Tim McNamara
@timclicks.dev
Trainer and consultant on the Rust programming language. Author of Rust in Action. Team climate. Walkable neighbourhoods are nice, actually.
Signal: @timclicks.01
Signal: @timclicks.01
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Tim McNamara
@timclicks.dev
· May 23
*taps the sign* rustforgeconf.com/register
Rust's Vec type is the best template for an advanced technique called "partial initialization". Here's a quick video show you what I mean youtu.be/1femyALVeLQ
Vec(T) is magic 🦀🪄
Why does Vec::with_capacity() work for any type, but the vec! macro require Clone? The answer is uninitialized memory. Although it's a safety hazard, it's wr...
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Rust's Vec type is the best template for an advanced technique called "partial initialization". Here's a quick video show you what I mean youtu.be/1femyALVeLQ
It looks as though Apple is adding WSL to macOS. Perhaps 2026 is the year of the Linux desktop? apple.github.io/containeriz...
November 11, 2025 at 8:23 PM
It looks as though Apple is adding WSL to macOS. Perhaps 2026 is the year of the Linux desktop? apple.github.io/containeriz...
Trying to figure out how to produce tech tutorial videos without spending more than an hour of work per minute of finished content.
November 10, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Trying to figure out how to produce tech tutorial videos without spending more than an hour of work per minute of finished content.
It's very Millennial of me to say so, but the original Internet was better.
November 10, 2025 at 3:58 AM
It's very Millennial of me to say so, but the original Internet was better.
Rust has a few known code patterns that cause undefined behavior in Rust which have their lint level set to warning, rather than error.
(Links to references at the end of the thread)
(Links to references at the end of the thread)
November 9, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Rust has a few known code patterns that cause undefined behavior in Rust which have their lint level set to warning, rather than error.
(Links to references at the end of the thread)
(Links to references at the end of the thread)
An essay prompt for the technically inclined: "HTTP 500 is a security vector. Discuss."
November 7, 2025 at 3:49 AM
An essay prompt for the technically inclined: "HTTP 500 is a security vector. Discuss."
If you're into Rust, you'll know about the difference between Eq and PartialEq. Did you know that there's a secret third thing?
November 7, 2025 at 12:31 AM
If you're into Rust, you'll know about the difference between Eq and PartialEq. Did you know that there's a secret third thing?
The bests bits of a Rust library are pub modules marked with #[doc(hidden)] so that they're more-or-less invisible to humans.
Doubly so when there's a comment that shouts something along the lines of: DO NOT USE THIS. IT IS ONLY PUBLIC FOR TESTING PURPOSES.
Doubly so when there's a comment that shouts something along the lines of: DO NOT USE THIS. IT IS ONLY PUBLIC FOR TESTING PURPOSES.
November 6, 2025 at 12:06 AM
The bests bits of a Rust library are pub modules marked with #[doc(hidden)] so that they're more-or-less invisible to humans.
Doubly so when there's a comment that shouts something along the lines of: DO NOT USE THIS. IT IS ONLY PUBLIC FOR TESTING PURPOSES.
Doubly so when there's a comment that shouts something along the lines of: DO NOT USE THIS. IT IS ONLY PUBLIC FOR TESTING PURPOSES.
Why do computer scientists use the word "atomic" in phrases such as "atomic operation" and "atomic type"?
November 4, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Why do computer scientists use the word "atomic" in phrases such as "atomic operation" and "atomic type"?
The unsafe keyword in Rust is one of its least-understood. Here's what it means (warning: includes some 🌶️ takes):
November 4, 2025 at 1:17 AM
The unsafe keyword in Rust is one of its least-understood. Here's what it means (warning: includes some 🌶️ takes):
A question for the room - how do you deal with code paths that can panic when you've set panic=abort, such as wasm, embedded, or when you want slim binaries?
November 2, 2025 at 11:00 PM
A question for the room - how do you deal with code paths that can panic when you've set panic=abort, such as wasm, embedded, or when you want slim binaries?
Today, I've been spending too much time wondering about what the safety comment in this example should be. play.rust-lang.org/?version=st...
October 30, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Today, I've been spending too much time wondering about what the safety comment in this example should be. play.rust-lang.org/?version=st...
Did you hear that Rust broke Ubuntu updates?
