Steve Downey
@sdowney.org
It's my fault "throw 💩;" is no longer valid C++. In penance, I worked to make optional<T&> happen.
Parody of a real software engineer and grown up.
Software engineer at Bloomberg LP
Views are my own
he/him
@sdowney@mastodon.social
Parody of a real software engineer and grown up.
Software engineer at Bloomberg LP
Views are my own
he/him
@sdowney@mastodon.social
Changes in presumption of regularity, part N:
"An administration official said earlier that a Mexican cartel drone breached US airspace and that the Pentagon disabled the aircraft, without providing evidence to back up that claim."
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
"An administration official said earlier that a Mexican cartel drone breached US airspace and that the Pentagon disabled the aircraft, without providing evidence to back up that claim."
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
FAA Ends Airspace Closure in Texas, Says Flights Will Resume
The US Federal Aviation Administration reopened airspace around El Paso, Texas, a sudden reversal after announcing a 10-day closure that grounded flights in the city on the US-Mexico border.
www.bloomberg.com
February 11, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Changes in presumption of regularity, part N:
"An administration official said earlier that a Mexican cartel drone breached US airspace and that the Pentagon disabled the aircraft, without providing evidence to back up that claim."
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
"An administration official said earlier that a Mexican cartel drone breached US airspace and that the Pentagon disabled the aircraft, without providing evidence to back up that claim."
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
How agile is your "agile" process?
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
Feel any guilt reading that list?
(I may be projecting)
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
Feel any guilt reading that list?
(I may be projecting)
Coming up tomorrow: Uncertified Agile Development
In this 2-hour class, let's return to the motivations and underlying principles of what makes a development approach, an organisation or a codebase agile.
techcornwall.co.uk/training/mon...
In this 2-hour class, let's return to the motivations and underlying principles of what makes a development approach, an organisation or a codebase agile.
techcornwall.co.uk/training/mon...
Monthly Masterclass - Uncertified Agile Development - Tech Cornwall
techcornwall.co.uk
February 11, 2026 at 2:11 PM
How agile is your "agile" process?
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
Feel any guilt reading that list?
(I may be projecting)
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
Feel any guilt reading that list?
(I may be projecting)
Reposted by Steve Downey
Coming up tomorrow: Uncertified Agile Development
In this 2-hour class, let's return to the motivations and underlying principles of what makes a development approach, an organisation or a codebase agile.
techcornwall.co.uk/training/mon...
In this 2-hour class, let's return to the motivations and underlying principles of what makes a development approach, an organisation or a codebase agile.
techcornwall.co.uk/training/mon...
Monthly Masterclass - Uncertified Agile Development - Tech Cornwall
techcornwall.co.uk
February 11, 2026 at 9:27 AM
Coming up tomorrow: Uncertified Agile Development
In this 2-hour class, let's return to the motivations and underlying principles of what makes a development approach, an organisation or a codebase agile.
techcornwall.co.uk/training/mon...
In this 2-hour class, let's return to the motivations and underlying principles of what makes a development approach, an organisation or a codebase agile.
techcornwall.co.uk/training/mon...
Reposted by Steve Downey
The pronoun labeler, which was by far the most useful labeler on the site, was deleted by its creator. But thanks to @ripperoni.com there’s a new one available. I highly recommend it. It’s a great way to share your pronouns or see someone else’s pronouns at a glance.
bsky.app/profile/pron...
bsky.app/profile/pron...
bsky.app
February 11, 2026 at 6:39 AM
The pronoun labeler, which was by far the most useful labeler on the site, was deleted by its creator. But thanks to @ripperoni.com there’s a new one available. I highly recommend it. It’s a great way to share your pronouns or see someone else’s pronouns at a glance.
bsky.app/profile/pron...
bsky.app/profile/pron...
Reposted by Steve Downey
I am SO here for new WKRP reboot.
Don't give anything an Emmy until it's as good as this.
February 11, 2026 at 9:49 AM
I am SO here for new WKRP reboot.
Reposted by Steve Downey
I love these books!
A quick reminder my Gothic Paris books are re-releasing March 10th and you can preorder them in order to get this exclusive novella!
