Why two threads with separate counters can run slower than one thread, and the coherency machinery that explains it: the single-writer rule, MESI states, read-for-ownership, snooping, directories, snoop filters, and the cache line granularity that no amount of reading the source code reveals.
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SoC Intermediate 01: AXI4 protocol deep dive
The mechanisms behind AXI4 throughput and the bugs each one creates: burst encoding, transaction identifiers, out-of-order completion, outstanding transaction tracking, quality of service signalling, and the handshake rules that hand-written bridges break most often.
read moreAn always-on tmux setup
Five changes that make tmux disappear into the background: shell-native autostart from bashrc and zprofile that you can still escape from, session persistence with resurrect and continuum, extended key reporting so Shift+Enter survives the tmux layer, a two-row status line with a keybinding hint row, and mouse selection that copies to the system clipboard on X11.
read moreZsh startup analysis and modern setup
Profiling Zsh startup, then rebuilding the setup around Oh My Zsh, the Git plugin, autosuggestions, syntax highlighting, and Spaceship Prompt. Covers where the milliseconds go, how completion caching changes under a framework, and every tracked file needed to reproduce it.
read moreKnife Grinds and Their Main Uses
Overview of common knife grind types (scandi, flat, hollow, convex, chisel) and what each is best suited for.
read moreSoC Article 11: HW/SW co-design, bridging software and silicon
How hardware and software are designed together on a SoC: the boot process from reset to running OS, device drivers, the HW/SW partitioning decision, virtual platforms, and the RTOS vs Linux choice.
read more12-Bar Blues on Guitar with 6th and 5th String Barre Chords
The 12-bar blues on guitar with just two movable barre shapes. The 1-4-5 geometry of the neck puts all three chords within two frets of each other, in any key.
read more12-Bar Blues on Irish Bouzouki in G, A, and E
The 12-bar blues on Irish bouzouki in GDAD tuning: the same 1-4-5 number chart with chord shapes for the keys of G, A, and E, plus the modal drone options the instrument does best.
read moreThe 12-Bar Blues: One Progression, Every Key
Learn the 12-bar blues once as 1-4-5 and you can play it in any key. The form and its common variations, a chord lookup table, and an animated look at the shuffle feel.
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