{"generator":"GNU social 2.0.2-dev","title":"Conversation","totalItems":5,"items":[{"actor":{"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands","displayName":"Paul Cantrell","status_net":{"avatarLinks":[{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-original-tmp20231130153900.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":400,"height":400},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-96-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":96,"height":96},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-48-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":48,"height":48},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-24-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":24,"height":24}],"profile_info":{"local_id":"53259"}},"image":{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-96-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":96,"height":96},"objectType":"person","summary":"Composer, pianist, programmer, professor, rabble rouser, redheadComputer Science at https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/mscs\/(Student projects: https:\/\/devgarden.macalester.edu)Artistic Director of https:\/\/newruckus.orgFreelance dev, often with https:\/\/bustout.comMusical troublemaker https:\/\/innig.net\/music\/The heart is the toughest part of the body.Tenderness is in the hands.\u00a0\u2014 Carolyn Forch\u00e9searchable","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands","portablecontacts_net":{"preferredUsername":"inthehands","displayName":"Paul Cantrell","note":"Composer, pianist, programmer, professor, rabble rouser, redheadComputer Science at https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/mscs\/(Student projects: https:\/\/devgarden.macalester.edu)Artistic Director of https:\/\/newruckus.orgFreelance dev, often with https:\/\/bustout.comMusical troublemaker https:\/\/innig.net\/music\/The heart is the toughest part of the body.Tenderness is in the hands.\u00a0\u2014 Carolyn Forch\u00e9searchable"}},"content":"

@hrefna<\/a>
Yeah, I don\u2019t read the original thread that way.<\/p>

I\u2019m just hearing \u201cmodern tools could sure use a round of streamlining\u201d and also \u201cwe should learn from Hypercard to make tools that are more accessible to newcomers.\u201d Which are two different thoughts, and both modest and defensible claims.<\/p>

And speaking, for example, as somebody who just used Docker in heat for the first time \u2014\u00a0yeah, there\u2019s a clear example of something where a total revamp of the config format without fundamentally changing the core tool would have saved me some painful hours.<\/p>","generator":{"id":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-10-20:notice-source:ActivityPub","objectType":"application","status_net":{"source_code":"ActivityPub"}},"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands\/statuses\/116135444393142379","object":{"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands\/statuses\/116135444393142379","objectType":"note","content":"

@hrefna<\/a>
Yeah, I don\u2019t read the original thread that way.<\/p>

I\u2019m just hearing \u201cmodern tools could sure use a round of streamlining\u201d and also \u201cwe should learn from Hypercard to make tools that are more accessible to newcomers.\u201d Which are two different thoughts, and both modest and defensible claims.<\/p>

And speaking, for example, as somebody who just used Docker in heat for the first time \u2014\u00a0yeah, there\u2019s a clear example of something where a total revamp of the config format without fundamentally changing the core tool would have saved me some painful hours.<\/p>","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands\/116135444393142379","status_net":{"notice_id":null},"inReplyTo":{"objectType":"note","id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/hrefna\/statuses\/116135381783750470","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@hrefna\/116135381783750470"}},"to":[{"objectType":"http:\/\/activitystrea.ms\/schema\/1.0\/person","id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/hrefna"},{"objectType":"http:\/\/activitystrea.ms\/schema\/1.0\/collection","id":"http:\/\/activityschema.org\/collection\/public"}],"status_net":{"conversation":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-02-26:objectType=thread:nonce=eb95c6e5e4a51154","notice_info":{"local_id":"12193178","source":"ActivityPub"}},"published":"2026-02-26T07:00:04+00:00","provider":{"objectType":"service","displayName":"GNU social JP","url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/"},"verb":"post","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands\/116135444393142379"},{"actor":{"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/hrefna","displayName":"Hrefna (DHC)","status_net":{"avatarLinks":[{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/105361-original-tmp20230308093356.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":400,"height":400},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/105361-96-20230308093356.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":96,"height":96},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/105361-48-20230308093356.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":48,"height":48},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/105361-24-20230308093356.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":24,"height":24}],"profile_info":{"local_id":"105361"}},"image":{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/105361-96-20230308093356.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":96,"height":96},"objectType":"person","summary":"SRE at Google. Queer. Poly :potion_polyamory: Trans :verified_trans: :nonbinary_potion: Engineer. Ace :flag_ace: Member of AWU-CWA. #ActuallyAutistic :rainbowinfinity: #UnionStrongOpinions my own. Does not suffer fools gladly.","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@hrefna","portablecontacts_net":{"preferredUsername":"hrefna","displayName":"Hrefna (DHC)","note":"SRE at Google. Queer. Poly :potion_polyamory: Trans :verified_trans: :nonbinary_potion: Engineer. Ace :flag_ace: Member of AWU-CWA. #ActuallyAutistic :rainbowinfinity: #UnionStrongOpinions my own. Does not suffer fools gladly."}},"content":"

