Alex Chan

You are correct

I regret that I retain as much Harry Potter knowledge as I do; I do recall that’s the name of the quill shop

Creating a personal wrapper around yt-dlp: alexwlchan.net/2025/yt-dlp-...

I’ve written a new script which calls yt-dlp with my preferred options, so I don’t have to copy my configuration across different projects.

A stack of Jonn’s book on a table

@jonnelledge.bsky.social Spotted in St Pancras Waterstones 👀

Starmer shouldn't give a conference speech – he should give an Apple-style keynote The format is tired and it is time to think different.

@anildash.com I thought of you as I read this article; it’s a UK version of an idea I know you’ve had: takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/starmer-co...

(Unless I’m misremembering, in which case sorry!)

were it not out of stock, I was genuinely consider ordering this and shipping it to you and just never saying anything

treat it like garlic

when the recipe says “one craft store container” replace it with “one industrial oil barrel“

Linking to text fragments with a bookmarklet: alexwlchan.net/2025/text-fr...

I’ve written a bookmarklet that lets me link to specific text on a web page.

as opposed to their Swiss neighbours, who have been careless enough to invade Liechtenstein on three separate occasions

@garius.bsky.social I vaguely remember reading one of your threads where you said somebody like “so-and-so had no experience, and by the end of the night, nobody who witnessed their actions would believe it” – but I’m struggling to find it.

Any chance you remember what I’m talking about?

is it white and “gold” or black and “blue”

Resizing images in Rust – now with EXIF orientation support A new version of Rust's image crate has support for EXIF orientation, which allows me to resize images without mangling their rotation.

Resizing images in Rust – now with EXIF orientation support: alexwlchan.net/2025/create-...

I wrote about a new version of Rust’s image crate, which adds support for EXIF orientation. Now I can resize images without mangling their rotation. 🥳

Resizing images in Rust – now with EXIF orientation support A new version of Rust's image crate has support for EXIF orientation, which allows me to resize images without mangling their rotation.

Resizing images in Rust – now with EXIF orientation support: alexwlchan.net/2025/create-...

I wrote about a new version of Rust’s image crate, which adds support for EXIF orientation. Now I can resize images without mangling their rotation. 🥳

maybe someone thinks you’ll be the reason for the emergency alert /lh

On a lighter note, I did some digging around the history of Morse code: alexwlchan.net/til/2025/aro...

* The @ symbol was added in 2004
* It’s probably the first symbol since WWII
* It has a delightful name in French
* Punctuation in Morse code has some surprising other omissions

Using vcrpy to test HTTP interactions in Python How I record HTTP requests to get fast, reliable, and consistent tests, and the patterns I use in a production codebase.

Using vcrpy to test HTTP interactions in Python: alexwlchan.net/2025/testing...

How I record HTTP requests to get fast, reliable, and consistent tests, and the patterns I use in a production codebase. 📼

The cover of “Six Dinner Sid”, by Inga More. The cover is an illustration of a black cat with yellow/brown eyes, smiling towards the viewer, and next to him is six small bowls in a variety of bright colours and patterns.

The idea of cats roaming to get dinners in multiple households was the subject of one of my favourite books when I was a child, I am delighted as an adult to discover this is founded in reality

sure why not

you around this weekend?

(I start a new job on Tuesday and will then become temporarily less available)

guy who is a noted fan of waffles: wow so you love bathtubs

Eleanor Medhurst has just posted about her withdrawal on Instagram: www.instagram.com/p/DNOMzrUMhsf/

three-episode arc devoted entirely to the workplace politics of the Grunnings drill firm

Now I’m second-guessing myself

I can’t remember if I’ve actually seen this before, or if I dreamt it 😂

Let’s cross our fingers and hope we’re talking about the same thing

is that a Tudor rose I see 👀

idea: gender reveal parties at the cadbury’s factory

inside with the equipment: girl

outside on the lawn: boy

standing in the doorway: mysterious, unknowable, lawless

Congratulations, and good luck! Big win for Fastly 💚

Create space-saving clones on macOS with Python You can shell out to `cp -c` using `subprocess`, or you can make a `clonefile()` syscall using the `ctypes` library.

Create space-saving clones on macOS with Python: alexwlchan.net/2025/cloning...

I talk a bit about what space-saving clones are, and why they’re important, then describe two ways to create them in Python:

1. Shelling out to `cp` with subprocess, or
2. Making a syscall using `ctypes`

Create space-saving clones on macOS with Python You can shell out to `cp -c` using `subprocess`, or you can make a `clonefile()` syscall using the `ctypes` library.

Create space-saving clones on macOS with Python: alexwlchan.net/2025/cloning...

I talk a bit about what space-saving clones are, and why they’re important, then describe two ways to create them in Python:

1. Shelling out to `cp` with subprocess, or
2. Making a syscall using `ctypes`

Props to her for managing to complete a sentence.

Slipstitch, Queer Craft, and community spaces Remembering Slipstitch, a queer-friendly yarn shop and the fortnightly crafting meet-ups that were a highlight of my week.

Slipstitch, Queer Craft, and community spaces: alexwlchan.net/2025/slipsti...

I wrote about the closing of my favourite yarn shop, what the fortnightly crafting meet-up meant to me, and why I’m a bit sad at how many spaces like this are disappearing.

A dear friend was closing her yarn shop (😢) and was running a “choose your own discount” sale to get rid of the stock.

I took great joy in performing the most melodramatic, exaggerated, over-the-top offence whenever she asked me if I wanted the discount.

bringing corgi energy to the timeline today huh