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Articles by Andy Piper
Trunk & Tidbits, March 2026
Welcome to the 24th edition of Trunk & Tidbits 🎉 We’ve been publishing this monthly series, “behind the scenes of the code” from the Mastodon team, for a whole two years now! We’re getting close to the release of Mastodon 4.6. In the past few weeks we published two feature updates about things you’ll see in the next version: firstly, there was a post about a redesign for profile pages, now available to try out on mastodon.social and coming to other servers with version 4.6; we...
FOSDEM 2026 Recap
This year, the Mastodon team returned to FOSDEM for the third time. FOSDEM is an annual gathering of open source developers, held in Brussels. We’re excited to report that the Fediverse is feeling vibrant! FOSDEM has become a central element of EU Open Source Week - a series of events, meetups and workshops that have formed around the conference itself.
[Boost]
Andy Piper Creative Technologist. Freelance #DevRel at #Mastodon. Friendly DEV moderator. LEGO fan. IoT hacker. MicroPython tinkerer. Location Kingston upon Thames, London, UK Education Modern History, Brasenose College, Oxford Pronouns he/they Work Freelance consultant; DevRel at Mastodon gGmbH; open to opportunities. Joined
How I Used Claude Code to Speed Up My Shell Startup by 95%
🚀 Fast and simple Node.js version manager, built in Rust 🌎 Cross-platform support (macOS, Windows, Linux) ✨ Single file, easy installation, instant startup 🚀 Built with speed in mind 📂 Works with .node-version and .nvmrc files For bash, zsh and fish shells, there's an automatic installation script. First ensure that curl and unzip are already installed on your operating system. Then execute: curl -fsSL https://fnm.vercel.app/install | bash On macOS, it is as simple as brew upgrade fnm.
Talks and travels: FrOSCon, Germany
Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure and honour of delivering a keynote at the (milestone!) 20th edition of FrOSCon in Sankt Augustin, Germany.
Trunk & Tidbits, June 2025
It was another busy month in June, as we moved into the final stretch of the 4.4 release process. We also covered a lot of events during the month. Here’s what was happening. Team We welcomed Imani to the team, as our new designer. Very excited to have Imani join us! We also said goodbye to Inga, who has been instrumental in building the team.
Mastodon is a digital public good
This week is UN Open Source Week, and we’re happy to share that today, Mastodon was added to the Digital Public Goods Alliance’s DPG Registry. A goal of the DPGA is to promote digital public goods in order to create a more equitable world. Being recognised as a DPG increases the visibility, support for, and prominence of open projects that have the potential to tackle global challenges.
Mastodon in 2025
We’re already well into 2025, and it has been a huge start to the year for Mastodon. We want to bring you an overdue update on exactly what we’re working on, from a strategic perspective. Mastodon’s mission is to ensure that our online social spaces belong to the people forever, and provide a safe place for public discourse. In February, a few members of the team met in person to discuss next steps. Here are the three priorities we set for this year.
Trunk & Tidbits, May 2025
Hello again! Thank you for reading our monthly engineering team update, we’re happy to share what we’ve been working on. Events We had a busy May, with several events that we participated in, or organized. The biggest one was re:publica in Berlin, where several members of the Mastodon team were able to meet with the community, talk about the project, and share our plans for the future.
Trunk & Tidbits, April 2025
This edition of Trunk & Tidbits marks the one year anniversary of our monthly development updates 🎉 Back at the beginning of 2024, we discussed how regular communication needed to be a part of our team’s culture, as a commitment to the people who help to make Mastodon what it is - everyone that uses Mastodon daily, the administrators who run servers, the moderators that help to manage community discussions, and the people that donate to the project to help us to keep moving forward.
Evolving the Team
As Mastodon continues to evolve and grow, we’re excited to announce several changes to our team (and also, to offer a brief update on our restructuring). Restructuring Progress We’re currently forming a new foundation in Europe as a new home for the project and its assets. The terms papers have been finalised, and the process is underway.
Trunk & Tidbits, March 2025
Greetings! We’re back, with our monthly update from the Mastodon engineering team. Remember how last month was a bit lighter for news? Well, this time, we are making up for it and have a lot to share! Take a look below for team updates, some significant new features, and updates to the mobile apps. We also have very important information about changes with new (and old) software versions. Finally, there’s a bumper round-up of community news, and some fun projects you may have missed.
Trunk & Tidbits, February 2025
Hello again. Thanks for checking out our latest engineering updates. We hope that our monthly updates help you follow what we’ve been working on, and where we’re headed. This is a slightly lighter entry in the series, although there was plenty happening. At the start of the month we were recovering from our trip to FOSDEM (that was covered in the previous edition), and we also spent time responding to community feedback in a number of areas.
