cwark(7) — Less

Why self-hosting?

Self-hosting gives full control — hardware, software, network. No external dependencies, no opaque layers. Static content is served from RAM via tmpfs, reducing I/O and latency. DNS, TLS, and request handling are configured at the bare-metal level. Everything is hand-tuned. Nothing is assumed.

Why secondhand, low-tier hardware?

Because enough is enough. Older machines are durable, quiet, efficient. Lightweight software makes them faster than modern bloat. Less heat. Less power. More life. Using what already exists is sustainability by design — not trend.

Why plain text and static HTML?

Because simplicity endures. The modern web is fragile — built on abstraction, runtime, layers. Plain text is deterministic. Static HTML is constant-time. Zero backend. Zero failure points.

• Determinism — no state, no surprises.
• Resilience — no DBs, no APIs, no runtime.
• Efficiency — tiny footprint, sub-ms loads.
• Philosophy — words shouldn’t need an engine.

Why Open Source — CC0 / 0BSD?

Because ideas are infrastructure. Code, words, and media should be reusable without friction.

• Software — 0BSD: zero restrictions, zero lock-in.
• Content — CC0: public domain by default.
• Media — no paywalls, no expiration.
• Philosophy — knowledge should not be owned.

Why no social media, comments, subscriptions?

Because clarity matters more than reach. No feeds. No likes. No tracking.

• No algorithms — nothing decides what matters but the reader.
• No noise — the page is the message.
• No telemetry — no scripts, no beacons.
• No platform drift — this will still load when others disappear.

Why shell scripts and coreutils?

Because they still work. Because they still matter.

• Transparent — read it, understand it.
• Composable — tools as building blocks.
• Deterministic — no magic, no silent failure.
• Minimal — no runtimes, no breakage.
• Readable — 20 years from now, still legible.

You don’t need a framework to publish an RSS feed. Just the right pipe.

Why WARC bands?

Because they’re quiet. Because they’re not contests. Because they favor signal over noise.

• No pileups — just conversation.
• Less power — more listening.
• Complementary — open when others aren’t.
• Philosophy — fewer stations, more substance.

Why QRP?

Because more watts don’t mean more meaning. Because discipline beats brute force.

• Focus — precision over push.
• Constraint — just enough signal, no more.
• Listening — when you can’t overpower, you learn to hear.
• Intent — minimal means, maximum presence.

A few clean watts, well-timed, go further than you think.

Why CW over voice?

Because it’s distilled. Because it’s deliberate. Because it still works.

• Efficient — cuts through noise.
• Neutral — no accents, no EQ.
• Discipline — you can’t fake CW.
• Portable — fewer watts, more distance.

CW is less about sound and more about signal. You earn every word.