Notices by Martijn Faassen (faassen@fosstodon.org), page 2

@martijnbraam
I don't recall having seen this with Rust, though I saw stuff like that recently trying to build some Python code that depends on C or C++. Is it something like that?

@skinnylatte@hachyderm.
Person: bad thing
Adrianna: you did bad thing!
Person: defensive
Adrianna: no you did bad thing
Person: unfair, only trying to help
Adrianna: maybe stop being bad instead

> I want to write this software, what language should I use?

Use your favorite hammer. The hammer you are familiar with and feel comfortable with.

If you want to learn to use a new hammer or don't have a hammer, many will recommend theirs, all with good arguments!

It is rare there are constraints so your hammer doesn't work - your hammer may not run on a platform or not be fast enough, for instance. But mostly you will be fine using your hammer.

I go on a journey about a man named Quentell, and discover unsettling things about the information landscape.

It's a wild ride, and I hope you'll join me on this journey!

https://blog.startifact.com/posts/the-curious-case-of-quentell/

Thanks to @futurebird for setting me on the path and to be there for the conclusion

I just tried Typst fo for the first time. I used it for something small. It was easy to learn the very basics, and I used a things like simple tables and alignment and managed to figure it out!

https://typst.app/

@futurebird

@rayhindle

The latest image generation models do a great job on faces. They still break down massively (additional finger or even limb) but faces are fine. They can't do different flower species well at all though.

People tend to look down on print debugging as it's not using sophisticated tools at all. You're not using debuggers or profilers or sophisticated loggers.

But don't look down on print debugging. It's the tool that works for all languages. It's easy to understand and easy to implement. It focuses the mind on thorough reading and understanding of code, rather than getting lost in a forest of data.

Print debugging is really effective in many cases.

#programming

Wherein I have a few words to say about best practices in software development https://blog.startifact.com/posts/question-best-practices/

#programming

@datarama

@inthehands

I really love getting context myself. Though perhaps others might be impatient and want to get to the thing already. But the context is part of the thing.

@grimalkina

@nshephard @diazona @inthehands @jenniferplusplus

Yes, I think so. And against uncertainty, which is related.

@nshephard

@inthehands @grimalkina @jenniferplusplus

Not a fan of the term either. "Best practices" can also devolve into dogma to be applied in all contexts.

@diazona

@nshephard @inthehands @grimalkina @jenniferplusplus

When people say "X is a best practice" any context is at best implied.

> Whereas if you're using the best practice, it can't really be argued that you should have been using a different practice instead which would have prevented the thing from going wrong.

"Nobody ever got fired for using the best practice"?

If something goes wrong, and this can be solved or prevented, improvement is possible, isn't it?

@diazona

@nshephard @inthehands @grimalkina @jenniferplusplus

In the first case labeling a practice "best" may prevent learning or change for the better.

For the second case, if there are trade-offs that depend on context, then you pick a practice that fits them to the best of your ability, and I see little value in labeling it "best".

You may have practices to follow as a requirement - say, for space hardware. One could call this a best practice.

@grimalkina

@nshephard @diazona @inthehands @jenniferplusplus

Meta stuff leading to improved processes and people are indeed more likely to be generally applicable good practices. Like "get enough sleep" or "fix the system rather than individual".

But "do code review when an individual submits changes" is way dodgier already. So is "use microservices". And I am pretty sure many people consider both best practices.

@inthehands

@grimalkina @jenniferplusplus

I love this! The idea that confusion is actually a productive state that should be accepted as part of learning is one I embrace. I imagine you wrote this as you have experienced people who are scared by this confusion? Related to fixed/growth mindset.

@inthehands

@grimalkina @jenniferplusplus

Mastery also implies a summit of skill, whereas there is always more to learn. I think people who are great at something through continuous self motivated application are also often the most aware of what they want to do next that they aren't good at yet, or what they cannot do.

@grimalkina

@jenniferplusplus @inthehands

I am very much talking about intrinsic motivation. I enjoy learning new stuff, doing stuff I couldn't do before, write code I am proud of, find good ways to express and share my experiences and insights with others. And indeed deliver something others appreciate.

"Best" implies comparison. I look at others who impress me, as examples to learn, or just to marvel, though I admit sometimes it's nice if people are impressed by what I can do.

@jenniferplusplus

@inthehands @grimalkina

I don't think I could function in a performance oriented organization anymore. I did once, in school. It just sounds so stressful.

Not that the mastery goal doesn't have its own stressors. I can give 110% for a while because I know how to manage myself into it and have learned the skills. Because I really want to make something work and improve. But it costs me too.

This is neat: someone has used PyPy by accident and they didn't even notice as it just works

https://utcc.utoronto.ca/~cks/space/blog/python/PyPyQuietlyWorking

#python

@futurebird
I read twostopbits partially for this reason: simple systems that can be understood. The other reason is nostalgia.

http://twostopbits.com/