Latest Blog Posts
15 March 2024
Blocking Postfix/Dovecot access for some local users

I have an “everything” Linux server currently running Slackware 15. Sometimes I need to create users in /etc/passwd for some particular use case, but both my Postfix and Dovecot authenticate against /etc/passwd to grant access. It took a long time to figure out how to get that done. Finally I did it: Postfix Edit /etc/postfix/master.cf; … Read more

27 October 2023
Teaching Linux in college in the 21st century

Assertions Qualified and motivated teachers have run into roadblocks for as long as the government education system existed. I believe that in recent decades the entire education system from kindergarten to postdoctoral degrees has devolved to the point where no honest person can claim that a new graduate with any credential is necessarily capable of … Read more

10 September 2023
Stupid, lazy, and selfish

I’ve had a lot of time to think since the mass hysteria which started in 2020. A lot of time. I like thinking and challenging my ideas. And now, more than 3 years later I’m starting to believe that I found the answer to everything which has to do with peple. In three years I … Read more

Who is Andrew Smith?

And what's a solutions engineer? My goal in life is to design and develop solutions for people - to make them less frustrated, to give them better tools, to let them concentrate on more important things.

I'm an engineer specializing in Linux and open source software: I use it as a platform to create desktop, server, and embedded device applications, libraries, and services.

If you have a question about my work - by all means contact me, I'll be happy to talk to you about it.

Around the USA in 90 days
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90 day RV trip around the perimiter of the USA. Read more

2012 - Killarney Canoe
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Five day canoe trip through the Killarney Provincial Park in Ontario. Read more