Dan Lew
@danlew42.bsky.social
Folks haven't been this excited about steam machines since the industrial revolution.
November 12, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Folks haven't been this excited about steam machines since the industrial revolution.
Finally wrote up this short post that's been on my mind forever, regarding audio problems in video calls: blog.danlew.net/2025/10/16/f...
Fix Your Microphone
It’s likely that, at some point, you've had shitty audio during video meetings.
Why? Because you don’t get immediate feedback for audio issues. With video, you can instantly see if your image is out ...
blog.danlew.net
October 16, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Finally wrote up this short post that's been on my mind forever, regarding audio problems in video calls: blog.danlew.net/2025/10/16/f...
Excited to start reading the latest book from my sister, @bethlewwilliams.bsky.social!
(Maybe if I'm lucky I can get the author to sign a copy...)
(Maybe if I'm lucky I can get the author to sign a copy...)
September 20, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Excited to start reading the latest book from my sister, @bethlewwilliams.bsky.social!
(Maybe if I'm lucky I can get the author to sign a copy...)
(Maybe if I'm lucky I can get the author to sign a copy...)
I didn't wake up thinking I'd be explaining the Seven Bridges of Königsberg & graph theory to my 2nd grader, but you need it to solve this maze game in his school's math app.
(You pick where you start, and every bridge disappears as you cross it, so it requires Euler's bridge analysis...)
(You pick where you start, and every bridge disappears as you cross it, so it requires Euler's bridge analysis...)
September 19, 2025 at 1:51 PM
I didn't wake up thinking I'd be explaining the Seven Bridges of Königsberg & graph theory to my 2nd grader, but you need it to solve this maze game in his school's math app.
(You pick where you start, and every bridge disappears as you cross it, so it requires Euler's bridge analysis...)
(You pick where you start, and every bridge disappears as you cross it, so it requires Euler's bridge analysis...)
I'm undeniably human!
(Verified by this fantastic CAPTCHA game from @neal.fun: neal.fun/not-a-robot/)
(Verified by this fantastic CAPTCHA game from @neal.fun: neal.fun/not-a-robot/)
September 16, 2025 at 10:08 PM
I'm undeniably human!
(Verified by this fantastic CAPTCHA game from @neal.fun: neal.fun/not-a-robot/)
(Verified by this fantastic CAPTCHA game from @neal.fun: neal.fun/not-a-robot/)
When I was in philosophy, my professor would constantly use the phrase "you can't be a married bachelor".
But I just learned one of my kid's friend's last name is Bachelor. Someday he might be married. Take that, college professor!
But I just learned one of my kid's friend's last name is Bachelor. Someday he might be married. Take that, college professor!
September 13, 2025 at 12:21 PM
When I was in philosophy, my professor would constantly use the phrase "you can't be a married bachelor".
But I just learned one of my kid's friend's last name is Bachelor. Someday he might be married. Take that, college professor!
But I just learned one of my kid's friend's last name is Bachelor. Someday he might be married. Take that, college professor!
I'm surprised Silksong is getting such glowing reviews; it was released with a fuckton of bugs.
September 9, 2025 at 1:12 PM
I'm surprised Silksong is getting such glowing reviews; it was released with a fuckton of bugs.
One way to test whether a candidate is a serious prospect for your company is to schedule an interview right when Silksong releases tomorrow.
September 3, 2025 at 3:41 PM
One way to test whether a candidate is a serious prospect for your company is to schedule an interview right when Silksong releases tomorrow.
Just realized that I've been confusing The Wiz (the anthemic black musical) with Return to Oz (the nightmarish Disney movie).
I must've had at least one past conversation wherein I described how terrified I was of The Wiz as a kid (and they probably thought I was just wildly racist).
I must've had at least one past conversation wherein I described how terrified I was of The Wiz as a kid (and they probably thought I was just wildly racist).
September 1, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Just realized that I've been confusing The Wiz (the anthemic black musical) with Return to Oz (the nightmarish Disney movie).
I must've had at least one past conversation wherein I described how terrified I was of The Wiz as a kid (and they probably thought I was just wildly racist).
I must've had at least one past conversation wherein I described how terrified I was of The Wiz as a kid (and they probably thought I was just wildly racist).
A recent episode of @getplayedpod.bsky.social brought up an ancient, defunct Sim City-themed CCG from the 90s. I was fascinated by the fact that it had "tall cards" so I picked some up (for cheap) on eBay.
I thought I'd share some of the more bizarre/hilarious cards I got...
I thought I'd share some of the more bizarre/hilarious cards I got...
August 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
A recent episode of @getplayedpod.bsky.social brought up an ancient, defunct Sim City-themed CCG from the 90s. I was fascinated by the fact that it had "tall cards" so I picked some up (for cheap) on eBay.
I thought I'd share some of the more bizarre/hilarious cards I got...
I thought I'd share some of the more bizarre/hilarious cards I got...
Beethoven once said that the Moonlight Sonata was like the Dark Souls of piano pieces.
August 24, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Beethoven once said that the Moonlight Sonata was like the Dark Souls of piano pieces.
For every day a programmer doesn't have a meeting, they gain 1X, up to a maximum of 10x. But if they attend a meeting, they lose all their Xs (and half of their gold).
August 22, 2025 at 5:56 PM
For every day a programmer doesn't have a meeting, they gain 1X, up to a maximum of 10x. But if they attend a meeting, they lose all their Xs (and half of their gold).
I've been laid off! (Startup downsizing to a skeleton crew, sadly.)
