Yeah, I really didn't believe in agentic coding until December, that was where it took off from being slightly more useful than hand crafting code to becoming extremely powerful.
I think that's a very extreme take in the software industry. Sure you don't need to pick up every new trend, but a ridiculous amount has changed in the past 10 years. If you only consider stuff from 2016, you're missing some incredible advancements.
You'd be missing stuff like:
- Containers
- Major advancement in mainstream programming languages
- IaC
There's countless more things that enable shipping of software of a completely different nature than was available back then.
Maybe these things don't apply to what you work on, but the software industry has completely changed over time and has enabled developers to build software on a different scale than ever previously possible.
I agree there's too much snake-oil and hype being sold, but that's a crazy take.
It's not that I refuse to acknowledge they exist, just don't give a fuck. I mean do I really care about Kubernetes CNI? Nope it doesn't actually make any money - it's an operational cost at the end of the day. And the whole idea of Kubernetes and containers leads to a huge operational staffing cost just to keep enough context in house to be able to keep the plates spinning.
And it's not at all crazy. We sold ourselves into over-complex architecture and knowledge cults. I've watched more products burn in the 4-5 year window due to bad tech decisions and vendors losing interest than I care to remember. Ride the hype up the ramp and hope it'll stick is not something you should be building a business on.
On that ingress-nginx. Yeah abandoned. Fucked everyone over. Here we go again...
Lack of current-SCM incumbent compatibility can be an advantage. Like Linus decided to explicitly do the reverse of every SVN decision when designing git. He even reversed CLI usability!
Pssst! I think Linus didn't as much design Git as he cloned BitKeeper (or at least the parts of it he liked). I have never used it, but if you look at the BitKeeper documentation, it sounds strangely familiar: https://www.bitkeeper.org/testdrive.html . Of course, that made sense for him and for the rest of the Linux developers, as they were already familiar with BitKeeper. Not so much for the rest of us though, who are now stuck with the usability (or lack thereof) you mentioned...
For anything large like this, I think it's critical that you port over the tests first, and then essentially force it to get the tests passing without mutating the tests. This works nicely for stuff that's very purely functional, a lot harder with a GUI app though.
The same insight can be applied to the codebase itself.
When you're porting the tests, you're not actually working on the app. You're getting it to work on some other adjacent, highly useful thing that supports app development, but nonetheless is not the app.
Rather than trying to get the language model to output constructs in the target PL/ecosystem that go against its training, get it to write a source code processor that you can then run on the original codebase to mechanically translate it into the target PL.
Not only does this work around the problem where you can't manage to convince the fuzzy machine to reliably follow a mechanical process, it sidesteps problems around the question of authorship. If a binary that has been mechanically translated from source into executable by a conventional compiler inherits the same rightsholder/IP status as the source code that it was mechanically translated from, then a mechanical translation by a source-to-source compiler shouldn't be any different, no matter what the model was trained on. Worst case scenario, you have to concede that your source processor belongs to the public domain (or unknowingly infringed someone else's IP), but you should still be able to keep both versions of your codebase, one in each language.
Yeah, I'm someone who uses Codex, but I still use n8n and node-red for some automation stuff in my house.
n8n allows you to work at a higher level, and working at this level allows you to do things in a way that's more likely to be "correct". While it's not necessarily "difficult" to do integrations with Home Assistant or Discord or any of the million integrations that n8n has, it can still be error-prone, even for experienced developers.
With n8n, I'm pretty sure I could even have my parents set up and more importantly debug pipelines to control their thermostat or something. Even if I could get them to prompt Codex or Claude or something, I think it would be hard for them to debug the output if they had to.
Yes, If the low code solution has a good interface for LLMs. There are enough low code / no code solutions with a pure graphical interface and nothing else. Dinosaurs.
Yes, they push the MS account stuff very hard. I've found Windows so actively hostile to the user that I basically only use Linux now.
I used to be a windows user, it has really devolved to the point where it's easier for me to use Linux (though I'm technical). I really feel for the people who aren't technical and are forced to endure the crap that windows pushes on users now.
That’s the real problem MS has. It’s becoming a meme how bad the relationship between the user and windows is. It’s going to cause generational damage to their company just so they can put ads in the start menu.
I switched from Windows to Mac 15 years ago. It was a revelation when the terrible habits of verbally abusing my computer and anxiety saving files every 22 seconds just evaporated.
Those old habits have been creeping back lately through all the various *OS 26 updates. I too now have Linux on Framework. Not perfect, but so much better for my wellbeing.
I bought and returned an AMD Framework. I knew what I was getting into, but the build quality + firmware quality were lacking, sleep was bad and I'm not new to fixing Linux sleep issues. Take a look at the Linux related support threads on their forum.
