The April Fools joke that might have got me fired
(blogspot.com)
Everyone should pull one great practical joke in their lifetimes. This one was mine, and I think it's past the statute of limitations. The story is true. Only the names are redacted to protect the guilty.
Everyone should pull one great practical joke in their lifetimes. This one was mine, and I think it's past the statute of limitations. The story is true. Only the names are redacted to protect the guilty.
GPT-4o helped me re-create classic cartoons with myself as a character
(twitter.com)
Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot.
Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot.
Debugging Lotus 1-2-3 by fax
(jgc.org)
There isn't a lot to this story beyond the fact that in around 1990 I helped debug someone's Lotus 1-2-3 set up via fax. But it's a good reminder of how important the Zeroth Law of Debugging is (see below).
There isn't a lot to this story beyond the fact that in around 1990 I helped debug someone's Lotus 1-2-3 set up via fax. But it's a good reminder of how important the Zeroth Law of Debugging is (see below).
The March of the Vegetables Parade
(marchofthevegetables.org)
Coming right up, the March of the Vegetables Parade!
Coming right up, the March of the Vegetables Parade!
The Unix-Haters Handbook
(wikipedia.org)
The UNIX-HATERS Handbook is a semi-humorous edited compilation of messages to the UNIX-HATERS mailing list.
The UNIX-HATERS Handbook is a semi-humorous edited compilation of messages to the UNIX-HATERS mailing list.
To some people, time zones are just a fancy way of sounding important, episode 2
(microsoft.com)
A few summers ago, there was an announcement about downtime for a commonly-used service.
A few summers ago, there was an announcement about downtime for a commonly-used service.
Claim for a missing tooth
(matteason.co.uk)
Use this service to claim financial reimbursement for a tooth which has been lost and cannot be collected by the Tooth Fairy - for example, teeth which have been:
Use this service to claim financial reimbursement for a tooth which has been lost and cannot be collected by the Tooth Fairy - for example, teeth which have been:
Three Tribes of Programming (2017)
(josephg.com)
There's an old joke that computer science is a lie, because its not really about computers, and its not really a science.
There's an old joke that computer science is a lie, because its not really about computers, and its not really a science.
Plato: Organist to the Beasts (2022)
(willbuckingham.com)
It’s a curious image. The philosopher Plato, dressed in a turban and a sash, sits before a pipe organ and plays sweet tunes. Meanwhile, around him lies a catatonic tribe of lions, tigers, antelopes, leopards, deer, rhinos, cranes, phoenixes and other beasts. What’s going on here? Are these animals sleeping? Are they dead? What is Plato up to?
It’s a curious image. The philosopher Plato, dressed in a turban and a sash, sits before a pipe organ and plays sweet tunes. Meanwhile, around him lies a catatonic tribe of lions, tigers, antelopes, leopards, deer, rhinos, cranes, phoenixes and other beasts. What’s going on here? Are these animals sleeping? Are they dead? What is Plato up to?
Friends don't let friends write production software in Python (2020)
(dustri.org)
Friends don't let friends write production software in Python
Friends don't let friends write production software in Python
Vibe Coder – AI Engineer YC Job posting: Satire or not Satire?
(ycombinator.com)
The more I read this job posting, the more I think it is satire: https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/domu-technology-inc/jobs/hwWsGdU-vibe-coder-ai-engineer<p>> At least 50% of the code you write right now should be done by AI; Vibe coding experience is non-negotiable.<p>> Ready to grind long hours, including weekends<p>All of this to "Automate debt collection calls for banks". Am I out of touch here?
The more I read this job posting, the more I think it is satire: https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/domu-technology-inc/jobs/hwWsGdU-vibe-coder-ai-engineer<p>> At least 50% of the code you write right now should be done by AI; Vibe coding experience is non-negotiable.<p>> Ready to grind long hours, including weekends<p>All of this to "Automate debt collection calls for banks". Am I out of touch here?
Yhprum's Law
(wikipedia.org)
Yhprum's law is the opposite of Murphy's law. The simple formula of Yhprum's law is: "Everything that can work, will work." "Yhprum" is "Murphy" spelled backwards.
