About:

Random musing from a grumpy, middle-aged, ex-academic, techie kitten.

Website:

Outgoing Links:

Subscribe to RSS:
A more efficient, declarative approach to processing CSV files is proposed, emphasizing clarity and maintainability over verbose coding practices.
The post examines the intricacies of for loops and git's range selection, revealing unexpected behaviors and drawing connections between programming concepts and version control.
The post examines advancements in large language models' ability to comprehend and explain humor, highlighting significant improvements in recent models.
The post examines the intricate rules of syntax and semantics in languages, focusing on the ambiguity of modifiers like 'biweekly' in English.
The post advocates for smart appliances to use open protocols and HTML5 web servers, ensuring user control while allowing manufacturers to protect their trade secrets.
The post discusses the advantages and challenges of out-of-source builds in software development, particularly focusing on build metadata issues when using CMake. It highlights the efficiency of maintaining separate builds and the...
Smartphones are poorly designed for hands-free use, causing frustration with their user interface during calls and prompting humorous critiques of their developers.
This post details a C++ approach to finding anagrams and partial anagrams, emphasizing the importance of sorting letters for accurate comparisons.
The author discusses the challenges of using programming frameworks, which can become overly complex and bloated. They express a preference for simpler utility libraries that can enhance their projects without unnecessary complica...
The author discusses their employer's recent IT security upgrade and the implications of a new work-from-home agreement that requires antivirus software on various devices connected to the company network. They reflect on the comp...
Modern appliances require complex interfaces, and while 'smart' technology offers convenience, it also presents challenges in usability and maintainability.
The author reflects on their long-term experience with USAA's automated voice interface for insurance services, noting a recent decline in performance that suggests a shift to a machine learning model. While acknowledging the pote...
Smart appliances pose cyber vulnerabilities and legal challenges, prompting a personal policy against using devices that require manufacturer accounts or apps for core functions.
Navigating the challenges of parenting involves balancing guidance and manipulation while considering the evolving relationships with both children and elders.
The text discusses the use of git submodules in a work project and the issues that arise from it. It explains the problems with the submodule facility and provides a recipe for getting back to a happy state after making a mistake....
The author discusses using a Raspberry Pi 400 to run LLMs and the errors it produced when asked about the band Rush. The errors in the text are analyzed and the author speculates about the nature of the errors.
The author is puzzled by the fact that all the numbers on their credit card are on the same side, questioning the security implications of this design.
The text discusses the challenges of programming architecture, specifically the excessive interconnectedness of logical and build-time units, and the difficulties in finding a home for new pieces of code. The author also mentions ...
The text is a follow-up to a previous rant about JSON for Modern C++. The author admits that some complaints were specific to the library being used, not JSON itself. They were able to work around some issues by defining a strong-...
The text discusses the dangers of using certain library functions in C, such as snprintf and strtok, and the potential risks of not using them correctly. The author also reflects on the use of these functions in their own code and...
The author discusses the mistakes made in creating a custom interchange format for a tool, and the subsequent decision to replace it with JSON. The author explains why JSON is a bad choice for the application, particularly due to ...
The author reflects on a moment with their daughter in the car, where she asked about the meaning of a song. The author explains the song's meaning and is surprised by the depth of their daughter's question.