Peguinland 25

In early 2015, in what turned out to be the last article for about 10 years, I wrote:

“I started Electric Penguinland as a series of notes-to-self, to write up things that were difficult to discover online.”

From 2011 to 2015 (often with quite long gaps) there was a theme, around Linux and music (particularly guitars), and it ran out. I’d got things set up to suit me, there was no point getting more equipment or building even more guitars while I was still trying to learn to play. (Before that 2015 post I’d put up a teaser photo for a second build I did in 2014).

In 2016 I broke my wrist and, by the time I was able to comfortably play guitar again, I’d gone backwards enough that relearning everything was just too frustrating. I still mess about sometimes, but I’d moved on to other things. For mostly the same reasons I drifted out of involvement with Fedora Jam, it was no longer something I needed.

Meanwhile, Penguinland got dusty. Sometimes a comment might turn up from someone it helped, but mostly spam accumulated. The platform felt clunky, and I didn’t think there was much to add within the theme I’d set. I hadn’t written about things related to my work or other interests. (And the name seemed to limit the theme; a pun on Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland, but with Penguin, because Linux.)

Still, I never ran out of the need for notes to self. Things that I worked out for my own benefit I’ve sometimes posted elsewhere, or not. Things I’ve worked on sometimes need a bit more of an explainer than a git page or a scientific paper, or don’t justify one on their own. Things that interest me I might sometimes just want to share or rant about.

So I’m returning to Penguinland, and who really cares about a name? The new mission statement:

“Not limited to: Linux, brain science, music, guitars, chess. But not necessarily including them either.”

Because XKCD 979 has always resonated with me: