Dave H
@thinkfoo.uk
Software Developer: TDD, CD etc
Political: liberal, pro EU, centrist non Dad
If you get blocked it's because I found you boring
https://thinkfoo.wordpress.com/
Political: liberal, pro EU, centrist non Dad
If you get blocked it's because I found you boring
https://thinkfoo.wordpress.com/
Reposted by Dave H
🚨NEW EPISODE🚨 @gilesyb.bsky.social joins @nndroid.bsky.social & @jonnelledge.bsky.social to look at the real story of Britain’s finances; why Brexit is an even bigger drag anchor than the Treasury will admit & more. Listen now 👉 linktr.ee/ohgodwhatnow...
November 11, 2025 at 7:00 AM
🚨NEW EPISODE🚨 @gilesyb.bsky.social joins @nndroid.bsky.social & @jonnelledge.bsky.social to look at the real story of Britain’s finances; why Brexit is an even bigger drag anchor than the Treasury will admit & more. Listen now 👉 linktr.ee/ohgodwhatnow...
Very disappointing that this TechRadar article, from a widely followed, supposedly technical site, entirely ignores that one of the main uses of VPNs is giving companies secure remote access for employees to internal systems. (234 chars)
www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
Exclusive: Ofcom is monitoring VPNs following Online Safety Act. Here's how
Ignoring VPNs risks creating ineffective laws, but tracking them threatens people's privacy
www.techradar.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Very disappointing that this TechRadar article, from a widely followed, supposedly technical site, entirely ignores that one of the main uses of VPNs is giving companies secure remote access for employees to internal systems. (234 chars)
www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
Reposted by Dave H
Inside a Cello
Charles Brooks Photography
Charles Brooks Photography
October 28, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Inside a Cello
Charles Brooks Photography
Charles Brooks Photography
Ok so I've just spent a day using Gemini as a kind of pair for programming. And I'm calling it, LLM is a MASSIVE productivity boosting tool.
Like a machine gun if you didn't know which way to point it you could do a lot of damage, but it saved me at least half a day today, maybe more. Game changing.
Like a machine gun if you didn't know which way to point it you could do a lot of damage, but it saved me at least half a day today, maybe more. Game changing.
October 28, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Ok so I've just spent a day using Gemini as a kind of pair for programming. And I'm calling it, LLM is a MASSIVE productivity boosting tool.
Like a machine gun if you didn't know which way to point it you could do a lot of damage, but it saved me at least half a day today, maybe more. Game changing.
Like a machine gun if you didn't know which way to point it you could do a lot of damage, but it saved me at least half a day today, maybe more. Game changing.
Reposted by Dave H
New post just out:
"Never again?"
On how the radical right are trying to change our collective memory about World War Two as part of their assault on the postwar order.
And why that memory remains a critical defence against nationalism.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/n...
"Never again?"
On how the radical right are trying to change our collective memory about World War Two as part of their assault on the postwar order.
And why that memory remains a critical defence against nationalism.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/n...
Never again?
Memory entrepreneurship and the radical right’s assault on the postwar order
open.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 8:49 AM
New post just out:
"Never again?"
On how the radical right are trying to change our collective memory about World War Two as part of their assault on the postwar order.
And why that memory remains a critical defence against nationalism.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/n...
"Never again?"
On how the radical right are trying to change our collective memory about World War Two as part of their assault on the postwar order.
And why that memory remains a critical defence against nationalism.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/n...
Surely it depends which side you are on?
I'm not exactly sure Elon is the guy I'd want to take advice from regarding "the war on drugs" in San Francisco.
October 13, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Surely it depends which side you are on?
Oh joy.
"Some agreements have involved complex circular financing arrangements"
"Some agreements have involved complex circular financing arrangements"
Measuring risk in the AI financing boom on.ft.com/3ISA09n | opinion
Measuring risk in the AI financing boom
A shift towards debt raises the potential fallout from the data centre spending spree
on.ft.com
October 13, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Oh joy.
"Some agreements have involved complex circular financing arrangements"
"Some agreements have involved complex circular financing arrangements"
"We don't have any automated testing"
"The country's losing competitiveness."
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand
I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.
