About Pragmatic Tech
Welcome to Pragmatic Tech — where we cut through the jargon and focus on what actually works.
This site covers three things, because that’s what I actually do:
- Sysadmin work — servers, networks, Kubernetes, automation, the 3 AM pages.
- Helping aging parents with technology — setting up phones, picking safe apps, having the conversations that prevent scams.
- Kids’ learning games — simple browser games for Finnish reading, maths, and music.
It’s an unusual combo. But if you’ve ever been the family IT person, you’ll recognise it: you’re a sysadmin at work, you end up setting up your mom’s iPhone, and your own kids want something to play. Pragmatic Tech is my attempt to write down the practical stuff from all three, in one place, without the buzzwords.
What you’ll find here
- Sysadmin guides — home labs, monitoring, zero trust, Kubernetes without jargon, free scripts.
- Senior tech help — the 30-minute iPhone setup, the apps my 78-year-old mom actually kept, the conversations that work.
- Kids’ games — Finnish reading, maths, music. No ads, no logins, no data collection.
- A shop — free scripts and paid toolkits, all MIT licensed.
- A newsletter — weekly practical tips, no spam.
Why “Pragmatic”?
Because most tech blogs are either:
- Too basic (“restart your router!”)
- Too complex (“here’s how to compile your own kernel”)
This blog lives in the sweet spot: practical solutions for real-world problems.
About the author
I’m Jonne 👋 — a Finnish system administrator who’s been doing this long enough to have made every mistake in the mistakes post. I believe in:
- Security that doesn’t break usability
- Automation that’s worth the setup time
- Documentation that humans can actually follow
- Tools that work Monday morning at 3 AM
When I’m not at a terminal, I’m usually setting up a parent’s phone or building a silly game for my kids. Hence the three-audience site.
Get updates
Subscribe to the newsletter for weekly practical tips. No spam, just useful stuff.
Contact
Questions? Suggestions? Found a better way to do something?
The fastest way to reach me is the 💬 Ask Jonne button in the bottom-right corner of any page. If email is easier, the address is on the newsletter signup confirmation.
About the domain
The domain is pragmaticsysadmin.help — that name predates the senior-tech and kids’ content. I’ve kept it because changing domains breaks every existing link and bookmark. The site brand is “Pragmatic Tech” now; the URL stays the same.