Zachary Cook
@zac.direct
DevOps, platform engineering. Bread and butter tech that isn't AI (mostly) or blockchain.
Blog: https://www.zac.direct
Democracy Project: https://www.democracycandidate.us
Internal Tools : @pulumi.com
Opinions my own, etc.
Blog: https://www.zac.direct
Democracy Project: https://www.democracycandidate.us
Internal Tools : @pulumi.com
Opinions my own, etc.
Pinned
Zachary Cook
@zac.direct
· Sep 27
Unfortunate follow up question. WTF is a desktop?
Reposted by Zachary Cook
How is this not the onion?
Marco Rubio ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor's decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move
Rubio Stages Font Coup: Times New Roman Ousts Calibri
The secretary of state called it a "wasteful" diversity move, according to an internal department cable seen by Reuters.
www.huffpost.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:37 AM
How is this not the onion?
Reposted by Zachary Cook
Reposted by Zachary Cook
“It actually doesn’t take much to be considered a difficult woman. That’s why there are so many of us.”
― Jane Goodall
💙 RIP to a real one. My childhood hero
― Jane Goodall
💙 RIP to a real one. My childhood hero
October 2, 2025 at 2:56 AM
“It actually doesn’t take much to be considered a difficult woman. That’s why there are so many of us.”
― Jane Goodall
💙 RIP to a real one. My childhood hero
― Jane Goodall
💙 RIP to a real one. My childhood hero
I recently had to connect Azure DevOps to Pulumi Cloud via OIDC and wrote a brief guide for those who need to do the same in the future.
www.zac.direct/post/2025/09...
www.zac.direct/post/2025/09...
Azure DevOps and Pulumi Cloud
How to connect Azure DevOps Pipelines to Pulumi Cloud using OIDC
www.zac.direct
September 28, 2025 at 9:04 AM
I recently had to connect Azure DevOps to Pulumi Cloud via OIDC and wrote a brief guide for those who need to do the same in the future.
www.zac.direct/post/2025/09...
www.zac.direct/post/2025/09...
2025... The actual year of Linux on the desktop.
Very nice video! 💜
Feel free to reach out to the team. We'd love to help cook up a benchmarking-ready image for you guys (and others) to use.
It'd be a great way to help kickstart standardised Linux game benchmarking! 😄
Feel free to reach out to the team. We'd love to help cook up a benchmarking-ready image for you guys (and others) to use.
It'd be a great way to help kickstart standardised Linux game benchmarking! 😄
We are prepping Linux benchmarks for the GPU suite. Wendell of Level1 Techs joined us to talk about distributions! www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O6t...
September 27, 2025 at 5:41 AM
2025... The actual year of Linux on the desktop.
Reposted by Zachary Cook
I do feel like part of the hatred extended toward Bluesky is a function of preferring to think that the alarm about the state of the country that’s common here is misguided or exaggerated. Dismissing the site as liberal doomers allows you to dismiss those concerns, too.
September 16, 2025 at 3:40 AM
I do feel like part of the hatred extended toward Bluesky is a function of preferring to think that the alarm about the state of the country that’s common here is misguided or exaggerated. Dismissing the site as liberal doomers allows you to dismiss those concerns, too.
2 truths and a lie.
---
I once brought prod down with a script that routed all traffic through a network that did not exist.
I always turn in my compliance training 1st.
My colleagues and I once met at a warehouse in the middle of the night to fix a prototype for a major held that weekend.
---
I once brought prod down with a script that routed all traffic through a network that did not exist.
I always turn in my compliance training 1st.
My colleagues and I once met at a warehouse in the middle of the night to fix a prototype for a major held that weekend.
September 5, 2025 at 5:05 AM
2 truths and a lie.
---
I once brought prod down with a script that routed all traffic through a network that did not exist.
I always turn in my compliance training 1st.
My colleagues and I once met at a warehouse in the middle of the night to fix a prototype for a major held that weekend.
---
I once brought prod down with a script that routed all traffic through a network that did not exist.
I always turn in my compliance training 1st.
My colleagues and I once met at a warehouse in the middle of the night to fix a prototype for a major held that weekend.
I've been using agent mode with Claude for a couple of weeks and I already feel myself getting lazy about actually reviewing it's work.
This is despite egregious errors on the occasional prompt. Somebody get Frodo over here I need to talk to him about this.
This is despite egregious errors on the occasional prompt. Somebody get Frodo over here I need to talk to him about this.
August 6, 2025 at 4:40 AM
I've been using agent mode with Claude for a couple of weeks and I already feel myself getting lazy about actually reviewing it's work.
This is despite egregious errors on the occasional prompt. Somebody get Frodo over here I need to talk to him about this.
