# Resources ## Toolbox - **[Catbox](https://catbox.moe/)** – A dead-simple file and image hosting service. I use this primarily for hosting `Webp` files that I link to on old WordPress posts that I am slowly importing into BearBlog. They have otherwise been a resource for years. - **[Bypass Paywalls Clean](https://gitflic.ru/project/magnolia1234/bpc_uploads)** – I use this when an article is clearly worth reading but locked behind a paywall. - **[1.1.1.1](https://one.one.one.one/)** - The free app that makes your Internet faster. ### Tools Utilized to Migrate from WordPress to BearBlog - **[wordpress-export-to-markdown](https://github.com/lonekorean/wordpress-export-to-markdown)** – Converts a WordPress export XML file into Markdown files. It is what I used to convert 15+ years of WordPress posts to usable Markdown files for putting back up on Bear Blog. - **[Beautiful Soup](https://pypi.org/project/beautifulsoup4/)** – a library that makes it easy to scrape information from web pages. - **[markdownifty](https://pypi.org/project/markdownify/)** – Converts HTML to Markdown. - **[wp2bear](https://mgx.bearblog.dev/wp2bear-wordpress-plugin/)** – A plugin for WordPress. The link for it's download is broken, but I leave this link here in case it returns someday. It seemed like the best option but wasn't available at the time. - **[Local](https://localwp.com/)** – Despite having used WordPress for over twenty years, I had no idea this existed as a way to install it easily locally without all the legwork required for a normal server-side manual installation. As the site says: "An effortless way to develop WordPress sites locally" which is true because I installed this to basically rework an old WordPress export/backup. - **[WP Export](https://www.wp-export.com/)** – Converts WordPress Posts to JSON and CSV files. Their [GitHub](https://github.com/raykeating/wp-export). ### Icons & Design - **[Lucide](https://lucide.dev/)** – A crisp, open-source icon library forked from Feather Icons. I reach for this when I want clean, customizable SVG icons without the bloat. - ⭐️ **[Logo.dev](https://www.logo.dev/search)** – Every company logo, one simple API. - **[Iconify](https://icon-sets.iconify.design/)** – Another vast home of thousands of open source icons. - **[Geist Font](https://vercel.com/font?type=mono)** - Geist embodies our **design principles** of simplicity, minimalism, and speed, drawing inspiration from the renowned **Swiss design movement**. ### Network & Admin Utilities - **[MxToolbox](https://mxtoolbox.com/)** – The "Swiss Army Knife" for email and domain health. I use this to make sure my mail server hasn't ended up on a blacklist. - **[WhatsMyDNS](https://www.whatsmydns.net/)** – Global DNS propagation. This is my go-to for that "did the site update yet?" anxiety. ### Security, Search & Retrieval - **[Passkeys Directory](https://passkeys.directory/)** – A live index of which services actually support passkeys. I check this when deciding whether I can finally ditch passwords for a site. - **[CachedView](https://cachedview.com/)** – A quick way to see cached versions of pages across multiple services. I use this when something disappears or changes and I want to know what it used to say. ## RSS Feeds These are feeds and sites I subscribe to but are specific, technical or mostly release-notes. They're worth linking to in their own right and that is why they are listed here. - **[SmugMug Release Notes](https://headwayapp.co/smugmug-release-notes/)** – They host my photos. - **[OpenAI News](https://openai.com/news/)** – Official announcements and releases. - **[Pocket Casts Blog](https://blog.pocketcasts.com/)** – Product updates and platform direction. - **[Telegram Blog](https://telegram.org/blog)** – Platform announcements and feature updates. There is **always** something exciting in each update. The way other platforms copy and redux their features, sometimes years later, is almost laughable. - **[Ludeon Studios Blog](https://ludeon.com/blog/)** – Updates from the creators of RimWorld. ## Indie/Small Web - 🌟 **[powRSS](https://powrss.com/)** – A public RSS feed aggregator with a mission to support the open, independent web. Bookmark this URL right now and thank me later: `https://powrss.com/random`. - **[ooh.directory](https://ooh.directory/)** – A collection of 2,370 