Grant Gould
@nonnihil.hachyderm.io.ap.brid.gy
Roboticist, meticulous software dead-ender, Im in ur C++ objecting to ur barepointers.
Cambridge, MA; he/him; grumpy but anarchist-ish.
No time for:
* LaTeX in […]
🌉 bridged from https://hachyderm.io/@nonnihil on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/
Cambridge, MA; he/him; grumpy but anarchist-ish.
No time for:
* LaTeX in […]
🌉 bridged from https://hachyderm.io/@nonnihil on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/
TFW doing an annoying work administrative compliance task and then discovering that nobody else bothered to do it and YOU GET PERMIT # 0001!
Worst flex, but there's a stupid pride to it.
Gonna put my new "I'm Number 0001" brag sticker on my bicycle and celebrate being THE SUPER BEST at […]
Worst flex, but there's a stupid pride to it.
Gonna put my new "I'm Number 0001" brag sticker on my bicycle and celebrate being THE SUPER BEST at […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
January 22, 2026 at 8:34 PM
TFW doing an annoying work administrative compliance task and then discovering that nobody else bothered to do it and YOU GET PERMIT # 0001!
Worst flex, but there's a stupid pride to it.
Gonna put my new "I'm Number 0001" brag sticker on my bicycle and celebrate being THE SUPER BEST at […]
Worst flex, but there's a stupid pride to it.
Gonna put my new "I'm Number 0001" brag sticker on my bicycle and celebrate being THE SUPER BEST at […]
Reposted by Grant Gould
Sometimes, the best way to feel hopeful is to look around at what we're already doing.
The businesses who recycle and recondition things don't get much attention but they've been buzzing away in the background this whole time.
When it come to minerals, dead batteries are the richest ore out there.
The businesses who recycle and recondition things don't get much attention but they've been buzzing away in the background this whole time.
When it come to minerals, dead batteries are the richest ore out there.
January 20, 2026 at 4:11 PM
Sometimes, the best way to feel hopeful is to look around at what we're already doing.
The businesses who recycle and recondition things don't get much attention but they've been buzzing away in the background this whole time.
When it come to minerals, dead batteries are the richest ore out there.
The businesses who recycle and recondition things don't get much attention but they've been buzzing away in the background this whole time.
When it come to minerals, dead batteries are the richest ore out there.
Every time some junior dev uses a result from a coding LLM, regardless of whether that result is correct or not, they have identified a hole in the software ecosystem that _we_ have provided them.
The use of LLMs is not an indictment of the junior coders who are trying to vibe their way through […]
The use of LLMs is not an indictment of the junior coders who are trying to vibe their way through […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
January 19, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Every time some junior dev uses a result from a coding LLM, regardless of whether that result is correct or not, they have identified a hole in the software ecosystem that _we_ have provided them.
The use of LLMs is not an indictment of the junior coders who are trying to vibe their way through […]
The use of LLMs is not an indictment of the junior coders who are trying to vibe their way through […]
Absolutely amazing how reliably "passkey" means "doesn't work for you".
Passkeys must be the future, because they sure aren't the present. The whole feature is going to be mandatory at least two years out from being reliable.
Passkeys must be the future, because they sure aren't the present. The whole feature is going to be mandatory at least two years out from being reliable.
January 13, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Absolutely amazing how reliably "passkey" means "doesn't work for you".
Passkeys must be the future, because they sure aren't the present. The whole feature is going to be mandatory at least two years out from being reliable.
Passkeys must be the future, because they sure aren't the present. The whole feature is going to be mandatory at least two years out from being reliable.
Niche achievements
January 13, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Niche achievements
I always feel guilty posting it, because it feels like an ad, but every time I post my wonderful tiny local litter cleanup crew to reddit it gets more likes than all of the usual yelling about traffic and landlords and lost knickknacks and my heart is warmed.
