matt sarnoff
@msarnoff.bsky.social
Software/firmware/electrical engineer specializing in embedded Linux, IoT, and microcontroller applications. Into weird old tech, retrocomputing/gaming, and pinball. Father of 5 (2 human, 3 feline). Formerly txsector on Twitter. 🇨🇦
numpy rhymes with “dumpy” and scipy is pronounced “skippy.” Fight me
September 29, 2025 at 8:03 AM
numpy rhymes with “dumpy” and scipy is pronounced “skippy.” Fight me
I’m finding that I’ve been writing my comments in Canadian English (“colour”) but still using American English (“color”) in my code.
At least I haven’t been busted for saying “zee” instead of “zed” yet.
At least I haven’t been busted for saying “zee” instead of “zed” yet.
September 19, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I’m finding that I’ve been writing my comments in Canadian English (“colour”) but still using American English (“color”) in my code.
At least I haven’t been busted for saying “zee” instead of “zed” yet.
At least I haven’t been busted for saying “zee” instead of “zed” yet.
My top 4 Vancouver landmarks so far:
4. The giant drill bit off Grandview Highway next to the Canadian Tire
3. Dude Chilling Park
2. The ominous glowing red W looming over the city
1. The bigass pile of Yellow across the water from Canada Place
4. The giant drill bit off Grandview Highway next to the Canadian Tire
3. Dude Chilling Park
2. The ominous glowing red W looming over the city
1. The bigass pile of Yellow across the water from Canada Place
August 4, 2025 at 4:47 AM
My top 4 Vancouver landmarks so far:
4. The giant drill bit off Grandview Highway next to the Canadian Tire
3. Dude Chilling Park
2. The ominous glowing red W looming over the city
1. The bigass pile of Yellow across the water from Canada Place
4. The giant drill bit off Grandview Highway next to the Canadian Tire
3. Dude Chilling Park
2. The ominous glowing red W looming over the city
1. The bigass pile of Yellow across the water from Canada Place
So now I can finally give an update…
We moved to Canada!
🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
I’m in the Vancouver area, working on next-generation lidar systems at Lumotive. Looking forward to connecting with more hardware hackers and retro tech folks up here!
We moved to Canada!
🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
I’m in the Vancouver area, working on next-generation lidar systems at Lumotive. Looking forward to connecting with more hardware hackers and retro tech folks up here!
August 2, 2025 at 6:10 PM
So now I can finally give an update…
We moved to Canada!
🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
I’m in the Vancouver area, working on next-generation lidar systems at Lumotive. Looking forward to connecting with more hardware hackers and retro tech folks up here!
We moved to Canada!
🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
I’m in the Vancouver area, working on next-generation lidar systems at Lumotive. Looking forward to connecting with more hardware hackers and retro tech folks up here!
Testing Openvibe to see if this post shows up on both mastodon and bluesky
July 29, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Testing Openvibe to see if this post shows up on both mastodon and bluesky
It’s the 10th anniversary of the Lynwood bee truck incident
April 18, 2025 at 3:10 AM
It’s the 10th anniversary of the Lynwood bee truck incident
When I worked at Apple (before Apple Park) I brought my parents to lunch at work. (IL4)
Visitors to Apple had to wear badges with their name and company. If they weren’t with a company, they would write “self.”
For my parents’ badges, I put “super.”
This is only funny if you know Objective-C.
Visitors to Apple had to wear badges with their name and company. If they weren’t with a company, they would write “self.”
For my parents’ badges, I put “super.”
This is only funny if you know Objective-C.
March 27, 2025 at 12:49 PM
When I worked at Apple (before Apple Park) I brought my parents to lunch at work. (IL4)
Visitors to Apple had to wear badges with their name and company. If they weren’t with a company, they would write “self.”
For my parents’ badges, I put “super.”
This is only funny if you know Objective-C.
Visitors to Apple had to wear badges with their name and company. If they weren’t with a company, they would write “self.”
For my parents’ badges, I put “super.”
This is only funny if you know Objective-C.
There was a sign that said “We’re #1” and my son read it as “We’re Hashtag One.” Gen Alpha is doomed
March 8, 2025 at 3:22 PM
There was a sign that said “We’re #1” and my son read it as “We’re Hashtag One.” Gen Alpha is doomed
Well that’s a new one
December 31, 2024 at 9:16 PM
Well that’s a new one
This cat’s name is Annie’s Shells and Cheese. She is a good cat.
December 28, 2024 at 1:10 AM
This cat’s name is Annie’s Shells and Cheese. She is a good cat.
AHHHH THEY REBOOTED THE HAMILTON PULSAR AND NOW I WANT ONE
December 25, 2024 at 12:28 AM
AHHHH THEY REBOOTED THE HAMILTON PULSAR AND NOW I WANT ONE
I heard the Dead Kennedys’ Night of the Living Rednecks long before I moved to the PNW, which means every time I pass a Fred Meyer I think of that dude in the crowd who yells “Fred Meyer!!!!”
December 24, 2024 at 3:41 PM
I heard the Dead Kennedys’ Night of the Living Rednecks long before I moved to the PNW, which means every time I pass a Fred Meyer I think of that dude in the crowd who yells “Fred Meyer!!!!”
It’s tiiiiiiiiiime! youtu.be/7UGwmqgC6ck?...
