Luck surface
The attack surface of a software environment is the sum of the different points (or “attack vectors”) where an unauthorized user (the “attacker”) can try… Read More »Luck surface
Brad DeLong on technological growth and economic change 1870-2010
This excerpt is from DeLong’s interview on Conversations with Tyler. It’s a great discussion – highly recommended. COWEN: If we’re trying to think about the… Read More »Brad DeLong on technological growth and economic change 1870-2010
Seth Godin: The Mona Lisa Principle
When your ideas are spreading, when your work is remarkable, when your organization has built a social ratchet that works, one of the side effects… Read More »Seth Godin: The Mona Lisa Principle
Ends and Meanings (2): Alasdair MacIntyre on the modern self
MacIntyre believes that contemporary modern statements are ultimately ’emotivist’: in the absence of a clear telos (purpose / function / end), the statement “You ought… Read More »Ends and Meanings (2): Alasdair MacIntyre on the modern self
John Collison: Things don’t just happen; or, The Museum of Passion Projects
See also:On making stuff: that Steve Jobs quoteDouglas Crockford on making a standard (JSON) (2): minimal solutions and decision making“Do the things we plan actually… Read More »John Collison: Things don’t just happen; or, The Museum of Passion Projects
Not long ago; or, Little by little (9): Car ownership in China 1999-2019
The proponents of this unrealistic scenario [of reduction in global demand for goods] allow merely a factor-of-two increase across all modes of mobility during the… Read More »Not long ago; or, Little by little (9): Car ownership in China 1999-2019
Vanity, vanity
Vanity (in the sense of excessive concern for our own appearance) makes us ugly. At conception (in the sense of coming up with ideas and… Read More »Vanity, vanity
Labour saving devices
An arbitrary list, mostly of things I don’t usually think of as labour-saving devices: … and as with all devices, their value is multiplied because… Read More »Labour saving devices
Design Matters (19): Craig Mod on margins and attention to detail
These extracts are from Craig Mod’s excellent essay Let’s Talk about Margins, one of the many things worth reading at craigmod.com. Recommended. I saw a… Read More »Design Matters (19): Craig Mod on margins and attention to detail
“Do you feel encouraged in your work?”
I was asked this question recently by an older colleague, and it seemed such a warm invitation to share – with an optimistic slant but… Read More »“Do you feel encouraged in your work?”