Daniel Conderman 
A couple of weeks ago, I set myself a goal: have a working MVP of Nitetime.net ready by the time the MC Chris show rolled into town. Well, that show came and went. The deadline sailed right past me.
And I’m fine with that.
This project has been more about enjoying the process than racing to a finish line. Developing entirely on my iPad has been a fun experiment, and getting my tools and workflow dialed in on iOS 26 took longer than I expected. But once it clicked, I realized I’m in no rush—this is about building it right.
The Security Mindset in 2025
One thing that really slowed me down is security. Back in the days of the original Nitetime.net and MadisonHotspots.com, I was working with good old PHP and SQL. I knew the attack surface. I knew how to secure it. If someone tried to get clever with SQL injection or cross-site scripting, I had a playbook.
Today’s web is a whole different beast.
Nitetime.net’s new version is built in the modern style: micro-apps, APIs, third-party services, and real-time databases. It’s awesome for rapid development, but it’s also a minefield for security. I’ve been reading about recent incidents where indie apps got roasted in the news for shipping with Firebase databases wide open to the internet. Zero security. Anyone could read or write to them.
That’s the nightmare scenario for me.
Before I even think about launching a demo, I want to be 100% confident that my data is locked down. It’s not just about preventing hacks—modern attacks can happen accidentally if you don’t understand how a service handles security by default. You could unknowingly leave a door wide open, and someone will eventually walk through it.
The Difference Now
In the early 2000s, I could glance at my PHP code and server logs and know I was solid. Today, I’m juggling:
- Firebase
- Auth flows
- Microservices
- Third-party libraries
- Cloud function triggers
Every single one of those is a potential vector for mistakes. The lesson here is simple: take your time, and don’t trust defaults.
Moving Forward
So, no MVP yet. No flashy relaunch. Just me having fun building, testing, and double-checking everything as I go. When Nitetime.net comes back online, I want it to be fast, fun, and secure—the way it should be in 2025.
And if you’re curious, yes… I hope I’m smart enough to avoid the kind of security holes that make headlines. Time will tell.
