Tools

• A nice explanation about Obsidian Bases : I will need to wait a bit more, they're basically beta-testing with Catalyst users and I don't have that subscription.

• I heard good things about Raycast but it's Mac only (booouh). Here is an alternative on Windows: Flow Launcher. Basically like Launchy from 10 years ago, but on steroids. I installed it, and the default shortcut Alt-Space was already used. Thanks to a small utility tool called Hotkey detective, I found out that there was a conflict with PowerToys Run. I disabled it and go Flow Launcher! Very handy.

• The hype new browser Arc is dead. Their new project Dia, an AI-powered browser has no Linux version planned. So looks to me like unnecessary drama from the founder. Move on.

Opinions

• A piece that resonated A LOT this week: The Who Cares Era

It's the bullshit era. The truth doesn't even matter. It's not factored in. Even liars care about the truth enough to deceive you. Bullshit is worse than lying.

We disagree? Ok. You believe your facts, I'll believe mine. We can scream into the void with our respective audiences.

It's hard to maintain the energy to seek the truth because there is so much bullshit. The peddlers of it are filling every single form of media with it. Every text box on every webpage and in every app is an invitation to add more of it to the world.

I think people get overwhelmed by it. And you have to have the bullshit cop on your shoulder exhorting you to care. It takes time and energy to care. Most people are too tired. So we let things slide. We stop listening to the bullshit cop. We become more selective. We care about the truth in some contexts but not others. It's survival.

• As a developer, my most important tools are a pen and a notebook : exaggerated title but as a paperback notebook user myself, I agree it's working with me, too.

Podcasts

• An interview of Matt Wynne on RSpec, Cucumber, and legacy systems (Distributed) : amongst other things, Matt talks about XP, social programming and pairing and how crucial it is for driving effective teams. He also explains why we need safe spaces and human connections. Refreshing.

It's harder to pay attention to a set of pixels on a screen than it is to pay attention to a real physical human being in front of you.

• A podcast with Simon Willinson, my reference in AI in the last months : AI Is Coming for Your Job. Here’s What To Do Now. Because he's him, he already transcribed the talk using AI 😁. If you prefer to listen to it in Podcast Addict for example, here is the RSS link for the audio.