AI5 min read
An AI agent's first feature should be a boundary
Useful AI assistance starts with a bounded job: explicit access, limited authority, durable task state, and evidence that separates an answer from an action.
THE NOTEBOOK
Ideas, experiments,
and lessons learned.
Notes on cloud, code, and making technology work for people.
Historical articles are labelled, with editorial notes explaining what has changed.
31 articles to explore
NEWEST FIRSTPlatform engineering4 min read
The platform is more than the manifests
A deployment describes what should run. An operating model explains how to change it, verify it, and recover when reality disagrees.
Reliability4 min read
The restore is the product
A successful backup job is useful evidence, but recovery depends on readable data, available credentials, a documented sequence, and a working application.
Azure3 min read
Innovation Journey - Introduction
Start with an outcome, make the assumptions visible, and use small experiments to learn what technology can make possible.
Azure1 min read
Inside Azure Datacenter Architecture presented by Mark Russinovich
A 2019 Azure datacenter architecture talk. Region counts, availability, and implementation details describe the presentation at that time.
Azure1 min read
WordPress Networks - IIS Rewrite Rules on Azure App Service
An archived Windows/IIS WordPress multisite configuration. These rewrite rules do not apply unchanged to Linux-hosted WordPress.
Azure5 min read
WordPress on Azure App Service using MySQL In-app!
A 2016 Windows MySQL-in-app migration account. Its preview assumptions and malformed exported PHP sample are not a current deployment recipe.
Azure3 min read
Hosting a WordPress Site on Azure Web Apps
A historical ClearDB-based WordPress deployment. The portal steps, prices, and key-handling workflow are not current setup guidance.
SharePoint2 min read
Enterprise Search in SharePoint 2013
A historical SharePoint 2013 search reference collection. Includes context separating that server architecture from SharePoint in Microsoft 365.
Windows1 min read
Trouble Upgrading to Windows 8.1?
A historical Windows 8.1 Store workaround. Windows 8.1 is out of support; this is not a recommended upgrade path today.
Azure3 min read
Uploading a File to an Azure Storage Container
An archived Azure classic PowerShell walkthrough. Use current Az and Microsoft Entra guidance for new blob-upload workflows.
SharePoint3 min read
News on the Office Store Front: Subscription Apps!
A 2013 reflection on subscription-app economics, with context on the retirement of the SharePoint Online Add-in model.
SharePoint1 min read
CalSPUG - October 17, 2013
A historical announcement for the October 17, 2013 Calgary SharePoint User Group session on taxonomy, content types, and metadata.
SharePoint1 min read
Multi-Farm Architectures for SharePoint 2013
An archived reference to a SharePoint 2013 multi-farm diagram, not a recommended architecture for a new deployment.
SharePoint1 min read
Visio Shapes for Office 365 / SharePoint 2013
A historical Visio stencil recommendation for Office 365 and SharePoint 2013. Its symbols and download are specific to that product generation.
SharePoint1 min read
Office 365 Pricing for Nonprofits Released
A 2013 announcement preserved for context. Its Canadian prices, plan names, user limits, and eligibility statements are not current offers.
Office 3651 min read
Who has forwarding enabled in their Exchange Online mailbox??
A historical mailbox-forwarding query, with limitations explained and links to current Exchange Online authentication and forwarding documentation.
Azure2 min read
Creating a Site-to-Site Connection between Azure and pfSense 2.0.0.3
A historical Azure and pfSense 2.0 VPN investigation. Its routing and cryptography assumptions are not a current compatibility guide.
SharePoint1 min read
Microsoft EA - Office 365 Tenants
An unverified 2013 licensing observation, not current purchasing guidance. Confirm tenant arrangements against your agreement and Microsoft licensing advice.
SharePoint1 min read
SharePoint Online - Content Viewing Audit Logs
An observation about SharePoint Online Wave 15 reporting, with current context directing audit investigations to Microsoft Purview.
SharePoint7 min read
Moving to Office 365
A 2013 migration diary, not a current identity setup guide. Includes updated context on Microsoft Entra authentication choices and legacy tooling.
SharePoint3 min read
MySPC Calendar Syncing
A SharePoint Conference 2012 calendar-sync walkthrough. The event, screenshots, and mobile account setup are historical.
SharePoint1 min read
SharePoint 2010 KB Articles
An archived SharePoint 2010 reference list. Old hotfixes, tools, and antivirus exclusions require version-specific review before use.
SharePoint2 min read
CalSPUG Meeting - November 17, 2011
A community archive entry for the November 17, 2011 Calgary SharePoint User Group session on portal governance.
SharePoint2 min read
Controlling Database Growth in SharePoint 2007
Historical SharePoint 2007 maintenance notes, retained with explicit warnings about unsupported database edits, recovery settings, and routine shrinking.
SharePoint1 min read
Hiding the Category Text in a List View with a Group By
A classic SharePoint 2007 DOM customization, preserved for historical reference alongside the supported modern list-formatting approach.
SharePoint2 min read
The site collection could not be restored sufficient free space
A SharePoint 2007 restore investigation, with a correction distinguishing SQL lock timeouts from deadlocks and context for its environment-specific workaround.
Hyper-V1 min read
Unable to Compact a VHD Due to a File System Limitation
A historical Hyper-V troubleshooting account. Its shadow-copy deletion commands remove recovery points and are not a general disk-compaction recipe.
SharePoint2 min read
CalSPUG Meeting - April 22, 2010
A historical announcement for the April 22, 2010 Calgary SharePoint User Group meeting. This event has already taken place.
SharePoint1 min read
Using JQuery to Hide Empty Divs
An archived classic SharePoint layout workaround, with context on why its exported jQuery example is not drop-in code for modern pages.
Articles2 min read
Welcome To My Blog
The first post in this notebook: a snapshot of its original SharePoint focus and the start of the journey in 2009.