🤬 blog.rtrace.io

In defense of URL Shorteners

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 22:00:00 GMT

I’m the author of Flink, a free and open-source (FLOSS) URL Shortener with a ton of handy features. I operate two of the main public instances: flink.is and flink.rtrace.io. Every day visitors create anywhere between 20 and 80 shortened links across both instances. Most visitors use Flink exactly as intended. To make long URLs easier to share, generate QR codes, or create short, memorable link IDs (or “slugs”). But as with any public-facing service, a small fraction of users inevitably try to abuse it. In the world of URL Shorteners, that usually means attempting to disguise phishing sites or spam campaigns behind innocent-looking short links. When this happens, URL Shortener operators often find themselves unfairly blamed by hosting providers or even domain registrars. This post aims to explain, technically and clearly, why that blame is misplaced, and how responsible shorteners prevent abuse.

Build your own production-grade HA Kubernetes Cluster on VPS

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 22:00:00 GMT

What will we build?

We setup a Kubernetes Cluster with 3

[🎶Release]: Digital Love (2Phaze Remix)

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 22:00:00 GMT

Pounding four-to-the-floor kicks, a gritty bassline, sharp supersaws, infectious vocals, and an irresistible melody - yes, that’s what is called Hands Up. 2Phaze returns to the genre in full force with a powerful remix of “Digital Love” by Mux Recovery. After a brief dive into LoFi territory, this remix marks a bold re-entry into the world of higher BPM music. Mux Recovery first shared the original track a few months back, and it instantly sparked my remix inspiration. The result? A fresh, energetic twist that’s worth a listen.

Introducing "Auszeit"

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 22:00:00 GMT

If you’ve been following my work here or on social media, you might have noticed a slowdown in music projects this year. One big reason for that is a new project that has recently taken shape: Auszeit. Auszeit is a newly formed band focused on Austropop, Pop, and Rock music. Now that we’ve played our first few public gigs, it feels like the right time to officially introduce the band. We’re a group of four: Daniel (bass 🎸, electric guitar 🎸, vocals 🎤), Kurt (bass 🎸, acoustic guitar 🎸, vocals 🎤), Brandon (drums 🥁), and myself (keys 🎹 and stage-tech 🎛️). Together, we’re bringing fresh interpretations and a unique energy to Austropop and Rock classics - and we’re just getting started.

[🎶Release]: 2Phaze - Smash Up 0x02

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 22:00:00 GMT

You don’t need to be a programmer to understand that 0x01 + 1 = 0x02. What does that mean in the world of music? Simple: 2Phaze is back with the second installment of his Drum and Bass Smash Up series. After the first mix, 2Phaze levels up with 0x02, a full-throttle auditory assault that blends breakbeats, bass, and an insane amount of vocals. It’s Drum and Bass like you’ve never heard before: high-speed, high-energy, and unapologetically overloaded.

[🎶Release]: Sixpence None The Richer - There She Goes (Ruffys LoFi Edit)

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 23:00:00 GMT

It’s time for another LoFi gem. Following up on Wouldn’t It Be Nice, this release takes on Sixpence None The Richer‘s version of The La’s classic “There She Goes”. If I had to sum it up in three words: smooth, dreamy, and effortlessly chill. This track combines soft ukulele, warm rhythm guitar, and beautiful female vocals, resulting in an atmospheric and relaxing song that instantly sets the vibe. Whether you’re unwinding, studying, or just getting lost in the moment, it’s the perfect tune to sink into. Hit play, sit back, and let this one carry you away. 🌙✨

[🎶Release]: Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice (Ruffys LoFi Edit)

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:00:00 GMT

It’s that time of year again - the cold air bites, the smell of cookies fills the rooms, and the world seems to take a collective pause, preparing for a fresh start into the next year. This more calm period of the year is the perfect opportunity to discover new music. If you’re a fan of LoFi, I’ve got something special for you: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, my latest release - a LoFi Hip Hop cover of the Beach Boys’ timeless classic. Relaxing yet refreshing, it blends nostalgia with modern chill vibes, making it a must-listen for LoFi enthusiasts and Beach Boys fans alike.

