Ally Weir
@allyjweir.co.uk
Senior Software Engineer working on system reliability and availability. Interested in Systems Thinking and Human Factors.
I revisit this document about once a year. There is always more to learn and glean from the deep expertise that helped to shape it.
Some might view documents like this as marketing material but there is so much knowledge being shared that can we can learn from.
docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitec...
Some might view documents like this as marketing material but there is so much knowledge being shared that can we can learn from.
docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitec...
Reducing the Scope of Impact with Cell-Based Architecture - Reducing the Scope of Impact with Cell-Based Architecture
This whitepaper aims to demonstrate how to increase the resilience of critical applications, bringing the same fault isolation concepts that AWS applies in its Availability Zones and Regions to the le...
docs.aws.amazon.com
December 5, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I revisit this document about once a year. There is always more to learn and glean from the deep expertise that helped to shape it.
Some might view documents like this as marketing material but there is so much knowledge being shared that can we can learn from.
docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitec...
Some might view documents like this as marketing material but there is so much knowledge being shared that can we can learn from.
docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitec...
Reposted by Ally Weir
November 24, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Another #arcraiders moment, again heading for exfoliating and a guy totally got the drop on me. My heart sinks thinking I’m dead.
We end up sharing the lift down, jumping and crouching as the only way to communicate
We end up sharing the lift down, jumping and crouching as the only way to communicate
October 31, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Another #arcraiders moment, again heading for exfoliating and a guy totally got the drop on me. My heart sinks thinking I’m dead.
We end up sharing the lift down, jumping and crouching as the only way to communicate
We end up sharing the lift down, jumping and crouching as the only way to communicate
Cool moment in my second run in Arc Raiders. Working to exfil, bag full and I hear lift being called already. I take a shot at player, they hold me off but I’ve got to get this lift or I’m toast.
Wait till the last second then Indiana Jones slide through the gap of closing door.
Wait till the last second then Indiana Jones slide through the gap of closing door.
October 31, 2025 at 6:20 AM
Cool moment in my second run in Arc Raiders. Working to exfil, bag full and I hear lift being called already. I take a shot at player, they hold me off but I’ve got to get this lift or I’m toast.
Wait till the last second then Indiana Jones slide through the gap of closing door.
Wait till the last second then Indiana Jones slide through the gap of closing door.
The AI slop in Spotify playlists drives me mad. I want a way to have all of it filtered out.
October 29, 2025 at 11:53 AM
The AI slop in Spotify playlists drives me mad. I want a way to have all of it filtered out.
The astroturfing campaign for Marathon this week just as Arc Raiders is launching is pretty intense!
October 27, 2025 at 10:30 PM
The astroturfing campaign for Marathon this week just as Arc Raiders is launching is pretty intense!
Scroll the streaming options for 30 minutes. Continue the rewatch of The Expanse instead.
October 24, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Scroll the streaming options for 30 minutes. Continue the rewatch of The Expanse instead.
Every time I read about a system design using SQLite in production in these interesting ways I'm really curious and would love to try building a system with a datastore like this.
The resiliency it can enable is fascinating. Domain design challenges need to be faced early but still.
The resiliency it can enable is fascinating. Domain design challenges need to be faced early but still.
On the AWS Outage
Oso was up all day yesterday in spite of the AWS outage. This was thanks to a combination of system design, operational preparedness, good observability, and yes, even some luck.
www.linkedin.com
October 23, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Every time I read about a system design using SQLite in production in these interesting ways I'm really curious and would love to try building a system with a datastore like this.
The resiliency it can enable is fascinating. Domain design challenges need to be faced early but still.
The resiliency it can enable is fascinating. Domain design challenges need to be faced early but still.
You know Apple's design is bad when they're giving you options to optionally retain the old UI. In years past it wouldn't have shipped unless it was ready for everybody.
iOS 26 is a bloated mess that feels like change for change's sake.
iOS 26 is a bloated mess that feels like change for change's sake.
September 22, 2025 at 8:28 AM
You know Apple's design is bad when they're giving you options to optionally retain the old UI. In years past it wouldn't have shipped unless it was ready for everybody.
iOS 26 is a bloated mess that feels like change for change's sake.
iOS 26 is a bloated mess that feels like change for change's sake.
Thank you company security policies meaning I can’t have Slack on my personal phone 🙏
September 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Thank you company security policies meaning I can’t have Slack on my personal phone 🙏
Coming back to all the object oriented concepts after working in Go almost exclusively, so often it is misused that degrades my trust in the codebase generally throughout.
June 12, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Coming back to all the object oriented concepts after working in Go almost exclusively, so often it is misused that degrades my trust in the codebase generally throughout.