Trunk & Tidbits, January 2025
Welcome back to our technical blog series: Trunk & Tidbits. This is where we share updates on what the development team has been working on, and what we have planned for the future. This month we have a lot to tell you about, including a brief recap of our time at FOSDEM (which technically happened at the very start of February rather than during January), and some exciting new features and improvements that we have been working on.
Trunk & Tidbits, December 2024
A belated “happy 2025!” wish, from the Mastodon team (although, if you’ve been paying attention, there has been some important news already this month). We’re a little later than planned in posting a summary of the work that happened during December, but let’s get into it. Last month was a bit more quiet than usual, because most of the team took time off with friends and family over the annual holiday season.
Where is the Art? A History in Technology
Transcript Piper: In October 1971, a gentleman called Frieder Nake published a note in PAGE, the Bulletin of the Computer Arts Society, entitled, "There Should Be No Computer Art". "Soon after the advent of computers, it became clear that there was a great potential application for them in the area of artistic creation", he began. "Before 1960, digital computers helped to produce poetic text and music.
Trunk & Tidbits, November 2024
Hi everyone! We’re back with our monthly engineering update, looking back at a busy November. General news We were pleased to see our friends at NGI (Next Generation Internet) announce a major transition to using Mastodon and PeerTube as primary communication channels for many of their projects. 🎉 Our application for a stand at FOSDEM 2025 was accepted. We’re excited to be taking part in FOSDEM for the second year! We’ve started to plan what we will bring to share and talk about.
Trunk & Tidbits, July 2024
Hey, friends - here is another instalment in our engineering updates series. This is what has been happening in the code lately. At the very end of July we opened a role for an iOS developer to look after the official Mastodon for iOS app. If you are interested, the details of the role are available here. Current work We continue along the road to Mastodon 4.3, our next major release.
Trunk & Tidbits, May 2024
Welcome again to Trunk & Tidbits, our engineering updates blog series. Let us fill you in on what we’ve been focused on during this past month. During May, we released some important updates for the 4.2 and 4.1 releases, and nightly builds. They contain minor security fixes, as well as bug fixes. Thanks to the BSI for sponsoring a pentest of our codebase, which helped us find and fix some of these issues.
Trunk & Tidbits, April 2024
Welcome to the first in a planned ongoing series of updates from the core Mastodon engineering team. We’ll also take a quick look at what’s been happening around the broader community. The Mastodon 4.3 release is around the corner - we only have one big feature (grouped notifications) to finish before the first beta release! Let’s dive in on some of the most important things that have been merged lately.
Trunk & Tidbits, September 2024
Hello, friends! It’s time for another installment of our engineering updates series. Here’s what’s been happening in the code this past month. Releases Mastodon 4.3 is here! After 12 months of hard work, several beta versions, and a release candidate for testing, we’re excited to share version 4.3 with you. Check out the full details in our launch blog post. Additionally, we’ve released patch versions 4.2.13 and 4.1.20, and we recommend that all instances upgrade to these latest updates.
Trunk & Tidbits, August 2024
It was a big month for the Mastodon team, with a lot of work going into getting the first beta release of version 4.3 ready - but that’s not all that we’ve worked on. Here is our monthly update on what we’ve been up to. Releases During August, we released versions 4.2.12 (as well as a short-lived 4.2.11) and 4.1.19, with many bug fixes. If you are running the 4.2.x or 4.1.x series, we recommend that you upgrade to these latest versions.
Trunk & Tidbits, June 2024
Looking back at June (and just sneaking in to the start of July), we have a lot to share with you. Let’s dive in! First of all, we are delighted to announce a new member of the core development team - David Roetzel joined us as a core web developer. Welcome, @dave! During June, we investigated and fixed (and tested the patches for) 3 security issues. They were part of our most recent security releases at the start of July. These are important updates for the 4.2 and 4.1 releases, and nightly builds.
Trunk & Tidbits, October 2024
Welcome back to our monthly engineering series. In October, our long-anticipated plushies got out into the wild (mostly in Europe, for now), and we were busy tuning the code and planning what’s next. This is also a larger entry in our blog series, for updates from around our community. New arrivals We are really excited to welcome Shannon Hughes to our core development team, to work on our iOS experience.
Letter: Question answered: Dems, not Trump, are anti-American
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Meeting my personal writing goals
A little while ago I decided to try to get back into blogging a bit more seriously. Once upon a time, I was a regular writer via my own personal blog - over time, that diminished as I got more involved with microblogging, or just got more and more busy with other tasks. However, I realised that I had the most personal satisfaction when I was in a habit of writing and sharing online in a more thoughtful and consistent manner.
