Becoming a programmer can be a daunting task. After reading Your First Year in Code, you might wonder what awaits you long term. My book, What is Programming covers more of the […]
Your 30th Year in Code
The Internet Lottery™ for content creators
Your cursor hovers over the post button. This will be the one. You researched it, you checked it, you got the graphics, and you have the audience. Today you’ll have that successful […]
Would you program a human?
With tales of Crispr babies in the news, I’ve been pondering the implications of programming human beings. This may or may not have been spurred by a crime novel I recently read, […]
Why I’m not a fan of pair programming
Pair programming feels like a lingering ghost. Its adherents proclaim it to be the best approach to coding while the rest of us just continue to ignore it. I’ve only tried it […]
I’m proud to be a programmer
I’m a programmer. If you think that means I write code, you’re wrong. As a programmer, my job is translating ideas into a working computer solution. Beyond coding, this involves a myriad […]
Why does Amazon taunt me with surround sound?
Despite a label of 5.1 surround I only ever get stereo sound from Amazon Prime. I mange to get surround from other providers and devices, just not Amazon. Is it one of […]
Fix your crappy ads and I’ll stop blocking them
Ad-block users are finding an increasing number of sites blocking access. I wonder if any of them asked themselves why we block ads? Do they suppose we’re anti-capitalist scum fundamentally opposed to […]
The horribly horrible horrific horrifying horrid word horror
What’s the difference between “horrible” and “horrifying”? It’s a simple question posed to me by a friend in the process of editing her novel. It set me off on a tangent, a […]
Why can’t I get organic salt and vinegar chips?
As a Canadian, eating potato chips is part of my DNA. I was understandably alarmed when I moved to Munich and was greeted with a paltry chip selection. I could choose from […]
Programming won’t be automated, or it already has been
I’m afraid of a robot taking my job. I don’t care about the job part much, I’m afraid of the actual robot. To replace my job it’d need to exhibit human level […]
Are we forever cursed with buggy software?
Despite continuous advancements in programming it never feels like software is actually getting any better. It can certainly do more things, but it remains buggy and often unreliable. Is the source of […]
How blaming the user leads to tragedy
On 9 February human error resulted in 11 deaths and 80 further casualties in tragic wreck near Bad Aibling, Germany. Despite a supposedly robust safety system, a lone operator was capable of […]
You can’t trade privacy for security
The idea that one can give up privacy in exchange for security is misguided and dangerous. It’s a clichĂ© peddled by politicians who either just don’t understand or are intentionally misleading the […]
A secure and private browser sandbox
A patchwork set of standards and rules is creating an unsafe web. Cross-site attacks are too common and privacy leaks have become the norm. There’s no reason it has to be like […]