Yhprum's law is the opposite of Murphy's law. The simple formula of Yhprum's law is: "Everything that can work, will work." "Yhprum" is "Murphy" spelled backwards.
1x Engineer
(1x.engineer)
You might have already heard of a 10x engineer. Probably too often, actually. If there's such a thing as a 10x engineer, surely there must be a 1x engineer, too?
You might have already heard of a 10x engineer. Probably too often, actually. If there's such a thing as a 10x engineer, surely there must be a 1x engineer, too?
We're Waiting for the End of the Sentence
(twitter.com)
Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot.
Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot.
Leprechauns of Software Engineering
(markgreville.ie)
“Everything everyone knows about anything indicates that this is untrue,” – Laurent Bossavit
“Everything everyone knows about anything indicates that this is untrue,” – Laurent Bossavit
Generate impressive-looking terminal output, look busy when stakeholders walk by
(github.com/giacomo-b)
Become an irreplaceable 10x developer in 30 seconds flat
Become an irreplaceable 10x developer in 30 seconds flat
Milk Kanban
(brodzinski.com)
A simple index card taped to the last milk carton in a row stating, “Bring me to Kasia.” That’s it.
A simple index card taped to the last milk carton in a row stating, “Bring me to Kasia.” That’s it.
Cursor refuses to generate code, tells user to learn code instead
(arstechnica.com)
On Saturday, a developer using Cursor AI for a racing game project hit an unexpected roadblock when the programming assistant abruptly refused to continue generating code, instead offering some unsolicited career advice.
On Saturday, a developer using Cursor AI for a racing game project hit an unexpected roadblock when the programming assistant abruptly refused to continue generating code, instead offering some unsolicited career advice.
Dodge Chargers Have Pop-Up Ads
(fuelarc.com)
Nothing quite says “high-performance muscle car” like a popup ad for a Mopar Extended Warranty covering your whole center console.
Nothing quite says “high-performance muscle car” like a popup ad for a Mopar Extended Warranty covering your whole center console.
Show HN: Jade – an iMessage blue bubble agent for group chats
(itsjade.chat)
The witty friend your blue-bubble group chats have been missing — bringing personality, banter, and a dash of sass to your iMessage conversations
The witty friend your blue-bubble group chats have been missing — bringing personality, banter, and a dash of sass to your iMessage conversations
So Long and Thanks for All the Words: A Toast to Douglas Adams
(multiverseemployeehandbook.com)
Today marks what would have been Douglas Adams’ 73rd birthday—or depending on which timeline you’re accessing this from, his 3042nd, or perhaps his perpetual 42nd in the universe where time loops infinitely around that particular number. Regardless of your dimensional coordinates, we at The Multiverse Employee Handbook wish to raise our electronic towels and digitally frosted Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters to the man who taught us how to laugh in the face of existential terror.
Today marks what would have been Douglas Adams’ 73rd birthday—or depending on which timeline you’re accessing this from, his 3042nd, or perhaps his perpetual 42nd in the universe where time loops infinitely around that particular number. Regardless of your dimensional coordinates, we at The Multiverse Employee Handbook wish to raise our electronic towels and digitally frosted Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters to the man who taught us how to laugh in the face of existential terror.
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber pokes fun at Zuckerberg with Latin phrase T-shirt
(techcrunch.com)
When Bluesky CEO Jay Graber walked on stage at SXSW 2025 for her keynote discussion, she wore a large black T-shirt with her hair pulled back into a bun.
When Bluesky CEO Jay Graber walked on stage at SXSW 2025 for her keynote discussion, she wore a large black T-shirt with her hair pulled back into a bun.
Does Visual Studio rot the mind? (2005)
(charlespetzold.com)
Visual Studio can be one of the programmer's best friends, but over the years it has become increasingly pushy, domineering, and suffering from unsettling control issues.
Visual Studio can be one of the programmer's best friends, but over the years it has become increasingly pushy, domineering, and suffering from unsettling control issues.