An illustration of passphrase entered in a secure input field.

Cacti Passphrase Best Practices

Check out xkcd’s xkpasswd. It allows you to generate very secure passphrases with various configurations. The reason we use the word passphrase and not password throughout the Cacti Vault app is because we want to push you to use as long a passphrase as possible. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommends creating long passphrases that are easy to remember and difficult to crack. According to Special Publication 800–63, Digital Identity Guidelines, a best practice is to generate passphrases of about 64 characters, including spaces....

September 9, 2020 · 4 min · Vishal V. Shekkar
A banner image that only shows the selection feature of Cacti Vault.

Photo Selections—Cacti Vault

Dsicusses the different ways photos may be selected to move to the Cacti Vault.

August 17, 2020 · 3 min
An image showing a high-level system overview of the Verizy backend architecture.

How Verizy Handles over 1M Resource-Intensive Requests Every Month?

Verizy efficiently processes over 1 million complex monthly requests using a dual-service infrastructure called Crust and Core, handling customer interactions and intensive data processing respectively, ensuring 100% uptime in 6 months with auto-scaling, load-balancing, and continuous updates. This architecture guarantees no request loss and maintains high performance and reliability.

September 30, 2019 · 4 min · Vishal V. Shekkar
A image showing the iOS Mail app icon with a zero notifications badge count.

The Biggest Problem in Striving for Inbox Zero (Iz)

The pursuit of Inbox Zero (Iz) demands excessive attention and diminishes overall productivity; instead, prioritize email content over inbox neatness for better productivity and less distraction.

March 17, 2018 · 5 min · Vishal V. Shekkar
An image showing the Apple Music Logo.

An Apple Music Inconsistency

A critique on the inconsistent placement of the ‘Apple Music’ vs ‘Library’ filter in the search function across the iOS Music app and iTunes on Mac, and questions the lack of a handoff feature between these platforms.

February 9, 2018 · 1 min · Vishal V. Shekkar
An image representing 3D touch.

My Paltry Gripe on Inconsistencies between Force Touch and 3D Touch

This post compares 3D Touch on iPhones and Force Touch on the Apple Watch, noting their similar technology but different user experiences due to screen size. It expresses frustration with the inconsistent interaction between the devices, especially when dealing with notifications, highlighting a need for better integration in Apple’s ecosystem.

February 14, 2017 · 4 min · Vishal V. Shekkar
A cover image representation for the Swift Animator tool..

Swift: Animator

‘Animator’ is a Swift tool that simplifies creating complex UIView animations in iOS apps, using chainable animation blocks for a clean, readable syntax. It enhances the animation capabilities of UIKit by allowing sequential execution of animation steps with customizable parameters like duration, delay, and animation options, including spring damping and initial velocity. This tool aims to make code for complex animations more manageable and understandable, with an emphasis on continuity and ease of use.

December 7, 2016 · 4 min · Vishal V. Shekkar
A image showing a timeline illustration of Dispatch Group's typical functionality.'

Swift: DispatchGroup

DispatchGroup in Swift offers a simple solution for synchronizing multiple unrelated asynchronous operations. It allows tracking the completion of various tasks, even on different queues, without complex setups. This approach avoids messy and non-scalable code, making it ideal for handling multiple asynchronous tasks efficiently.

November 29, 2016 · 3 min · Vishal V. Shekkar
An arrow pointing right, cover image

The Importance of Moving Forward

This is an essay on why it’s better to not get stuck with just what works now, and how embracing change leads to better outcomes.

October 28, 2016 · 8 min · Vishal V. Shekkar
A Macbook Pro with Touch Bar

Touch Bar

Thoughts on Touch Bar—the new multi-touch strip on the new line of MacBook Pros

October 28, 2016 · 6 min · Vishal V. Shekkar