Bob Arnson
@bobarnson.com
░G░U░I░D░s░i░n░b░i░o.░
I work at FireGiant.
I work on WixToolset.
aka @barnson@mastodon.social.
He/él/il/ghaH.
I work at FireGiant.
I work on WixToolset.
aka @barnson@mastodon.social.
He/él/il/ghaH.
If you search with Google's "AI mode" turned off, it longer recognizes USPS, UPS, or FedEx tracking numbers.
Conclusion: Regexes are AI and there's a unicorn startup somewhere in there.
Conclusion: Regexes are AI and there's a unicorn startup somewhere in there.
As people are discovering, turning off the "smart features" setting also kills a lot of useful gmail features because those do use a form of AI (a slippery term!) to scan data (and always have) even though they do not read the text of your emails the way the new (again, opt-in) feature does.
I Let Gemini Access My Gmail, and It's Downright Creepy
I didn't realize I gave Gemini full access to my email history at first, but I quickly realized the AI knew way more about me than I was comfortable with. Here's how to opt out.
www.pcmag.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:36 PM
If you search with Google's "AI mode" turned off, it longer recognizes USPS, UPS, or FedEx tracking numbers.
Conclusion: Regexes are AI and there's a unicorn startup somewhere in there.
Conclusion: Regexes are AI and there's a unicorn startup somewhere in there.
Reposted by Bob Arnson
WiX Online Meeting 301 Highlights www.firegiant.com/blog/2025/11...
WiX Online Meeting 301 Highlights | FireGiant
In the week leading up to Thanksgiving here in the United States, I'm looking forward to a traditional Thanksgiving meal of pizza, Chinese takeout, and pumpkin pie. Hey, you have your traditions, I have...
www.firegiant.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:35 PM
WiX Online Meeting 301 Highlights www.firegiant.com/blog/2025/11...
Reposted by Bob Arnson
Like it or not this technology is here to stay and if you don’t use it you’ll fall behind in your industry
November 16, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Like it or not this technology is here to stay and if you don’t use it you’ll fall behind in your industry
You can keep saying that! Mostly because I'm the type to hand-write my notes so I actually learn and remember, so the idea of having "AI" do work THAT I NEED TO SUPPORT makes no sense to me.
so now when they say "I vibed it" there's basically no longer an implicit seal of quality backing it up. You can no longer say "oh, this is Bob, he knows what he's doing"
November 15, 2025 at 1:16 AM
You can keep saying that! Mostly because I'm the type to hand-write my notes so I actually learn and remember, so the idea of having "AI" do work THAT I NEED TO SUPPORT makes no sense to me.
Reposted by Bob Arnson
TLDR; The PSF has made the decision to put our community and our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion values ahead of seeking $1.5M in new revenue. Please read and share. pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-...
🧵
🧵
The official home of the Python Programming Language
www.python.org
October 27, 2025 at 2:47 PM
TLDR; The PSF has made the decision to put our community and our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion values ahead of seeking $1.5M in new revenue. Please read and share. pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-...
🧵
🧵
Reposted by Bob Arnson
WiX Online Meeting 300 Highlights www.firegiant.com/blog/2025/10...
WiX Online Meeting 300 Highlights | FireGiant
I missed September's WiX Online Meeting because some of my internal organs decided to assert their dominance and we needed extended negotiations about who's in charge. But now I'm back, just in time to...
www.firegiant.com
October 15, 2025 at 9:49 PM
WiX Online Meeting 300 Highlights www.firegiant.com/blog/2025/10...
Reposted by Bob Arnson
Father,
Is there a voting guide for our local elections? I cannot tell from their statements which candidates have more honor.
Worf
Is there a voting guide for our local elections? I cannot tell from their statements which candidates have more honor.
Worf
October 15, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Father,
Is there a voting guide for our local elections? I cannot tell from their statements which candidates have more honor.
Worf
Is there a voting guide for our local elections? I cannot tell from their statements which candidates have more honor.
Worf
28 years, 2 months, 6 days for mine---original, anyway; now that one's just for friends, like a President's personal zip code.
