Robin Osborne
@rposbo.bsky.social
Ex-Burberry, Selfridges, Asos; Principal Engineer, Solution Architect, Tech Leadership; Web Performance Optimisation and Observability subject matter expert
The Great Software Quality Collapse: How We Normalized Catastrophe
(aka, ship slow, build well, hire juniors and let them learn by making lots of small mistakes)
techtrenches.substack.com/p/the-great-...
(aka, ship slow, build well, hire juniors and let them learn by making lots of small mistakes)
techtrenches.substack.com/p/the-great-...
The Great Software Quality Collapse: How We Normalized Catastrophe
The Apple Calculator leaked 32GB of RAM.
techtrenches.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:54 AM
The Great Software Quality Collapse: How We Normalized Catastrophe
(aka, ship slow, build well, hire juniors and let them learn by making lots of small mistakes)
techtrenches.substack.com/p/the-great-...
(aka, ship slow, build well, hire juniors and let them learn by making lots of small mistakes)
techtrenches.substack.com/p/the-great-...
Playing Music Roulette with an ancient harddrive that I've networked up via a raspberryPi: luckily this one is New Order, including Blue Monday!
November 3, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Playing Music Roulette with an ancient harddrive that I've networked up via a raspberryPi: luckily this one is New Order, including Blue Monday!
Reposted by Robin Osborne
Less than a month to go to get your ticket and join us on November 14th.
Line up is solid, inspiration assured, and an amazing day just waiting for us all.
Join us: 2025.ffconf.org
Line up is solid, inspiration assured, and an amazing day just waiting for us all.
Join us: 2025.ffconf.org
October 20, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Less than a month to go to get your ticket and join us on November 14th.
Line up is solid, inspiration assured, and an amazing day just waiting for us all.
Join us: 2025.ffconf.org
Line up is solid, inspiration assured, and an amazing day just waiting for us all.
Join us: 2025.ffconf.org
A minimal static web server WRITTEN IN COBOL
github.com/jmsdnns/webbol
Incredible. And honestly, the comments in the code is helping me understand the huge COBOL codebase I'm having to help migrate right now...
github.com/jmsdnns/webbol
Incredible. And honestly, the comments in the code is helping me understand the huge COBOL codebase I'm having to help migrate right now...
GitHub - jmsdnns/webbol: A minimal static web server written in COBOL
A minimal static web server written in COBOL. Contribute to jmsdnns/webbol development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
October 9, 2025 at 9:54 AM
A minimal static web server WRITTEN IN COBOL
github.com/jmsdnns/webbol
Incredible. And honestly, the comments in the code is helping me understand the huge COBOL codebase I'm having to help migrate right now...
github.com/jmsdnns/webbol
Incredible. And honestly, the comments in the code is helping me understand the huge COBOL codebase I'm having to help migrate right now...
How on Earth did Immortals: Fenyx Rising not become a total smash when released? It's fantastic! I realise it was overshadowed by Breath of The Wild, but it's like the Arcade Version of BoTW, with great humour and exploding with Greek mythology. Fave game of the moment, for sure.
September 29, 2025 at 6:43 AM
How on Earth did Immortals: Fenyx Rising not become a total smash when released? It's fantastic! I realise it was overshadowed by Breath of The Wild, but it's like the Arcade Version of BoTW, with great humour and exploding with Greek mythology. Fave game of the moment, for sure.
Everyone going nuts over Model Context Protocol (MCP) for building an LLM-friendly interface to your API, and I'm just thinking about how much easier it was to build coffeescript API abstractions for Hubot backintheday...
September 15, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Everyone going nuts over Model Context Protocol (MCP) for building an LLM-friendly interface to your API, and I'm just thinking about how much easier it was to build coffeescript API abstractions for Hubot backintheday...
npm Author Qix Compromised via Phishing Email in Major Supply Chain Attack
socket.dev/blog/npm-aut...
Oof... Reminds us of the importance of vulnerability scanning in the CI pipeline, and how bizarre it is to blindly rely on random people's code
socket.dev/blog/npm-aut...
Oof... Reminds us of the importance of vulnerability scanning in the CI pipeline, and how bizarre it is to blindly rely on random people's code
npm Author Qix Compromised via Phishing Email in Major Suppl...
npm author Qix’s account was compromised, with malicious versions of popular packages like chalk-template, color-convert, and strip-ansi published.
socket.dev
September 9, 2025 at 9:54 AM
npm Author Qix Compromised via Phishing Email in Major Supply Chain Attack
socket.dev/blog/npm-aut...