I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.
October 12, 2025 at 4:38 PM
"We don't have any automated testing"
Reposted by Dave H
And yes, this is my point.
Whenever I say “AI” I mean “AI in software engineering.” I do think it’s silly to completely ignore it. And I’m not saying it’s magical or always use it. But experiment with it if you’re a tech professional and decide when to use, when to ignore
bsky.app/profile/lizt...
Whenever I say “AI” I mean “AI in software engineering.” I do think it’s silly to completely ignore it. And I’m not saying it’s magical or always use it. But experiment with it if you’re a tech professional and decide when to use, when to ignore
bsky.app/profile/lizt...
I think: knowing how to code with AI assistance: absolutely an essential skill for developers to have.
enshittifying everything by putting AI into everything consumer-facing? no, thanks.
enshittifying everything by putting AI into everything consumer-facing? no, thanks.
October 11, 2025 at 9:04 PM
And yes, this is my point.
Whenever I say “AI” I mean “AI in software engineering.” I do think it’s silly to completely ignore it. And I’m not saying it’s magical or always use it. But experiment with it if you’re a tech professional and decide when to use, when to ignore
bsky.app/profile/lizt...
Whenever I say “AI” I mean “AI in software engineering.” I do think it’s silly to completely ignore it. And I’m not saying it’s magical or always use it. But experiment with it if you’re a tech professional and decide when to use, when to ignore
bsky.app/profile/lizt...
Reposted by Dave H
The UK is in collective denial about the damage a populist nationalist government could do given thd absence of checks and balances in our system. Not sure why, since we had a pretty close run a few years ago.
As an American watching our best & most crucial institutions crumble in less than a year under Trump, I suggest you make as many of these changes now, while you can.
We didn’t, obviously.
We didn’t, obviously.
October 9, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The UK is in collective denial about the damage a populist nationalist government could do given thd absence of checks and balances in our system. Not sure why, since we had a pretty close run a few years ago.
Is there a bluesky plugin that will automatically parse my post, fix any obvious typos and shorten to 300 chars?
Asking for a fiend.
Asking for a fiend.
October 9, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Is there a bluesky plugin that will automatically parse my post, fix any obvious typos and shorten to 300 chars?
Asking for a fiend.
Asking for a fiend.
This, so much this.
Policy Number 2 of my new centrist party, Go Outside!, is that you can't object to a noise that has been in the area longer than you.
Start with every single bar that surrounds those miserable bastards in Soho that constantly whine about moving to the nightlife centre of London and finding nightlife.
October 9, 2025 at 7:27 AM
This, so much this.
Reposted by Dave H
Opinion | Starmer has not prioritised growth, not really. He has done what British governments have been doing for over a decade: prioritising anti-immigration policy and focusing on growth only where it does not interfere with it
🖋 @iandunt.bsky.social
Read more: trib.al/HHn51XN
🖋 @iandunt.bsky.social
Read more: trib.al/HHn51XN
October 8, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Opinion | Starmer has not prioritised growth, not really. He has done what British governments have been doing for over a decade: prioritising anti-immigration policy and focusing on growth only where it does not interfere with it
🖋 @iandunt.bsky.social
Read more: trib.al/HHn51XN
🖋 @iandunt.bsky.social
Read more: trib.al/HHn51XN
Reposted by Dave H
Does the 2024 Lib Dem formula still work? Here's what new polling tells us:
Does the 2024 Lib Dem formula still work?
Welcome to the 181st edition of The Week in Polls (TWIP), which takes a look at polling about the Lib Dems and whether what worked in 2024 will work again for the party.
buff.ly
October 5, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Does the 2024 Lib Dem formula still work? Here's what new polling tells us:
Reposted by Dave H
There is. Was talking to an investment guy who told me his clients have all been calling to make sure they’re fully able to leave the UK if Reform win.
October 5, 2025 at 8:11 AM
There is. Was talking to an investment guy who told me his clients have all been calling to make sure they’re fully able to leave the UK if Reform win.
Reposted by Dave H
Reposted by Dave H
Everyone on Social Media should read this. @radiofreetom.bsky.social
www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
Is it Fascism? Is it Socialism?
