The Deep North

 Yikes. This was an answer to a Quora question about development myths and I just kept hammering them out because I have seen a lot of critical misunderstandings in my decades of programming experience. I could just keep going and going. There's a book to be had in explaining all the many misapprehensions of journeyman developers, why they are incorrect and what solutions (if any) apply in dealing with them and their results.  Persistent Misunderstandings in Software Development: Things Won’t Change : The mistaken belief that the initial project requirements, timeline, and scope will remain constant throughout the development process. Nothing Will Go Wrong : The expectation that the development process will proceed smoothly without unforeseen challenges, bugs, or setbacks. Timeline Predictions Are Reliable : The assumption that you can accurately predict timelines and outcomes for problems that are yet to be fully understood or defined. Human Factors Don’t Matter : Ignori...

You are a product of Evolution by Natural Selection. The one thing that got you here was generations before you promoting their design forward through time. For your design to make it forward through time, you have to ensure the survivability of that design. It has to be reproduced somehow, either by doing something that favors the design in related individuals or by replicating your own design into the next generation. Our design is primarily transmitted through genetic material and that genetic material makes it into the next generation through the production of offspring by sexual reproduction. Failing to promote your design forward is fatal. A design that does not survive is a bad design that … does not survive. You are the product of many, many, *many* generations of good design. How something like romantic love and yearning for it arises can get extremely complex, but it should be apparent that males and females desiring contact will get together. And that, at least in many cases...

This was resolved as simply a mistake on the part of Instagram, but the hint below might help someone. Can't get a texted code number from Instagram? You might need to unblock one of their numbers on your phone. In my case, unblocking 326-65 allowed me to get the code I needed to continue with their horribly hostile broken system.  I'm 'a computer guy'. I have been on social systems in cyberspace since before the worldwide web. Since, even, before the term 'cyberspace' came and went in popular geek parlance. When younger, long ago, I could be a bit sharp and sarcastic online, but I never intended to be mean. Before the WWW came along I was already kinder and gentler. I registered my first domain name in 1987, and for a while did websites for people starting in 1999. I have been a citizen in cyberspace longer than most of the people who have seized control of it have been alive. I have been a kind, mannerly, and 'community-guidelines' friendly citizen of...

"It Ain’t What You Don’t Know That Gets You Into Trouble. It’s What You Know for Sure That Just Ain’t So" (variously attributed).  A Thoughtful Reflection on Belief and Understanding Have you ever found yourself mistaken about something? If so, you have a firsthand example of why belief may not be the most reliable guide. Personally, I choose to believe in nothing, as I see belief itself as an irrational conviction that something is undeniably true, despite the fact that we can never be fully aligned with empirical reality—if such a reality even exists. Instead, I prefer to rely on models grounded in solid evidence and reason. These models serve as provisional lenses, allowing me to view the world with the best understanding I can muster at any given time. As new data and insights emerge, I’m always ready to adapt and shift my perspective to a better model. When you truly understand something, there’s no need to cling to belief; you can extract value from your model without t...

Derek Muller (Veritasium) made an interesting video about issues with democracy and voting systems. It is an important discussion which I hope he will eventually turn his big brain to more fully articulating issues and possible solutions. As things stand, our political system does not represent the reasonable wishes of the population and even less so their best interests. That has been getting worse at a time where it is ever more important that we get it right.  I have designed a fair, private, but transparent and auditable, voting protocol  Below is the comment I made on his video and below that a link to the video which, although somewhat disappointing for me I still think is worthwhile to watch.  You are a smart guy. Fix this. There are things that have not been accounted for here such as proxies and a favorite of mine to push decisions closer to the 'ground' of the individual voter. There is no conflict between me and another person as to what to have for dinner beca...

It seems that no matter how far out the Climate Crisis Narrative gets, it persists with an almost unshakable momentum. The recent statement by The Climate Policy Initiative calls for all the money in the world—and more—to be spent on climate change action. It’s a staggering proposal that, upon closer inspection, raises serious questions. A closer look suggests they might be advocating for annual expenditures five times higher than current levels, totaling around $5 trillion. While this might be achievable, is it reasonable? That money could instead be directed toward critical needs like healthcare and ensuring that children don’t go to bed hungry. How did we reach a point where prioritizing global climate initiatives over immediate humanitarian needs seems justifiable? I’ve spent time delving into this issue, despite its apparent contradictions. The reality is that nothing happening now is truly "unprecedented." Life on Earth has persisted for billions of years, adapting to a...