Shahid Kamal Ahmad
@dancingmonkeys.net
“A punk existentialist coder alive to his mortality, standing in wonder at the world”
Code, Games, Words, Coaching, Music and #LFC
Subscribe to my my Substack where I write about lessons from my life in games: newsletter.dancingmonkeys.net
Code, Games, Words, Coaching, Music and #LFC
Subscribe to my my Substack where I write about lessons from my life in games: newsletter.dancingmonkeys.net
Pinned
Shahid Kamal Ahmad
@dancingmonkeys.net
· Oct 25
Code is Just — The Compiled Edition
A record of the British home computer revolution — and my place in it. First told live on Twitter in 2021, now compiled, complete, and yours to keep.Code is Just began as a live Twitter thread in 2021...
1720541891659.gumroad.com
Code is Just, all three seasons, as heavily requested, is finally out in a compiled PDF and ePub for easy reading. Price is whatever is reasonable for you, including zero. 1720541891659.gumroad.com/l/qkali
Haha, spoken like a true Canadian!
December 6, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Haha, spoken like a true Canadian!
As soon as someone otherwise intelligent says “I could care less”, my brain cannot process anything they say after that.
December 5, 2025 at 9:00 AM
As soon as someone otherwise intelligent says “I could care less”, my brain cannot process anything they say after that.
I’ll be 60 this month. My dad passed away over a quarter of a century ago, my mum more recently. Why is it that no matter how grown up you think you are, you only recognise their patience and wisdom after they’re gone?
December 3, 2025 at 10:46 AM
I’ll be 60 this month. My dad passed away over a quarter of a century ago, my mum more recently. Why is it that no matter how grown up you think you are, you only recognise their patience and wisdom after they’re gone?
Reposted by Shahid Kamal Ahmad
I'm just a girl, standing in front of a CMS, asking you to send me assets in 16:9
November 25, 2025 at 12:22 PM
I'm just a girl, standing in front of a CMS, asking you to send me assets in 16:9
The greatest video game design post I’ve ever read, and I mentioned it in many of my talks back in the day.
November 21, 2025 at 3:31 PM
The greatest video game design post I’ve ever read, and I mentioned it in many of my talks back in the day.
Reposted by Shahid Kamal Ahmad
i just dropped my new album (and a subscription option) on bandcamp
it's called 'blurred windows' 🪟
spacerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/blurre...
it's called 'blurred windows' 🪟
spacerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/blurre...
blurred windows, by jasper byrne
4 track album
spacerecordings.bandcamp.com
October 3, 2025 at 1:47 PM
i just dropped my new album (and a subscription option) on bandcamp
it's called 'blurred windows' 🪟
spacerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/blurre...
it's called 'blurred windows' 🪟
spacerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/blurre...
The sword over the wand. Always. And the pen over the sword.
Why? Islam.
Why? Islam.
November 20, 2025 at 9:27 AM
The sword over the wand. Always. And the pen over the sword.
Why? Islam.
Why? Islam.
Reposted by Shahid Kamal Ahmad
I fell out of love with video games, then my kids made me fall in love with them again. If you’re a parent who doesn’t understand your kids when they talk about Fortnite, my new channel is for you. youtu.be/l8JpBA6kDbg?...
I Hated Video Games and Now I Love Them Again...
YouTube video by Code is Just
youtu.be
November 18, 2025 at 8:34 PM
I fell out of love with video games, then my kids made me fall in love with them again. If you’re a parent who doesn’t understand your kids when they talk about Fortnite, my new channel is for you. youtu.be/l8JpBA6kDbg?...
I fell out of love with video games, then my kids made me fall in love with them again. If you’re a parent who doesn’t understand your kids when they talk about Fortnite, my new channel is for you. youtu.be/l8JpBA6kDbg?...
I Hated Video Games and Now I Love Them Again...
YouTube video by Code is Just
youtu.be
November 18, 2025 at 8:34 PM
I fell out of love with video games, then my kids made me fall in love with them again. If you’re a parent who doesn’t understand your kids when they talk about Fortnite, my new channel is for you. youtu.be/l8JpBA6kDbg?...
Every line of text I write in my daily note in Obsidian, I’m now getting an ugly Apple “Intelligence” overlay suggesting “Proofread” and “Rewrite”
How about you proofread my cease and desist order and rewrite your code?
How about you proofread my cease and desist order and rewrite your code?
November 17, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Every line of text I write in my daily note in Obsidian, I’m now getting an ugly Apple “Intelligence” overlay suggesting “Proofread” and “Rewrite”
How about you proofread my cease and desist order and rewrite your code?
How about you proofread my cease and desist order and rewrite your code?
@mrjamesob.bsky.social In case you missed it, James, Code is Just is now available in a nicely compiled PDF and ePub, and you can get it for free. Much easier to read than on Twitter, and more complete. 1720541891659.gumroad.com/l/qkali
Code is Just — The Compiled Edition
A record of the British home computer revolution — and my place in it. First told live on Twitter in 2021, now compiled, complete, and yours to keep.Code is Just began as a live Twitter thread in 2021...
