brosnahan.org

What It Is

brosnahan.org is a personal independent blog called “The Aerie,” written by former Apple software engineer Nick Brosnahan. The site mainly documents his everyday life, technical tinkering, and in-depth thoughts on urban transportation policy, showing another side of a Silicon Valley geek beyond code.

Core Features

The blog’s content falls into three main areas:

1. Tech and IoT DIY: The author demonstrates strong hands-on skills, such as a detailed write-up on how to modify a Schlage smart lock with DC power and a UPS, eliminating the hassle of battery replacement. The process is technical and practical.
2. Urban Transportation and Cycling Advocacy: As an active member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, the author frequently shares insights on bike-lane construction, traffic safety data, and reducing car dependency, while also recommending related books and websites.
3. Personal Essays: Topics include moving experiences, reading notes—such as science fiction and AI forecasts—and opinions on San Francisco housing policy.

Pricing

This is a purely personal blog. All articles are completely free to read, with no paywall, ads, or subscription mechanism.

Pros and Cons

Pros: The technical DIY articles are clearly structured and well illustrated, making them highly useful for readers interested in smart-home modifications; the urban transportation advocacy pieces combine data with personal experience and offer substantive arguments; the writing style is humorous and self-deprecating, making it enjoyable to read.
Cons: As a personal essay-style site, it is updated relatively infrequently; the content jumps between hardcore hardware modification and public-policy advocacy, so its audience may be somewhat fragmented; the site is built on traditional WordPress, and the UI design is fairly basic.

Who It’s For

Best suited for geeks who enjoy smart-home tinkering and hardware DIY, advocates interested in urban walking/cycling infrastructure and cycling rights in the U.S., and readers curious about the lifestyle of Silicon Valley engineers.

Access from China

The site is hosted on a standard server and is currently “directly accessible” from China. Loading speed depends on international network routes, with no regional restrictions or blocking.