Thoughts on Agency

Having worked the first half of Robert Nystrom's Crafting Interpreters several times, I thought it might be about time for me to have a go at the second half of the book wherein he writes a single-pass compiler and implements a virtual byte-code machine in C. So, over the holidays I decided to undertake this effort using nothing more than Rust and ed(1), the standard line editor from Unix. I even recorded a rather ridiculous 67-hour video of this effort.

The details aren't so important, but what would possess me to undertake a project like this in such an austere programming environment? That's difficult to say, but maybe it was about personal "agency." I've been working hard to learn Rust over the last 18 months so maybe this was a "test" of my skills. However, agency is also an underlying idea that runs throughout my courses. For example, developing the agency to read programs with a critical eye. Having the agency to understand different design options and tradeoffs. Having the agency to work through difficult problems when you don't entirely understand the problem yet. So, perhaps this effort was a way to put all of these ideals into practice.

Tools for producing code have always come and gone. However, developing a general sense of agency about programming and problem solving is something that transcends tools and pays you back forever. This brings me to upcoming courses for the first part of 2026.

Fundamentals

These courses focus on fundamental aspects of programming. They're a great stepping stone for larger project courses.

• Advanced Programming with Python, January 26-30, 2026.

• Ruckus (Rust Programming), March 23-26, 2026.

• Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (SICP), June 1-5, 2026.

Project Courses

These courses provide an opportunity to put your programming skills to the test as your take on challenging projects.

• Write a Compiler, February 16-20, 2026.

• Rafting Trip, March 9-13, 2026.

• Crusty Interpreter, April 10-14, 2026.

New: Tiered Pricing

For 2026, I've decided to change to a tiered pricing model featuring both a "Corporate" and "Individual" rate. This mirrors a similar structure found at conferences. If you have been thinking about taking a course, but have delayed due to out-of-pocket cost, the new rate structure should offer a substantial discount to individuals. More details can be found on the various course pages.

As always, thanks to everyone who has taken a course. Please help spread the word!

Cheers,
Dave