Category: Life
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Consent-Based Computing
Can’t make me! Possibly not everyone has this immediate reaction to software telling them to do something, like SIGN UP NOW or TRY AI or USE OUR CHATBOT. I do. My day is full of ignoring that reaction and also learning every tip and trick possible to avoid being alerted when I don’t want it.…
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Do you want a newsletter?
Most of my favorite talks start with an excellent title. I have never been sure if the title drives a good talk, or if the talk thinking gels a good title. Some of both, probably. You have to admit, though, that you’re curious about a talk called “Taylorism Has Entered the ChatGPT” or “Y2k And…
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Pardon our dust: revamping a website
I am both intensely curious and a little lazy, and I am passionate about effective communication. It’s not such a bad thing to know about myself.
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Leaving LaunchDarkly
Startup years are a little like dog years – 5 years at a startup is a lot of experience. When I started, I was employee 21, our office elevator was a bit dodgy, and we could all eat lunch together. Now LaunchDarkly is a globally-distributed organization with hundreds of employees. Over the years, I’ve gotten…
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In which I am cranky about the urban/rural divide
I just came back from a weeks-long trip to the American West. It was amazing, gorgeous. You know what all this beauty has in common? Besides mostly being protected wild areas? Zero bars of cell phone signal. Or maybe like, two bars, depending on whether there was a mesa in the way. We drove almost…
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The University of YouTube
This week, I learned how to roll out potica dough thin enough to see the flowers on your tablecloth through it. I went from knowing vaguely that engines have carburetors to disassembling my snowthrower and repairing it. Other things I’ve used it for are video game hints for when I’m stuck, adjusting bike disc brakes,…
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Ergonomics in my middle ages
Why a lifetime of living in this body has made me so picky about keyboards, among other things.
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Talking about my internalized ableism
What if I prioritize comfort and joy over pride? Why is that hard for me?
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Location, location, location: A perennial discussion
Last night, part 87 of a perpetual discussion flared up again. The one about where you live and why it matters. It started with an article by Sean Blanda – Our Remote Work Future is Going to Suck. I encourage you to read the article, it’s not 100% right, but Blanda brings up excellent points…