[🎶Release]: Ruffy Le RaRe - Crystal Mask

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Crystal Mask is the new song by Ruffy Le RaRe. It’s a dancefloor 4-to-the-floor Electro/Complextro tune, with a massive bassline and a powerful distorted saw lead. Simplistic in arrangement, but rich and deep in its sound design. Slightly atypical for RLR tracks, Crystal Mask plays at 132 BPM. Also most Ruffy Le RaRe tracks feature vocals, Crystal Mask is one of the rare exceptions until now that doesn’t. Work on the song began almost 3 years ago. Now with around ~180 hrs of work invested into the project, Crystal Mask is finally released! Let’s go! 🎶🎵🎵

[🎶Release]: Legends Never Die (2Phaze Hardstyle Remix)

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 22:00:00 GMT

If you’re a League of Legends fan, you probably heard “Legends Never Die” by Against The Current already. But have you heard 2Phaze’s Hardstyle Remix yet? If you’re into high-energy and euphoric Hardstyle with an orchestral twist (some would call it Festival Hardstyle), this remix is a must-listen. 2Phaze has once again blended elements of Hardstyle, Hardcore, Hands Up, and Harddance into a single track. What is new for 2Phaze music is the orchestral and cinematic intro into the song. Let’s listen, then let’s play a round of LoL together 🎮

The Linux audio stack demystified

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Digital audio processing is a complex yet fascinating subject. Getting a deeper understanding requires knowledge in multiple technical disciplines, including physics, electrical/electronical engineering, and some software engineering when it comes to parts of the Linux ecosystem. This article aims to demystify the Linux audio stack by explaining the basics of sound, how humans perceive sound, and the workings of digital audio. We will then dive into the components that make up the Linux audio stack and explore how these interact. Buckle up; it’s going to be a long and informative read.

Support for Focusrite Scarlett audio interfaces on Linux

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 23:00:00 GMT

If you’re into music creation, chances are you’ve heard of Focusrite Scarletts—they’re practically a staple in the industry. But here’s the kicker: while they’re adored by many, official support from Focusrite is limited to Windows and Mac users. Thankfully, the Open Source Community has stepped up to the plate! Thanks to the efforts of Geoffry Bennet and others, compatibility with Linux systems is now a reality, complete with a sleek GUI to control every aspect of your Focusrite Scarlett for everyday use. In this article, I’ll walk you through the steps needed to configure your Focusrite Scarlett on your Linux system, so you can seamlessly integrate it into your audio setup and unlock its full potential. Let’s dive in! 🚀🚀🚀

[🎶Release]: Ruffy Le RaRe & A.R. - Rather Be

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 23:00:00 GMT

The year 2023 slowly but steadily comes to an end. And with it a new Ruffy Le RaRe release comes along to end the year with a “bang”. Ruffy partnered up with A.R. and created a Deep House re-interpretation of “Rather Be” by Jess Glynne and Clean Bandit. This cover contains acoustic guitars, crunchy vocals and jazzy synth leads combined with a steady four-to-the-floor house rhythm. You’ve probably heard the original in the radio for at least 3 million times already, yet this version will be like listening to a completely different song.

[🎶Release]: Juli - Perfekte Welle (Ruffy Le RaRe Remix)

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 22:00:00 GMT

Hey there! I hope you’re all having an awesome day filled with good vibes and great tunes. Today, ruffy has something special in store that’s sure going to make your day a little bit better. We’re taking a trip down memory lane to revisit a classic track that had us all grooving back in the day – “Perfekte Welle” by Juli. Many productions as 2Phaze came out lately, so it was time to also release for the Ruffy Le RaRe fans. And so shall it be! Come and join me a fusion of House, Electro a touch Dubstep and teaspoon full of nostalgia.