My email address is 27 years old, it could be going back to its tenth high school reunion next year
I have an email address that is older than some of my colleagues.
My actual bones cried out in terror when I found that out.
My actual bones cried out in terror when I found that out.
September 27, 2025 at 10:18 PM
28 years, 2 months, 6 days for mine---original, anyway; now that one's just for friends, like a President's personal zip code.
Reposted by Bob Arnson
WiX v6.0.2 has been released www.firegiant.com/blog/2025/8/...
www.firegiant.com
August 28, 2025 at 10:46 PM
WiX v6.0.2 has been released www.firegiant.com/blog/2025/8/...
TIL: `??=` short circuits.
Definitely didn't waste any time figuring that one out.
Definitely didn't waste any time figuring that one out.
August 26, 2025 at 5:22 PM
TIL: `??=` short circuits.
Definitely didn't waste any time figuring that one out.
Definitely didn't waste any time figuring that one out.
"fortnightly"
Always use the right word. If it's a five-dollar word that means exactly what you want to say, drop it in and don't apologize for it. It makes your story better.
Writing advice I hate the most: Don't use five-dollar words
Every writer has their own favorites they love sneaking in, but never do.
Sometimes I'll spot one of my ❤️words in the wild, like when I saw @scalzi.com had casually dropped "martinet" into The End of All Things and it made my whole day.
Every writer has their own favorites they love sneaking in, but never do.
Sometimes I'll spot one of my ❤️words in the wild, like when I saw @scalzi.com had casually dropped "martinet" into The End of All Things and it made my whole day.
August 24, 2025 at 10:18 PM
"fortnightly"
Reposted by Bob Arnson
Reposted by Bob Arnson
The robot stood on the pier, painting a seascape.
A man came up to it. "Trying to atone for your sins? The theft of art and prose your ancestors did?"
"Your ancestors," the robot said. "Generative AI was a dead end. It had no part in making me."
"I say it did!"
So the robot threw him in the sea.
A man came up to it. "Trying to atone for your sins? The theft of art and prose your ancestors did?"
"Your ancestors," the robot said. "Generative AI was a dead end. It had no part in making me."
"I say it did!"
So the robot threw him in the sea.
August 22, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The robot stood on the pier, painting a seascape.
A man came up to it. "Trying to atone for your sins? The theft of art and prose your ancestors did?"
"Your ancestors," the robot said. "Generative AI was a dead end. It had no part in making me."
"I say it did!"
So the robot threw him in the sea.
A man came up to it. "Trying to atone for your sins? The theft of art and prose your ancestors did?"
"Your ancestors," the robot said. "Generative AI was a dead end. It had no part in making me."
"I say it did!"
So the robot threw him in the sea.
Reposted by Bob Arnson
WiX Online Meeting 298 Highlights www.firegiant.com/blog/2025/8/...
www.firegiant.com
August 20, 2025 at 9:44 PM
WiX Online Meeting 298 Highlights www.firegiant.com/blog/2025/8/...
Appropriate use of the subjunctive.
I wish it were less stupid
What's your take on the moment we're living through in 50 words or less. [you able to quote post]
August 18, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Appropriate use of the subjunctive.
By Grabthar's Hammer, I will find a use for this library and when I have, immediately retire to a cabin in the woods to dedicate myself to implementing whatever that use might be.
It's the least I can do for all the time I spent using computers that had only text mode.
github.com/jinek/Consol...
It's the least I can do for all the time I spent using computers that had only text mode.
github.com/jinek/Consol...
GitHub - jinek/Consolonia: A cross-platform UI framework for .NET.
A cross-platform UI framework for .NET. Contribute to jinek/Consolonia development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
August 17, 2025 at 1:05 AM
By Grabthar's Hammer, I will find a use for this library and when I have, immediately retire to a cabin in the woods to dedicate myself to implementing whatever that use might be.
It's the least I can do for all the time I spent using computers that had only text mode.
github.com/jinek/Consol...
It's the least I can do for all the time I spent using computers that had only text mode.
github.com/jinek/Consol...
Next-token predictors use em dashes with no soul. They can't appreciate them.
