It’s hard to believe it’s December already. :-)

###Why is Apache Vulnerable by Default?

Apache is the most popular web server on Earth, with a market share of 46.4% — well above Nginx (21.8%) and Microsoft IIS (9.8%). Thanks to Linux package managers like Yum and APT you can install and get it up and running in minutes. The core installation even features powerful modules for URL rewriting, user authentication, and more. With a low barrier to entry and such a mature feature set it’s no wonder it’s the go-to web server for standalone developers and enterprise DevOps teams alike. Given that same market maturity: why is it still vulnerable by default?

A good overview of some of the items you should change on your Apache setup. I have it on my todo list to change these but I haven’t done them so this isn’t a direct endorsement of this list.

###What will your legacy [code] be?

[L]egacy code means it’s slow to understand existing behavior, slow to fix bugs, slow to develop features, and slow to gather confidence that I haven’t broken some seemingly unrelated thing.

###Konmari Your Code; Refactor Your Life

This article discusses applying The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (again I haven’t read this yet but it’s on my list) to your code and no just the crap in your house.

###Always use caret instead of tilde

I’ve been noticing people having trouble understanding the differences between the caret (“^”) and the tilde (“~”) operator in the composer.json file. Composer’s documentation is great but a bit short, that is why I write this blog post.

I think most developers find using this versioning system to be difficult and usually default to whatever’s on the project’s GitHub page. I know I personally do that because I know it’s supported (I also don’t usually update my composer dependencies after I install them the first time).

###Multi data center redundancy – sysadmin considerations

Also worth a read https://blog.serverdensity.com/multi-data-center-redundancy-application-considerations/

###The Problem with Tech Leads A good read for any managers out there.

###How We Saved $132k a Year With an IT Infrastructure Audit

I’m guessing $132k is on the high end for most people especially if you’re not doing a once over every so often. I can see how people would let this get out of hand. :-)

###Born for it

The stereotype of the socially-awkward, white, male programmer has been around for a long time. Although “diversity in tech” is a much discussed topic, the numbers have not been getting any better. On the contrary, a lot of people inside and outside of the IT industry still take it for granted that this stereotype is the natural norm, and this perception is one of the things that is standing in our way to make the profession more inclusive and inviting.

As someone who has hired people I try to keep an eye out for people who aren’t white and male but I always aim for the best fit.

###Why vacation at tech companies should be mandatory: better code, happier people

Instead of discussing the burnout side of this argument they’re discussing how it’s important to have other people available to work on your responsibilities.

###Scalpels not Swiss Army Knives for Startups

###Comic: Encapsulation

###​When to use NGINX instead of Apache