blogs about every topic. - **[BUKMARK.CLUB](https://bukmark.club/)** – A collection of websites from across the Internet. To be eligible for a listing in this directory, a website must have a curated collection of bookmarks and/or links to other websites. - **[Discovery Feed for BearBlog](https://bearblog.dev/discover/?newest=true)** – The spot to discover new Bear Blogs. - **[Ye Olde Blogroll](https://blogroll.org/)** Because blogs are the soul of the web. A humanly curated list of **1110** fine personal & independent blogs and sites that are updated regularly. No algorithms ever! - **[Neal.fun](https://neal.fun/)** - games and stuff by Neal - **[listography](https://listography.com/)** - Listography provides users of all ages an easy-to-use tool for creative list writing and sharing. More in depth *[here](https://www.lisanola.com/about)*. ### Minimalist Blogging Platforms - **[pico.sh / prose](https://pico.sh/prose)** – A minimalist publishing tool that feels closer to writing than “running a site” — good for small, durable prose without infrastructure overhead. - **[(ARTICLE) Blog Platforms – Manuel Moreale](https://manuelmoreale.com/blog-platforms)** – A comparative overview of mostly all minor and major blogging platforms out there on the web today by Manuel Moreale. ## Bear Blog > Bear Blog gets it's own section because it's our primary and most beloved platform. - **[Bear Blog](https://bearblog.dev/)** – The blogging platform I actually use. It stays out of the way and lets writing be the whole point. - **[Documentation › Bear](https://docs.bearblog.dev/)** – Clear, human documentation. I come here when I want to understand what’s possible without digging through abstractions. - **[Roadmap › Bear](https://docs.bearblog.dev/roadmap)** – A glimpse into where the platform is heading. Useful for trusting long-term stability rather than chasing features. - **[Neat Bear Features](https://docs.bearblog.dev/neat-bear-features/)** – A quiet list of thoughtful details that explain why Bear Blog feels so calm to use. - **[GitHub » Bear Blog](https://github.com/HermanMartinus/bearblog/)** – The official repository for Bear on GitHub. ### Bear Themes & Tweaks - ⭐️ **[BearBlog CSS Playground](https://bear.css.observer/)** – test your new themes out here, as it is a bit more of a streamlined experience instead of testing on your live-site. You can tell it your BearBlog URL so you can see the changes over your own content. *A top-tier Bear Blog link.* - **[Letterbird](https://letterbird.co/)** – A quiet, email-first publishing tool. I see this as writing meant to land gently in someone’s inbox, not compete for attention in a feed. - **[listography: writ.](https://listography.com/folkmoss/writ./bearblog_tools)** – a farily extensive list of BearBlog tools - **[Sylvia's Bear Blog insights](https://sylvia.bearblog.dev/blog/?q=bearblog)** - loads of Bear Blog gems and nuggets of information worth taking in. - **[Sylvia's Bearblog resources](https://sylvia.bearblog.dev/bearblog-resources/)** – Bear Blog resources curated by Sylvia, which works well in tandem with the previous link. - **[Hiding Upvote Counters on Bearblog](https://blog.parallax.fyi/small-tip-replacing-the-upvote-text-on-bearblog/)** – Avoid metric chasing. Just blog! #### Bearming - **[Bearming Theme](https://robertbirming.com/bearming/)** – The theme I gravitate toward when I want my site to feel finished without feeling styled. - **[Changelog › Bearming](https://robertbirming.com/bearming/changelog/)** - **[Palettes › Bearming](https://robertbirming.com/bearming/palettes/)** – A restrained set of color options that don’t fight the words. - **[Add-ons › Bearming](https://robertbirming.com/bearming/add-ons/)** – Optional enhancements I treat like seasoning, not requirements. - **[Bearming bulletin no. 2](https://robertbirming.com/bearming-bulletin-2/)** ## Fediverse - **[Mastodon.help](https://mastodon.help/)** – a good 101 page for those completely new to the idea of Mastodon. ## Software - [Warp](https://www.warp.dev/) - The Agentic Development Environment ## Rabbit Holes - **[The Public Domain Review](https://publicdomainreview.org/)** – Essays and artifacts pulled from the public domain. I open this when I want to fall sideways into history, art, and forgotten ideas. - **[Longform](https://longform.org/)** – A