@inthehands<\/a> I don't disagree that I was being somewhat uncharitable\/facetious, but I also don't agree with the core of the thesis. Or rather, I don't agree that the impact is so high that it requires a paradigm shift in thinking. <\/p>

It's kind of like my old thing on tools:<\/p>

1. Someone looks at the state of the world and goes \"this is all too complex! We need to solve this complexity somehow!\"
2. They invent a tool. It's fast! It's amazing! Development is now so easy!
3. Everyone starts using it. It's the future. We talk about it in conferences.
4. People realize it needs to work for more than 4 people at a time, that it needs to be secure, that it is still sitting on top of a database that needs structure, it has extensions for different use cases, it needs to be upgraded, etc.
5. It gets to be a nightmare to work with unless you've got a lot of experience or have been doing it for a while.
6. GOTO 1.<\/p>

This is where tools like BPEL, rules engines, WSDLs, and certain DSLs live. All of which can have their place, even, and be very useful (as I've said before: get a rules engine off the shelf or reinvent one, those tend to be your two options). <\/p>

But they also didn't end up lowering the barrier to entry overall because of the other problems on the stage: maintainability over time, security, performance, the cost of adding features, etc all sneak up on you.<\/p>","generator":{"id":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-10-20:notice-source:ActivityPub","objectType":"application","status_net":{"source_code":"ActivityPub"}},"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/hrefna\/statuses\/116135381783750470","object":{"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/hrefna\/statuses\/116135381783750470","objectType":"note","content":"

@inthehands<\/a> I don't disagree that I was being somewhat uncharitable\/facetious, but I also don't agree with the core of the thesis. Or rather, I don't agree that the impact is so high that it requires a paradigm shift in thinking. <\/p>

It's kind of like my old thing on tools:<\/p>

1. Someone looks at the state of the world and goes \"this is all too complex! We need to solve this complexity somehow!\"
2. They invent a tool. It's fast! It's amazing! Development is now so easy!
3. Everyone starts using it. It's the future. We talk about it in conferences.
4. People realize it needs to work for more than 4 people at a time, that it needs to be secure, that it is still sitting on top of a database that needs structure, it has extensions for different use cases, it needs to be upgraded, etc.
5. It gets to be a nightmare to work with unless you've got a lot of experience or have been doing it for a while.
6. GOTO 1.<\/p>

This is where tools like BPEL, rules engines, WSDLs, and certain DSLs live. All of which can have their place, even, and be very useful (as I've said before: get a rules engine off the shelf or reinvent one, those tend to be your two options). <\/p>

But they also didn't end up lowering the barrier to entry overall because of the other problems on the stage: maintainability over time, security, performance, the cost of adding features, etc all sneak up on you.<\/p>","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@hrefna\/116135381783750470","status_net":{"notice_id":null},"inReplyTo":{"objectType":"note","id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands\/statuses\/116135349462426315","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands\/116135349462426315"}},"to":[{"objectType":"http:\/\/activitystrea.ms\/schema\/1.0\/person","id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands"},{"objectType":"http:\/\/activitystrea.ms\/schema\/1.0\/collection","id":"http:\/\/activityschema.org\/collection\/public"}],"status_net":{"conversation":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-02-26:objectType=thread:nonce=eb95c6e5e4a51154","notice_info":{"local_id":"12192932","source":"ActivityPub"}},"published":"2026-02-26T06:05:21+00:00","provider":{"objectType":"service","displayName":"GNU social JP","url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/"},"verb":"post","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@hrefna\/116135381783750470"},{"actor":{"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands","displayName":"Paul Cantrell","status_net":{"avatarLinks":[{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-original-tmp20231130153900.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":400,"height":400},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-96-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":96,"height":96},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-48-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":48,"height":48},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-24-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":24,"height":24}],"profile_info":{"local_id":"53259"}},"image":{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-96-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":96,"height":96},"objectType":"person","summary":"Composer, pianist, programmer, professor, rabble rouser, redheadComputer Science at https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/mscs\/(Student projects: https:\/\/devgarden.macalester.edu)Artistic Director of https:\/\/newruckus.orgFreelance dev, often with https:\/\/bustout.comMusical troublemaker https:\/\/innig.net\/music\/The heart is the toughest part of the body.Tenderness is in the hands.\u00a0\u2014 Carolyn Forch\u00e9searchable","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands","portablecontacts_net":{"preferredUsername":"inthehands","displayName":"Paul Cantrell","note":"Composer, pianist, programmer, professor, rabble rouser, redheadComputer Science at https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/mscs\/(Student projects: https:\/\/devgarden.macalester.edu)Artistic Director of https:\/\/newruckus.orgFreelance dev, often with https:\/\/bustout.comMusical troublemaker https:\/\/innig.net\/music\/The heart is the toughest part of the body.Tenderness is in the hands.\u00a0\u2014 Carolyn Forch\u00e9searchable"}},"content":"

