Ben Buchanan
@200ok.bsky.social
I make some bits of the web
Elsewhere:
http://200ok.blog/
https://mastodon.social/@200ok
https://www.instagram.com/200ok/
Melbourne, Australia. he/him
Elsewhere:
http://200ok.blog/
https://mastodon.social/@200ok
https://www.instagram.com/200ok/
Melbourne, Australia. he/him
Reposted by Ben Buchanan
You will be visited by three spirits
November 26, 2025 at 1:45 AM
You will be visited by three spirits
> Thinking of AI as an instrument recenters the focus on practice. Instruments require a performance that relies on technique - Frank Chimero
via www.densediscovery.com/issues/366
via www.densediscovery.com/issues/366
Dense Discovery – Issue 366 / How to work beside AI instead of under it
Read the archived version of Issue 366 / How to work beside AI instead of under it
www.densediscovery.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:59 PM
> Thinking of AI as an instrument recenters the focus on practice. Instruments require a performance that relies on technique - Frank Chimero
via www.densediscovery.com/issues/366
via www.densediscovery.com/issues/366
The Doom Scale seems highly appropriate.
How broken is today's frontend culture?
A friend points out that the median *mobile* page is now larger than a copy of DOOM (2.6 MiB vs. 2.48 MiB), the 75th percentile page is more than 2 DOOMs, and the P90 mobile page is 4.5x the size of DOOM:
httparchive.org/reports/page...
A friend points out that the median *mobile* page is now larger than a copy of DOOM (2.6 MiB vs. 2.48 MiB), the 75th percentile page is more than 2 DOOMs, and the P90 mobile page is 4.5x the size of DOOM:
httparchive.org/reports/page...
HTTP Archive: Page Weight
This report tracks the size and quantity of many popular web page resources. Sizes represent the number of bytes sent over the network, which may be compressed.
httparchive.org
November 24, 2025 at 12:39 AM
The Doom Scale seems highly appropriate.
Web Directions Dev Summit 2025, the Big Stonking Post™: weblog.200ok.com.au/2025/11/wdds...
#webdirections #devsummit
#webdirections #devsummit
WDDS25, the Big Stonking Post™ | the 200ok weblog
weblog.200ok.com.au
November 23, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Web Directions Dev Summit 2025, the Big Stonking Post™: weblog.200ok.com.au/2025/11/wdds...
#webdirections #devsummit
#webdirections #devsummit
I'm not surprised consumers don't realise this, but if investors claim *they* didn't know I'm going to have trouble believing it.
pub.towardsai.net/i-reverse-en...
pub.towardsai.net/i-reverse-en...
The Real Tech Stack Behind AI Startups: A 200-Company Analysis
Three weeks of network monitoring revealed the truth: 73% of funded AI startups are running $33M valuations on $1,200/month in OpenAI…
pub.towardsai.net
November 23, 2025 at 12:59 AM
I'm not surprised consumers don't realise this, but if investors claim *they* didn't know I'm going to have trouble believing it.
pub.towardsai.net/i-reverse-en...
pub.towardsai.net/i-reverse-en...
I almost envy people who haven't seen Dmitry speak before ;) Strap yourselves in... #WebDirections
November 19, 2025 at 5:25 AM
I almost envy people who haven't seen Dmitry speak before ;) Strap yourselves in... #WebDirections
Watching Jono Alderson's opening talk at #WebDirections and having to stop myself actually cheering.
I will however wryly tap the sign: noti.st/benbuchanan/...
I will however wryly tap the sign: noti.st/benbuchanan/...
Less, but better by Ben Buchanan (200ok)
After an era of complexity, perhaps it’s time the web had an era of simplicity.
noti.st
November 18, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Watching Jono Alderson's opening talk at #WebDirections and having to stop myself actually cheering.
I will however wryly tap the sign: noti.st/benbuchanan/...
I will however wryly tap the sign: noti.st/benbuchanan/...
For anyone in Sydney for Web Directions dev summit, if you are at a loose end I'm meeting some friends at the Glebe Hotel (www.theglebehotel.com.au) from about 6:30 and you are welcome to join us.
Glebe Hotel
Neighourhood watering hole, The Glebe Hotel has been Glebe's favourite local since 1862. Formerly known as the Australian Youth Hotel, the heritage listed public bar & dining destination is full of qu...
www.theglebehotel.com.au
November 18, 2025 at 5:53 AM
For anyone in Sydney for Web Directions dev summit, if you are at a loose end I'm meeting some friends at the Glebe Hotel (www.theglebehotel.com.au) from about 6:30 and you are welcome to join us.
LLMs absolutely do not replace cognition, and humans absolutely do not learn from history.
The plow, the steam engine, electricity — all replaced muscle. AI replaces cognition. If you spend your day “reading lots of stuff and turning it into straight English,” well… so does the machine. The goal now is to learn from history and cushion the blow better than last time.
November 17, 2025 at 1:56 AM
LLMs absolutely do not replace cognition, and humans absolutely do not learn from history.
We dreamed this, right? It can't possibly have been real.
HAPPY FOUR SEASONS TOTAL LANDSCAPING DAY TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE
November 8, 2025 at 3:17 AM
We dreamed this, right? It can't possibly have been real.
Without instructions on how to pretend to be human, your despot will go into standby mode. You can reactivate your despot by offering it fried chicken.
November 7, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Without instructions on how to pretend to be human, your despot will go into standby mode. You can reactivate your despot by offering it fried chicken.