MNT Pocket Reform: first impressions
A couple of weeks ago I received something I’ve been eagerly expecting from a Crowd Supply crowd funding campaign. MNT have been making devices that aim to be “open source, accessible and modular” for a number of years. I didn’t get their original Reform laptop, but I’ve seen those around at events like FOSDEM and I’ve been following the team’s progress with interest.
Data shows Dubuque's workforce becoming more diverse
Dubuque’s demographics are changing, and Inclusive Dubuque — an initiative of Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque — is not only tracking the changes but looking for strategies to link newcomers to the community at-large. Since 2000, 68% of Dubuque’s population growth has come from foreign-born residents. In 2000, people of color represented 3.6% of Dubuque’s workforce. In 2021, that number jumped to 11.49%. The change is even more significant for the city’s school-age population.
Jester’s Lounge bringing comedy back to Millwork District
Comedy is returning to Dubuque’s Historic Millwork District. John Ohnesorge, of East Dubuque, Ill., plans to open The Jester’s Lounge in Novelty Iron Works Building at the site of the former Comedy Bar, 333 E. 10th St. In addition to being a dedicated comedy venue on Wednesday through Saturday, the lounge’s bar will be open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. seven days per week.
Jester's Lounge bringing comedy back to Millwork District
Comedy is returning to Dubuque’s Historic Millwork District. John Ohnesorge, of East Dubuque, Ill., plans to open The Jester’s Lounge in Novelty Iron Works Building at the site of the former Comedy Bar, 333 E. 10th St. In addition to being a dedicated comedy venue on Wednesday through Saturday, the lounge’s bar will be open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. seven days per week.
Storms deadly in other parts of Iowa leave wake of damage in tri-states
Tuesday was Brat Stand night at the Maquoketa (Iowa) Eagles Club. The bar was open and patrons passed the time until around 7 p.m. That’s when the warning came in for people to seek shelter from the storm. They huddled in a walk-in cooler near the center of building. When they emerged, the roof was mostly gone and the Jackson County town’s popular meeting space was indefinitely put out of commission. A wind gust of 80 mph was recorded in the area.
Updated Millwork District masterplan emphasizes communal space
First introduced in 2010, the masterplan for Dubuque’s Historic Millwork District served as a guide to resurrecting a dormant manufacturing zone into a vibrant live/work/play neighborhood. While the area’s redevelopment has been steady, and in some cases eye-popping during the intervening 14 years, work remains before the district fully achieves its promise, according to an updated masterplan delivered Monday to Dubuque City Council.
Dubuque Council approves asphalt rehab on part of North Grandview
Action: The Dubuque City Council voted, 6-0, with Mayor Brad Cavanagh absent, to approve the plans and specifications for rehabilitation of North Grandview Avenue from Loras Boulevard to Audubon Street and resurfacing from Audubon to Rosedale streets for $582,948. Background: Since the last reconstruction of North Grandview to Rosedale in 1992, the concrete has deteriorated with many cracks and bumps that are making for a rough ride.
North Grandview Avenue slated for rehabilitation
The stretch of North Grandview Avenue between Loras Boulevard and Rosedale Street could get a quick fix this summer before school reopens in August. Dubuque City Council members will be asked to approve the plans and specifications in the amount of $460,828 to remove the concrete roadway from Loras to Audubon Street and replace it with 8 inches of hot asphalt mix. The concrete curb and gutter would mostly remain intact with some spot repairs.
City pursues grant for traffic safety at railroad crossings
The city of Dubuque is moving quickly to apply for a nearly $3 million grant to use for safety improvements in at-grade intersections with railroad tracks through the city. Ultimately, the city hopes to gain a quiet-zone designation so trains would not be required to blow their warning horns while traveling through town. The Dubuque City Council will be asked Monday, May 20, to approve the city’s application for funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration.
Galena grad always taking care of business
GALENA, Ill. — Abby Ehrler’s day starts early. The soon-to-be Galena High School graduate wakes at 3 a.m. and begins her daily medication regimen that includes 20 pills. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 12 and during surgery, doctors also removed a small gland that governs calcium production and distribution throughout the body. That left her with hypoparathyroidism. All those pills help her body provide the functions associated with the thyroid gland.
Entrepreneurship expert offers workshop in Dubuque
Local entrepreneurs and businesspeople have an opportunity to learn from a highly regarded professional in the field on Friday and Saturday, May 17 and 18, at The Innovation Lab in Dubuque. Andrew Corbett, the Paul T. Babson Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies and faculty director for the Butler Institute for Free Enterprise through Entrepreneurship at Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., will provide two days of workshops.
Tri-state towns made moderate changes to tax rates
Five of nine area Iowa towns surrounding Dubuque established tax rates for Fiscal Year 2025 that were lower than their rates in FY 2024. The new fiscal year begins July 1 in Iowa and municipalities were required to file their tax-rate information by April 30. Maquoketa led the way with a property tax reduction of $1.22 per $1,000 in taxable valuation. Maquoketa City Council members set the FY 2025 rate at $12.75 per $1,000 in taxable valuation, down from $14.72 in FY 2024.
