AI @ Workday https://teapawt.net/t.co/8wqvf9xyla
Boulder, CO
Joined May 2008
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Amen!
My long-winded way of saying the same:
blog.realkinetic.com/stop-wa… teapawt.net/mipsytipsy/status/9577…
Beau Lyddon retweeted
I urge all to read "No Silver Bullet - Essence and Accident in Software Engineering" by Brooks.
TLDR: shrinking all the "accidental" complexities in software engineering (semantics, boilerplate, dep management, awkward syntax, composition of code and packages, etc.) does NOT reduce the "essence" of complexity. And often, out of accidental complexities emerge new essential complexities.
Shrinking down all the accidental bits to zero does not inherently and instantly result in the core complexities disappearing: if so, with the convention of ergonomic languages like Python and Lua and TypeScript, or better tools like IaC, we would have seen leaps and bounds in software capabilities and productivity.
But, what emerges and transforms, like a werewolf, is increasing essential complexities that are, at the heart of it all, bound to the domain of the software and abstractions of the real world. What happens when abstractions and ergonomics and new ways of working arrive is that the inherent complexity transforms and re-appears:
> "The complexity of software is an essential property, not an accidental one. Hence descriptions of a software entity that abstract away its complexity often abstract away its essence."
AI and agents have changed software development. But the hard essential bits in software remain (if not are 10x) - today, instead of focusing on syntax, focus on how to build stable, complex, interlocking systems where the complexity is well managed.
Beau Lyddon retweeted
Spencer Lee says he tore his ACL for a fourth time.
Lee won a Senior World gold medal on a torn ACL and hasn’t wrestled in almost four months 🤯
RIP 😢
Patrick Stewart, the legendary British actor best known for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the long-running "Star Trek" TV series, has died. He was 86. cnn.it/3WzbMHy
Beau Lyddon retweeted
The Prompt Engineer's Prayer:
AI didn't do that.
And if it did, it was good.
And if it wasn't, you used the wrong model.
And if you didn't, the next model will fix it.
And if it doesn't, that's a skill issue.
Beau Lyddon retweeted
if your attention span is cooked like mine skip to 57 seconds in and you'll immediately understand why this is a great app
you'll then not download it, go to do things the old way, and immediately revisit this tweet from your bookmarks to set it up
Beau Lyddon retweeted
Head of Design at Stripe on how to stop creating zombie UIs
If we only use AI to make the things that we already make, just faster, then we're definitely missing out on the most interesting part.
From my talk at @lennysan’s Summit, here are four ideas for raising the ceiling, not just the floor:
- Have a point of view [5:38]
- Encode your standards into the machine [9:07]
- Don't confuse done with good [12:21]
- Unleash creativity and artistry [16:19]
Full talk here: youtu.be/GLvFTMtw4Jk?si=-5Ts…
Beau Lyddon retweeted
If Yankee fans are going to read anything we should read Howard Bryant's Substack piece on why the Yankees as we knew them died and how it is a concerted effort from MLB. howardbryant.substack.com/p/…
Beau Lyddon retweeted
Well, this is awkward.
Back in March, I questioned the grand idea that AI agents could replace entire engineering teams.
Now Meta is reportedly rebuilding management layers because humans are spending too much time cleaning up after the machines.
Turns out firing the adults and leaving the interns in charge wasn’t much of a strategy…. even when the interns are artificial.
The Oracle layoffs being discussed (20–30k range) are real.
But the viral story about AI agents replacing DBA teams doesn’t match how enterprise infrastructure actually works and it doesn’t match any of the workforce data either.
Database automation tools have existed for years. They reduce routine tasks- they don’t eliminate the operational teams responsible for uptime, security, architecture, and regulatory control.
If AI had actually replaced DBAs and engineers, the workforce data would look very different. You would see sustained contraction in engineering roles across multiple quarters.
Instead, engineering workforce returned to net positive growth after the Sept–Oct adjustment window. That indicates rebalancing, not structural elimination of the role category.
There’s also another red flag I’ve heard… the claim of 18-month severance packages with accelerated equity vesting. Mass tech layoffs rarely offer anything close to that. Typical packages are 8–16 weeks of pay, sometimes with additional weeks tied to tenure. Packages approaching a year of compensation are generally limited to executive contracts, not broad engineering layoffs.
What we’re seeing looks much more like restructuring around AI infrastructure investment and cloud economics, not AI suddenly replacing entire engineering functions with few architect replacements.
It’s creating plenty of disruption… no question about that. But when the narrative being pushed doesn’t line up with workforce data, it’s worth saying so.
Beau Lyddon retweeted
"AI can replace artists" —person whose walls are empty other than a superhero movie poster
"AI can replace musicians" —person who never goes to live performances
"AI can replace authors" —person who only reads Twitter
Should have always been the interviews. LeetCode interviews have always been terrible indicators of good devs.
Goodbye to LeetCode? Google just updated its interview process. AI is now a part of it.
They have introduced a new round called Code Comprehension.
The idea behind this round is to drop the candidates into a 200-500-line codebase with Gemini available for use.
This round evaluates:
- Can you read someone else's code
- Are you able to debug independently before utilizing AI
- Can you catch when Gemini is wrong
Beau Lyddon retweeted
how do i explain to my PM that i can't show any results yet because i spent the entire week making better architectural decisions, while my coworker Chad one shotted a comparable task in an hour and satisfied the business immediately?
i can't say "ask me in a year when you have to maintain Chad's code / when you see the CVEs", my performance review is today.
not implying anything here, it's a genuine question
Beau Lyddon retweeted
"As special an experience as I've ever had in my life."
@StanfordSteve82 recaps an unforgettable experience in Iowa City 🖤💛
Beau Lyddon retweeted
He’s right of course. Player pay and coaching pay ARE totally different markets.
That’s why in every pro sports league, the best players are paid significantly more than the best coaches. They’re way more valuable.