That's right, or at least that's what it seems like at first look. A component added to Ubuntu that's written in Rust was broken, and that prevented automatic updates.
That's right, or at least that's what it seems like at first look. A component added to Ubuntu that's written in Rust was broken, and that prevented automatic updates.
October 30, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Did you hear that Rust broke Ubuntu updates?
That's right, or at least that's what it seems like at first look. A component added to Ubuntu that's written in Rust was broken, and that prevented automatic updates.
That's right, or at least that's what it seems like at first look. A component added to Ubuntu that's written in Rust was broken, and that prevented automatic updates.
Pro tip: The phrase "Let me get straight to the point" does not work as advertised.
October 29, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Pro tip: The phrase "Let me get straight to the point" does not work as advertised.
Woah Windows. You really have changed.
October 28, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Woah Windows. You really have changed.
The cool thing about being contacted by recruiters using AI for outbound is that when them you're not suitable for the role, their bots send you more info about the role.
October 23, 2025 at 11:22 PM
The cool thing about being contacted by recruiters using AI for outbound is that when them you're not suitable for the role, their bots send you more info about the role.
Walkable streets everywhere. Cities are for people.
Every "Christchurch is cool now" article is illustrated with a photo of a pedestrianised street with a tram, meanwhile every local election the discourse is like "rip out the cycle lanes, then turn the botantic gardens into a car park? It's worth a least considering"
www.rnz.co.nz/news/thedeta...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/thedeta...
Once branded the world's unluckiest city, Christchurch is now the 'capital of cool'
Our second biggest city is experiencing the type of revival that should make the rest of New Zealand envious.
www.rnz.co.nz
October 19, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Walkable streets everywhere. Cities are for people.
Following Rust in Linux kernel and/or gritty details of how Rust lays out bits in memory for interop with C an other languages? There's a new piece in LWN for you: lwn.net/Articles/10...
Upcoming Rust language features for kernel development
The Rust for Linux project has been good for Rust, Tyler Mandry, one of the co-leads of Rust' [...]
lwn.net
October 17, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Following Rust in Linux kernel and/or gritty details of how Rust lays out bits in memory for interop with C an other languages? There's a new piece in LWN for you: lwn.net/Articles/10...
Using Rust at work? I'm considering creating a paid webinar/live remote course series. Any interest? DMs open!
- What would you like it to cover?
- What size of group would you like to be in?
- What time zone?
.. also, webinar sounds very 2005. I guess they're called "masterclass" these days?
- What would you like it to cover?
- What size of group would you like to be in?
- What time zone?
.. also, webinar sounds very 2005. I guess they're called "masterclass" these days?
October 12, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Using Rust at work? I'm considering creating a paid webinar/live remote course series. Any interest? DMs open!
- What would you like it to cover?
- What size of group would you like to be in?
- What time zone?
.. also, webinar sounds very 2005. I guess they're called "masterclass" these days?
- What would you like it to cover?
- What size of group would you like to be in?
- What time zone?
.. also, webinar sounds very 2005. I guess they're called "masterclass" these days?
Pointers are quite hard.
![Screenshot of Rust's documentation of converting pointers to [Rust] references, with the following text highlighted " You must enforce Rust’s aliasing rules. The exact aliasing rules are not decided yet, ..."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:wpznphv6cih7p5dqjjspknkd/bafkreidulkbx6os4dlnghhbgprbjsnlatmqglm3ulhuswlh4xbc3px36pi@jpeg)
October 6, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Pointers are quite hard.
Markdown is the best markup language because it's impossible to have a syntax error. By design, all text is a markdown document.
October 6, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Markdown is the best markup language because it's impossible to have a syntax error. By design, all text is a markdown document.
Why must I be like this?
October 2, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Why must I be like this?
I really like the USA, but the last few years feels like we're dealing with the school bully rather than the team captain.
October 2, 2025 at 9:45 PM
I really like the USA, but the last few years feels like we're dealing with the school bully rather than the team captain.
LLMs might teach us something about discourse. Imagine if it was socially acceptable within an argument or discussion to pause and say "Thinking longer for a better answer"
October 2, 2025 at 9:35 PM
LLMs might teach us something about discourse. Imagine if it was socially acceptable within an argument or discussion to pause and say "Thinking longer for a better answer"
The US Dollar is a fickle friend
October 1, 2025 at 11:00 PM
The US Dollar is a fickle friend