Jones recognized for 50 years of service to Dubuque
Dubuque City Council Member Ric Jones was recognized Monday night for his 50 years of continuous service to the city of Dubuque. During Monday’s council meeting, Mayor Brad Cavanagh surprised Jones with a proclamation honoring him for his service. After a standing ovation from attendees in the council chambers Jones made a simple statement. “Well that was a ton of fun, as has been working for this wonderful organization for the past 50 years,” Jones said.
Bankruptcy delaying senior housing development
A senior living housing development in Dubuque is entangled in a Pella, Iowa, developer’s bankruptcy filing, but the project could reach completion as a group of local partners attempts to pick up the pieces left behind. Jeffrey and Tina Ewing, of Pella, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 5. A federal judge in the Southern District of Iowa dismissed the filing, ruling the Ewings and their attorneys did not submit required financial reports, leaving the developments in legal limbo.
Reopening of Jackson Street near demolished building on tap for next week
With debris piled high on Jackson and 30th streets following last week’s demolition of part of the Dubuque Brewing and Malting Co. building, Dubuque Assistant Housing Director Mike Belmont said he expects Jackson Street to reopen next week. Belmont said plans call for the removal and staging of the brick and other materials from the streets for salvage. Demolition is ongoing.
City Council to hire infrastructure consultant for Chaplain Schmitt Island
Notable action at Monday’s Dubuque City Council meeting included: Action: Council members voted, 7-0, to approve issuing a request for qualifications to hire a consultant to assist the city in assessing sanitary sewer infrastructure and to develop improvement plans to meet the city’s future development goals on the north side of Chaplain Schmitt Island.
Wedding revs up Dubuque's Vintage Torque Fest
Amid the vintage cars, vintage motorbikes and vintage clothing, modern love stole the show on Saturday at Vintage Torque Fest, and it was shared with everyone at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. Travis and Amy Burwell, of Las Vegas, met at the event in 2013. Eleven years later, they exchanged their wedding vows on center stage.
Love revs up Dubuque's Vintage Torque Fest
Amid the vintage cars, vintage motorbikes and vintage clothing, modern love stole the show today at Vintage Torque Fest, and it was shared with everyone at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. Travis and Amy Burwell, of Las Vegas, Nev., met at the event in 2013. Eleven years later, they exchanged their wedding vows on center stage.
Vintage TorqueFest
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Northwest Illinois receives $69.9 million boost for high-speed internet buildout
ELIZABETH, Ill. — A swath of northwest Illinois, including Jo Daviess County, received a significant boost in a goal to provide high-speed internet to rural areas. Connect Illinois Program has awarded a $69.9 million grant to JCE Co-op to install high-speed fiber internet in areas of Whiteside, Carroll and Jo Daviess counties, bringing connectivity to more than 5,100 households, farms and businesses, a press release states.
City prepares for infrastructure upgrade on Chaplain Schmitt Island
The transformation of Chaplain Schmitt Island into a regional entertainment hub is a top priority of the Dubuque City Council and DRA. It all starts with infrastructure. The council will review a proposal at its Monday, May 6, meeting to begin the hiring process of a consultant to evaluate the state of the island’s sanitary sewer infrastructure on the casino side of the island.
Are you ready for summer (squash)? Dubuque Farmers Market opens
The Dubuque Farmers Market opens its 179th season on Saturday. It is the longest-running farmers market in Iowa, said Taryn Kafer, on-site director. “From what we can tell from history, it got its start in Flat Iron Park in the 1840s, before moving to City Hall,” Kafer said. She said in the early days at City Hall, products were sold through the long windows on the sides of the building. As the market continued to grow, vendors spilled outside. “And we’re still growing and growing,” Kafer said.
'A big influx': Work underway to add to Dubuque's housing stock
In 2022, a housing needs assessment for Dubuque painted a bleak picture of available properties for sale or rent. Dubuque City Council set a goal of reversing that trend and expanded several financial incentives to help make that goal a reality. In 2024, those efforts are beginning to take shape. As of March 29, there were 40 projects either underway or in the city’s review process that would bring 2,335 housing units to the city.
Wisconsin Democrat to challenge Novak in Wisconsin Assembly District 51
A Mount Horeb real estate agent and farm manager has announced her candidacy for Wisconsin State Assembly District 51. Democrat Elizabeth Grabe is challenging incumbent Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville, for the seat in the redrawn 51st District. The realigned district was signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers. It now includes the Dane County communities of Mount Horeb, Blue Mounds and Vermont.
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