Peter Sobot
@petersobot.com
After working with thousands of smart engineers for more than a decade, I can very confidently say:
People hate reading log output, and so they don't. Well-formatted logs, structured logs, nice highlighting; it all barely does anything to convince people to read.
People hate reading log output, and so they don't. Well-formatted logs, structured logs, nice highlighting; it all barely does anything to convince people to read.
January 30, 2025 at 6:27 PM
After working with thousands of smart engineers for more than a decade, I can very confidently say:
People hate reading log output, and so they don't. Well-formatted logs, structured logs, nice highlighting; it all barely does anything to convince people to read.
People hate reading log output, and so they don't. Well-formatted logs, structured logs, nice highlighting; it all barely does anything to convince people to read.
I swear I'm not intentionally trying to poke fun at my French colleagues for being too stereotypically French, but-
January 27, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I swear I'm not intentionally trying to poke fun at my French colleagues for being too stereotypically French, but-
A week of my career was just spent fixing an crash that only happened after my code ran for >24h.
Turned out to be a directory existence check that's O(n) time and O(n) memory for a directory with n files in it.
And people wonder why I don't trust widely-used libraries.
Turned out to be a directory existence check that's O(n) time and O(n) memory for a directory with n files in it.
And people wonder why I don't trust widely-used libraries.
January 12, 2025 at 5:04 AM
A week of my career was just spent fixing an crash that only happened after my code ran for >24h.
Turned out to be a directory existence check that's O(n) time and O(n) memory for a directory with n files in it.
And people wonder why I don't trust widely-used libraries.
Turned out to be a directory existence check that's O(n) time and O(n) memory for a directory with n files in it.
And people wonder why I don't trust widely-used libraries.
As of today, my age is no longer a nice round power of 2. 🥲
December 26, 2024 at 9:26 PM
As of today, my age is no longer a nice round power of 2. 🥲
Every holiday, I’m reminded that all of the engineers working on FaceTime audio quality at Apple are no match for that one family member’s blown iPhone speaker.
December 25, 2024 at 4:46 PM
Every holiday, I’m reminded that all of the engineers working on FaceTime audio quality at Apple are no match for that one family member’s blown iPhone speaker.
I have been thoroughly nerd-sniped by USB-C PD. If any devices in my house take 9V or 12V, they will soon be taking USB-C.
I didn’t say it would look pretty, though.
I didn’t say it would look pretty, though.
December 23, 2024 at 9:28 PM
I have been thoroughly nerd-sniped by USB-C PD. If any devices in my house take 9V or 12V, they will soon be taking USB-C.
I didn’t say it would look pretty, though.
I didn’t say it would look pretty, though.
People ask me "what guide can I read to get started with machine learning?"
There's actually a great guide for this now; it's free, comprehensive, interactive, and even built with some of the ML techniques you might want to learn about.
Find it at: chatgpt.com
There's actually a great guide for this now; it's free, comprehensive, interactive, and even built with some of the ML techniques you might want to learn about.
Find it at: chatgpt.com
December 20, 2024 at 6:16 PM
People ask me "what guide can I read to get started with machine learning?"
There's actually a great guide for this now; it's free, comprehensive, interactive, and even built with some of the ML techniques you might want to learn about.
Find it at: chatgpt.com
There's actually a great guide for this now; it's free, comprehensive, interactive, and even built with some of the ML techniques you might want to learn about.
Find it at: chatgpt.com
Seeing so much A.I.-generated text online has changed how I read all text online.
I now seem to notice the “shape” of A.I. text and skip large chunks if it looks like slop, even if it’s not.
I definitely did not have this on my bingo card.
I now seem to notice the “shape” of A.I. text and skip large chunks if it looks like slop, even if it’s not.
I definitely did not have this on my bingo card.
December 19, 2024 at 1:54 AM
Seeing so much A.I.-generated text online has changed how I read all text online.
I now seem to notice the “shape” of A.I. text and skip large chunks if it looks like slop, even if it’s not.
I definitely did not have this on my bingo card.
I now seem to notice the “shape” of A.I. text and skip large chunks if it looks like slop, even if it’s not.
I definitely did not have this on my bingo card.
I miss Canada, am proud to be Canadian, visit regularly, etc etc.
But oof, am I ever glad I moved to the US.
But oof, am I ever glad I moved to the US.
December 18, 2024 at 8:59 PM
I miss Canada, am proud to be Canadian, visit regularly, etc etc.
