Baldur Bjarnason
@baldurbjarnason.com
Writer, web developer and consultant based in Hveragerði, Iceland. Lapsed Interactive Media Academic. Webby Tech Stuff and webby book stuff.
https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/
https://softwarecrisis.dev/
https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/
https://softwarecrisis.dev/
Pinned
Baldur Bjarnason
@baldurbjarnason.com
· Oct 27
I figure since there's been a recent influx of people here on Bluesky, it might be worthwhile to do "highlights reels" of sorts for my newsletter, which is at www.baldurbjarnason.com
The biggest topic on my newsletter is software and web development, usually from a bit of a systemic perspective.
The biggest topic on my newsletter is software and web development, usually from a bit of a systemic perspective.
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
This week's theme is objects rusting in nature.
#Iceland #photography #naturephotography #nature #landscape #landscapephotography #abandoned #decay #rust #plants #moss
#Iceland #photography #naturephotography #nature #landscape #landscapephotography #abandoned #decay #rust #plants #moss
November 24, 2025 at 10:00 PM
This week's theme is objects rusting in nature.
#Iceland #photography #naturephotography #nature #landscape #landscapephotography #abandoned #decay #rust #plants #moss
#Iceland #photography #naturephotography #nature #landscape #landscapephotography #abandoned #decay #rust #plants #moss
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
Maybe it's a magic door.
#Iceland #Reykjavik #photography #naturephotography #nature #landscape #landscapephotography #abandoned #decay #rust #door #plants #moss
#Iceland #Reykjavik #photography #naturephotography #nature #landscape #landscapephotography #abandoned #decay #rust #door #plants #moss
November 25, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Maybe it's a magic door.
#Iceland #Reykjavik #photography #naturephotography #nature #landscape #landscapephotography #abandoned #decay #rust #door #plants #moss
#Iceland #Reykjavik #photography #naturephotography #nature #landscape #landscapephotography #abandoned #decay #rust #door #plants #moss
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
I get so frustrated with people who demean expertise while centering the narrative of a corporation.
November 25, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I get so frustrated with people who demean expertise while centering the narrative of a corporation.
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
I think there's an interesting study of media to be done looking at who gets labeled an "expert" and who gets labeled a "skeptic". Certainly for coverage of "AI", but I wonder if there are other topics that would make interesting comparisons.
November 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I think there's an interesting study of media to be done looking at who gets labeled an "expert" and who gets labeled a "skeptic". Certainly for coverage of "AI", but I wonder if there are other topics that would make interesting comparisons.
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
this is the correct answer to that “if you were a despotic president what film would you force to get made” question
November 25, 2025 at 9:48 PM
this is the correct answer to that “if you were a despotic president what film would you force to get made” question
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
✍️ It's not high-brow, it's not erudite, but it is a ranty af blog post about AI slop: rmoff.net/2025/11/25/a...
#enshittification #AISlop #blogging
#enshittification #AISlop #blogging
AI Smells on Medium
As part of compiling the monthly interesting links posts, I go through a ton of RSS feeds, sourced from specific blogs that I follow as well as general aggregators. These aggregators include quality…
rmoff.net
November 25, 2025 at 4:27 PM
✍️ It's not high-brow, it's not erudite, but it is a ranty af blog post about AI slop: rmoff.net/2025/11/25/a...
#enshittification #AISlop #blogging
#enshittification #AISlop #blogging
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
If a product caused harm, or death, to a single person who was using it correctly, the person responsible for that product should be in a state of distress for what they did.
Doesn't matter about the scale of the product.
If they didn't say how to use it correctly, they are no less liable.
Doesn't matter about the scale of the product.
If they didn't say how to use it correctly, they are no less liable.
Nothing is more revealing of the character of Mark Zuckerberg than this
November 23, 2025 at 7:35 PM
If a product caused harm, or death, to a single person who was using it correctly, the person responsible for that product should be in a state of distress for what they did.
Doesn't matter about the scale of the product.
If they didn't say how to use it correctly, they are no less liable.
Doesn't matter about the scale of the product.
If they didn't say how to use it correctly, they are no less liable.
We need at least one of Leigh Brackett’s planetary romances to become a movie. And the world needs more movies based on Dianna Wynne Jones books.
If you were a despotic president, what movie would you force Hollywood to make? I want to see Quentin's Star Trek movie or maybe Kill Bill Vol 3.
November 25, 2025 at 8:38 PM
We need at least one of Leigh Brackett’s planetary romances to become a movie. And the world needs more movies based on Dianna Wynne Jones books.
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
Got a shoutout for my free newsletter from the UX Consultants Lounge! This is the article in question.
Even if you're not a designer, but want to know why the UX in all the products you use is bad (hint: it's not (just) because everyone is stupid) then have a read and maybe even subscribe.
Even if you're not a designer, but want to know why the UX in all the products you use is bad (hint: it's not (just) because everyone is stupid) then have a read and maybe even subscribe.
