What is this site? FAQ

Why does the site look broken or incomplete?

I'm probably tweaking the code right now. There's nothing important here, so nothing is lost if something breaks — it's just a web page. Refresh and come back in a few minutes.

Also, this site is designed specifically for 1024x768 resolution. This is for compatibility with the mainstream displays of that era (CRT monitors). If you're on a 4K monitor, it'll shrink to a narrow strip in the center of the screen.

What is this site built with? Why does it look so primitive?

The front end is basically HTML, and the back end is Python. There's virtually no modern CSS framework or JS framework involved. I prefer the 90s style over modern web design. Pixelated, table-based layouts, pastel neon colors, and various GIF backgrounds.

Technically speaking, this is a purely static site. I wrote a PowerShell script (build.ps1) that assembles the entire site by stitching together HTML components — details can be found in the build.ps1 Script Explained post. Python handles the guestbook and search (guestbook.py + search.py). Guestbook data is stored directly in a TXT file — I have no plans to use a database; my site isn't at the level where it needs one.

Why support IE 5.5?

IE 5.5 is the highest version of IE that can be installed on Windows 95. The reason I chose it as a compatibility target is that the old laptop I have on hand (Toshiba Satellite 4010CDT) runs IE 5.5 — somewhat of a roundabout justification, I admit. I may write an article about the Toshiba Satellite 4010CDT later.

In practice, I've found that IE 5.5's support for HTML 3.2 and early CSS is actually quite reliable.

Is this site safe? Are you going to steal my data?

Aside from the guestbook, the site has no back end, no database, no user accounts, no cookies, and no form of data collection whatsoever. The only thing I can see is your IP address. If you don't want your IP shown when leaving a message, just leave the "Show IP" box unchecked.

Why is my browser showing a warning? If you see a security warning, it's most likely because you're using http:// instead of https://. This site runs both HTTP (for legacy devices) and HTTPS, but modern browsers mark HTTP pages as "not secure." Just make sure the address bar starts with https:// and you're good.

If you're especially privacy-conscious: you could even fake a fake IP to visit this site — who cares? Access logs are stored locally on the server and are never shared externally.

What does this site run on?

Originally it ran on an ESP32-S3. After I piled on all sorts of features, the ESP32's memory couldn't keep up, so I moved it to a cheap cloud server that costs a few bucks a month. Current setup:

I've considered moving back to an ESP32 or switching to another microcontroller (like the CH32V307), but a cloud server at a few dollars a month is far less hassle than messing with hardware — plus, my ISP doesn't offer ports 80 and 443 anyway.

Why not use a modern framework?

No particular reason — I just like it this way. My first blog was on WordPress, and I've also used modern frameworks like Wiki.js.

If you're interested, here is a complete framework review where I used AI to audit the code and outline this site's technical issues and optimization directions.

What are those 88x31 badges?

88x31 pixel micro-banners were the "social cards" of the late-90s to early-2000s internet. Webmasters would exchange these small badges and display them on their sidebar or link exchange pages, forming a decentralized recommendation network.

I've collected over 7,500 88x31 buttons covering browser vendors (Netscape, IE), operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, Linux), programming languages (PHP, Perl, Python, C++), web hosting (GeoCities, Angelfire, Tripod), music, games — pretty much every category you can think of. It's probably the largest 88x31 archive on the Chinese internet. You can find 88x31-related blog posts in the Article Archive.

Can I use your code to build my own site?

Of course. I use the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

You can right-click the page and select "View Source" to see the complete HTML structure.

Will this site always look like this?

Not necessarily — after all, this isn't my first blog, but it won't be my last either.

How can I contact you?

You can send me an email or leave a message on the guestbook.

I don't check the guestbook and GitHub notifications every day. If something is urgent, email is the best way to reach me.

How does the guestbook work? Why TXT instead of a database?

The guestbook workflow goes like this:

If you provided an email, and someone you @'d in your message also left their email before, the system will automatically send them a notification.

Why not use a database?
(1) I can't be bothered to install something like MySQL.
(2) Any text editor can open guestbook.txt to read all the messages.

Please don't judge me, I'm just lazy.

Is there RSS? How do I track updates?

RSS is updated automatically each time the site is rebuilt. I may consider adding email subscriptions in the future.

Why did you make this site?

On a whim in October 2025. I wanted to build a personal blog with a Web 1.0 aesthetic. The last time I had a public blog was before the pandemic — quite something. As for content, I'll update whenever inspiration strikes, writing about whatever comes to mind. Probably not many people will read it anyway.

Thanks for reading this far. Welcome to my little corner of the web.