"Just one more dashboard" the engineer cries as their servers collapse under unconstrained, unoptimised usage.
June 6, 2025 at 10:03 AM
"Just one more dashboard" the engineer cries as their servers collapse under unconstrained, unoptimised usage.
Hate how Spotify's playlists have become infested with AI generated stuff. Particularly ones like "Deep Focus" or "Coffee House" mixes.
Raking my brain to think of specific artists and albums I know existed in the before times.
Raking my brain to think of specific artists and albums I know existed in the before times.
June 2, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Hate how Spotify's playlists have become infested with AI generated stuff. Particularly ones like "Deep Focus" or "Coffee House" mixes.
Raking my brain to think of specific artists and albums I know existed in the before times.
Raking my brain to think of specific artists and albums I know existed in the before times.
Watching season 2 of The Last of Us. This article from the game’s release in 2021 is front and centre.
www.vice.com/en/article/t...
www.vice.com/en/article/t...
The Not So Hidden Israeli Politics of 'The Last of Us Part II'
'The Last of Us Part II' presents what at first seems like an evenhanded point of view, but perpetuates the very cycles of violence it's supposedly so troubled by.
www.vice.com
May 26, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Watching season 2 of The Last of Us. This article from the game’s release in 2021 is front and centre.
www.vice.com/en/article/t...
www.vice.com/en/article/t...
AI agents are inevitable. Combining those with existing security tools and guardrails is important. We can’t just say “the AI will figure it out”. We already have good tools that are vastly cheaper & more correct.
April 13, 2025 at 10:43 AM
AI agents are inevitable. Combining those with existing security tools and guardrails is important. We can’t just say “the AI will figure it out”. We already have good tools that are vastly cheaper & more correct.
Reposted by Ally Weir
1. LLM-generated code tries to run code from online software packages. Which is normal but
2. The packages don’t exist. Which would normally cause an error but
3. Nefarious people have made malware under the package names that LLMs make up most often. So
4. Now the LLM code points to malware.
2. The packages don’t exist. Which would normally cause an error but
3. Nefarious people have made malware under the package names that LLMs make up most often. So
4. Now the LLM code points to malware.
LLMs hallucinating nonexistent software packages with plausible names leads to a new malware vulnerability: "slopsquatting."
LLMs can't stop making up software dependencies and sabotaging everything
: Hallucinated package names fuel 'slopsquatting'
www.theregister.com
April 12, 2025 at 11:43 PM
1. LLM-generated code tries to run code from online software packages. Which is normal but
2. The packages don’t exist. Which would normally cause an error but
3. Nefarious people have made malware under the package names that LLMs make up most often. So
4. Now the LLM code points to malware.
2. The packages don’t exist. Which would normally cause an error but
3. Nefarious people have made malware under the package names that LLMs make up most often. So
4. Now the LLM code points to malware.
Console gaming peaking last generation is the correct read I think. This generation has been nice for faster loading, 60 fps but beyond that not much.
@videogameschronicle.com
@videogameschronicle.com
April 1, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Console gaming peaking last generation is the correct read I think. This generation has been nice for faster loading, 60 fps but beyond that not much.
@videogameschronicle.com
@videogameschronicle.com
Reposted by Ally Weir
One of the most important things I’ve learned in my 50s is that some people fight for a cause and others fight just because they like fighting. Telling one from the other is critical because that second kind will always turn on you eventually.
March 28, 2025 at 4:59 PM
One of the most important things I’ve learned in my 50s is that some people fight for a cause and others fight just because they like fighting. Telling one from the other is critical because that second kind will always turn on you eventually.
Seniors stating things are hard is basically their full time job. Don't let that limit your ambition!
Do the research, read how others have suceeded. Calibrate against your org's culture and see how you could adapt. Then do something about it!
Do the research, read how others have suceeded. Calibrate against your org's culture and see how you could adapt. Then do something about it!
March 27, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Seniors stating things are hard is basically their full time job. Don't let that limit your ambition!
Do the research, read how others have suceeded. Calibrate against your org's culture and see how you could adapt. Then do something about it!
Do the research, read how others have suceeded. Calibrate against your org's culture and see how you could adapt. Then do something about it!
I enjoyed this post entitled "When Imperfect Systems are Good, Actually"
There's a lot to be said for accepting constraints and knowing we can't solve this perfectly within the cost or capacity boundaries we have.
jazco.dev/2025/02/19/i...
There's a lot to be said for accepting constraints and knowing we can't solve this perfectly within the cost or capacity boundaries we have.
jazco.dev/2025/02/19/i...
