Nigel Small

Array.prototype.sort() - JavaScript | MDN The sort() method of Array instances sorts the elements of an array in place and returns the reference to the same array, now sorted. The default sort order is ascending, built upon converting the ele...

TIL: in JavaScript Arrays, "the default sort order is ascending, built upon converting the elements into strings". Meaning `[2, 10].sort()` returns `[10, 2]`. WAT?

And suddenly I'm wondering how many bugs I left in the wild because of that 😱

The phrase implies maintaining a steady state, rather than a need to continually move forward and keep up with a rapidly changing industry and landscape. The work is typically far, far away from just keeping the lights on.

I dislike the phrase "Keep[ing] The Lights On" (KTLO) to describe important areas of ongoing work to existing software projects. It heavily diminishes the amount of work required to keep software updated, safe, performant, and relevant. And as such, the work is routinely overlooked at higher levels.

On this, we fully agree.

I'm not sure I've ever successfully brought you round to a cause.

Except maybe on stirring tea.

We did. And it was. Hence my use of the word "properly". That was a poor data point to use to reject the entire concept indefinitely.

I Know When You're Vibe Coding I shouldn’t have to care about this. I don’t want to care about how someone’s code gets into the IDE. Whether you wrote it by hand, copied it from a forum…

One million percent this.
alexkondov.com/i-know-when-...

The only way forward now for governing the UK is for us to learn how to properly collaborate and do coalition. Increasing tribality will go nowhere.

It says a lot about where we're going that the BBC is now running stories in which they ask lifeboat crews whether they will apologise for using their boats to save lives

Three and a half years into management now, after 25+ years of engineering and tech leading. I keep telling myself this is only temporary.

Nigel Small (moved to Bluesky and Mastodon) on X: "No, Mr Kyle. I wish to see the act overturned because I am an informed technical professional with a dislike for knee-jerk populist actions. Calling those who disagree with you "predators" only reinforces how shallow your position here is. This will eventually be reversed." / X No, Mr Kyle. I wish to see the act overturned because I am an informed technical professional with a dislike for knee-jerk populist actions. Calling those who disagree with you "predators" only reinforces how shallow your position here is. This will eventually be reversed.

I'm not really posting on Twitter/X any more, but some things just need a corrective response.
x.com/technige/sta...

We've run out of ideas now, haven't we?

Doesn't mean they won't consider it, of course. Our, "leaders" are not known for their technical literacy.

Banning VPNs would be akin to banning front door keys for your house.

That @bloomberg.com can have a headline “EU agrees to pay 15% tariff on most exports to US” shows just how far economic illiteracy has gone. And the months of economists explaining how tariffs work makes this extraordinary level of ignorance even more inexcusable.

VPNs top App Store charts as UK age verification kicks in Experts say free versions of such apps or services may carry potential security and privacy risks.

Because not all people are stupid. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Loving your optimism :)

YouTube video by Astronomer Thank you for your interest in Astronomer

Bravo
youtu.be/vich2C-Tl7Q?...

Yes, I hate it for me, but I also recognise that it isn't sustainable in general. Search engines used to be links to pages around the internet. AI results keep the user on the "search engine" page and over time will, if left unchecked, lead to a less healthy and somewhat inbred internet ecosystem.

Its effect is to make the UK an international laughing stock for zero benefit. The OSA is as pointless as a lone gate in the middle of a field, wasting time and money on something that can be easily walked around for anyone with an ounce of technical knowledge.

Wikipedia threatens to limit UK access to website Digital encyclopaedia may impose quota on number of users to comply with Online Safety Act

Our government are fools when it comes to technology. On one hand, they say they want us to be a technology leader, on the other, they act like the worst kind of ignorant technophobes. The so-called Online Safety Act is a nonsense piece of legislation.
www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...

“The [AI] safety stuff is more visceral to me after a weekend of vibe hacking,” Lemkin said. I explicitly told it eleven times in ALL CAPS not to do this. I am a little worried about safety now.”

But how could a computer possibly violate its programming to subvert ALL CAPS???? We're truly doomed.

Vibe coding service Replit deleted production database : AI ignored instruction to freeze code, forgot it could roll back errors, and generally made a terrible hash of things

The only surprise here is how supposedly intelligent people can ever believe that an overhyped technology, so early in its infancy, and founded so strongly on indeterminism, is actually fit for purpose for anything serious.
www.theregister.com/2025/07/21/r...

He's asked me to find out if you have a sequel planned :)

Not Kindle, but my ten year old just read through the paperback in four days, and is now regaling me with interesting trivia and weird diseases he has learnt about. He thoroughly enjoyed it :)

4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment In the past two years, without much notice, solar power has begun to truly transform the world’s energy system.

Some wonderfully uplifting statistics on how solar and wind power are now very much mainstream.
www.newyorker.com/news/annals-...

Reblochon.

That is all.

UK to lower voting age to 16 in landmark electoral reform The British government said on Thursday it planned to give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all UK elections in a major overhaul of the country's democratic system.

Brilliant news
www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-...

I'd watch it.

Tad nippy out, up here at 3,842m.