November 25, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Got a shoutout for my free newsletter from the UX Consultants Lounge! This is the article in question.
Even if you're not a designer, but want to know why the UX in all the products you use is bad (hint: it's not (just) because everyone is stupid) then have a read and maybe even subscribe.
Even if you're not a designer, but want to know why the UX in all the products you use is bad (hint: it's not (just) because everyone is stupid) then have a read and maybe even subscribe.
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
"Holy shit, look at me, I'm doing something that just a year or so ago I found really hard and stressful and confusing, but it's second nature now."
Generative AI deliberately removes this, entirely, from learning.
Generative AI deliberately removes this, entirely, from learning.
November 25, 2025 at 2:58 PM
"Holy shit, look at me, I'm doing something that just a year or so ago I found really hard and stressful and confusing, but it's second nature now."
Generative AI deliberately removes this, entirely, from learning.
Generative AI deliberately removes this, entirely, from learning.
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
When you seek revenge, dig two graves. That way you can take revenge on two guys at once and maximize your productivity.
August 28, 2025 at 2:18 PM
When you seek revenge, dig two graves. That way you can take revenge on two guys at once and maximize your productivity.
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
⚓️ New Article: A garden in bloom
A garden in bloom
Last week, I updated the layout of my digital garden and pulled over a ton of stuff that was behind the members-only paywall.
I’ll be doing some pruning and tending to the garden over the coming weeks. The sections on fetch(), flexbox, and CSS grid could all use some cleaning up to make them more clear and simple.
I’ve got guides around web components, linting, and JS testing that I haven’t added yet, because they need a complete rewrite based on how I work today.
gomakethings.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:18 PM
⚓️ New Article: A garden in bloom
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
Using genAI alienates you from everyone else. It doesn't democratize art, it atomizes it.
No genAI user is gonna get an outpouring of sincere support from others because even they themselves don't give a fuck about what they're making.
No genAI user is gonna get an outpouring of sincere support from others because even they themselves don't give a fuck about what they're making.
November 24, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Using genAI alienates you from everyone else. It doesn't democratize art, it atomizes it.
No genAI user is gonna get an outpouring of sincere support from others because even they themselves don't give a fuck about what they're making.
No genAI user is gonna get an outpouring of sincere support from others because even they themselves don't give a fuck about what they're making.
“Where there is a wall | A Working Library”
https://aworkinglibrary.com/writing/where-there-is-a-wall
https://aworkinglibrary.com/writing/where-there-is-a-wall
November 25, 2025 at 3:17 PM
“Where there is a wall | A Working Library”
https://aworkinglibrary.com/writing/where-there-is-a-wall
https://aworkinglibrary.com/writing/where-there-is-a-wall
So, since the retailer Penninn-Eymindsson doesn’t seem to have an account here, what’s the consensus on the ethics of me just uploading the video directly with a link to their ecommerce site?
November 25, 2025 at 3:13 PM
So, since the retailer Penninn-Eymindsson doesn’t seem to have an account here, what’s the consensus on the ethics of me just uploading the video directly with a link to their ecommerce site?
Over on TikTok, the retailer Penninn-Eymundsson has posted a short interview with the author and illustrator of the graphic novel I just published.
vm.tiktok.com/ZNRJXRcFR/
vm.tiktok.com/ZNRJXRcFR/
TikTok - Make Your Day
vm.tiktok.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Over on TikTok, the retailer Penninn-Eymundsson has posted a short interview with the author and illustrator of the graphic novel I just published.
vm.tiktok.com/ZNRJXRcFR/
vm.tiktok.com/ZNRJXRcFR/
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
We're trying to do some good with this Black Friday period for Mat's course.
We've got an alternative coupon that will put £20 in Resilient Coders' pockets which both Mat and @piccalil.li match, turning that into a £60 donation.
A great org getting people into tech *for free*.
Use this link!
We've got an alternative coupon that will put £20 in Resilient Coders' pockets which both Mat and @piccalil.li match, turning that into a £60 donation.
A great org getting people into tech *for free*.
Use this link!
November 25, 2025 at 1:34 PM
We're trying to do some good with this Black Friday period for Mat's course.
We've got an alternative coupon that will put £20 in Resilient Coders' pockets which both Mat and @piccalil.li match, turning that into a £60 donation.
A great org getting people into tech *for free*.
Use this link!
We've got an alternative coupon that will put £20 in Resilient Coders' pockets which both Mat and @piccalil.li match, turning that into a £60 donation.
A great org getting people into tech *for free*.
Use this link!
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
My heart. A dose of joy.
This one used to be my most favourite heart-clutchingly romantic xkcd post.
xkcd.com/162/
This one used to be my most favourite heart-clutchingly romantic xkcd post.
xkcd.com/162/
November 25, 2025 at 5:16 AM
My heart. A dose of joy.
