April 15, 2024

Consulting and Partying in 1999

Hey friends,

Hope you managed to catch the eclipse last week without burning holes in your retinas. 🌞😎 Now that we're through with that phenomena, prepare yourself for the next (but perhaps less spectacular) one: the double-brood emergence.

---

Thinking Too Hard

I am reminded this week that while technology is neat, in the web industry we are still first and foremost consultants to our client's businesses. Sometimes, (...almost always?) the business needs of the client create less-than-ideal technology situations. In those situations I recommend:

1. Make your best recommendation... They hired you FOR your expertise. Provide solid reasoning why this could be the best choice.
2. But listen carefully to your client's reasoning for needing it this way... Occasionally, it's something you can help them move past, and if they're open to your recommendation — problem solved! Good job, you! Sometimes there are obstacles in the way that have nothing to do with the tech. It could be a staffing issues, a budget issue, or other obstacles that you have no visibility into.
3. Remember it's ultimately their money, their business, their call. If you've made your recommendation and it cannot overcome their business obstacles, then you are obligated as a consultant to help them find the best way through.

---

Interesting Web Bits

• Jared White add his voice to the call to make the internet once again our own with how he's ready to party like it's 1999... again.
• Andy Bell shows us a way to theme with modern css, relying on the custom property fallback mechanisms. Pretty neat.
• These throwback cursors Figma played with are pretty fun.
• Tom Jordell interviews his mother who is a COBOL programmer for a large European bank.
• Ildar Sharafeev shows us how to build a state machine in React.
• Apparently Angular and Wiz are merging together over the next few years?
• Quick look at an old terminal from the beginning of Vi. Yep, HJKL as arrows, and that ESC is in a much nicer spot than modern keyboards.
• I was reminded this week of the grug-brain developer, fighting the complexity spirit demon. Always a good read.