curated index of long reads from around the web. I use this when I want to read something substantial and don’t care where the time goes. ## Time Capsules - [Internet Archive / Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/) – The closest thing the web has to memory. I use this to see what sites looked like years ago or to recover pages that no longer exist. - [Space Jam (1996)](https://www.spacejam.com/1996/) – A perfectly frozen slice of mid-90s web design that somehow still exists. I come here to remind myself how weird and earnest the early web was. - [Berkshire Hathaway](https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/) – Famously unchanged for decades. I revisit this as a reminder that usefulness doesn’t require polish or reinvention. - [Places to Telnet](https://telnet.org/htm/places.htm) – A list of fun destinations for telnet. ## Photography **Specific Topics** - **[about Focal Length](https://photographylife.com/what-is-focal-length-in-photography)** - A newbie guide explaining focal length - **[about Posing People](https://digital-photography-school.com/beginner-tips-for-posing-people-with-confidence)** - You gotta start somewhere - **[on Shooting Weddings](https://fixthephoto.com/wedding-photography-tips.html)** - They cover things you didn't think of. **Photographers** - **[Sean Tucker Photography](https://www.seantucker.photography)** - Sean Tucker's philosophical insights are worth every moment of your time. **Platforms** *Where pissing contests happen.* - **[Flickr](https://flickr.com/)** Used to be an internet darling, now just a hollow shell of its former self. I'm not really sure what happened, but I am sure there is a reddit thread out there somewhere that can explain it. - **[SmugMug](https://www.smugmug.com/)** - A portfolio and photo hosting platform for photographers seeking that professional look. They also currently own Flickr. *See also [[SmugMug]]*. - **[Glass](https://glass.photo)** **Photography Blogs/Hubs** - **[PetaPixel.com](https://petapixel.com)** - The "Slashdot of Photography" - **[PhotographyLife.com](https://photographylife.com)** - Very strong stance against AI **Post-Production Software** - **[Darktable](https://www.darktable.org/)** - Unofficially the gold standard of post-production on Linux. - **[RawTherapee](https://rawtherapee.com)** ​They seek to dethrone Darktable. [Comprehensive introduction (YouTube)](https://youtu.be/o4-T0laAf0E) - **[Rapid Photo Downloader](https://damonlynch.net/rapid)** - A Linux application designed for photographers to efficiently import photos and videos from various devices, offering customizable file naming and backup options. - **[Entangle](https://entangle-photo.org)** - A Linux-based tethered shooting software providing a graphical interface to control digital cameras from a computer, including features like live preview and camera setting adjustments. **Photography Tools** - **[The Photographer's Ephemeris | App](https://app.photoephemeris.com)** - A web app for planning outdoor photography shoots using natural light. **Specific Articles** - **[Best Linux Photo Editors](https://fixthephoto.com/best-linux-photo-editor.html)** - A roundup of top photo editors available for Linux users. If you don't feel like wasting your time reading an article riddled with ads: - GIMP, Pinta, Inkscape, Darktable, UFRaw, RawTherapee, Fotoxx, LightZone, DigiKam, AfterShot Pro, and Phototivo - **[GIMP Plugins aimed at Photographers](https://www.lightstalking.com/gimp-plugins)** - A list of useful plugins to enhance GIMP for photography workflows. **Videos** - ⭐️ **[Learn Photography (Full Course)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxO-6rlihSg)** – by Australian Geographic Photographer Chris Bray. This is quite possible the single-best video resource on YouTube if you are just starting out. If this kind of video was created nowadays, it would be behind a ginormous paywall. ## Cats - **[Tiki Cat](https://tikipets.com/cat/)** – Wet cat food with simple ingredients and a strong protein focus. I use this as a reference point when evaluating cat food quality. - **[Your Cat Backpack – The Fat Cat Backpack](https://yourcatbackpack.com/products/the-fat-cat-cat-backpack)** – A structured cat backpack designed for larger cats. I keep this bookmarked for safe transport and outdoor adventures.