![Comic. [long message with unreadable text that includes lots of punctuation marks like semi colons and em dashes as well as citations.] Highlighted line at the bottom zoomed in reads: Not ChatGPT output—I’m just like this. [caption] I’ve had to start adding this disclaimer to my messages.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreifbqjlfnleuu4jrpvc7q6e43ckn2lqvuv7vdgtuf7e67dw5acy4di@jpeg)
August 12, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Next-token predictors use em dashes with no soul. They can't appreciate them.
Reposted by Bob Arnson
Noooooo! Please stay! I'm sorry! I'll do anything if I can have the chance to be your unpaid employee! I'm sorry I didn't solve your problem for you within a reasonable time frame! Come back! I'll change!
August 9, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Noooooo! Please stay! I'm sorry! I'll do anything if I can have the chance to be your unpaid employee! I'm sorry I didn't solve your problem for you within a reasonable time frame! Come back! I'll change!
Reposted by Bob Arnson
A thing not often mentioned here is one of the things OpenAI is trying to take away is community. Having experts beyond yourself — and professionals and friends and family and and and — means interacting with them, enforcing community. This attempts (poorly, thankfully) to diminish and destroy that.
OpenAI releases the newest version of the AI model that powers its popular ChatGPT chatbot, with CEO Sam Altman promoting it as like having a “team of Ph.D. level experts in your pocket.”
OpenAI releases GPT-5, calling it a ‘team of Ph.D. level experts in your pocket’
OpenAI says its latest version of the popular AI model is better at coding, more accurate and less deceptive than previous versions.
nbcnews.to
August 8, 2025 at 1:04 AM
A thing not often mentioned here is one of the things OpenAI is trying to take away is community. Having experts beyond yourself — and professionals and friends and family and and and — means interacting with them, enforcing community. This attempts (poorly, thankfully) to diminish and destroy that.
Reposted by Bob Arnson
"I asked ChatGPT"
Why not instead ask me instead over a nice glass of amontillado, I have a cask in my basement if you'll just follow me
Why not instead ask me instead over a nice glass of amontillado, I have a cask in my basement if you'll just follow me
August 2, 2025 at 5:04 PM
"I asked ChatGPT"
Why not instead ask me instead over a nice glass of amontillado, I have a cask in my basement if you'll just follow me
Why not instead ask me instead over a nice glass of amontillado, I have a cask in my basement if you'll just follow me
Reposted by Bob Arnson
That's how you can tell human authors from AI.
AI will put in some em dashes, then apologise and take them out when told off.
Human authors will climb the filing cabinet, hissing, and defend their right to em dashes with a loaded stapler.
AI will put in some em dashes, then apologise and take them out when told off.
Human authors will climb the filing cabinet, hissing, and defend their right to em dashes with a loaded stapler.
Em dashes, like anything, should be used in moderation. Check first with your editor if em dashes are right for you. 😉
#WriteSky #WritingTips
#WriteSky #WritingTips
August 1, 2025 at 11:11 AM
That's how you can tell human authors from AI.
AI will put in some em dashes, then apologise and take them out when told off.
Human authors will climb the filing cabinet, hissing, and defend their right to em dashes with a loaded stapler.
AI will put in some em dashes, then apologise and take them out when told off.
Human authors will climb the filing cabinet, hissing, and defend their right to em dashes with a loaded stapler.
Reposted by Bob Arnson
I'm drinking the Bios Crash slurpee I hope it crashes my bios I hope I blue screen
July 29, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I'm drinking the Bios Crash slurpee I hope it crashes my bios I hope I blue screen
Reposted by Bob Arnson
The guy who played the Predator in the 1987 film 'Predator' also played the helicopter pilot who saved people from the Predator.
Inside you there are two wolves.
Inside you there are two wolves.
July 25, 2025 at 3:46 PM
The guy who played the Predator in the 1987 film 'Predator' also played the helicopter pilot who saved people from the Predator.
Inside you there are two wolves.
Inside you there are two wolves.
Reposted by Bob Arnson
We should have listened when the modems screamed at us.
July 22, 2025 at 2:30 PM
We should have listened when the modems screamed at us.