Ceud Mìle Fàilte
Thank you for dropping-by, I hope you enjoy your visit. The main content is to be found in the blog, where I discuss everything and anything, but, topics including: photography, nature, technology, food, movies, music, politics, and life in the Highlands of Scotland, make regular appearances.
I commonly write reviews of movies (or films, if you prefer). Some movie reviews are short, others will be discussed in more detail. The scope covered will be mainly mainstream English language movies from the 1930s until the present day.
About me
My name is Iain MacDonald, and I live in the Highlands of Scotland (although I have lived elsewhere in the past). I use Fitheach as my online pseudonym, on this website, on Mastodon, and on Matrix. I am a big fan of Free & Open Source Software, which I use both professionally and at home.
Computing and technology tend to infuse themselves into my other interests, as once you learn some skills in one area it is convenient to use them to solve problems in other spheres.
When not tinkering with computers, I am likely to be found repairing things because living in the countryside you learn to be resourceful.
Of course, man doesn't live by SSH tunnels and kerosene vapour burners alone, so, food, as a subject, makes regular appearances, too.
My latest Life articles
My most recent ramblings can be found in the Life section.
My latest Mastodon posts
Mastodon is a microblogging app that is part of the decentralised web known as The Fediverse. See this article for more details.
Fitheach
Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:08:00 +0000
Does anyone else find that Wifi Calling is untimely and unreliable?
My personal 'phone is on EE, and I get perfect reception at home, and at work. Wifi Calling isn't used.
My work 'phone is on Vodafone, and I get no reception at home or at work. Wifi Calling would be useful, IF it worked. Outbound calls routed over Wifi fail about 50% of the time. Sending and receiving text messages over Wifi either get delayed for hours or don't arrive at all.
Both home & work have full-fibre broadband.
Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:55:20 +0000
Do you use Vim?
Do you distrust generative AI?
If yes to either or both of these questions, you will find this an interesting read:
https://drewdevault.com/blog/Forking-vim/
Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:09:52 +0000
These programmes are really good. I just wish I knew how to pronounce this Cyrillic word. 😃
Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:19:49 +0000
On June 1st, 1944, Colossus Mark 2 was operated for the first time. Colossus was the first programmable, electronic, digital computer, and was used at Bletchley Park to help break the Lorenz cipher during WWII. The timing meant it was in operation just prior to the Normandy landings on D-Day (June 6th).
Colossus was designed by GPO engineer Tommy Flowers, and mathematician Max Newman.
The existence of Colossus was kept secret until the mid-1970s.
Sat, 30 May 2026 14:24:39 +0000
Bummer!
My Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ100 has stopped reading SD cards. I'm hoping some dirt, or similar, is on the contacts. However, I don't relish the prospect of opening the camera to clean the contacts.
Sat, 30 May 2026 12:39:42 +0000
The hawthorn (craobh-sgìthich - crataegus monogyna) is an amazing bush/shrub/tree. No other plant growing in the #Highlands produces proportionally as many flowers as the hawthorn. The scent is also amazing.