Robert Atkins
@ratkins.net
I miss Usenet. Prompt engineering and other things at https://beams.tech, ex Pivotal Labs. Also @ratkins, @ratkins@mastodon.social
Reposted by Robert Atkins
![Panel 1
Parent:
We celebrate because we completed a revolution around the star
Panel 2
Child:
So it is identical to emergence day ?
Parent:
Emergence Day is for one individual’s survival
Panel 3:
Parent (continues)
New Revolution’s Day celebrates collective survival
Child:
Oh
Panel 4
Child [raises arms triumphantly]
We did not die
Parent:
Exactly](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:g64rgatv5veqlpuu43dsp67c/bafkreiabxxaz57jv6mb5wt2m3rbmz5giwusw27bdpyyo7sgn7kqf2yazge@jpeg)
Reposted by Robert Atkins
Holy shit what
very impressive
December 30, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Holy shit what
Reposted by Robert Atkins
I think about this a lot
December 30, 2025 at 7:46 PM
I think about this a lot
Reposted by Robert Atkins
Reposted by Robert Atkins
Funny/sad to me that there's an entire pile of work in assessment science on this that basically stopped at "damn dynamic testing with feedback is a way better predictor of performance but it's too expensive to implement oh well" and the one industry that easily makes dynamic interaction cheap...
December 30, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Funny/sad to me that there's an entire pile of work in assessment science on this that basically stopped at "damn dynamic testing with feedback is a way better predictor of performance but it's too expensive to implement oh well" and the one industry that easily makes dynamic interaction cheap...
Reposted by Robert Atkins
RIGHT
the sort of secret job of software development is to warp the playing field such that your efforts are more likely to succeed
You can be brilliant at algorithms and have no clue how to do this
the sort of secret job of software development is to warp the playing field such that your efforts are more likely to succeed
You can be brilliant at algorithms and have no clue how to do this
December 30, 2025 at 4:07 PM
RIGHT
the sort of secret job of software development is to warp the playing field such that your efforts are more likely to succeed
You can be brilliant at algorithms and have no clue how to do this
the sort of secret job of software development is to warp the playing field such that your efforts are more likely to succeed
You can be brilliant at algorithms and have no clue how to do this
Even’s music never does not make me happy https://youtu.be/udhXryd5XDc?si=k3zHAzSIlc7FHONU
December 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Even’s music never does not make me happy https://youtu.be/udhXryd5XDc?si=k3zHAzSIlc7FHONU
Reposted by Robert Atkins
and in fact I think most of the consternation about the LLM paradigm shift is that many software professionals got really good at Programming
and not nearly as good at The Secret Job of Programming
which is about the chess game of not letting a 1.0 fucking kill you
of Actually Shipping
and not nearly as good at The Secret Job of Programming
which is about the chess game of not letting a 1.0 fucking kill you
of Actually Shipping
RIGHT
the sort of secret job of software development is to warp the playing field such that your efforts are more likely to succeed
You can be brilliant at algorithms and have no clue how to do this
the sort of secret job of software development is to warp the playing field such that your efforts are more likely to succeed
You can be brilliant at algorithms and have no clue how to do this
December 30, 2025 at 4:10 PM
and in fact I think most of the consternation about the LLM paradigm shift is that many software professionals got really good at Programming
and not nearly as good at The Secret Job of Programming
which is about the chess game of not letting a 1.0 fucking kill you
of Actually Shipping
and not nearly as good at The Secret Job of Programming
which is about the chess game of not letting a 1.0 fucking kill you
of Actually Shipping
Reposted by Robert Atkins
Australia Admits All Those Animals Made Up https://theonion.com/australia-admits-all-those-animals-made-up/
December 30, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Australia Admits All Those Animals Made Up https://theonion.com/australia-admits-all-those-animals-made-up/
Reposted by Robert Atkins
The source for this meme is stored in documents/memes, on my own computer, I don't even need the internet to access it, revolutionary stuff
December 30, 2025 at 12:48 PM
The source for this meme is stored in documents/memes, on my own computer, I don't even need the internet to access it, revolutionary stuff
Reposted by Robert Atkins
POV: Du bist ein Korn
December 30, 2025 at 12:38 PM
POV: Du bist ein Korn
Reposted by Robert Atkins
Semiotic paradox alert!