Oof... Reminds us of the importance of vulnerability scanning in the CI pipeline, and how bizarre it is to blindly rely on random people's code
socket.dev/blog/npm-aut...
Oof... Reminds us of the importance of vulnerability scanning in the CI pipeline, and how bizarre it is to blindly rely on random people's code
A proposal for inline LLM instructions in HTML vercel.com/blog/a-propo...
Something I hadn't considered: adding helpful instructions specifically for metal-based users into HTML, without affecting meat-based users.
Something I hadn't considered: adding helpful instructions specifically for metal-based users into HTML, without affecting meat-based users.
A proposal for inline LLM instructions in HTML based on llms.txt - Vercel
llms.txt is an emerging standard for making content such as docs available for direct consumption by AIs. We’re proposing a convention to include such content directly in HTML responses.
vercel.com
September 5, 2025 at 9:54 AM
A proposal for inline LLM instructions in HTML vercel.com/blog/a-propo...
Something I hadn't considered: adding helpful instructions specifically for metal-based users into HTML, without affecting meat-based users.
Something I hadn't considered: adding helpful instructions specifically for metal-based users into HTML, without affecting meat-based users.
Getting Creative With Images in Long-Form Content css-tricks.com/getting-crea...
Some nice examples of how to make your content more interesting to read (note too self: ease up on the text-heavy articles.. 😬)
Some nice examples of how to make your content more interesting to read (note too self: ease up on the text-heavy articles.. 😬)
Getting Creative With Images in Long-Form Content | CSS-Tricks
Images in long-form content can (and often should) do more than illustrate. They help set the pace, influence how readers feel, and add character that words alone can’t always convey.
css-tricks.com
September 4, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Getting Creative With Images in Long-Form Content css-tricks.com/getting-crea...
Some nice examples of how to make your content more interesting to read (note too self: ease up on the text-heavy articles.. 😬)
Some nice examples of how to make your content more interesting to read (note too self: ease up on the text-heavy articles.. 😬)
Google Chrome at 17 - A history of our browser addyosmani.com/blog/chrome-...
A great article to celebrate the history of the Chrome browser, which I remember totally changing my browsing experience backintheday. I hadn't appreciated how it impacted other browser development too!
A great article to celebrate the history of the Chrome browser, which I remember totally changing my browsing experience backintheday. I hadn't appreciated how it impacted other browser development too!
Google Chrome at 17 - A history of our browser
Chrome turns 17 this week, and it feels like a good time to reflect on how far we have come in terms of Chromes guiding principles
addyosmani.com
September 4, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Google Chrome at 17 - A history of our browser addyosmani.com/blog/chrome-...
A great article to celebrate the history of the Chrome browser, which I remember totally changing my browsing experience backintheday. I hadn't appreciated how it impacted other browser development too!
A great article to celebrate the history of the Chrome browser, which I remember totally changing my browsing experience backintheday. I hadn't appreciated how it impacted other browser development too!
My eldest is starting 6th Form, and I'm very much enjoying seeing her A Level Computer Science work, as it's helping me remember Python 😁
(My CompSci A Level was using Turbo Pascal! Anyone remember that?!)
(My CompSci A Level was using Turbo Pascal! Anyone remember that?!)
September 4, 2025 at 6:11 AM
My eldest is starting 6th Form, and I'm very much enjoying seeing her A Level Computer Science work, as it's helping me remember Python 😁
(My CompSci A Level was using Turbo Pascal! Anyone remember that?!)
(My CompSci A Level was using Turbo Pascal! Anyone remember that?!)
Current middle class annoyance: ITV's coverage of the Women's Euros, referring to it as "the Women's Euro's, *twenny twenny* five".
Twenny.
(After I've spent the last decade or so attempting to correct my children, now "it's on TV, in an announcement, so it must be ok")
Twenny.
(After I've spent the last decade or so attempting to correct my children, now "it's on TV, in an announcement, so it must be ok")
July 22, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Current middle class annoyance: ITV's coverage of the Women's Euros, referring to it as "the Women's Euro's, *twenny twenny* five".
Twenny.
(After I've spent the last decade or so attempting to correct my children, now "it's on TV, in an announcement, so it must be ok")
Twenny.
(After I've spent the last decade or so attempting to correct my children, now "it's on TV, in an announcement, so it must be ok")
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath frontman and icon of British heavy metal, dies aged 76
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...
At least he got the, statement epic, Sabbath reunion done . 🥹
🖤🤘🏻
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...
