Drew DeVault’s blog features sharp commentary on open source, software engineering, programming languages, ethics in tech, and the social impact of technology.
374 articles from this blog
Introducing visurf, a lightweight, vi-inspired web browser built on the NetSurf engine, designed as an alternative to complex modern browsers.
A developer's monthly update on progress for a new programming language and the SourceHut platform, including codegen, APIs, and infrastructure.
A guide to debugging programs written in a new compiled programming language, covering techniques from print statements to using gdb without debug symbols.
Critique of proxy.golang.org's permanent caching, which hides broken dependencies and creates hidden risks in the Go ecosystem.
An appreciation of PostgreSQL's power, reliability, comprehensive documentation, and disciplined engineering team after 25+ years of development.
Analyzes YAML's strengths and weaknesses, proposing key features for a better successor format in tech configuration.
A developer's status update covering progress on a new programming language, aerc maintainer change, and SourceHut GraphQL API work.
Analyzes the legal implications of GitHub Copilot potentially being a derivative work of GPL-licensed code used in its training.
Compares the closed federation model of IRC networks to the open federation of ActivityPub-based services like Mastodon.
Explores nuanced text selection and editing behaviors in form fields across Linux/Firefox and Android, highlighting hidden efficiencies.
A technical article about implementing a finger protocol client in a custom language, exploring its networking stack and design.
A developer's monthly update on SourceHut platform improvements, GraphQL APIs, and progress on a custom programming language.
Explores the 'as is' clause in open source licenses and its implications for user entitlement and maintainer burnout.
A technical deep dive into building a high-performance Finger protocol server using Linux's io_uring interface for async I/O.
A guide to writing effective release notes for software, focusing on clarity, structure, and best practices for open-source projects.
Author details a personal email setup using aerc, mbsync, and postfix for robust, offline-capable email management.
A detailed review of the Pinebook Pro laptop, covering its ARM-based hardware, Linux compatibility, and performance as a daily driver.
A software engineer critiques 'unlikable' software features, using an airplane seat display's intrusive ads as an example, and argues for user-respectful design.
An update on the godocs.io fork of godoc.org, detailing improvements made over six months to support the Go community.
A developer praises Alpine Linux for its simplicity, stability, reliability, and robustness, comparing it favorably to other distributions.