@hrefna<\/a> I think \"the abstraction layer programming works on is too difficult\" perhaps makes a bit of a strawman of the thread I quoted. It\u2019s more like \u201cbetter abstractions would lower the barrier to entry and increase the portion of work that is useful work.\u201d<\/p>","generator":{"id":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-10-20:notice-source:ActivityPub","objectType":"application","status_net":{"source_code":"ActivityPub"}},"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands\/statuses\/116135349462426315","object":{"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands\/statuses\/116135349462426315","objectType":"note","content":"

@hrefna<\/a> I think \"the abstraction layer programming works on is too difficult\" perhaps makes a bit of a strawman of the thread I quoted. It\u2019s more like \u201cbetter abstractions would lower the barrier to entry and increase the portion of work that is useful work.\u201d<\/p>","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands\/116135349462426315","status_net":{"notice_id":null},"inReplyTo":{"objectType":"note","id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/hrefna\/statuses\/116135329385689588","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@hrefna\/116135329385689588"}},"to":[{"objectType":"http:\/\/activitystrea.ms\/schema\/1.0\/person","id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/hrefna"},{"objectType":"http:\/\/activitystrea.ms\/schema\/1.0\/collection","id":"http:\/\/activityschema.org\/collection\/public"}],"status_net":{"conversation":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-02-26:objectType=thread:nonce=eb95c6e5e4a51154","notice_info":{"local_id":"12192866","source":"ActivityPub"}},"published":"2026-02-26T05:47:04+00:00","provider":{"objectType":"service","displayName":"GNU social JP","url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/"},"verb":"post","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands\/116135349462426315"},{"actor":{"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/hrefna","displayName":"Hrefna (DHC)","status_net":{"avatarLinks":[{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/105361-original-tmp20230308093356.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":400,"height":400},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/105361-96-20230308093356.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":96,"height":96},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/105361-48-20230308093356.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":48,"height":48},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/105361-24-20230308093356.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":24,"height":24}],"profile_info":{"local_id":"105361"}},"image":{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/105361-96-20230308093356.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":96,"height":96},"objectType":"person","summary":"SRE at Google. Queer. Poly :potion_polyamory: Trans :verified_trans: :nonbinary_potion: Engineer. Ace :flag_ace: Member of AWU-CWA. #ActuallyAutistic :rainbowinfinity: #UnionStrongOpinions my own. Does not suffer fools gladly.","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@hrefna","portablecontacts_net":{"preferredUsername":"hrefna","displayName":"Hrefna (DHC)","note":"SRE at Google. Queer. Poly :potion_polyamory: Trans :verified_trans: :nonbinary_potion: Engineer. Ace :flag_ace: Member of AWU-CWA. #ActuallyAutistic :rainbowinfinity: #UnionStrongOpinions my own. Does not suffer fools gladly."}},"content":"

@inthehands<\/a> I think the focus on abstractions in the original is missing the mark and giving the AI more credit than it deserves.<\/p>

As you say: what makes programming hard was never the syntax, and IMO it was also _never the boilerplate_. Boilerplate might make it obtuse, but it doesn't make it hard. Because as you say: there are a lot of things that solve \"boilerplate\" at different levels. <\/p>

We've seen eighty million tools on solving this for you. Some of them even work. They all have tradeoffs. <\/p>

Tools like HyperCard were just amazing though. Encouraging exploration, easy entry. I wish tools like OpenDoc had caught on more as well.<\/p>

I fully agree we need to learn from vibe coding what people find appealing about it. I just draw the line at a different point than \"the abstraction layer programming works on is too difficult.\"<\/p>","generator":{"id":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-10-20:notice-source:ActivityPub","objectType":"application","status_net":{"source_code":"ActivityPub"}},"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/hrefna\/statuses\/116135329385689588","object":{"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/hrefna\/statuses\/116135329385689588","objectType":"note","content":"

@inthehands<\/a> I think the focus on abstractions in the original is missing the mark and giving the AI more credit than it deserves.<\/p>

As you say: what makes programming hard was never the syntax, and IMO it was also _never the boilerplate_. Boilerplate might make it obtuse, but it doesn't make it hard. Because as you say: there are a lot of things that solve \"boilerplate\" at different levels. <\/p>

