Grady Booch
@booch.com
scientist, storyteller, philosopher
computingthehumanexperience.com
computingthehumanexperience.com
Pinned
Grady Booch
@booch.com
· Nov 18
The story of computing is the story of humanity: this is a story of ambition, invention, creativity, vision, avarice, power, and serendipity, powered by a refusal to accept the limits of our bodies and our minds.
(But I still assert that Dario is profoundly wrong WRT his position that software engineering is going away. For me, this is a force multiplier, making it possible for me to do more.)
February 8, 2026 at 11:14 PM
(But I still assert that Dario is profoundly wrong WRT his position that software engineering is going away. For me, this is a force multiplier, making it possible for me to do more.)
I am gobsmacked WRT Claude: I find myself able in just a few hours to introduce to a web site some very complex bespoke responsive visualizations of data that otherwise would have taken me days if not weeks to do myself or were I to have commissioned the work thousands of dollars.
February 8, 2026 at 11:14 PM
I am gobsmacked WRT Claude: I find myself able in just a few hours to introduce to a web site some very complex bespoke responsive visualizations of data that otherwise would have taken me days if not weeks to do myself or were I to have commissioned the work thousands of dollars.
The most efficient way to get rid of all the bugs was to get rid of all the software.
— Gilfoyle, Silicon Valley
— Gilfoyle, Silicon Valley
February 8, 2026 at 1:50 AM
The most efficient way to get rid of all the bugs was to get rid of all the software.
— Gilfoyle, Silicon Valley
— Gilfoyle, Silicon Valley
Reposted by Grady Booch
On this week's Oxide and Friends, @booch.com joined @bcantrill.bsky.social and me to talk about the past, present, and future of software engineering. From hand-made computers and the software crisis of the late '60s to LLMs (of course) we covered a lot... with--as always--many dated references!
Oxide and Friends 2/2/2026 -- Software Engineering Past, Present, and Future with Grady Booch
YouTube video by Oxide Computer Company
youtu.be
February 6, 2026 at 4:55 PM
On this week's Oxide and Friends, @booch.com joined @bcantrill.bsky.social and me to talk about the past, present, and future of software engineering. From hand-made computers and the software crisis of the late '60s to LLMs (of course) we covered a lot... with--as always--many dated references!
Waiting to see the first job posting requiring “5 years experience with Claude”.
February 6, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Waiting to see the first job posting requiring “5 years experience with Claude”.
See also Trump supporters.
February 6, 2026 at 3:15 AM
See also Trump supporters.
Vibe coding another software-intensive system.
February 6, 2026 at 3:13 AM
Vibe coding another software-intensive system.
Is AI sentience possible?
Shared via Claude, an AI assistant from Anthropic
claude.ai
February 6, 2026 at 3:11 AM
In our current democracy, the loss of institutional memory, the distain of expertise, and the celebration of ignorance frighten me.
February 5, 2026 at 7:03 AM
In our current democracy, the loss of institutional memory, the distain of expertise, and the celebration of ignorance frighten me.
Democracy dies in darkness
– Washington Post
Also
Will the last person leaving please turn out the lights?
– Washington Post
– Washington Post
Also
Will the last person leaving please turn out the lights?
– Washington Post
February 4, 2026 at 10:52 PM
Democracy dies in darkness
– Washington Post
Also
Will the last person leaving please turn out the lights?
– Washington Post
– Washington Post
Also
Will the last person leaving please turn out the lights?
– Washington Post
All architecture is design, but not not all design is architecture. Architecture represents the set of significant design decisions that shape the form and function of a system w my ere hsignificant is measured by cost of change.
February 3, 2026 at 10:40 PM
All architecture is design, but not not all design is architecture. Architecture represents the set of significant design decisions that shape the form and function of a system w my ere hsignificant is measured by cost of change.
The supporting, testable, repeatable evidence simply does not exist.
Are LLM architectures useful?
Certainly.
Are they sufficient for building a general intelligence?
I see considerable evidence to the contrary.
Are they part of such a solution?
Very likely.
Are LLM architectures useful?
Certainly.
Are they sufficient for building a general intelligence?
I see considerable evidence to the contrary.
Are they part of such a solution?
Very likely.
February 3, 2026 at 6:31 PM
The supporting, testable, repeatable evidence simply does not exist.
Are LLM architectures useful?
Certainly.
Are they sufficient for building a general intelligence?
I see considerable evidence to the contrary.
Are they part of such a solution?
Very likely.
Are LLM architectures useful?
Certainly.
Are they sufficient for building a general intelligence?
I see considerable evidence to the contrary.
Are they part of such a solution?
Very likely.
But “a team of top researchers” has said so in Nature is a vapid appeal to authority. There are a multitude of dissenting “top researchers” around the world.
Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence, as Carl Sagan observes.
Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence, as Carl Sagan observes.
February 3, 2026 at 6:31 PM
But “a team of top researchers” has said so in Nature is a vapid appeal to authority. There are a multitude of dissenting “top researchers” around the world.
Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence, as Carl Sagan observes.
Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence, as Carl Sagan observes.
When one asserts “in a bombshell revelation that's shaking the foundations of science and society” I see a cry for attention and clicks, not good science
No, AI has not “conquered AGI”.
No, AI has not “conquered AGI”.
February 3, 2026 at 6:31 PM
When one asserts “in a bombshell revelation that's shaking the foundations of science and society” I see a cry for attention and clicks, not good science
No, AI has not “conquered AGI”.
No, AI has not “conquered AGI”.
“Does AI already have human-level intelligence? The evidence is clear.”
