giving you more detail, depth, and nuance
- [Why We Won’t Hire a Junior with Five Years of Experience](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/why-we-wont-hire-a-junior-with-five-years-of-experience/) (2025-04-10): 37signals is on the lookout for a new junior programmer, and they're offering an impressive annual salary of USD$145,849. They're not just looking for someone with a ton of experience—they want a candidate with incredible potential. The idea is that
- [5 Essential Steps to Secure Your SSH Servers](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/5-essential-steps-to-secure-your-ssh-servers/) (2025-03-19): If you're like me and still find value in using traditional servers over the trendy serverless options, securing your SSH access is key. Whether you're maintaining a legacy system or running predictable workloads, keeping your SSH connections secure is crucial.
- [Best 10 AI Color Palette Generators for 2025](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/best-10-ai-color-palette-generators-for-2025/) (2025-02-24): If you haven't jumped on the AI color palette generator bandwagon yet, you're in for a treat. These tools make crafting stunning color combos a breeze, transforming your design game entirely. Here are my top 10 picks that every designer
- [How I Built a Budget Server That Packs a Punch Part 2](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/how-i-built-a-budget-server-that-packs-a-punch-part-2/) (2024-12-24): Moving Digital Furniture Without Breaking Anything Ah yes, the fun part of building a new server—migration. If hardware assembly feels like building IKEA furniture, service migration is more like moving a fully decorated house, room by room, hoping nothing fragile
- [How I Built a Budget Server That Packs a Punch Part 1](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/how-i-built-a-budget-server-that-packs-a-punch-part-1/) (2024-12-23): Preamble Lately, I’ve been finding myself grumbling more and more about how sluggish my old HP Z600 server has become. With its aging SATA 2.0 ports and 1066 MHz RAM, it’s clear the hardware is holding me back. While I’ve
- [The Depths of Ren Gill’s “Hi Ren”](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/the-depths-of-ren-gills-hi-ren/) (2024-08-29): I recently stumbled upon "Ren's music, "Hi Ren" on TikTok. From there, I dove into the rabbit hole of Ren Gill's music. Ren Gill isn’t your typical musician. He’s not just stringing together chords and catchy hooks—he’s pulling back the
- [The Real Cost of Fast Fashion](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/the-real-cost-of-fast-fashion/) (2024-08-28): Remember when shopping for clothes felt like an investment? You’d buy a few well-made pieces, and they’d last you for years. Today, things are different. Fast fashion giants like Zara and Shein have flipped the script, prioritizing speed and low
- [35 on the Way to 35](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/35-on-the-way-to-35/) (2024-08-23): Preamble This year marks my 34th birthday, and it feels like the right time to revisit something I started four years ago. Back then, inspired by Ryan Holiday's "33 Things I Stole From People Smarter Than Me on the Way
- [7 Conversation Hacks](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/7-conversation-hacks/) (2024-08-14): You know those parasitic fishes that stick themselves onto sharks and eat their leftovers? They are called the remora fish and the relationship between the sharks and these fishes are called a symbiotic relationship.
- [Talk to Me](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/talk-to-me/) (2023-12-17): Sophia Wilde is amazing in this film. She just fully portrayed someone on the verge of complete mental collapse for more than half the film and it really got to me. The rest of the cast was well acted but
- [Symbiotic Relationships in Tech](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/symbiotic-relationships-in-tech/) (2023-11-14): You know those parasitic fishes that stick themselves onto sharks and eat their leftovers? They are called the remora fish and the relationship between the sharks and these fishes are called a symbiotic relationship.
- [Server Screw-Up](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/server-screw-up/) (2023-11-02): Preamble Yesterday, I thought I should add a new 1TB drive to my home server as a backup for the photos stored within Immich. Since I have a couple users there, I'd like to at least have backup of the
- [Kindnessas a Signifier of intelligence](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/kindnessas-a-signifier-of-intelligence/) (2023-09-14): This excerpt from Governor J.B. Pritzker's commencement address at Northwestern University deeply resonates with me. As I grow older, my thoughts align increasingly with this perspective. While I recommend watching the entire speech, here's the essence of it that particularly
- [Jon Prosser on Marques Brownlee](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/jon-prosser-on-marques-brownlee/) (2023-09-14): Jon Prosser of “Front Page Tech” pays a heartfelt tribute to MKBHD, highlighting the extraordinary talent and impact of Marques Brownlee. Brownlee’s reviews are not only fair and insightful but also enjoyable to watch. His refined taste and engaging on-screen
- [Atlas VPN Linux Zero-Day Vulnerability Leaked](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/atlas-vpn-linux-zero-day-vulnerability-leaked/) (2023-09-08): A Reddit user named 'Educational-Map-8145' published a PoC exploit on Reddit that abuses the Atlas VPN Linux API to reveal a user's real IP addresses. This PoC creates a hidden form that is automatically submitted by JavaScript to connect to the http://127.0.0.1:8076/connection/stop API endpoint URL.
