Drew DeVault’s blog features sharp commentary on open source, software engineering, programming languages, ethics in tech, and the social impact of technology.
354 articles from this blog
Explores the concept of the heliopause in space as a metaphor for the C programming language's dominance and its ABI's role as a critical interface in software.
A software engineer argues that effective performance optimization requires understanding system bottlenecks and applying a scientific, evidence-based approach.
A passionate critique of the modern laptop market, praising the durable and serviceable ThinkPad X200 while lamenting current flawed offerings.
A developer's monthly update covering releases for Sway, wlroots, aerc, and SourceHut improvements, alongside personal cooking notes.
A critique of modern software's over-reliance on dependencies, sparked by a FOSDEM talk on open source sustainability and maintainer burnout.
A retrospective on KnightOS, a Unix-like operating system written in assembly for TI z80 calculators, focusing on its unique constraints and design.
A FOSS maintainer reflects on the unique joys and intense stresses of working full-time on free and open-source software projects.
A maintainer's perspective on effective open-source project governance, advocating for the BDFL model over rigid codes of conduct.
Developer's January 2020 update covering FOSDEM, Sway 1.3, Wayland book, SourceHut improvements, and work on himitsu and mrsh.
A follow-up analysis on programming language complexity and abstraction, using 'Hello World' program comparisons to critique modern software bloat.
Analyzes the system calls and binary size of a simple "hello world" program across multiple programming languages, from assembly to Python.
A developer explains his simple system for managing dotfiles by turning his $HOME directory into a git repository with a clever .gitignore.
A detailed review of the PinePhone, a Linux-based smartphone, focusing on its hardware, current software limitations, and target developer audience.
Developer updates on new projects: a secure key-value store, SourceHut SSO improvements, and PinePhone/Sway Mobile development.
Argues that software developers should rely on Linux distribution maintainers for packaging and distribution, rather than distributing binaries themselves.
Article details the controversial sale of the .org registry to private equity, alleging corruption by ICANN, ISOC, and PIR, and calls for action.
Analyzes how major software changes like Python 3 and asyncio can be 'traumatic' for developer communities, causing wasted effort and code rot.
A developer's update on open-source projects including Sourcehut's anniversary, Wayland XR compositor work, Sway improvements, and aerc/ctools updates.
A developer creates a nostalgic hack by connecting a line printer to a Linux shell using Go, emulating an old-school teletypewriter (TTY).
A developer's update on Sourcehut's progress, including web-based patchsets, and Wayland news like sway improvements and a new book.