Periodic temperature check -
Mastodon feels like early Twitter
(has its issues but probably good for a while yet)
Bluesky feels like late Twitter
(shorter half-life, is that smoke?)
X feels like a post-Twitter dumpster fire
(no change expected)
Mastodon feels like early Twitter
(has its issues but probably good for a while yet)
Bluesky feels like late Twitter
(shorter half-life, is that smoke?)
X feels like a post-Twitter dumpster fire
(no change expected)
November 6, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Periodic temperature check -
Mastodon feels like early Twitter
(has its issues but probably good for a while yet)
Bluesky feels like late Twitter
(shorter half-life, is that smoke?)
X feels like a post-Twitter dumpster fire
(no change expected)
Mastodon feels like early Twitter
(has its issues but probably good for a while yet)
Bluesky feels like late Twitter
(shorter half-life, is that smoke?)
X feels like a post-Twitter dumpster fire
(no change expected)
For the record and I'm sure to nobody's surprise: #NupToTheCup
We should replace the whole thing with Canapes For Critters day. Everyone can still dress up and get munted in a marquee, and the "bookies" will be representatives of animal-related causes taking donations.
We should replace the whole thing with Canapes For Critters day. Everyone can still dress up and get munted in a marquee, and the "bookies" will be representatives of animal-related causes taking donations.
November 4, 2025 at 5:26 AM
For the record and I'm sure to nobody's surprise: #NupToTheCup
We should replace the whole thing with Canapes For Critters day. Everyone can still dress up and get munted in a marquee, and the "bookies" will be representatives of animal-related causes taking donations.
We should replace the whole thing with Canapes For Critters day. Everyone can still dress up and get munted in a marquee, and the "bookies" will be representatives of animal-related causes taking donations.
Reposted by Ben Buchanan
INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE
SECOND INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE OVER ZOOM TO MEET MORE OF THE TEAM
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL ON THIS OCCASION, BUT WE HOPE YOU'LL APPLY FOR FUTURE POSITIONS WITH THE VAMPIRE
SECOND INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE OVER ZOOM TO MEET MORE OF THE TEAM
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL ON THIS OCCASION, BUT WE HOPE YOU'LL APPLY FOR FUTURE POSITIONS WITH THE VAMPIRE
November 1, 2025 at 6:34 AM
INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE
SECOND INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE OVER ZOOM TO MEET MORE OF THE TEAM
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL ON THIS OCCASION, BUT WE HOPE YOU'LL APPLY FOR FUTURE POSITIONS WITH THE VAMPIRE
SECOND INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE OVER ZOOM TO MEET MORE OF THE TEAM
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL ON THIS OCCASION, BUT WE HOPE YOU'LL APPLY FOR FUTURE POSITIONS WITH THE VAMPIRE
Reposted by Ben Buchanan
We have progressed from data collection to data analysis.
November 1, 2025 at 12:31 AM
We have progressed from data collection to data analysis.
Reposted by Ben Buchanan
📘 Debugging CSS book is $19.99. Get your copy and level up your CSS debugging skills, or tell a friend about it.
debuggingcss.com
debuggingcss.com
Master the Skill of Debugging CSS
An ebook with lots of tips and techniques on how to debug CSS the right way with easy and studied methods.
debuggingcss.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:55 AM
📘 Debugging CSS book is $19.99. Get your copy and level up your CSS debugging skills, or tell a friend about it.
debuggingcss.com
debuggingcss.com
That thing where you shipped a feature in your own product that you really wanted *as a user* and using it is SO SATISFYING
October 31, 2025 at 2:47 AM
That thing where you shipped a feature in your own product that you really wanted *as a user* and using it is SO SATISFYING
Who's going to Web Directions Summit this year? I'm going, but for the first time in 20 years won't be a local...! Feels weird, NGL...
October 29, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Who's going to Web Directions Summit this year? I'm going, but for the first time in 20 years won't be a local...! Feels weird, NGL...
A tale of the old internet and a spark of light that *unshittification* can still be possible. At least enough to bring a dog home.
www.patreon.com/posts/142111...
www.patreon.com/posts/142111...
Tiny Adds Up: Unshittification and The Pawshank Redemption | Catherynne M. Valente
Get more from Catherynne M. Valente on Patreon
www.patreon.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:08 AM
A tale of the old internet and a spark of light that *unshittification* can still be possible. At least enough to bring a dog home.
www.patreon.com/posts/142111...
www.patreon.com/posts/142111...
Reposted by Ben Buchanan
uh, that’s not “reimagining” the novel. that’s…the novel.
Del Toro's new Frankenstein adaption reimagines Mary Shelley's 1818 Gothic novel. Frankenstein was like a tech bro: "creating something without considering the consequences," he explains. n.pr/3L5exuu
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro says 'I'd rather die' than use generative AI
Del Toro's new Frankenstein adaption reimagines Mary Shelley's 1818 Gothic novel. Frankenstein was like a tech bro: "creating something without considering the consequences," he explains.
n.pr
October 26, 2025 at 1:38 AM
uh, that’s not “reimagining” the novel. that’s…the novel.
Of course the word "imagine" appears in that memo.
NEW: an internal Meta message we obtained tells employees on its metaverse team that they should be using AI to “go 5x faster”. That's 5 times faster, not 5 percent more www.404media.co/meta-tells-w...
Meta Tells Workers Building Metaverse to Use AI to ‘Go 5x Faster’
Meta says that its coders should be working five times faster and that it expects "a 5x leap in productivity."
www.404media.co
October 26, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Of course the word "imagine" appears in that memo.