But oof, am I ever glad I moved to the US.
But oof, am I ever glad I moved to the US.
Me: “man I’m excited to be able to see my entire work team again in person, it’s been so long”
Also me: “wow why is the entire team out sick after a full week of jet lag, meetings, and dinners????”
Also me: “wow why is the entire team out sick after a full week of jet lag, meetings, and dinners????”
December 15, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Me: “man I’m excited to be able to see my entire work team again in person, it’s been so long”
Also me: “wow why is the entire team out sick after a full week of jet lag, meetings, and dinners????”
Also me: “wow why is the entire team out sick after a full week of jet lag, meetings, and dinners????”
U.S. CBP missed a co-branding opportunity with Apple for Global Entry:
“Face ID® for the U.S. Border”
“Face ID® for the U.S. Border”
December 6, 2024 at 9:51 PM
U.S. CBP missed a co-branding opportunity with Apple for Global Entry:
“Face ID® for the U.S. Border”
“Face ID® for the U.S. Border”
Reposted by Peter Sobot
My team was discussing our code review practice and I offered to talk about the post I wrote for a previous team (tdhopper.com/blog/code-re...).
I dropped the markdown for the post from GitHub into chatgpt and asked it to generate Marp (marp.app) slides for me.
I dropped the markdown for the post from GitHub into chatgpt and asked it to generate Marp (marp.app) slides for me.
Code Review Guidelines for Data Science Teams
A proposed code review guideline for data science teams, emphasizing the benefits of code reviews, what they are not intended for, and offering advice for both submitting and reviewing pull requests.
tdhopper.com
December 6, 2024 at 12:24 PM
My team was discussing our code review practice and I offered to talk about the post I wrote for a previous team (tdhopper.com/blog/code-re...).
I dropped the markdown for the post from GitHub into chatgpt and asked it to generate Marp (marp.app) slides for me.
I dropped the markdown for the post from GitHub into chatgpt and asked it to generate Marp (marp.app) slides for me.
Another day, another reminder that "mastery of one's tools" is the most reliable signal of competency that I've ever seen.
If you've worked with a piece of software every day for years but have never bothered to learn things like its keyboard shortcuts, stop what you're doing and learn those now.
If you've worked with a piece of software every day for years but have never bothered to learn things like its keyboard shortcuts, stop what you're doing and learn those now.
November 25, 2024 at 3:25 PM
Another day, another reminder that "mastery of one's tools" is the most reliable signal of competency that I've ever seen.
If you've worked with a piece of software every day for years but have never bothered to learn things like its keyboard shortcuts, stop what you're doing and learn those now.
If you've worked with a piece of software every day for years but have never bothered to learn things like its keyboard shortcuts, stop what you're doing and learn those now.
There are few things more stressful than trying to write an email about two things to someone who doesn’t read past the first sentence.
November 18, 2024 at 5:57 PM
There are few things more stressful than trying to write an email about two things to someone who doesn’t read past the first sentence.
tired: USB-C is great because I can charge my phone and laptop with the same cable
wired: USB-C is great because I can now use $15 USB-C PD bricks and $5 barrel jack adapters to power nearly all home electronics that need between 5V and 20V
t.co/AeGd6IhtJ5
wired: USB-C is great because I can now use $15 USB-C PD bricks and $5 barrel jack adapters to power nearly all home electronics that need between 5V and 20V
t.co/AeGd6IhtJ5
https://a.co/d/8uJfdoT
t.co
November 17, 2024 at 5:30 PM
tired: USB-C is great because I can charge my phone and laptop with the same cable
wired: USB-C is great because I can now use $15 USB-C PD bricks and $5 barrel jack adapters to power nearly all home electronics that need between 5V and 20V
t.co/AeGd6IhtJ5
wired: USB-C is great because I can now use $15 USB-C PD bricks and $5 barrel jack adapters to power nearly all home electronics that need between 5V and 20V
t.co/AeGd6IhtJ5
So happy to have more great people to work with. Welcome, @tdhopper.com!
lil update, a week ago I started a new role at Spotify with @petersobot.com supporting the music machine learning efforts of the Audio Intelligence team
November 17, 2024 at 5:30 PM
So happy to have more great people to work with. Welcome, @tdhopper.com!
Reposted by Peter Sobot
The Worst Programmer I Know dannorth.net/2023/09/02/t...