(you can also buy a new UK edition, that would also count).
(you can also buy a new UK edition, that would also count).
Preorder campaign for the re-release of my Gothic Paris books -(March 10th!!!): pre-order any of the books in the series & get an EXCLUSIVE ebook with bonus shenanigans involving Fallen angels, a birthday party and a decidedly over-friendly magical fungus
www.aliettedebodard.com/2026/01/23/d...
www.aliettedebodard.com/2026/01/23/d...
February 11, 2026 at 10:33 AM
I love these books!
This book is a master class in critical analysis of SFF by the best working critic in the field. Walton loves SF, and is a magnificent writer, and _What Makes This Book so Great_ takes apart real great works and lets you see why and how to read them.
In time to read it before Trace Elements comes out next month, the ebook of What Makes This Book So Great is on sale as an ebook for $2.99. (Probably US only.)
www.amazon.com/What-Makes-T...
www.amazon.com/What-Makes-T...
What Makes This Book So Great: Re-Reading the Classics of Science Fiction and Fantasy
Amazon.com: What Makes This Book So Great: Re-Reading the Classics of Science Fiction and Fantasy eBook : Walton, Jo: Kindle Store
www.amazon.com
February 11, 2026 at 12:26 PM
This book is a master class in critical analysis of SFF by the best working critic in the field. Walton loves SF, and is a magnificent writer, and _What Makes This Book so Great_ takes apart real great works and lets you see why and how to read them.
A huge part of modern finance and MBA theory is trying to solve the problem that a company has no reason to care about its own stock price.
February 11, 2026 at 12:14 PM
A huge part of modern finance and MBA theory is trying to solve the problem that a company has no reason to care about its own stock price.
Tax advice, financial advice, and wealth management sound like excellent things to let AI do. Really.
Market in wealth management company stocks crashed today because "Altruist Corp" (really) says they have one.
Market in wealth management company stocks crashed today because "Altruist Corp" (really) says they have one.
February 10, 2026 at 10:30 PM
Tax advice, financial advice, and wealth management sound like excellent things to let AI do. Really.
Market in wealth management company stocks crashed today because "Altruist Corp" (really) says they have one.
Market in wealth management company stocks crashed today because "Altruist Corp" (really) says they have one.
Reposted by Steve Downey
the greatest mastodon antifeature is the guys kramering into threads to insist the leaks and sparks and fires and outages are features akhully
February 10, 2026 at 11:43 AM
the greatest mastodon antifeature is the guys kramering into threads to insist the leaks and sparks and fires and outages are features akhully
Is "Algebra" as intrinsically scary as "Monad", or does it just have unpleasant connotations?
February 10, 2026 at 1:20 PM
Is "Algebra" as intrinsically scary as "Monad", or does it just have unpleasant connotations?
Reposted by Steve Downey
Can't wait for the ridiculous shenanigan of a discussion this one is going to generate.
thephd.dev/_vendor/futu...
thephd.dev/_vendor/futu...
N38X7: Type Punning Is (Not?!) Real
thephd.dev
February 9, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Can't wait for the ridiculous shenanigan of a discussion this one is going to generate.
thephd.dev/_vendor/futu...
thephd.dev/_vendor/futu...
Reposted by Steve Downey
every single person writing credulously about "elon will put people on the moon" should have to pin this post to their monitor
February 9, 2026 at 10:11 PM
every single person writing credulously about "elon will put people on the moon" should have to pin this post to their monitor
Reposted by Steve Downey
/2 AIso it did not occur to me that a person could use his blog to publish all the letters to the editor that the papers would not publish
I will be back in about six months
I will be back in about six months
February 9, 2026 at 11:46 PM
/2 AIso it did not occur to me that a person could use his blog to publish all the letters to the editor that the papers would not publish
I will be back in about six months
I will be back in about six months
"performative" is the "virtue signalling" of the Left.
February 9, 2026 at 7:16 PM
"performative" is the "virtue signalling" of the Left.
Reposted by Steve Downey
Today is the birthday of artist Frank Frazetta (Feb. 9, 1928-May 10, 2010).
February 9, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Today is the birthday of artist Frank Frazetta (Feb. 9, 1928-May 10, 2010).