More people should find a local […]
More people should find a local […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
January 12, 2026 at 6:19 PM
I always feel guilty posting it, because it feels like an ad, but every time I post my wonderful tiny local litter cleanup crew to reddit it gets more likes than all of the usual yelling about traffic and landlords and lost knickknacks and my heart is warmed.
More people should find a local […]
More people should find a local […]
On the one hand, re-running the Noriega affair in Venezuela is a foolish thing to do and will probably result in disaster.
On the other hand, reminding everyone of the Noriega principle that state executive branch heads can be subject to removal and trial without their permission seems.... very […]
On the other hand, reminding everyone of the Noriega principle that state executive branch heads can be subject to removal and trial without their permission seems.... very […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
January 3, 2026 at 4:05 PM
On the one hand, re-running the Noriega affair in Venezuela is a foolish thing to do and will probably result in disaster.
On the other hand, reminding everyone of the Noriega principle that state executive branch heads can be subject to removal and trial without their permission seems.... very […]
On the other hand, reminding everyone of the Noriega principle that state executive branch heads can be subject to removal and trial without their permission seems.... very […]
Reposted by Grant Gould
true peace only exists in the absence of power. the powerful getting what they want and facing no resistance is more akin to death than to peace.
January 1, 2026 at 11:04 PM
true peace only exists in the absence of power. the powerful getting what they want and facing no resistance is more akin to death than to peace.
[Oh, hey, look, it's the annual "come work with me" post! US, Massachusetts, employment.]
My place of work, Toyota Research Institute, wants another engineer to help keep our robotics researchers sane and productive and safe; we have a very collaborative workplace and although we do a *ton* of […]
My place of work, Toyota Research Institute, wants another engineer to help keep our robotics researchers sane and productive and safe; we have a very collaborative workplace and although we do a *ton* of […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
December 16, 2025 at 6:56 PM
[Oh, hey, look, it's the annual "come work with me" post! US, Massachusetts, employment.]
My place of work, Toyota Research Institute, wants another engineer to help keep our robotics researchers sane and productive and safe; we have a very collaborative workplace and although we do a *ton* of […]
My place of work, Toyota Research Institute, wants another engineer to help keep our robotics researchers sane and productive and safe; we have a very collaborative workplace and although we do a *ton* of […]
Reposted by Grant Gould
A Brief, Incomplete, and Mostly Wrong History of Programming Languages
James Iry; Thursday, May 7, 2009
1801 - Joseph Marie Jacquard uses punch cards to instruct a loom to weave "hello, world" into a tapestry. Redditers of the time are not impressed due to the lack of tail call recursion […]
James Iry; Thursday, May 7, 2009
1801 - Joseph Marie Jacquard uses punch cards to instruct a loom to weave "hello, world" into a tapestry. Redditers of the time are not impressed due to the lack of tail call recursion […]
Original post on mathstodon.xyz
mathstodon.xyz
November 23, 2025 at 2:43 AM
A Brief, Incomplete, and Mostly Wrong History of Programming Languages
James Iry; Thursday, May 7, 2009
1801 - Joseph Marie Jacquard uses punch cards to instruct a loom to weave "hello, world" into a tapestry. Redditers of the time are not impressed due to the lack of tail call recursion […]
James Iry; Thursday, May 7, 2009
1801 - Joseph Marie Jacquard uses punch cards to instruct a loom to weave "hello, world" into a tapestry. Redditers of the time are not impressed due to the lack of tail call recursion […]
I think this is _exactly_ correct. The "boring" part of ML is doing absolutely spectactular work in the (robotics and chemistry) areas where I'm watching it, but the LLM OMG GPT (and image/video) stuff just monopolizes everyone's attention (and VC dollars) because it makes big feelings […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
November 22, 2025 at 1:42 AM
I think this is _exactly_ correct. The "boring" part of ML is doing absolutely spectactular work in the (robotics and chemistry) areas where I'm watching it, but the LLM OMG GPT (and image/video) stuff just monopolizes everyone's attention (and VC dollars) because it makes big feelings […]
Reposted by Grant Gould
Weirdly few google results for "ted lasso bodhisattva".