- [Apple Acquires Classical Music Specialty Label BIS Records](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/apple-acquires-classical-music-specialty-label-bis-records/) (2023-09-08): A few days ago BIS Records turned 50 years old and I am immensely proud of what our small team of people has accomplished during this half-century. BIS’s specialty, while paying our dues to the core repertoire, has been to
- [Misbehavior in Robot Taxis](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/misbehavior-in-robot-taxis/) (2023-09-01): Ever thought about getting down and dirty in a robotaxi? Want to light up a cig or a joint on the drive home from the club? You’re not alone. As autonomous vehicles become increasingly popular in San Francisco, some riders
- [Todd Vaziri on Corridor Crew “VFX Artists React”](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/todd-vaziri-on-corridor-crew-vfx-artists-react/) (2023-08-31): My favorite segment was on the three different ways — all utterly different — ILM made lava for the Anakin/Obi-Wan duel on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith. The next was how to get the lightsaber's brightness to translate on
- [Threads Web App Launch](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/threads-web-app-launch/) (2023-08-26): Rolled out earlier this week, but by yesterday, I believe it's now available to everyone. Missing some features from the native iPhone/Android apps (no access to the chronological “following” feed yet), but quite solid overall — and there are some
- [Name Change Tanked X App Downloads](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/name-change-tanked-x-app-downloads/) (2023-08-23): Twitter has seen a dramatic decrease in its Top Downloaded chart position across both platforms since the app was renamed to X. Why? The situation presents a fascinating case study at the intersection of brand equity and mobile platform dynamics.
- [Twitter Threatens to Sue Meta Over Threads](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/twitter-threatens-to-sue-meta-over-threads/) (2023-07-07): Meta Executives Threaten to Piss Their Pants Laughing On Wednesday, Instagram parent company Meta introduced Threads, a text-based companion to Instagram that resembles Twitter and other text-based social platforms. Just hours later, a lawyer for Twitter, Alex Spiro, sent a
- [The Staggering Cost of Reddit’s API](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/the-staggering-cost-of-reddits-api/) (2023-06-05): Christian Selig, developer of the splendid Reddit client Apollo: I’ll cut to the chase: 50 million requests costs $12,000, a figure far more than I ever could have imagined.Apollo made 7 billion requests last month, which would put it at about
- [Why Android Users Switch to iPhone](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/why-android-users-switch-to-iphone/) (2023-06-05): On a survey of Android switchers conducted by CIRP: The top reason was actually an issue with the Android experience. Over 53% of respondents said they moved to iPhone because of problems with their Android smartphone. Specifics cited were “their old
- [Attention Span on the Internet](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/attention-span-on-the-internet/) (2023-04-11): You may have noticed that it's becoming harder and harder to focus on a single task for more than a few minutes at a time. This is likely due to our constant exposure to digital distractions, our increasingly busy lives,
- [GQ: “Tim Cook Thinks Different”](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/gq-tim-cook-thinks-different/) (2023-04-08): Tim Cook on Shaping the Future of Apple — Zach Baron, GQ Zach Baron’s cover story for GQ, a profile of Tim Cook, is a must-read: And yet Cook is, in the wealth of biographies and hagiography that has grown
- [Tetris](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/tetris/) (2023-04-07): Came across Tetris the Movie while scouring the internet for new movies to watch. If you like biographical-drama films like me, you'll really love Tetris. The film is extremely engaging and really tells the untold behind-the-scenes story of how a
- [Why I Won’t Use a YubiKey](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/why-i-wont-use-a-yubikey/) (2023-04-04): Came across this article recently. I Won't Buy a YubiKey — Garrit Franke In this interesting post, Garrit talks about why he wouldn't buy a YubiKey and I resonate with his thoughts. Just like Garrit, I own an iPhone. With
- [MacOS Multi-Display Swapping](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/macos-multi-display-swapping/) (2023-03-25): MacOS has a "flaw" when it comes to external displays. If you use two or more of the same exact model of display for your external displays, it will have trouble remembering your display settings. This is because MacOS, by
- [Zapier Re-design](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/zapier-re-design/) (2022-07-12): From photography and typography to colors and artwork — it’s an identity system built around their customers’ stories.