No, not by a long shot.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
No, not by a long shot.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Does AI already have human-level intelligence? The evidence is clear
The vision of human-level machine intelligence laid out by Alan Turing in the 1950s is now a reality. Eyes unclouded by dread or hype will help us to prepare for what comes next.
www.nature.com
February 3, 2026 at 4:47 AM
“Does AI already have human-level intelligence? The evidence is clear.”
No, not by a long shot.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
No, not by a long shot.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The term AGI is like pornography.
Its definition is elusive and fluid, but for most, you know it when you see it.
Its definition is elusive and fluid, but for most, you know it when you see it.
February 3, 2026 at 4:40 AM
The term AGI is like pornography.
Its definition is elusive and fluid, but for most, you know it when you see it.
Its definition is elusive and fluid, but for most, you know it when you see it.
Reposted by Grady Booch
Reminder that this is today: join @booch.com, @ahl.bsky.social and me at 5p Pacific for what promises to be a lively and wide-ranging discussion!
No Oxide and Friends today, BUT...
Next week @ahl.bsky.social and I will be joined by software engineering pioneer @booch.com to talk about the past, present, and (especially!) future of software engineering. Join us, 5p Pacific next Monday!
discord.gg/QrcKGTTPrF?e...
Next week @ahl.bsky.social and I will be joined by software engineering pioneer @booch.com to talk about the past, present, and (especially!) future of software engineering. Join us, 5p Pacific next Monday!
discord.gg/QrcKGTTPrF?e...
Join the Oxide Computer Company & Friends Discord Server!
The Oxide Computer Company and friends; home of the Oxide and Friends podcast. | 4841 members
discord.gg
February 2, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Reminder that this is today: join @booch.com, @ahl.bsky.social and me at 5p Pacific for what promises to be a lively and wide-ranging discussion!
Hey Donald!
want to book a tee time at your course in Rancho Palos Verde. Can I bring my service dog with me?
He’s a really cute border collie, quite friendly. In addition to providing emotional support, he’s also been trained as a cadaver dog.
want to book a tee time at your course in Rancho Palos Verde. Can I bring my service dog with me?
He’s a really cute border collie, quite friendly. In addition to providing emotional support, he’s also been trained as a cadaver dog.
January 31, 2026 at 10:25 PM
Hey Donald!
want to book a tee time at your course in Rancho Palos Verde. Can I bring my service dog with me?
He’s a really cute border collie, quite friendly. In addition to providing emotional support, he’s also been trained as a cadaver dog.
want to book a tee time at your course in Rancho Palos Verde. Can I bring my service dog with me?
He’s a really cute border collie, quite friendly. In addition to providing emotional support, he’s also been trained as a cadaver dog.
Neither
They are the relentless cancer in the body of society, the Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis of humankind, a canker on the face of the Mona Lisa.
They are the relentless cancer in the body of society, the Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis of humankind, a canker on the face of the Mona Lisa.
January 28, 2026 at 12:25 AM
Neither
They are the relentless cancer in the body of society, the Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis of humankind, a canker on the face of the Mona Lisa.
They are the relentless cancer in the body of society, the Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis of humankind, a canker on the face of the Mona Lisa.
Dario’s essay, The Adolescence of Technology, is intriguing.
But, his recent observations regarding the end of software engineering - a field about which I know one or two things - owing to the rise of AI are so profoundly wrong, I struggle with accepting any of his other predictions.
But, his recent observations regarding the end of software engineering - a field about which I know one or two things - owing to the rise of AI are so profoundly wrong, I struggle with accepting any of his other predictions.
January 27, 2026 at 8:18 AM
Dario’s essay, The Adolescence of Technology, is intriguing.
But, his recent observations regarding the end of software engineering - a field about which I know one or two things - owing to the rise of AI are so profoundly wrong, I struggle with accepting any of his other predictions.
But, his recent observations regarding the end of software engineering - a field about which I know one or two things - owing to the rise of AI are so profoundly wrong, I struggle with accepting any of his other predictions.
Reposted by Grady Booch
No Oxide and Friends today, BUT...
Next week @ahl.bsky.social and I will be joined by software engineering pioneer @booch.com to talk about the past, present, and (especially!) future of software engineering. Join us, 5p Pacific next Monday!
discord.gg/QrcKGTTPrF?e...
Next week @ahl.bsky.social and I will be joined by software engineering pioneer @booch.com to talk about the past, present, and (especially!) future of software engineering. Join us, 5p Pacific next Monday!
discord.gg/QrcKGTTPrF?e...
Join the Oxide Computer Company & Friends Discord Server!
The Oxide Computer Company and friends; home of the Oxide and Friends podcast. | 4841 members
discord.gg
January 27, 2026 at 12:24 AM
No Oxide and Friends today, BUT...
Next week @ahl.bsky.social and I will be joined by software engineering pioneer @booch.com to talk about the past, present, and (especially!) future of software engineering. Join us, 5p Pacific next Monday!
discord.gg/QrcKGTTPrF?e...
Next week @ahl.bsky.social and I will be joined by software engineering pioneer @booch.com to talk about the past, present, and (especially!) future of software engineering. Join us, 5p Pacific next Monday!
discord.gg/QrcKGTTPrF?e...
“Most computers are text/image processors anyway.”
Oh dear: your understanding of computing is breathtakingly shallow.
Oh dear: your understanding of computing is breathtakingly shallow.
January 23, 2026 at 10:31 PM
“Most computers are text/image processors anyway.”
Oh dear: your understanding of computing is breathtakingly shallow.
Oh dear: your understanding of computing is breathtakingly shallow.