[🎶Release]: 2Phaze - Smash Up 0x01

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 22:00:00 GMT

It’s time for a new release again 🚀🚀🚀. This time ruffy presents a tune combining catchy Drum & Bass and (lots of) iconic vocals from the previous 20 years. All that, combined into a single song. The project initially started out as a remix for “All That I Need” by S3rl and was further on extended with Adele, Linkin Park, Jason Derulo, Ellie Goulding Dada Life and Candee Jay. At some point the amount of vocals took overhand, so I’ve decided to call it a “Mashleg” (basically a mixture out of bootleg and a mashup). Now this song marks the first Mashleg of a series of Mashlegs called Smash Ups. Come and have a listen…

Real-World Distributed Systems with Microsoft Orleans

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Today’s architectural challenges are often tackled using distributed systems with microservices as major building blocks. While microservices offer great benefits, they tend to increase the overall complexity of a system. This problem especially increases in IoT scenarios with a large number of external systems to communicate with. In this talk, Raffael and Paul will show how actor frameworks such as Microsoft Orleans - using a long-forgotten paradigm from the early days of computer science - can greatly mitigate those problems. The speakers draw from their hands-on experience in developing a globally distributed system in .NET leveraging Microsoft Orleans.

Getting started with your own emojiwall

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 23:00:00 GMT

Are you a streamer? Are you into Emojis? Do you want your community to engage more in your chat? Then say no more, you’re right here! In this post I’ll show you the awesome F(L)OSS project called emojiwall. In a nutshell, it’s a fun enhancement for your stream, constantly having a look for emojis in chat messages. When a new message with emojis comes in, it extracts the emojis and makes them fly through the stream. We’ll cover how to configure it using smol.stream, and talk about how to host your own emojiwall, as well as some best-practices tips & ticks and some hacks. 🤯🎪🚶🏗️❣️👯‍♂️🛢️🎵🈚🛫🐲🎂😺🐝🍖🍦🧟‍♀️☺️🎩⛰️👔🎢🧡🧜‍♀️🏓♑👨‍👩‍👦‍👦🤩🌭🕥🙆‍♀️💬🏊‍♂️😌♿🅱️🎙️🧘‍♂️💟♀️🥛*️⃣🔔👠👨‍👩‍👦🌀🎫🕹️👷‍♀️👱‍♀️🚺

Why Distributed Systems Don't Need To Be Complicated

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 23:00:00 GMT

Today’s architectural challenges, especially in IoT scenarios, are often tackled using distributed systems with microservices as go-to solution of choice. While microservices offer great benefits, they also tend to increase the overall complexity of systems. Paul and me will show you how actor frameworks can mitigate those problems, using a long-forgotten paradigm from the early days of computer science.

[🎶Release]: Holding You

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 22:00:00 GMT

Here we go again! 2Phaze is back with a new original tune called “Holding You”. Holding You is a romantic dance duet in the typical 2Phaze Hands Up style. “Hands Up Will Never Die” - with this in mind, ruffy produced “Holding You” as a catchy dance tune with lovely vocals and lyrics telling you the story of a couple in love, and how they describe their relationship.

[Ruffy presents 🎧 #001] Tschentig

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 22:00:00 GMT

Tschentig, formerly known as Tirolerisch G'spielt, convinces with young and cheeky austropop, showing without a doubt that its origin is rooted in typical tyrolean folk music.Tschentig has succeeded in combining classical austrian folk instruments with catchy melodies and beautiful lyrics. Swinging songs with lyrics taken from life. Songs to sing along. In this blog post, we will have a look on what Tschentig has to to offer.

Installing Cordova with Android-support on Fedora

Sat, 05 Mar 2022 23:00:00 GMT

Apache Cordova is a cross-platform software-development framework allowing you to code your application once and have it running on Android, iOS, Web and Electron (Desktop) natively. Cordova itself might not be so well-known, yet it’s the foundation for other Frameworks (such as Ionic) allowing cross-platform software development. While Cordova is a decent framework it can get quite hard to set it up correctly. This article will guide you through the installation of Cordova on Fedora (35 at the time of writing), so you can create your own apps with it.