- [Difficult](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/difficult/) (2022-06-28): Is she "difficult" or is she inhabiting a body you are not accustomed to taking orders from? @NotNikyatu from Twitter A very powerful statement I stumbled upon on Twitter.
- [15-inch MacBook Air](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/15-inch-macbook-air/) (2022-06-13): Apple is rumored to be working on a 15-inch MacBook Air and a new 12-inch MacBook, according to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with Apple's plans. The source also revealed details about the M2 series of chips in Apple's high-performance MacBook
- [McDonald’s De-Arched.](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/mcdonalds-de-arched/) (2022-06-11): Following Russia's attack on Ukraine, McDonald's sold its Russian business to a regional franchisee. On the condition that they could not use the brand's iconic branding, but allowed them to keep the same menu. McD called this "the process of
- [Just How Long Should Alt Text Be?](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/just-how-long-should-alt-text-be/) (2022-06-02): So, how long should alt text be? The general consensus here is that there is no hard limit, but more of a contextual awareness of what purpose the image serves and adapting to it accordingly.— Just How Long Should Alt Text Be?
- [Instagram Sans Typeface](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/instagram-sans-typeface/) (2022-05-25): A closer look at the new custom type of Instagram's latest brand refresh made with Colophon Foundry.
- [Apophenia](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/apophenia/) (2022-02-25): The tendency to perceive a connection or meaningful pattern between unrelated things (such as objects or ideas). I’d suspect there was often a subconscious—or conscious—motivated reason tied to it. Apophenia is often used in a psychological or sociological context (e.g.,
- [M1-Specific Malware Detected](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/m1-specific-malware-detected/) (2021-02-24): The GoSearch22 adware introduces itself as a regular Safari browser extension. Once installed, however, it collects user data and offers a wide range of advertisements, such as banners, pop-ups, and links to random sites. Analysis of the threat reveals that
- [This year wasn’t unprecedented](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/this-year-wasnt-unprecedented-if-anything-it-set-the-precedent/) (2021-01-12): Nothing that happened this year came out of the blue. It had all been foretold in the warnings of experts over decades. The problem is that these warnings came mostly from environmental scientists, who are the kinds of experts we
- [Career Cold Start Algorithm](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/career-cold-start-algorithm/) (2020-07-12): Names show up and the context in which they show up tends to provide a very different map of the organization than the one in the org chart.— Andrew Bosworth on the Career Cold Start Algorithm In my time as a
- [10 Reasons Why Designers Prefer the Mac](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/10-reasons-why-designers-prefer-the-mac/) (2015-03-11): Recently came across a reddit article titled Must I really get a MacBook and thought it was interesting how the design industry is so prevalent with Macintoshes. Be it the iPad Air or the Retina 5k display iMac, ask any designer out
- [What Does Full-Stack Anything Really Mean?](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/what-does-full-stack-anything-really-mean/) (2014-07-15): I’ve been introducing myself as a full stack designer/developer hybrid for some time — when asked exactly what do I do. And then I always get the same next question — what does a full stack designer / developer mean?
- [Go out and do something ordinary!](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/go-out-and-do-something-ordinary/) (2012-01-06): You don't discover a problem worth solving by fantasizing with your co-founders "If there be an app that could do X, would it be cool?" You don't discover a problem worth solving by playing the This for That game. However,
- [Accidental Entrepreneurs Don’t Exist](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/16056-2/) (2011-12-02): In response to this article. The overall point of the author's post is correct, basically: have lots of ideas (90% of them are shit anyway), get used to failing, and suck it up, asshole! I'm just against the romantic idea
- [Non-Alphanumeric PHP Shell](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/non-alphanumeric-php-shell/) (2011-11-24): UPDATE NOV 13 2013: As seen on Sucuri, this exact snippet of mine was spotted in the wild in 2013. When this article was first published in 2011, my blog was at blog.omfgitsasalmon.com (Wayback machine) and I wasn't getting a
- [Mobile Apps vs. Mobile Web](https://alsonkaw.com/muse/mobile-apps-vs-mobile-web/) (2011-11-12): When you log into your computer at home and visit Facebook, most people type "facebook" into their browser. Some people may click bookmarks in their browsers. You certainly won't find and open version 1.1 of the Facebook desktop app for