Code review vs code proofreading
What if the problem with code review is that we're doing it wrong?
Programming AIs worry me
For some inane reason, Github classifies me as a "major open source maintainer", which means I get a free copilot subscription.1 I've been using it for a...
Maybe people do care about performance and reliability
But they are victims of complex societal factors that are beyond their control
Creatively Misusing TLA+
Five not-quite-normal uses
Improve your debugging by asking broad questions
Another form of divide-and-conquer
Tag Systems
I've tried to write a blog post on tag systems for years now. Literally years, I think I first started drafting it out in 2018 or so? The problem is that...
New Workshop, Some Data-ish Pipeline Tricks
Lots of admin stuff today! First, we have a new blogpost, the full version of the complexity preview I shared last week. I'm also announcing a new TLA+...
Funny Programming Languages
One of the weirdest and most wonderful things about people is that they can make a joke out of anything. For any human discipline there's people making jokes...
Use the Wrong Tool for the Job
I've recently been real fascinated by the topic of complexity and what keeps us from keeping software simple. The wider net likes to blame "lazy programmers"...
In Defense of Testing Mocks
Computer Things: 2021 Edition It's over a year late, I know, but the 2021 Newsletter collection is now available to purchase as a PDF. 70,000 words, 250...
Microfeatures I'd like to see in more languages
There are roughly three classes of language features: Features that the language is effectively designed around, such that you can't add it after the fact....
Why Modeling Finds Bugs (Without Model-Checking)
Just the process of writing a model will improve your software designs.
Bugs that literally cost money
How much does a software bug cost a company? Well that's a messy question. It depends on the type of bug, the broken behavior, the type of company, etc. And...
2022 In Review
Happy end of 2022! It's been a busy year personally and professionally, one of the most productive (on both fronts!) in a long time. Not that you'd be able...
Universal SE Topics
Resources that someone (nose goes) needs to write
Making ChatGPT Useful
Lower your expectations and AI will thrive
I am disappointed by dynamic typing
They have potential to be more than "no static types", but that hasn't happened.
Let's Prove Leftpad; Content Aggregation
Hi everyone! First of all, I published a new blog post. It's an explanation of my Let's Prove Leftpad project. Give it a read! Now because I can't in good...
Why do we call it "boilerplate code?"
Etymology is fun!
Notes on Every Strangeloop 2022 Talk I Attended
I originally made this newsletter to tell people when I updated my blog. Then it grew into the abomination it is today. Anyway, I just updated my blog....