This is like the obvious and surface reading, though, even from the book in the first scene, right? At minimum the world should be awash in insufferable high school essays on this.
This is like the obvious and surface reading, though, even from the book in the first scene, right? At minimum the world should be awash in insufferable high school essays on this.
October 25, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Weirdly few google results for "ted lasso bodhisattva".
This is like the obvious and surface reading, though, even from the book in the first scene, right? At minimum the world should be awash in insufferable high school essays on this.
This is like the obvious and surface reading, though, even from the book in the first scene, right? At minimum the world should be awash in insufferable high school essays on this.
Reposted by Grant Gould
Myspace? Skipped it, got the next one. Spotify, yeah nah that looks shit and my MP3s still work fine, I'll just give it a couple of years and get the next one.
There's always a next one
There's always a next one
October 6, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Myspace? Skipped it, got the next one. Spotify, yeah nah that looks shit and my MP3s still work fine, I'll just give it a couple of years and get the next one.
There's always a next one
There's always a next one
The central metaphor of the spider's web is that it is a network, filling space by bridging together disparate points.
In this case, AC power and ground.
Which is why my parents' garage door won't open: Metaphor. Stinky carbonized metaphor.
In this case, AC power and ground.
Which is why my parents' garage door won't open: Metaphor. Stinky carbonized metaphor.
October 4, 2025 at 3:52 PM
The central metaphor of the spider's web is that it is a network, filling space by bridging together disparate points.
In this case, AC power and ground.
Which is why my parents' garage door won't open: Metaphor. Stinky carbonized metaphor.
In this case, AC power and ground.
Which is why my parents' garage door won't open: Metaphor. Stinky carbonized metaphor.
If anyone with an educational nonprofit or school wants a donation of some UR-3 robot arms, get in touch -- my company is getting rid of a bunch and we haven't found any takers with our usual donation recipients.
These are great learning models, mechanically similar to light industrial arms but […]
These are great learning models, mechanically similar to light industrial arms but […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
October 1, 2025 at 2:52 PM
If anyone with an educational nonprofit or school wants a donation of some UR-3 robot arms, get in touch -- my company is getting rid of a bunch and we haven't found any takers with our usual donation recipients.
These are great learning models, mechanically similar to light industrial arms but […]
These are great learning models, mechanically similar to light industrial arms but […]
Heard of slow zombies. Heard of fast zombies. Driving zombies, that's a new one to me.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn839xqdn5po
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn839xqdn5po
September 13, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Heard of slow zombies. Heard of fast zombies. Driving zombies, that's a new one to me.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn839xqdn5po
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn839xqdn5po
So we had two big televised acts of horrifying political murder in North America this month. One of nearly a dozen civilians on a vague suspicion by the actual ruling political leadership of a country. The other of one off-brand white supremacist by a different off-brand white nationalist.
And […]
And […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
September 12, 2025 at 10:26 PM
So we had two big televised acts of horrifying political murder in North America this month. One of nearly a dozen civilians on a vague suspicion by the actual ruling political leadership of a country. The other of one off-brand white supremacist by a different off-brand white nationalist.
And […]
And […]
To be against political violence is to be, first and foremost, against the largest and most severe forms of political violence -- the wars, the autocracies, the police killings, the deportations. The people who oppose those, can tell you that they oppose political violence today.
The people who […]
The people who […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
September 10, 2025 at 11:25 PM
To be against political violence is to be, first and foremost, against the largest and most severe forms of political violence -- the wars, the autocracies, the police killings, the deportations. The people who oppose those, can tell you that they oppose political violence today.