Walking In The Air
YouTube video by Nightwish - Topic
youtu.be
December 21, 2024 at 5:48 PM
It’s tiiiiiiiiiime! youtu.be/7UGwmqgC6ck?...
Despite all the Nobel laureates and Turing Award winners, this is my college’s most famous alumnus
December 18, 2024 at 1:37 PM
Despite all the Nobel laureates and Turing Award winners, this is my college’s most famous alumnus
7 years later and still thinking about how the Wooded Kingdom music in Super Mario Odyssey goes way harder than it needed to
IT’S JUST A FOREST LEVEL KOJI, YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO GO OFF AND COMPOSE A SURF ROCK JAZZ FUSION MASTERPIECE
youtu.be/-rfoYSmx0rk?...
IT’S JUST A FOREST LEVEL KOJI, YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO GO OFF AND COMPOSE A SURF ROCK JAZZ FUSION MASTERPIECE
youtu.be/-rfoYSmx0rk?...
Steam Gardens - Super Mario Odyssey OST
YouTube video by Yoshi's VGM
youtu.be
December 18, 2024 at 4:52 AM
7 years later and still thinking about how the Wooded Kingdom music in Super Mario Odyssey goes way harder than it needed to
IT’S JUST A FOREST LEVEL KOJI, YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO GO OFF AND COMPOSE A SURF ROCK JAZZ FUSION MASTERPIECE
youtu.be/-rfoYSmx0rk?...
IT’S JUST A FOREST LEVEL KOJI, YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO GO OFF AND COMPOSE A SURF ROCK JAZZ FUSION MASTERPIECE
youtu.be/-rfoYSmx0rk?...
The Diehl may be a lost cause, but I have these three adding machines that I got running last year. They all mostly work but still need more cleaning. That 1930s Monroe is gonna look amazing once I get to it.
December 16, 2024 at 5:03 PM
The Diehl may be a lost cause, but I have these three adding machines that I got running last year. They all mostly work but still need more cleaning. That 1930s Monroe is gonna look amazing once I get to it.
Honestly I doubt I’ll be able to make any progress on getting this calculator working anytime soon. I’ll put it back together, put it away, and come back to it when my kids go off to college.
December 14, 2024 at 6:05 AM
Honestly I doubt I’ll be able to make any progress on getting this calculator working anytime soon. I’ll put it back together, put it away, and come back to it when my kids go off to college.
These tiny E-clips are enough to make me want to quit altogether
December 13, 2024 at 8:51 PM
These tiny E-clips are enough to make me want to quit altogether
See also: “Your DietBet Destroyed the World” laprade.blog/your-dietbet...
December 13, 2024 at 3:53 PM
See also: “Your DietBet Destroyed the World” laprade.blog/your-dietbet...
Calculator update: it’s about what I expected. I’ll need to vacuum or blow out all the dust, then remove the motor. The nightmare fuel is all along the right hand side of the machine, where all the buttons and their linkages are jammed up.
inb4 anyone says “Diehl with it”
inb4 anyone says “Diehl with it”
December 13, 2024 at 3:49 PM
Calculator update: it’s about what I expected. I’ll need to vacuum or blow out all the dust, then remove the motor. The nightmare fuel is all along the right hand side of the machine, where all the buttons and their linkages are jammed up.
inb4 anyone says “Diehl with it”
inb4 anyone says “Diehl with it”
My wife found this on Buy Nothing and made the mistake of telling me... it's a Marchant-badged Diehl VSR-18
calculator. It is completely seized up. These things have thousands of parts and are so complex it could take many months to restore. And all literature I can find about it is in German.
calculator. It is completely seized up. These things have thousands of parts and are so complex it could take many months to restore. And all literature I can find about it is in German.
December 11, 2024 at 4:44 AM
My wife found this on Buy Nothing and made the mistake of telling me... it's a Marchant-badged Diehl VSR-18
calculator. It is completely seized up. These things have thousands of parts and are so complex it could take many months to restore. And all literature I can find about it is in German.
calculator. It is completely seized up. These things have thousands of parts and are so complex it could take many months to restore. And all literature I can find about it is in German.
500 comments on an HN story about something called Sora and not one Kingdom Hearts reference
December 9, 2024 at 9:40 PM
500 comments on an HN story about something called Sora and not one Kingdom Hearts reference
Obscure pinball trivia: what is this wavy metal piece on the side rail that is only seen in 1950s-60s games and never again? Answer in alt text.
December 8, 2024 at 11:45 AM
Obscure pinball trivia: what is this wavy metal piece on the side rail that is only seen in 1950s-60s games and never again? Answer in alt text.
I think one of the appeals of pinball is that it has a “beat the house” aspect that most* video games don’t have. If you’re good enough, you can take your 50 or 75 cents and make them last for hours by winning free games.
December 8, 2024 at 11:39 AM
I think one of the appeals of pinball is that it has a “beat the house” aspect that most* video games don’t have. If you’re good enough, you can take your 50 or 75 cents and make them last for hours by winning free games.
Can someone make a grown up chuck e cheeses but it’s a casino and you just pay a flat fee to enter and then play unlimited craps and blackjack and maybe win some tickets and maybe exchange them for a bootleg minecraft bouncy ball or something
December 8, 2024 at 11:05 AM
Can someone make a grown up chuck e cheeses but it’s a casino and you just pay a flat fee to enter and then play unlimited craps and blackjack and maybe win some tickets and maybe exchange them for a bootleg minecraft bouncy ball or something