I'm looking for my next dev role. Lots of experience in Android, most recently worked on Node/TS and Python.
Ideally landing at a mission-driven place (been focusing on sustainability recently, but any public benefit will do).
I'm looking for my next dev role. Lots of experience in Android, most recently worked on Node/TS and Python.
Ideally landing at a mission-driven place (been focusing on sustainability recently, but any public benefit will do).
August 20, 2025 at 4:11 PM
I've been laid off! (Startup downsizing to a skeleton crew, sadly.)
I'm looking for my next dev role. Lots of experience in Android, most recently worked on Node/TS and Python.
Ideally landing at a mission-driven place (been focusing on sustainability recently, but any public benefit will do).
I'm looking for my next dev role. Lots of experience in Android, most recently worked on Node/TS and Python.
Ideally landing at a mission-driven place (been focusing on sustainability recently, but any public benefit will do).
Everyone's obsessed about how many Xs (1x? 10X? .4X?) they can get out of an AI engineer, but by far the biggest impact devs can make to a timeline is by adjusting requirements to make a feature easier or even skipping facets altogether.
AFAIK, AI never says "what you're asking for is ridiculous."
AFAIK, AI never says "what you're asking for is ridiculous."
August 14, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Everyone's obsessed about how many Xs (1x? 10X? .4X?) they can get out of an AI engineer, but by far the biggest impact devs can make to a timeline is by adjusting requirements to make a feature easier or even skipping facets altogether.
AFAIK, AI never says "what you're asking for is ridiculous."
AFAIK, AI never says "what you're asking for is ridiculous."
It's extremely inconvenient that you only get good at something after you've done it for a while. I'd prefer to be good at it from the start.
August 3, 2025 at 5:33 AM
It's extremely inconvenient that you only get good at something after you've done it for a while. I'd prefer to be good at it from the start.
A not insignificant number of past coworkers think I created the "gradlew" script and named it after myself.
(It's the "Gradle wrapper" script.)
(It's the "Gradle wrapper" script.)
July 29, 2025 at 7:34 PM
A not insignificant number of past coworkers think I created the "gradlew" script and named it after myself.
(It's the "Gradle wrapper" script.)
(It's the "Gradle wrapper" script.)
I had 8 teeth removed when I was young, which means I have 8 fewer gaps to floss.
Supposing flossing takes one second per gap, and I floss once a day, every year my missing teeth give me 48 minutes more free time.
I started effectively flossing ~15 years ago - that adds up to 12 extra hours.
Supposing flossing takes one second per gap, and I floss once a day, every year my missing teeth give me 48 minutes more free time.
I started effectively flossing ~15 years ago - that adds up to 12 extra hours.
July 22, 2025 at 2:42 PM
I had 8 teeth removed when I was young, which means I have 8 fewer gaps to floss.
Supposing flossing takes one second per gap, and I floss once a day, every year my missing teeth give me 48 minutes more free time.
I started effectively flossing ~15 years ago - that adds up to 12 extra hours.
Supposing flossing takes one second per gap, and I floss once a day, every year my missing teeth give me 48 minutes more free time.
I started effectively flossing ~15 years ago - that adds up to 12 extra hours.
"The Turtle and the Hare" only it's "The Programmer and the Vibe Coder".
The vibe coder is way ahead and decides to take a nap while the AI does its thing. While sleeping, the AI deletes the prod database.
The vibe coder is way ahead and decides to take a nap while the AI does its thing. While sleeping, the AI deletes the prod database.
July 21, 2025 at 6:06 PM
"The Turtle and the Hare" only it's "The Programmer and the Vibe Coder".
The vibe coder is way ahead and decides to take a nap while the AI does its thing. While sleeping, the AI deletes the prod database.
The vibe coder is way ahead and decides to take a nap while the AI does its thing. While sleeping, the AI deletes the prod database.
I shouldn't be allowed to go on vacation and let my mind wander.
July 17, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I shouldn't be allowed to go on vacation and let my mind wander.
Summer cometh before the fall.
July 16, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Summer cometh before the fall.
Meat raffles are a high steaks form of gambling.
July 15, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Meat raffles are a high steaks form of gambling.
It is hard for me to overstate how much my coding improved when I learned how to write *good* automated tests.
I understand why people get burned when they write bad tests (through inexperience or forced code coverage), but I truly don't understand the "automated tests are overrated" crowd.
I understand why people get burned when they write bad tests (through inexperience or forced code coverage), but I truly don't understand the "automated tests are overrated" crowd.
July 2, 2025 at 4:41 PM
It is hard for me to overstate how much my coding improved when I learned how to write *good* automated tests.
I understand why people get burned when they write bad tests (through inexperience or forced code coverage), but I truly don't understand the "automated tests are overrated" crowd.
I understand why people get burned when they write bad tests (through inexperience or forced code coverage), but I truly don't understand the "automated tests are overrated" crowd.
I continue to write things, this time about databases that track the real world.
blog.danlew.net/2025/07/01/w...
blog.danlew.net/2025/07/01/w...
When Your Source of Truth is Reality
Let me tell you a story about why one should be cautious with databases that track the real world.
I play trombone in a local community orchestra. For the past two years, I’ve been the board secretar...
blog.danlew.net
July 1, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I continue to write things, this time about databases that track the real world.
blog.danlew.net/2025/07/01/w...
blog.danlew.net/2025/07/01/w...
My non-spoiler review of Clair Obscur (so far).
May 27, 2025 at 10:33 AM
My non-spoiler review of Clair Obscur (so far).