December 29, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Semiotic paradox alert!
I have a bad feeling about this…
December 30, 2025 at 12:34 PM
I have a bad feeling about this…
Reposted by Robert Atkins
♫Shout
Shout
I’m short and stout
This is my handle and this is my spout
Pour on
I’m tipping for you
Pour on ♪
Shout
I’m short and stout
This is my handle and this is my spout
Pour on
I’m tipping for you
Pour on ♪
December 30, 2025 at 3:01 AM
♫Shout
Shout
I’m short and stout
This is my handle and this is my spout
Pour on
I’m tipping for you
Pour on ♪
Shout
I’m short and stout
This is my handle and this is my spout
Pour on
I’m tipping for you
Pour on ♪
Reposted by Robert Atkins
Reposted by Robert Atkins
I really like "Trainwreckords" as a title but there's a guy on RYM with a series called "1,001 Albums You Must Die Before You Hear" and God. God that's so good
December 30, 2025 at 12:17 AM
I really like "Trainwreckords" as a title but there's a guy on RYM with a series called "1,001 Albums You Must Die Before You Hear" and God. God that's so good
Reposted by Robert Atkins
Ruin two bands by combining them
NINXS
NINXS
KLFDM
Ruin two bands by combining them
The Johnny Clash
The Johnny Clash
December 29, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Ruin two bands by combining them
NINXS
NINXS
Reposted by Robert Atkins
There are three pathways to peace in Ukraine: a just peace through Russian defeat, an unjust peace through compromise, and genocidal occupation euphemistically called peace through Ukrainian surrender. Ukraine is working towards the first goal, Europe for the second, Trump for the third.
December 29, 2025 at 7:26 PM
There are three pathways to peace in Ukraine: a just peace through Russian defeat, an unjust peace through compromise, and genocidal occupation euphemistically called peace through Ukrainian surrender. Ukraine is working towards the first goal, Europe for the second, Trump for the third.
Reposted by Robert Atkins
When someone asks why I keep working on the open social web when normal users don't care about protocols
![An image from the 2021 movie Dune.
- The image shows a person (specifically, the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, played by Charlotte Rampling) with a net-like veil over their face.
- An overlaid caption reads: [Our plans are measured in centuries], a quote from the character in the film.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:xgvzy7ni6ig6ievcbls5jaxe/bafkreiexwkrww2tt4ww6rlgs2q3drqfvhbv5zqqtlftiw6jv543jxyekw4@jpeg)
December 29, 2025 at 6:06 PM
When someone asks why I keep working on the open social web when normal users don't care about protocols
Reposted by Robert Atkins
The Second-Order Streisand Effect is a social phenomenon where if a party makes an effort to censor information, discussion and news about the censorship paradoxically leads to an increased awareness of Barbara Streisand, a musician whom most "Zoomers" would probably have otherwise never heard of
December 29, 2025 at 7:27 PM
The Second-Order Streisand Effect is a social phenomenon where if a party makes an effort to censor information, discussion and news about the censorship paradoxically leads to an increased awareness of Barbara Streisand, a musician whom most "Zoomers" would probably have otherwise never heard of
Reposted by Robert Atkins
Good enough wins because of what you are able to treat as externalities
December 29, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Good enough wins because of what you are able to treat as externalities
Reposted by Robert Atkins
My cartoon for the latest @newscientist.com
December 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
My cartoon for the latest @newscientist.com
Reposted by Robert Atkins
Management is the wrong analogy for LLM augmentation www.sicpers.info/2025/12/mana...
Management is the wrong analogy for LLM augmentation | Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programmers
www.sicpers.info
December 29, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Management is the wrong analogy for LLM augmentation www.sicpers.info/2025/12/mana...
Reposted by Robert Atkins
I always found it weird how the country with no official religion is more religious than the one where we're ostensibly all christian by default.
December 29, 2025 at 5:02 PM
I always found it weird how the country with no official religion is more religious than the one where we're ostensibly all christian by default.