https://spenser.xyz/?window=notes Notes from Spenser: programmer, artist, human. en-us Fri, 18 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 https://spenser.xyz/?note=notes/soft-failures.html https://spenser.xyz/notes/soft-failures.html Fri, 18 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Jonathan Blow's split between hard and soft failures is a useful model for agentic coding: the code runs, the tests pass, and the product still feels bad. https://spenser.xyz/?note=notes/asking-the-right-questions.html https://spenser.xyz/notes/asking-the-right-questions.html Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 If we are given an all-powerful genie that knows everything, do we have the right questions? A look at what LLMs mean for the two reasons we hire anyone at all. https://spenser.xyz/?note=notes/gpt-web-programming.html https://spenser.xyz/notes/gpt-web-programming.html Sun, 12 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000 There is currently a lot of fear-mongering swirling around in programming zeitgeist as revisions to ChatGPT, Copilot, etc. I do not fear for the future. https://spenser.xyz/?note=notes/berry-brains.html https://spenser.xyz/notes/berry-brains.html Wed, 15 Jan 2020 12:00:00 +0000 Early humans were great at mentally cataloging berries. We'd quickly learn which ones would provide a quick snack, and which ones would do harm. https://spenser.xyz/?note=notes/electron-dev-tools.html https://spenser.xyz/notes/electron-dev-tools.html Tue, 17 Apr 2018 12:00:00 +0000 How to get the Chrome dev tools to show up on a production build of an Electron app. https://spenser.xyz/?note=notes/interviewing-for-process-fit.html https://spenser.xyz/notes/interviewing-for-process-fit.html Mon, 05 Mar 2018 12:00:00 +0000 Hiring is hard in every industry and discipline. It's especially difficult for early stage startups whose early hires set the stage for company culture. https://spenser.xyz/?note=notes/life-lessons-esports.html https://spenser.xyz/notes/life-lessons-esports.html Wed, 19 Oct 2016 12:00:00 +0000 Competitive gaming scratched a different itch than losing yourself in a fantasy world: it matched your determination, mental aptitude, and dexterity against another person, anywhere in the world.