Setting up the prestonjackson.com Website

I am building prestonjackson.com as a sort of experiment. My thesis is that expensive hosting, paradigm-shifting frameworks, complex configurations are useful only for sites that operate at scale. Oh! How I wish to have that problem. Until then, keep it simple, stupid (KISS). I hope, but do no know that this thesis is true. Surely there are new frameworks, languages, runtimes, preprocessors, that promise to make my life simipler. However, learning these alone is enough to discourage anyone from the craft.

I suppose I’m a reductionist at heart. Start with the basics then add components when not having it is more complex than adding it.

My goals:

• Self host.
• Own the data.
• Use stock tools when possible.
• Only add a tool when a simpler one won’t do.

There is a real possiblity that at the end of this experiment, the whole site will be running React and Typescript. But for now, we’re starting with the basics. The Web platform has come a long way since my last attempt and it is quite exciting to start again.

So, this is an effort to practice my craft, working with simple tools, for my own learning and pleasure. I hope the lessons I share are helpful to you too.