Island in the Net is written and produced by Khürt Williams since 2000. I work in application security architecture and I live in Montgomery Township, New Jersey with my wife Bhavna. I am passionate about photography. Expect to find writing on cybersecurity, tropical aquariums, terrariums, hiking, craft breweries, and bird photography.
Essential Apps and Tools
For writing, I rely on Markdown in Byword and the WordPress Classic Editor—it’s a straightforward setup that keeps my thoughts organised. When it comes to security and interactivity, JetPack Security has my back, and tools like ActivityPub and IndieWeb keep me connected with other indie bloggers. My tech stack is a bit of a patchwork, with plugins like WebFinger and Nodeinfo to keep everything humming. For anyone curious about my setup, here’s a list:
- Byword
- WordPress Classic Editor
- JetPack Security
- ActivityPub
- IndieWeb (Post Kinds, Syndication Links, Webmention, IndieNews)
- WebFinger
- Nodeinfo
- CookieYes – Cookie Banner for Cookie Consent
- Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Protection
- GDPR Data Request Form
- TableConvert
Server Software and Hosting
Island in the Net lives on a Digital Ocean Ubuntu Linux VPS using Apache with MySQL. I enjoy managing it myself—there’s something satisfying about the hands-on approach. If you’re interested in hosting your blog on a VPS, Digital Ocean has been a rock-solid choice for me.
Theme and Design
I chose the Minimalist Blogger X theme for its simplicity. I like clean, modern lines without too much clutter—it lets the content take centre stage.
Writing and Production
Writing here is a blend of Markdown simplicity and the WordPress Classic Editor. I draft each entry using Byword, which lets me stay in Markdown without fussing over formatting until the end.
If you’ve ever come across John Gruber’s Daring Fireball colophon, you’ll see where some of the inspiration comes from. Island in the Net is a mix of life, work, and everything in between, all woven together in a personal, evolving journal.