This is despite egregious errors on the occasional prompt. Somebody get Frodo over here I need to talk to him about this.
I've not had a lot of time for side projects and blog posts so just keeping things really simple. I love building stuff in the cloud with @pulumi.com. That is all.
July 17, 2025 at 3:14 AM
I've not had a lot of time for side projects and blog posts so just keeping things really simple. I love building stuff in the cloud with @pulumi.com. That is all.
Pretty sweet to see the source for a publicly funded project that is dedicated to helping you fund the public.
You actually can file with this repo's release.
You actually can file with this repo's release.
IRS’s Direct File wasn't open source while it was being developed. But somebody just made it public!
GitHub - IRS-Public/direct-file: Direct File
Direct File. Contribute to IRS-Public/direct-file development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
May 30, 2025 at 4:48 AM
Pretty sweet to see the source for a publicly funded project that is dedicated to helping you fund the public.
You actually can file with this repo's release.
You actually can file with this repo's release.
I really love simple, but effective innovations like this.
On Bluesky, identity is now confirmed by two overlapping tools:
• Domain names
• Verification by one of the trusted verifiers
Both techniques give a different kind of signal, with their own benefits, and I believe we can do more.
• Domain names
• Verification by one of the trusted verifiers
Both techniques give a different kind of signal, with their own benefits, and I believe we can do more.
April 22, 2025 at 5:23 AM
I really love simple, but effective innovations like this.
I'm speaking at #PulumiUP 2025! 🚀Join us for a virtual event packed with real-world platform engineering / #DevOps stories, expert discussions, and technical demos.
Excited to share #cloud and #platformengineering stories! Join us for expert sessions, live demos, IaC, and #CloudSecurity lessons.
Excited to share #cloud and #platformengineering stories! Join us for expert sessions, live demos, IaC, and #CloudSecurity lessons.
April 16, 2025 at 7:02 PM
I'm speaking at #PulumiUP 2025! 🚀Join us for a virtual event packed with real-world platform engineering / #DevOps stories, expert discussions, and technical demos.
Excited to share #cloud and #platformengineering stories! Join us for expert sessions, live demos, IaC, and #CloudSecurity lessons.
Excited to share #cloud and #platformengineering stories! Join us for expert sessions, live demos, IaC, and #CloudSecurity lessons.
I made a brand new site and have found that dealing with SEO sucks. Vote for me if you're local and like what I'm going for. Link to my "don't be a jerk platform" if you're not... but like what I'm going for. www.zac.direct/post/2025/03...
Democracy Candidate
Democracy Candidate is an open source project intended to help platform anybody that isn't a jerk.
www.zac.direct
March 10, 2025 at 5:56 AM
I made a brand new site and have found that dealing with SEO sucks. Vote for me if you're local and like what I'm going for. Link to my "don't be a jerk platform" if you're not... but like what I'm going for. www.zac.direct/post/2025/03...
Had a tough week at work. Not as hard as many others so not really complaining, but I found a silver lining in an open box deal for a PS5 nearby.
Still having a tough week... Still not as hard as others.
www.pushsquare.com/news/2025/02...
#HugOps
Still having a tough week... Still not as hard as others.
www.pushsquare.com/news/2025/02...
#HugOps
PSN Down as PS5, PS4 Players Can't Log In or Play Online
PSNope
www.pushsquare.com
February 8, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Had a tough week at work. Not as hard as many others so not really complaining, but I found a silver lining in an open box deal for a PS5 nearby.
Still having a tough week... Still not as hard as others.
www.pushsquare.com/news/2025/02...
#HugOps
Still having a tough week... Still not as hard as others.
www.pushsquare.com/news/2025/02...
#HugOps
I really would love to see the protocol succeed. Eager to see how the public-interest foundation efforts go, and wishing them the absolute best.
Wrote a longish post explaining why Bluesky is enshittification-resistant (not enshittification-proof, mind you, but resistant). I expect some people to get mad about this, but for folks who are concerned/trying to understand...
The key: it has a tech poison pill.
www.techdirt.com/2025/01/21/t...
The key: it has a tech poison pill.
www.techdirt.com/2025/01/21/t...
The Technological Poison Pill: How ATProtocol Encourages Competition, Resists Evil Billionaires, Lock-In & Enshittification
Disclosure: I’m on the board of Bluesky, so feel free to take as many grains of salt as you want in reading it, even though part of this is cheering on a new entrant looking to build an alternative…
www.techdirt.com
January 22, 2025 at 6:50 AM
I really would love to see the protocol succeed. Eager to see how the public-interest foundation efforts go, and wishing them the absolute best.
Static Content Is Awesome www.zac.direct/post/2025/01...