September 2, 2023 at 5:49 PM
The Worst Programmer I Know dannorth.net/2023/09/02/t...
For the past couple of years, I've felt like I've been drowning in notifications and emails.
I just tallied the numbers: I got 1,855 notifications last week, 380 work emails, and 99 personal emails.
That's about one interruption about every 3 waking minutes. Is this normal?
I just tallied the numbers: I got 1,855 notifications last week, 380 work emails, and 99 personal emails.
That's about one interruption about every 3 waking minutes. Is this normal?
August 13, 2023 at 7:31 PM
For the past couple of years, I've felt like I've been drowning in notifications and emails.
I just tallied the numbers: I got 1,855 notifications last week, 380 work emails, and 99 personal emails.
That's about one interruption about every 3 waking minutes. Is this normal?
I just tallied the numbers: I got 1,855 notifications last week, 380 work emails, and 99 personal emails.
That's about one interruption about every 3 waking minutes. Is this normal?
Last night, I picked up a 32-pound laser printer from a coworker who lived a mile away. I decided to carry it home instead of taking a taxi.
I'm now googling "how to get started lifting weights" "is lifting weights good" "what does it mean if your arms hurt but you like it"
I'm now googling "how to get started lifting weights" "is lifting weights good" "what does it mean if your arms hurt but you like it"
July 26, 2023 at 4:31 PM
Last night, I picked up a 32-pound laser printer from a coworker who lived a mile away. I decided to carry it home instead of taking a taxi.
I'm now googling "how to get started lifting weights" "is lifting weights good" "what does it mean if your arms hurt but you like it"
I'm now googling "how to get started lifting weights" "is lifting weights good" "what does it mean if your arms hurt but you like it"
Oppenheimer was great. I especially loved Nolan’s choice to just use William Onyeabor’s “Atomic Bomb” as the only music.
July 24, 2023 at 1:12 PM
Oppenheimer was great. I especially loved Nolan’s choice to just use William Onyeabor’s “Atomic Bomb” as the only music.
Friends, how many notifications is too many notifications? I apparently get about 380 per day. That seems like too many.
July 23, 2023 at 2:56 PM
Friends, how many notifications is too many notifications? I apparently get about 380 per day. That seems like too many.
Never, ever, ever, ever, ever get caught in the middle of a fight between two Manhattan real estate agents.
Ask me how I know.
Ask me how I know.
July 7, 2023 at 5:39 PM
Never, ever, ever, ever, ever get caught in the middle of a fight between two Manhattan real estate agents.
Ask me how I know.
Ask me how I know.
“Oh you’re from Canada too? Where? Oh, Toronto too? Oh, also went to Waterloo? Yeah, we do all end up in the US, don’t we. Yeah, San Francisco is kind of over, agreed, that’s why everybody’s moving to NYC. Oh, you just moved from SF? Yeah. So much better here in NYC right?”
🫠
🫠
July 4, 2023 at 11:48 PM
“Oh you’re from Canada too? Where? Oh, Toronto too? Oh, also went to Waterloo? Yeah, we do all end up in the US, don’t we. Yeah, San Francisco is kind of over, agreed, that’s why everybody’s moving to NYC. Oh, you just moved from SF? Yeah. So much better here in NYC right?”
🫠
🫠
tfw you realize that the reason your library is getting so many support tickets from beginner programmers is that they’re learning to code literally because of what your library allows them to do 😳
June 26, 2023 at 2:28 PM
tfw you realize that the reason your library is getting so many support tickets from beginner programmers is that they’re learning to code literally because of what your library allows them to do 😳
Python friends: what's the appropriate way (if any) to get attention on a PyPI support ticket?
I understand the support GitHub is largely staffed by underappreciated and overworked volunteers, whom I would prefer not to bother. (Is there someone I can deliver cookies to?)
I understand the support GitHub is largely staffed by underappreciated and overworked volunteers, whom I would prefer not to bother. (Is there someone I can deliver cookies to?)
June 22, 2023 at 8:32 PM
Python friends: what's the appropriate way (if any) to get attention on a PyPI support ticket?
I understand the support GitHub is largely staffed by underappreciated and overworked volunteers, whom I would prefer not to bother. (Is there someone I can deliver cookies to?)
I understand the support GitHub is largely staffed by underappreciated and overworked volunteers, whom I would prefer not to bother. (Is there someone I can deliver cookies to?)