I've been using AMD EliteBooks, the firmware has Linux happy paths, the hardware is supported by the kernel and Modern Standby actually works well. Getting one with a QHD to UHD screen is mandatory, though, and I wouldn't buy a brand new model without confirming it has working hardware on linux-hardware.org.
If you look online, HP has a YouTube channel with instructional videos for replacing and repairing every part of their laptops. They are made to make memory, storage and WiFi/5G card replacements easy, parts are cheap and the after market for them is healthy.
I've also had good luck with their support, they literally overnight'd a new laptop with a return box for the broken one in a day.
We have Elitebooks at work and can confirm that the 8x0 series, at least until G8, has superb Linux support out of the box (and I run Arch, by the way). IME it's actually better than Windows, since both my AMD and Intel models have had things not working on Windows (the AMD still often hangs during sleep).
> Getting one with a QHD to UHD screen is mandatory
But I have to ask: are those screens actually any good? Ours have FHD panels, and I have not seen a single one with a decent screen.
There are roughly two categories: either the el-cheapo screens, with washed-out colors (6 bpp panels on a 1500 EUR laptop!) and dimmer than the moonlight through closed shades, but they have usable angles; or the "sure view" version with very bright backlight, usable outside (not in direct sunlight, of course) with, on paper, ok colors (specs say 100% sRGB) but laughably bad viewing angles (with the sureview off, of course) and, in practice, questionable color fidelity.
These are also fairly expensive, around 1500 EUR, and the components are of questionable quality. The SSDs in particular are dog-slow (but they're very easy to replace).
I have two 5-year-old 840 G8s (one Intel, one AMD), and they have both held up fine, but I usually don't abuse my laptops (my 2013 MBP still looks brand new aside from some scratches). However, looking around at my colleagues' laptops, they tend to fall apart, and I can count on one hand the ones still in good shape. The usual suspects seem to be the barrel power connector and the keyboard. Newer models only have USB-C AFAIK (mine have both, but came with a USB-C power adapter in the box). But they tend to look pretty bad in general, with very misaligned panels and fragile USB ports.
> But I have to ask: are those screens actually any good? Ours have FHD panels, and I have not seen a single one with a decent screen.
Yeah, I brought up the screens because the FHD screens are not good and there's a chance you might end up with a SureView screen. The QHD screens suit my needs, they support HDR and higher refresh rates. I'm not a designer or someone who can speak to color quality/contrast/etc, though.
I eventually had an issue with the keyboard on a G8 model, a key popped off 3 years into using it, but I've also had that same issue with the keyboard of every laptop I've owned including every MacBook from 2006-2018, so the problem is likely me.
> These are also fairly expensive, around 1500 EUR, and the components are of questionable quality. The SSDs in particular are dog-slow (but they're very easy to replace).
I buy them on the consumer side when there's a >60% off sale, I would not pay the sticker price for them, and get them with the intention of replacing the innards so I spec them out with the least I can.
If you don't care about new, if you buy Ebay open box/refurbished Elitebooks, you can find recent ones for a few hundred bucks with HP support for a year or more. The overnight laptop replacement I got was for a refurbed Elitebook I bought on Ebay and HP replaced it without question.
> Yeah, I brought up the screens because the FHD screens are not good and there's a chance you might end up with a SureView screen.
I actually prefer the SureView to the regular one for code / office work because it's much brighter and usable outside in the summer if there's shade. The other one needs to be at least at 80% brightness inside to be usable. Then again, it's OK in the dark, so YMMV.
> I'm not a designer or someone who can speak to color quality/contrast/etc, though.
Right, but those panels are quite bad, so I think it's good you've advised people to steer clear of them. Then again, some people don't care, so they could save a buck or two. Lower resolution is also easier to deal with for people still running X11 and multiple screens.
> I buy them on the consumer side when there's a >60% off sale [...] you can find recent ones for a few hundred bucks with HP support for a year or more.
Huh, I dind't know they got so low even relatively new. I was looking for some sff desktops on ebay the other day, and previous-gen ones weren't much cheaper than brand new current gens (I was looking in the EU).
I think for people who don't care about "great" screens but do care about Linux support these are a really great deal, especially if you don't expect to abuse them.
I'm generally very happy with my 845 G8, I only ever hear its fan when compiling. The only thing it's missing is thunderbolt, but AFAIK this wasn't available on AMD CPUs at all at the time.
Lenovo T and X series are excellent and cheap as dirt used. There is also System 76. Or you could get a MacBook and boot Linux on that. Some older ones work well, I hear.
> Or you could get a MacBook and boot Linux on that. Some older ones work well, I hear.
Is linux support on the M1/M2 models as good as linux support on x86 laptops? My understanding was that there's still a fair bit of hardware that isn't fully supported. Like, external displays and Bluetooth.
