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
Explores how certain programming language features, like operator overloading and macros, create 'spooky action at a distance' similar to quantum mechanics, harming code clarity.
Monthly update on godocs.io launch, SourceHut dark theme, and API 2.0 work for sr.ht services, plus minor project improvements.
Argues that software projects can and should aim for completion, focusing on stability over constant new features, using examples like Sway and scdoc.
A guide to the challenging process of designing and implementing a new programming language, from initial ideas to a formal specification.
Announcing godocs.io, a community-maintained replacement for the sunsetting godoc.org Go documentation service.
Monthly update on FOSS projects including SourceHut API 2.0 progress, mkproof anti-spam tool, Gemini protocol improvements, and BARE spec development.
The article argues for the importance of shell literacy in a programmer's workflow, demonstrating its power with a practical Git example.
The article argues that current web analytics practices fail to meet ethical standards of informed consent and calls for industry reform.
A developer shares practical strategies for making a living from free and open-source software, covering employment and monetizing personal projects.
A critique of DuckDuckGo's privacy and technical flaws, arguing for a new, truly open-source search engine with its own crawler.
A developer's status update covering SourceHut's anniversary, Gemini server progress, BARE implementations, and a new Wayland server.
Argues that professional programming tools should prioritize utility and power over ease of use, accepting a steeper learning curve for long-term productivity.
An introduction to the Gemini protocol, a simple, modern alternative to the web for exchanging hypertext documents, and why the author is excited about it.
The original maintainer of the sway window manager and wlroots library is handing over project maintenance to Simon Ser.
A critical analysis of Firefox and Mozilla's decline, citing layoffs, executive pay raises, and strategic failures, arguing the web is a lost cause.
Developer updates on new workstation, SourceHut API 2.0 progress, Gemini protocol projects, and other software developments.
The article outlines four core principles for building quality software: robustness, reliability, stability, and simplicity.
A critique of Hacktoberfest, arguing it creates spammy pull requests and burdens open-source maintainers for corporate marketing.
A developer compares musl libc and glibc implementations after a segfault bug in scdoc, highlighting differences in isalnum behavior.
Explains the Trust-On-First-Use (TOFU) algorithm implemented for the gmni Gemini client, detailing certificate validation and trust management.