1720541891659.gumroad.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:28 PM
@mrjamesob.bsky.social In case you missed it, James, Code is Just is now available in a nicely compiled PDF and ePub, and you can get it for free. Much easier to read than on Twitter, and more complete. 1720541891659.gumroad.com/l/qkali
I like your refinement. I’d say there are gradations to both and the highest level of computing device adheres to your distinction.
November 11, 2025 at 10:03 AM
I like your refinement. I’d say there are gradations to both and the highest level of computing device adheres to your distinction.
If you can run any program you want on it, it’s a computer. If you’re prevented from doing so, it’s a console.
💻 Computers:
PC 💻
Mac 💻
Android phone 💻
🎮 Consoles:
PS5 🎮
iPhone 🎮
iPad 🎮
I’m not making a value judgment here, I just think it’s important to make the distinction.
💻 Computers:
PC 💻
Mac 💻
Android phone 💻
🎮 Consoles:
PS5 🎮
iPhone 🎮
iPad 🎮
I’m not making a value judgment here, I just think it’s important to make the distinction.
November 11, 2025 at 7:27 AM
If you can run any program you want on it, it’s a computer. If you’re prevented from doing so, it’s a console.
💻 Computers:
PC 💻
Mac 💻
Android phone 💻
🎮 Consoles:
PS5 🎮
iPhone 🎮
iPad 🎮
I’m not making a value judgment here, I just think it’s important to make the distinction.
💻 Computers:
PC 💻
Mac 💻
Android phone 💻
🎮 Consoles:
PS5 🎮
iPhone 🎮
iPad 🎮
I’m not making a value judgment here, I just think it’s important to make the distinction.
The again “Update requires restart”.
November 10, 2025 at 8:44 PM
The again “Update requires restart”.
All that said, I’ll live.
November 10, 2025 at 8:44 PM
All that said, I’ll live.
The truly galling thing is that the update was downloaded, but the original game is physical.
November 10, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The truly galling thing is that the update was downloaded, but the original game is physical.
Another fabulous Treyarch update. It takes the trouble to delete a game I’ve paid for and am still playing, in preparation for a different game I paid for in advance, but can’t play yet.
November 10, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Another fabulous Treyarch update. It takes the trouble to delete a game I’ve paid for and am still playing, in preparation for a different game I paid for in advance, but can’t play yet.
Four taps (some longer than others) now required to remove an app from the home screen on an iPad. Something has gone very wrong here.
November 10, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Four taps (some longer than others) now required to remove an app from the home screen on an iPad. Something has gone very wrong here.
You’re the best, Chris 🙏🏽
November 9, 2025 at 9:28 AM
You’re the best, Chris 🙏🏽
Have a great Friday by getting yourself a copy of the compiled edition of Code is Just — Many people called it the best ever thread on that other place. Price not an obstacle. Please share to get the word out not just to those who awaited this compilation, but to those who haven’t read the original.
Code is Just, all three seasons, as heavily requested, is finally out in a compiled PDF and ePub for easy reading. Price is whatever is reasonable for you, including zero. 1720541891659.gumroad.com/l/qkali
Code is Just — The Compiled Edition
A record of the British home computer revolution — and my place in it. First told live on Twitter in 2021, now compiled, complete, and yours to keep.Code is Just began as a live Twitter thread in 2021...
1720541891659.gumroad.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Have a great Friday by getting yourself a copy of the compiled edition of Code is Just — Many people called it the best ever thread on that other place. Price not an obstacle. Please share to get the word out not just to those who awaited this compilation, but to those who haven’t read the original.
I don’t agree with that metaphor entirely. There’s something to be said about the purity of a single-threaded architecture with no specialised processing operating on a simple bitmapped display with no protection features. So, more like a Sopwith Camel vs an F-35 jet maybe? The former has charm!
November 6, 2025 at 6:53 AM
I don’t agree with that metaphor entirely. There’s something to be said about the purity of a single-threaded architecture with no specialised processing operating on a simple bitmapped display with no protection features. So, more like a Sopwith Camel vs an F-35 jet maybe? The former has charm!
40 years after the original, I've been working on Chimera 2. I'm learning a lot about just how much graphics have changed since 1985 and it makes for some fascinating possibilities. Can't wait to share it with you, shouldn't be too long before you start to see stuff.
November 5, 2025 at 11:36 PM
40 years after the original, I've been working on Chimera 2. I'm learning a lot about just how much graphics have changed since 1985 and it makes for some fascinating possibilities. Can't wait to share it with you, shouldn't be too long before you start to see stuff.
Me too! It just came up in my Readwise today. So evocative.
November 5, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Me too! It just came up in my Readwise today. So evocative.