I use an old Lenovo AIO PC to dual boot Linux Mint and Windows 10. It works well from a hardware and firmware perspective, but I've deliberately avoided Windows 11 as it is crapware.
I have done triple booting of MacOS, Linux and Windows on an old Mac Mini, and it was a nightmare to get them working, but worked well once set up.
I think well known brands and models of PCs are better for such alternative setups, rather than obscure PCs.
They don't. I don't know what they're talking about, but I've had fewer problems with linux on my framework than weird stuff on my OSX work machine. And I'm running Alpine on my framework, so if anything should be wonky it's this one.
I've used Dell Inspiron laptops in the past, never had a problem. WiFi, multimonitor output, bluetooth, etc all work out of the box with Debian or Ubuntu.
I've had very few issues with Lenovo and Toshiba. They're generally somewhat repairable. EliteBook and Z Book from HP seems fine for Linux too, but I've never had to fiddle with hardware except that I once removed a battery from an EliteBook.
It’s funny because I started with Windows 3.1 and it was actively user hostile then. From 3.1 to XP it was awful. Then it got slightly better with 7, and went downhill from there.
Realistically, a major Linux distro is the most user-beneficial thing you can do and today it is easier than ever. If my 12 year old can figure out how to use it productively, so can anyone. Switch today and enjoy.
Maoboro cigarettes uaed to be for women, including red tipped filters to hide lipstick marks. Sales waned, so they actually rebranded the cigarette for men, and even succeeded in making it a definition of manliness.
Advertising stories like that, make sure M$ execs could care less about damage to their image.
You just have to look at who buys Windows to understand this. It's OEM's and enterprises. Almost nobody buys an individual license. That's why they don't care. As an individual you get what your employer or hardware supplier says, like it or lump it.
Linux is so much better than it used to be. You really don't need to be technical.
I have been recommending Kubuntu to Windows people. I find it's an easier bet than Linux Mint. You get the stability of Ubuntu, plus the guarantee of a Windows-like environment.
Yes, I know, Linux Mint supports Plasma, but I honestly think the "choose your desktop" part of the setup process is more confusing to a newbie than just recommending a distro with the most Windows-like UI and a straightforward installation.
Generally I recommend people use PopOS. It's well suited for laptops, as that's what System76 is focused on a they're shipping laptops with Nvidia GPUs. I personally prefer Arch based distorts like endeavor but even with wide community support it's just more likely a noob will face an error. Fwiw I've only faced one meaningful error in the last 3 years in endeavor but I've also been daily driving Linux for 15 years now
I’ve been using PopOS for the last five years and while I generally agree… the latest release using Cosmic by default has a lot to be desired. Cosmic will eventually be good but right now it’s far from it and I had to install Gnome as a stop gap just to have a functional desktop environment. I’ll probably ditch PopOS for Arch + KDE but I haven’t had the time to do so yet for my workstation.
Truly, and to really drive it home, I’ve loved PopOS but this latest release is just too half baked. I think anyone considering it should either wait a year or use something else, and Kubuntu seems like a reasonable alternative for people coming from Windows or MacOS.
I'd give kde a shot. It's been my preferred DE for years. But check out the below wiki and poke around for what your style is. The beauty of linux is adapting to you and switching DEs is a quick change (you do not need to change your DM to change your DE).
If you're interested on Arch then give something like EndeavourOS a shot. Cachy is getting popular these days too but I haven't used it. But I feel its going to be as easy as using Endeavour or Manjaro and those are very convenient distros for Arch with direct Nvidia GPU support. Though if you want you learn Linux I suggest going Vanilla Arch. You'll learn a lot from the install process (it isn't uncommon to mess up. You won't brick anything and learning about the chroot environment will help you in the future of you do mess things up)
Eh, not for laptops - I say as someone who switched to Linux from windows in past year.
I have spent a decent few days to get long battery life on Linux (fedora), with sleep hibernate + encryption. And I am still thinking that the Linux scheduler is not correctly using Intel's pcore/ecore on 13th gen correctly.
If you have an Nvidia GPU you're generally going to need to edit the systemd services and change some kernel settings. This is a real pain point to be honest and it should be easier than it is (usually not too bad tbh)
If you want I can try to help you debug it. I don't have a fedora system but I can spin up a VM or nspawn to try to match your environment if you want
I just got a lunar lake laptop and in CachyOS you can just enable either scx_lavd or scx_bpfland from the kernel settings. I use them both: bpfland guarantees that the active application runs smoothly even if you compile code in the background, and lavd focuses on energy saving a bit more. They both understand how to use the P and E cores: especially the lavd scheduler puts the active app to a P core and all the background apps to the E cores.
It's a very nice UX for iteratively creating a spec that I can refine.
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