Impossibly hardworking and talented people have imposter syndrome.
The @500songspodcast.bsky.social episode on Dusty Springfield helped me appreciate that she was an even bigger star than I already knew, but I found it especially touching to hear how much she was plagued with paralyzing self doubt.
February 9, 2026 at 1:45 PM
Impossibly hardworking and talented people have imposter syndrome.
Reposted by Steve Downey
So…what book are we reading when the commercials are off? 📖🏈
February 9, 2026 at 12:25 AM
So…what book are we reading when the commercials are off? 📖🏈
How to stop Google from man in the middle linking links you share.
Google App > Profile Pic > Settings > Other Settings> Shorten links
Google App > Profile Pic > Settings > Other Settings> Shorten links
February 9, 2026 at 1:50 AM
How to stop Google from man in the middle linking links you share.
Google App > Profile Pic > Settings > Other Settings> Shorten links
Google App > Profile Pic > Settings > Other Settings> Shorten links
Reposted by Steve Downey
Latest Oxide and Friends is up on the pod. Great conversation with @booch.com!
Oxide and Friends | Software Engineering Past, Present, and Future with Grady Booch
Bryan and Adam were joined by Grady Booch, software engineering pioneer and living legend, to speak about the past present and future of software engineering. History doesn't repeat itself, but it ...
oxide-and-friends.transistor.fm
February 8, 2026 at 3:03 AM
Latest Oxide and Friends is up on the pod. Great conversation with @booch.com!
Reposted by Steve Downey
I never noticed this either.
February 8, 2026 at 7:09 PM
I never noticed this either.
"I think permitting people to XYZ would be fine, but God forbids it, so it's immoral, and must be banned for everyone."
That is a really weird argument.
Are you saying you are personally more ethical than God? You disagree with Them?
That is a really weird argument.
Are you saying you are personally more ethical than God? You disagree with Them?
February 8, 2026 at 5:29 PM
"I think permitting people to XYZ would be fine, but God forbids it, so it's immoral, and must be banned for everyone."
That is a really weird argument.
Are you saying you are personally more ethical than God? You disagree with Them?
That is a really weird argument.
Are you saying you are personally more ethical than God? You disagree with Them?
Mathematician joke:
2 shows up in an equation. Fine, normal.
π, sure, makes sense, circles somewhere.
e, yup, growth, decay, self similarities, this is all working out.
i, interesting, wasn't expecting rotation, but sure.
7.
What the fuck is a 7.
2 shows up in an equation. Fine, normal.
π, sure, makes sense, circles somewhere.
e, yup, growth, decay, self similarities, this is all working out.
i, interesting, wasn't expecting rotation, but sure.
7.
What the fuck is a 7.
February 8, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Mathematician joke:
2 shows up in an equation. Fine, normal.
π, sure, makes sense, circles somewhere.
e, yup, growth, decay, self similarities, this is all working out.
i, interesting, wasn't expecting rotation, but sure.
7.
What the fuck is a 7.
2 shows up in an equation. Fine, normal.
π, sure, makes sense, circles somewhere.
e, yup, growth, decay, self similarities, this is all working out.
i, interesting, wasn't expecting rotation, but sure.
7.
What the fuck is a 7.
A significant part of writing something down to communicate with others is understanding it. Writing down the details lets me figure out I don't know the details.
AI produces slop and no understanding.
AI produces slop and no understanding.
February 8, 2026 at 3:49 PM
A significant part of writing something down to communicate with others is understanding it. Writing down the details lets me figure out I don't know the details.
AI produces slop and no understanding.
AI produces slop and no understanding.
A cat was helping me program overnight.
Pretty sure it's the eldest who is still displeased there are other cats and that I have badly mismanaged the weather.
Pretty sure it's the eldest who is still displeased there are other cats and that I have badly mismanaged the weather.
February 8, 2026 at 2:39 PM
A cat was helping me program overnight.
Pretty sure it's the eldest who is still displeased there are other cats and that I have badly mismanaged the weather.
Pretty sure it's the eldest who is still displeased there are other cats and that I have badly mismanaged the weather.