The people who […]
The people who […]
I want to emphasize clearly, if you are going to have electoral politics, and those electoral politics are going to have Soap Opera State drama, and that drama is going to be intruding on the peace of my evening commute,
It really must be Somerville Bike Path Mayor cat drama […]
It really must be Somerville Bike Path Mayor cat drama […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
September 9, 2025 at 1:48 AM
I want to emphasize clearly, if you are going to have electoral politics, and those electoral politics are going to have Soap Opera State drama, and that drama is going to be intruding on the peace of my evening commute,
It really must be Somerville Bike Path Mayor cat drama […]
It really must be Somerville Bike Path Mayor cat drama […]
Reposted by Grant Gould
the translation on Wikipedia vs my New Living Internet Translation. 🐴
#chinese #classicalchinese #translation #localization #autism #actuallyautistic #horses
#chinese #classicalchinese #translation #localization #autism #actuallyautistic #horses
![(long text warning)
The Tang dynasty poet Han Yu (768–824) wrote a well-known fable about Bole and qianlima.
Only when an era has a man like Po-le are there thousand-li horses. Thousand-li horses are common, but Po-les, on the other hand, are rare. Thus even though there may be famous horses, they only become abused under the hand of the man to whom they are enslaved, and they die in the stables—never having been recognized as thousand-li horses. Thousand-li horses at times consume a whole dan [approximately 60 kg] of grain in one feeding. If the one who feeds them does so without knowing they are capable of a thousand-li, then even though they may have the ability to go so far, they, having not eaten their fill, are lacking in strength, and their talent and beauty are not apparent. Moreover, if one wanted to rank them with regular horses, they would not make the grade. How then could they be asked to have the ability of going a thousand li? They are whipped inappropriately and fed in such a way that they cannot fulfil their innate talents. Yet when they cry out, they cannot be understood. With whip in hand the man approaches them and says, "There are not any good horses in the empire." Alas! Is it that there are really no good horses or is it perhaps that there is no one who really understands horses?](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:wi4jfbq4d4khbmikgi2kgm7a/bafkreigdhwnkrr2aul7g3nmzvo2vs53xcphok34kqvjh5tpnuvuqstc3wm@jpeg)
August 25, 2025 at 4:35 PM
the translation on Wikipedia vs my New Living Internet Translation. 🐴
#chinese #classicalchinese #translation #localization #autism #actuallyautistic #horses
#chinese #classicalchinese #translation #localization #autism #actuallyautistic #horses
Reposted by Grant Gould
In retrospect, the unlikely alliance of my incompetence and facebook's maze-like backend, appears to have thwarted a dedicated scammer for ninety full minutes, not counting the repeated email and messenger exchanges.
I did my best to help the scammer get my page, but we were unsuccessful.
I did my best to help the scammer get my page, but we were unsuccessful.
August 20, 2025 at 3:51 PM
In retrospect, the unlikely alliance of my incompetence and facebook's maze-like backend, appears to have thwarted a dedicated scammer for ninety full minutes, not counting the repeated email and messenger exchanges.
I did my best to help the scammer get my page, but we were unsuccessful.
I did my best to help the scammer get my page, but we were unsuccessful.
"Create a background thread that can terminate its own EC2 instance" not high on my list of good software ideas.
"Log this termination only to a log on that same instance, with long buffering" somehow even lower than that.
"Log this termination only to a log on that same instance, with long buffering" somehow even lower than that.
August 18, 2025 at 9:24 PM
"Create a background thread that can terminate its own EC2 instance" not high on my list of good software ideas.
"Log this termination only to a log on that same instance, with long buffering" somehow even lower than that.
"Log this termination only to a log on that same instance, with long buffering" somehow even lower than that.
Me to coworkers: Company policy lets you use LLMs, so just be sure to clearly label any PRs where you let LLMs write the code so I can employ professional side-eye during code review.
Coworkers: So you're saying it's fine if I just ask the LLM to _design_ my code for me instead...
Coworkers: So you're saying it's fine if I just ask the LLM to _design_ my code for me instead...
August 18, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Me to coworkers: Company policy lets you use LLMs, so just be sure to clearly label any PRs where you let LLMs write the code so I can employ professional side-eye during code review.
Coworkers: So you're saying it's fine if I just ask the LLM to _design_ my code for me instead...
Coworkers: So you're saying it's fine if I just ask the LLM to _design_ my code for me instead...