When Imperfect Systems are Good, Actually: Bluesky’s Lossy Timelines
By examining the limits of reasonable user behavior and embracing imperfection for users who go beyond it, we can continue to provide service that meets the expectations of users without sacrificing s...
jazco.dev
February 20, 2025 at 11:30 AM
I enjoyed this post entitled "When Imperfect Systems are Good, Actually"
There's a lot to be said for accepting constraints and knowing we can't solve this perfectly within the cost or capacity boundaries we have.
jazco.dev/2025/02/19/i...
There's a lot to be said for accepting constraints and knowing we can't solve this perfectly within the cost or capacity boundaries we have.
jazco.dev/2025/02/19/i...
Developer experience doesn't just mean building custom tooling. It's about celebrating glue work and bringing together all that tooling into a coherent solution.
Leverage the leverage these tools create!
Missing this leaves you with lots of fragile tools and proccesses that slow everyone down.
Leverage the leverage these tools create!
Missing this leaves you with lots of fragile tools and proccesses that slow everyone down.
February 19, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Developer experience doesn't just mean building custom tooling. It's about celebrating glue work and bringing together all that tooling into a coherent solution.
Leverage the leverage these tools create!
Missing this leaves you with lots of fragile tools and proccesses that slow everyone down.
Leverage the leverage these tools create!
Missing this leaves you with lots of fragile tools and proccesses that slow everyone down.
This is one of the most enjoyable tech-adjacent reads that I've had in months. Encapsulates many of the principles I try to work by and collaborate through.
A few new-to-me ideas to consider too. Well worth a read, regardless of what PL you prefer.
bitfieldconsulting.com/posts/tao-of...
A few new-to-me ideas to consider too. Well worth a read, regardless of what PL you prefer.
bitfieldconsulting.com/posts/tao-of...
The Tao of Go — Bitfield Consulting
What is the Tao of Go, and how can we work with it, like a surfer going with the waves instead of struggling against them? By being kind, simple, humble, and not striving; here’s how.
bitfieldconsulting.com
February 13, 2025 at 10:31 AM
This is one of the most enjoyable tech-adjacent reads that I've had in months. Encapsulates many of the principles I try to work by and collaborate through.
A few new-to-me ideas to consider too. Well worth a read, regardless of what PL you prefer.
bitfieldconsulting.com/posts/tao-of...
A few new-to-me ideas to consider too. Well worth a read, regardless of what PL you prefer.
bitfieldconsulting.com/posts/tao-of...
Reposted by Ally Weir
I have a new blog post up: "Corporate 'DEI' Is An Imperfect Vehicle for Deeply Meaningful Ideals" charity.wtf/2025/02/10/c...
I know a lot of people are feeling incredibly scared and demoralized right now. I get it; I am too. (Who knows if my marriage will still be valid in two years?)
I know a lot of people are feeling incredibly scared and demoralized right now. I get it; I am too. (Who knows if my marriage will still be valid in two years?)
Corporate “DEI” is an imperfect vehicle for deeply meaningful ideals
I have not thought or said much about DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) over the years. Not because I don’t care about the espoused ideals — I suppose I do, rather a lot — but because corporate…
charity.wtf
February 10, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I have a new blog post up: "Corporate 'DEI' Is An Imperfect Vehicle for Deeply Meaningful Ideals" charity.wtf/2025/02/10/c...
I know a lot of people are feeling incredibly scared and demoralized right now. I get it; I am too. (Who knows if my marriage will still be valid in two years?)
I know a lot of people are feeling incredibly scared and demoralized right now. I get it; I am too. (Who knows if my marriage will still be valid in two years?)
Reminded of iTunes' free "Single of the Week" back in the day. A great era for discovering new music before Spotify changed everything
February 5, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Reminded of iTunes' free "Single of the Week" back in the day. A great era for discovering new music before Spotify changed everything
There was a point where folks still over on Twitter could justify it. We all had our own different breakpoints of when to divest.
For me, anyone still over there after Elon getting up on stage and throwing an enthusiastic Nazi salute...what the fuck?
This guy is a fascist. Fuck supporting him.
For me, anyone still over there after Elon getting up on stage and throwing an enthusiastic Nazi salute...what the fuck?
This guy is a fascist. Fuck supporting him.
January 22, 2025 at 11:33 AM
There was a point where folks still over on Twitter could justify it. We all had our own different breakpoints of when to divest.
For me, anyone still over there after Elon getting up on stage and throwing an enthusiastic Nazi salute...what the fuck?
This guy is a fascist. Fuck supporting him.
For me, anyone still over there after Elon getting up on stage and throwing an enthusiastic Nazi salute...what the fuck?
This guy is a fascist. Fuck supporting him.