We've seen eighty million tools on solving this for you. Some of them even work. They all have tradeoffs. <\/p>

Tools like HyperCard were just amazing though. Encouraging exploration, easy entry. I wish tools like OpenDoc had caught on more as well.<\/p>

I fully agree we need to learn from vibe coding what people find appealing about it. I just draw the line at a different point than \"the abstraction layer programming works on is too difficult.\"<\/p>","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@hrefna\/116135329385689588","status_net":{"notice_id":null},"inReplyTo":{"objectType":"note","id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands\/statuses\/116134755908353651","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands\/116134755908353651"}},"to":[{"objectType":"http:\/\/activitystrea.ms\/schema\/1.0\/person","id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands"},{"objectType":"http:\/\/activitystrea.ms\/schema\/1.0\/collection","id":"http:\/\/activityschema.org\/collection\/public"}],"status_net":{"conversation":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-02-26:objectType=thread:nonce=eb95c6e5e4a51154","notice_info":{"local_id":"12192860","source":"ActivityPub"}},"published":"2026-02-26T05:43:41+00:00","provider":{"objectType":"service","displayName":"GNU social JP","url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/"},"verb":"post","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@hrefna\/116135329385689588"},{"actor":{"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands","displayName":"Paul Cantrell","status_net":{"avatarLinks":[{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-original-tmp20231130153900.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":400,"height":400},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-96-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":96,"height":96},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-48-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":48,"height":48},{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-24-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":24,"height":24}],"profile_info":{"local_id":"53259"}},"image":{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/avatar\/53259-96-20231130154634.webp","rel":"avatar","type":"image\/webp","width":96,"height":96},"objectType":"person","summary":"Composer, pianist, programmer, professor, rabble rouser, redheadComputer Science at https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/mscs\/(Student projects: https:\/\/devgarden.macalester.edu)Artistic Director of https:\/\/newruckus.orgFreelance dev, often with https:\/\/bustout.comMusical troublemaker https:\/\/innig.net\/music\/The heart is the toughest part of the body.Tenderness is in the hands.\u00a0\u2014 Carolyn Forch\u00e9searchable","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands","portablecontacts_net":{"preferredUsername":"inthehands","displayName":"Paul Cantrell","note":"Composer, pianist, programmer, professor, rabble rouser, redheadComputer Science at https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/mscs\/(Student projects: https:\/\/devgarden.macalester.edu)Artistic Director of https:\/\/newruckus.orgFreelance dev, often with https:\/\/bustout.comMusical troublemaker https:\/\/innig.net\/music\/The heart is the toughest part of the body.Tenderness is in the hands.\u00a0\u2014 Carolyn Forch\u00e9searchable"}},"content":"

There have also been many past attempts to solve this class of \u201cDon\u2019t make me make choices\u201d problem where there\u2019s too many customization points to provide a tidy abstraction, but people just want something standard.<\/p>

Some attempts look like snippet libraries, code generators. Other attempts look like Dreamweaver.<\/p>

They\u2019ve all suffered from problems that vibe coding recapitulates: speedy initial prototyping gives way to maintenance nightmares.<\/p>","generator":{"id":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-10-20:notice-source:ActivityPub","objectType":"application","status_net":{"source_code":"ActivityPub"}},"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands\/statuses\/116134755908353651","object":{"id":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/users\/inthehands\/statuses\/116134755908353651","objectType":"note","content":"

There have also been many past attempts to solve this class of \u201cDon\u2019t make me make choices\u201d problem where there\u2019s too many customization points to provide a tidy abstraction, but people just want something standard.<\/p>

Some attempts look like snippet libraries, code generators. Other attempts look like Dreamweaver.<\/p>

They\u2019ve all suffered from problems that vibe coding recapitulates: speedy initial prototyping gives way to maintenance nightmares.<\/p>","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands\/116134755908353651","status_net":{"notice_id":null}},"to":[{"objectType":"http:\/\/activitystrea.ms\/schema\/1.0\/collection","id":"http:\/\/activityschema.org\/collection\/public"}],"status_net":{"conversation":"tag:gnusocial.jp,2026-02-26:objectType=thread:nonce=eb95c6e5e4a51154","notice_info":{"local_id":"12192437","source":"ActivityPub"}},"published":"2026-02-26T03:38:50+00:00","provider":{"objectType":"service","displayName":"GNU social JP","url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/"},"verb":"post","url":"https:\/\/hachyderm.io\/@inthehands\/116134755908353651"}],"links":[{"url":"https:\/\/gnusocial.jp\/conversation\/6187255","rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html"}]}