Words mean things.
www.theatlantic.com
September 28, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Everyone on Social Media should read this. @radiofreetom.bsky.social
www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
Reposted by Dave H
Age 13: Government "You must NEVER be on smartphones."
Age 16: Government "You must ALWAYS be on smartphones."
Age 16: Government "You must ALWAYS be on smartphones."
September 26, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Age 13: Government "You must NEVER be on smartphones."
Age 16: Government "You must ALWAYS be on smartphones."
Age 16: Government "You must ALWAYS be on smartphones."
Me in 2020: I'd love it if the Tory party collapsed.
Me in 2025: no, not like that.
Me in 2025: no, not like that.
This morning's MRP from YouGov goes to my post yesterday on why the Tories are so close to collapse. The longer Reform is this far ahead the stronger the incentive to defect.
samf.substack.com/p/last-rites...
samf.substack.com/p/last-rites...
September 26, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Me in 2020: I'd love it if the Tory party collapsed.
Me in 2025: no, not like that.
Me in 2025: no, not like that.
Adding this to my "we need to understand how to use LLMs and AI more generally effectively rather than dismiss it as useless or panic that it's going to take over" pile.
It's a tool.
It's a tool.
🚨 New paper alert 🚨 Using LLMs as data annotators, you can produce any scientific result you want. We call this **LLM Hacking**.
Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2509.08825
Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2509.08825
September 25, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Adding this to my "we need to understand how to use LLMs and AI more generally effectively rather than dismiss it as useless or panic that it's going to take over" pile.
It's a tool.
It's a tool.
Reposted by Dave H
There is huge market share for the Lib Dem’s to run with the motto of “enough of this American nonsense let’s be sensible British people
Again” and not sure anyone’s weird arguments that specific voters should be chased is needed at all.
Again” and not sure anyone’s weird arguments that specific voters should be chased is needed at all.
September 24, 2025 at 1:46 PM
There is huge market share for the Lib Dem’s to run with the motto of “enough of this American nonsense let’s be sensible British people
Again” and not sure anyone’s weird arguments that specific voters should be chased is needed at all.
Again” and not sure anyone’s weird arguments that specific voters should be chased is needed at all.
Reposted by Dave H
When an entry-level Volvo can get to 60 mph quicker than a Porsche 911, and in the same time as a Ferrari, electric car makers need a reset.
Read more: wrd.cm/3W2xAb1
Read more: wrd.cm/3W2xAb1
September 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
When an entry-level Volvo can get to 60 mph quicker than a Porsche 911, and in the same time as a Ferrari, electric car makers need a reset.
Read more: wrd.cm/3W2xAb1
Read more: wrd.cm/3W2xAb1
Reposted by Dave H
To remove indefinite leave to remain from people who already have it they'd have to dismantle our entire system of rights legislation and probably end judicial independence.
But they could do that with a majority. They've said they'd do that.
But they could do that with a majority. They've said they'd do that.
September 22, 2025 at 6:32 AM
To remove indefinite leave to remain from people who already have it they'd have to dismantle our entire system of rights legislation and probably end judicial independence.
But they could do that with a majority. They've said they'd do that.
But they could do that with a majority. They've said they'd do that.
Reposted by Dave H
Our flag doesn't belong to the nationalists. It belongs to all of us.
So let's reclaim it for those who want to reunite and rebuild, not those who want to divide and destroy.
So let's reclaim it for those who want to reunite and rebuild, not those who want to divide and destroy.
September 21, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Our flag doesn't belong to the nationalists. It belongs to all of us.
So let's reclaim it for those who want to reunite and rebuild, not those who want to divide and destroy.
So let's reclaim it for those who want to reunite and rebuild, not those who want to divide and destroy.
Reposted by Dave H
UK and St George’s flags should never be used to ‘intimidate and terrify’, says senior Lib Dem
UK and St George’s flags should never be used to ‘intimidate and terrify’, says senior Lib Dem
‘How dare the nationalists steal our flags?’ asks Tim Farron at party conference in Bournemouth
buff.ly
September 21, 2025 at 3:30 PM
UK and St George’s flags should never be used to ‘intimidate and terrify’, says senior Lib Dem