At least he got the, statement epic, Sabbath reunion done . 🥹
🖤🤘🏻
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath frontman and icon of British heavy metal, dies aged 76
The singer, who later became famous on reality TV show The Osbournes, dies less than three weeks after retirement concert
www.theguardian.com
July 22, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath frontman and icon of British heavy metal, dies aged 76
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...
At least he got the, statement epic, Sabbath reunion done . 🥹
🖤🤘🏻
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...
At least he got the, statement epic, Sabbath reunion done . 🥹
🖤🤘🏻
Scientists reportedly hiding AI text prompts in academic papers to receive positive peer reviews
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Hahahahahahahhaaaa
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Hahahahahahahhaaaa
Scientists reportedly hiding AI text prompts in academic papers to receive positive peer reviews
Research papers found carrying hidden white text giving instructions not to highlight negatives as concern grows over use of large language models for peer review
www.theguardian.com
July 15, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Scientists reportedly hiding AI text prompts in academic papers to receive positive peer reviews
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Hahahahahahahhaaaa
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Hahahahahahahhaaaa
Reposted by Robin Osborne
I saw a comment somewhere a while ago that said using AI to write your work is like sending a robot to the gym for you and expecting to see results. The essay isn’t the point. Writing the essay is.
April 24, 2025 at 6:25 PM
I saw a comment somewhere a while ago that said using AI to write your work is like sending a robot to the gym for you and expecting to see results. The essay isn’t the point. Writing the essay is.
CDs Are Cutting-Edge Tech Once More
CDs Are Cutting-Edge Tech Once More
Aaed Musa built a wrist-mounted launcher for Mini CDs that fires 5 discs per second for some real-life Fruit Ninja fun.
www.hackster.io
April 23, 2025 at 9:54 AM
CDs Are Cutting-Edge Tech Once More
Google demos Android XR smart glasses with Gemini AI, visual memory, and multilingual capabilities
Google demos Android XR smart glasses with Gemini AI, visual memory, and multilingual capabilities
Until now, Google's Android XR glasses had only appeared in carefully curated teaser videos and limited hands-on previews shared with select publications. These early glimpses hinted at...
www.techspot.com
April 22, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Google demos Android XR smart glasses with Gemini AI, visual memory, and multilingual capabilities
As per usual, the one day of the year when people are slightly more hesitant to believe what they read online, instead of being constantly critical of the crap random people put out there.
Woe betide any company releasing something REAL and interesting today..
Woe betide any company releasing something REAL and interesting today..
April 1, 2025 at 7:49 AM
As per usual, the one day of the year when people are slightly more hesitant to believe what they read online, instead of being constantly critical of the crap random people put out there.
Woe betide any company releasing something REAL and interesting today..
Woe betide any company releasing something REAL and interesting today..
Reposted by Robin Osborne
February 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Whiskey fan? Like, *really* a fan? He's some dangerous news: a whiskey auction just started today.. 😬
https://whisky.auction/auctions/preview
Loving this rotary phone one!
https://whisky.auction/auctions/preview
Loving this rotary phone one!
February 9, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Whiskey fan? Like, *really* a fan? He's some dangerous news: a whiskey auction just started today.. 😬
https://whisky.auction/auctions/preview
Loving this rotary phone one!
https://whisky.auction/auctions/preview
Loving this rotary phone one!
Reposted by Robin Osborne
I have no idea why anyone pays for AI... Just go ask any "helpful" assistant on any website these days.
February 6, 2025 at 5:29 PM
I have no idea why anyone pays for AI... Just go ask any "helpful" assistant on any website these days.
Current frustration: websites developers that don't understand the EU cookie policy, so hitting "decline" doesn't write a cookie saying "a choice has been made, don't ask again", meaning the cookie overlay appears on every page, every time...
February 6, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Current frustration: websites developers that don't understand the EU cookie policy, so hitting "decline" doesn't write a cookie saying "a choice has been made, don't ask again", meaning the cookie overlay appears on every page, every time...
What's the solution? I'm looking at courses to learn "front-end" again, but they're all React or similar. What is it I'm really trying to achieve?
Maybe it's just getting good with "current CSS" and general design.. hmm.. forget js, yeah...
Maybe it's just getting good with "current CSS" and general design.. hmm.. forget js, yeah...
February 3, 2025 at 9:42 PM
What's the solution? I'm looking at courses to learn "front-end" again, but they're all React or similar. What is it I'm really trying to achieve?
Maybe it's just getting good with "current CSS" and general design.. hmm.. forget js, yeah...
Maybe it's just getting good with "current CSS" and general design.. hmm.. forget js, yeah...