Static Content Is Awesome
Static sites are really nice to use if you can find a way to automate updating their content references.
www.zac.direct
January 8, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Static Content Is Awesome www.zac.direct/post/2025/01...
I started an open-source platform for posting candidate profiles to give interested voters a search result for their local races.
Additionally, and absolutely relevant. I am running for school board in my Chicago suburb.
www.democracycandidate.us/candidates/z...
Additionally, and absolutely relevant. I am running for school board in my Chicago suburb.
www.democracycandidate.us/candidates/z...
Zachary Cook for Lake Park High School Board 108
Zachary Cook for member of the Board of Education for Lake Park High School District 108 in Roselle, IL
www.democracycandidate.us
January 6, 2025 at 6:24 AM
I started an open-source platform for posting candidate profiles to give interested voters a search result for their local races.
Additionally, and absolutely relevant. I am running for school board in my Chicago suburb.
www.democracycandidate.us/candidates/z...
Additionally, and absolutely relevant. I am running for school board in my Chicago suburb.
www.democracycandidate.us/candidates/z...
Any support for a friend of mine going through a tough time is really appreciated. #mutualaid
I lost the mother of our children this past Saturday. A friend of mine set up a GoFundMe to help us out. Please help if you can. Thank you. gofund.me/12c53211
Donate to Supporting the Thompson Family After Loss, organized by Ashley Cook
Let’s help the Thompson Family through an extremely difficult time
Aaron, Lo… Ashley Cook needs your support for Supporting the Thompson Family After Loss
gofund.me
December 31, 2024 at 6:28 AM
Any support for a friend of mine going through a tough time is really appreciated. #mutualaid
I wanted to resurrect my tech blog, but my last post was about the early days of COVID-19. It didn't seem right to ignore that and write about infrastructure-as-code, so I segued with a retro.
www.zac.direct/2024/12/covi...
www.zac.direct/2024/12/covi...
COVID Retrospective
A recap of what the heck has happened the last four years.
www.zac.direct
December 30, 2024 at 3:21 AM
I wanted to resurrect my tech blog, but my last post was about the early days of COVID-19. It didn't seem right to ignore that and write about infrastructure-as-code, so I segued with a retro.
www.zac.direct/2024/12/covi...
www.zac.direct/2024/12/covi...
Reposted by Zachary Cook
Arguably the first survival horror game: Project Firestart for Commodore 64 from Dynamix and Electronic Arts. (1989)
I've gushed about Firestart in a few places, most recently in SCANLINES, but yeah. Fixed camera angles? Disaster logs? Limited resources? Cinematic horror? It was all here.
I've gushed about Firestart in a few places, most recently in SCANLINES, but yeah. Fixed camera angles? Disaster logs? Limited resources? Cinematic horror? It was all here.
July 12, 2024 at 9:52 PM
Arguably the first survival horror game: Project Firestart for Commodore 64 from Dynamix and Electronic Arts. (1989)
I've gushed about Firestart in a few places, most recently in SCANLINES, but yeah. Fixed camera angles? Disaster logs? Limited resources? Cinematic horror? It was all here.
I've gushed about Firestart in a few places, most recently in SCANLINES, but yeah. Fixed camera angles? Disaster logs? Limited resources? Cinematic horror? It was all here.
Turns out I can still get excited to play Tetris on Christmas 😂
December 26, 2024 at 12:12 AM
Turns out I can still get excited to play Tetris on Christmas 😂
Reposted by Zachary Cook
Merry Christmas to everyone looking for an obscure AF alt rock anthem to add to your holiday playlist. This one is my absolute favorite.
youtu.be/MzW8WSeIL6Y
youtu.be/MzW8WSeIL6Y
Mellowdrone - Fall On Your Knees [CD] Glassblower EP
YouTube video by Mike Gonzalez
youtu.be
December 24, 2024 at 8:22 AM
Merry Christmas to everyone looking for an obscure AF alt rock anthem to add to your holiday playlist. This one is my absolute favorite.
youtu.be/MzW8WSeIL6Y
youtu.be/MzW8WSeIL6Y
I love what I do, and that means my 9-5 generally fulfills me enough to do almost anything else. Generally, Q4 leaves enough off time to find some OSS to contribute to or convince myself this is the year I actually update my blog.
This year my personal site needed some attention. 🧵
This year my personal site needed some attention. 🧵
December 24, 2024 at 6:37 AM
I love what I do, and that means my 9-5 generally fulfills me enough to do almost anything else. Generally, Q4 leaves enough off time to find some OSS to contribute to or convince myself this is the year I actually update my blog.
This year my personal site needed some attention. 🧵
This year my personal site needed some attention. 🧵