̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶

Software engineer, roboteer (roboticist?), home improver, pretend gardener, amateur photographer, leftie, occasional musician, editor & publisher @ Bob Hill Publishing, language nerd (currently learning Japanese ゆっくり). Fan of solar PV, EVs, and clean air.

I make robots think so you don't have to.

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶ boosted:
Ars Technicaarstechnica
2025-07-15

Study finds AI tools made open source software developers 19 percent slower
Coders spent more time prompting and reviewing AI generations than they saved on coding.
arstechnica.com/ai/2025/07/stu

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-07-10

It's pretty awesome to listen to the GOOOAALLLLL!!! from the #BangersFC game echoing through the neighborhood.

You can also check out the #Bangers FC on the USL 2 #soccer live streams, it's free!

(halftime now)

sportsengineplay.com/USL/USL-L

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-07-08
̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-07-07

I used some Sunfrog outdoor sealer on a outdoor woodworking project that I'm doing. I was around it for maybe 20 minutes, outside, with a strong 8 mph wind blowing the whole time.

Today, I feel miserable, feverish, body aches, and my throat is trashed.

Sunfrog has 250 g/l of VOCs (the maximum allowed).

I'm finally starting to feel a little better.

This is the last time I'm using any oil-based products for anything.

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-07-07

I needed to buy a new bottle of car wash, and I've just learned about a thing called a foam cannon.

It's unclear how this is better than a couple buckets and some rags. But, for under $20, how can you go wrong?

(Soon: Craiglist "Foam cannon, used twice, $10")

Random youtube guy spraying foam all over his car
̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-30

@courtney Computer* manufacturers can't be bothered to make left-handed stuff.

Try putting up a "I wish my iPhone worked left-handed" post and laugh at how many replies are righties right-splaining with stuff like "I use my phone in my left hand all the time I don't have any problem, all you have to do is xyz".

* All manufacturers

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-20

We live in a world where #OfficeDepot is the best place in town to pick up a good gaming laptop off the shelf.

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-16

Timeout errors from another land.

"Returning to the beginning due to a lapse in time" sounds like a pretty good idea to me.
̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶ boosted:
Pavel A. SamsonovPavelASamsonov
2025-06-15

Programmer looking at LLM code: Where did you learn to write this kind of garbage?

LLM: *through tears* From you! I learned it by watching you!!

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-15

@agnes It took about 10 seconds on the shinkansen to convince me that we need one on the West Coast.

20 minutes to Salem, 45 to Eugene!
1 hour to Seattle!
2 hours to BC!
3-1/2 hours to San Francisco!

You have to go all the way to LA or Vegas before a plane would be faster, and even then, I might pick 5 hours in a big cushy chair with plenty of room and great scenery than 1-2 hours standing in lines at airports, then 2-1/2 hours in a tiny seat.

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶ boosted:
2025-06-14

The reason you don't have time to write unit tests is because you didn't write unit tests.

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-12

@markotway @codinghorror @grumpasaurus

That's reasonable. Most of the "modern" tooling built up around node.js is best left to people who haven't yet realized that their lifeforce is finite.

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-12

@codinghorror @markotway @grumpasaurus

Traditional HTML-driven sites (i.e., text.npr.org) work great and are fast enough to get JS-like interactivity.

I also think that in 2025 JS is fairly ubiquitous and capable (much more than 2008), so using a little doesn't bother me.

But if your website makes my phone hot (seriously github what are you doing), or if you show me a ridiculous placeholder animation instead of just loading paragraph of text, I close your website and move on.

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-10

@codinghorror I actively avoid facebook-derived technology because of their lack of morals. (It makes me sad that so many people use React.)

FB randomly suspended my mom's account, and told her that in order to reactivate it, they have to *scan her face*.

A) face recognition tech is illegal here (Oregon)

B) WTF, so if Facebook decides it wants to build up a library of biometric data, it just randomly bans accounts and requires them to submit face scans to back in?

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-10

Soon: Computers that don't work because they don't feel good about it.

An email preview: 

From: Intentional Emotional Resonance
Subj: Introduction to Vibe Coding: Designing with Intention and Emotion 

This course introduces participants to the foundational principles of Vibe Coding, teaching them to design software experiences that are not only functional but emotionally intelligent…
̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-09

@feld What I actually need is for "Apple Intelligence" to keep arguing with the CS rep on the other end for me until they reverse the misapplied late fee. "Hey Siri, CenturyLink overcharged me again, fix it"

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-09

Lately I haven't been hoping on the "#iPhone upgrade" bandwagon, but the "call me back once the hold music is over" feature is the best feature brought to a phone in a long time. Worth $1000 for a new phone to get that? Maybe.

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-09

And Pacific Power is on it! They knocked on the door just a minute ago. Now they have to drive around and figure out which transformer blew up.

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-09

I just heard a transformer pop.

It's another great day to have #solar panels and a house #battery backup! 🔌

#poweroutage

̶s̶e̶t̶h̶ ̶ ̶seth@pdx.social
2025-06-08

Want an upgraded room? You bastard! We now double the price of your "solo" breakfast.

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