This one used to be my most favourite heart-clutchingly romantic xkcd post.
xkcd.com/162/
This one used to be my most favourite heart-clutchingly romantic xkcd post.
xkcd.com/162/
“The End of Naked Locker Rooms - The Atlantic”
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/2025/11/naked-locker-room-end/684907/?gift=j9r7avb6p-KY8zdjhsiSZ9ML-_mPLSAPfjbjWj9oDng
Iceland is in many ways a bit of a stereotypical Nordic society, but man are the Americans messed up
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/2025/11/naked-locker-room-end/684907/?gift=j9r7avb6p-KY8zdjhsiSZ9ML-_mPLSAPfjbjWj9oDng
Iceland is in many ways a bit of a stereotypical Nordic society, but man are the Americans messed up
November 25, 2025 at 9:51 AM
“The End of Naked Locker Rooms - The Atlantic”
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/2025/11/naked-locker-room-end/684907/?gift=j9r7avb6p-KY8zdjhsiSZ9ML-_mPLSAPfjbjWj9oDng
Iceland is in many ways a bit of a stereotypical Nordic society, but man are the Americans messed up
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/2025/11/naked-locker-room-end/684907/?gift=j9r7avb6p-KY8zdjhsiSZ9ML-_mPLSAPfjbjWj9oDng
Iceland is in many ways a bit of a stereotypical Nordic society, but man are the Americans messed up
“Don’t cite the Adversarial Poetry vs AI paper — it’s chatbot-made marketing ‘science’ – Pivot to AI”
https://pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/24/dont-cite-the-adversarial-poetry-vs-ai-paper-its-chatbot-made-marketing-science/
> They wrote a good headline, and then they faked the scientific process bit.
https://pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/24/dont-cite-the-adversarial-poetry-vs-ai-paper-its-chatbot-made-marketing-science/
> They wrote a good headline, and then they faked the scientific process bit.
November 25, 2025 at 9:41 AM
“Don’t cite the Adversarial Poetry vs AI paper — it’s chatbot-made marketing ‘science’ – Pivot to AI”
https://pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/24/dont-cite-the-adversarial-poetry-vs-ai-paper-its-chatbot-made-marketing-science/
> They wrote a good headline, and then they faked the scientific process bit.
https://pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/24/dont-cite-the-adversarial-poetry-vs-ai-paper-its-chatbot-made-marketing-science/
> They wrote a good headline, and then they faked the scientific process bit.
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
Good news we have hot water, bad news this shit was expensive
Please buy my books? Definitely need to sell a few dozen (hundred sob) copies
Please buy my books? Definitely need to sell a few dozen (hundred sob) copies
Plumber confirmed that the fuses blowing yesterday was due to the water heater and we need a new water heater. I did find the fuse for the water heater itself so we're good heating wise
(last night we had no light or heating in half the flat, which is less fun).
Wheee
Please buy my books?
(last night we had no light or heating in half the flat, which is less fun).
Wheee
Please buy my books?
November 23, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Good news we have hot water, bad news this shit was expensive
Please buy my books? Definitely need to sell a few dozen (hundred sob) copies
Please buy my books? Definitely need to sell a few dozen (hundred sob) copies
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
There actually has not been enough reflection in the tech community about DOGE
November 24, 2025 at 4:10 PM
There actually has not been enough reflection in the tech community about DOGE
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
GOLDMAN has some tough words about the young college-grad unemployment rate rising to 8.5%. 👀
“.. A further deterioration in employment opportunities .. perhaps reflecting AI and other efficiency-enhancing measures .. could have a disproportionate negative impact on consumer spending ..”
“.. A further deterioration in employment opportunities .. perhaps reflecting AI and other efficiency-enhancing measures .. could have a disproportionate negative impact on consumer spending ..”
November 24, 2025 at 2:24 PM
GOLDMAN has some tough words about the young college-grad unemployment rate rising to 8.5%. 👀
“.. A further deterioration in employment opportunities .. perhaps reflecting AI and other efficiency-enhancing measures .. could have a disproportionate negative impact on consumer spending ..”
“.. A further deterioration in employment opportunities .. perhaps reflecting AI and other efficiency-enhancing measures .. could have a disproportionate negative impact on consumer spending ..”
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
the big problem with that Adversarial Poetry versus AI paper is that they did half the work with chatbots and not humans.
they translated prompts into poems using chatbots.
then they judged how well the poems jailbroke the chatbots using other chatbots to do the judging?!
>>
they translated prompts into poems using chatbots.
then they judged how well the poems jailbroke the chatbots using other chatbots to do the judging?!
>>
November 24, 2025 at 2:59 PM
the big problem with that Adversarial Poetry versus AI paper is that they did half the work with chatbots and not humans.
they translated prompts into poems using chatbots.
then they judged how well the poems jailbroke the chatbots using other chatbots to do the judging?!
>>
they translated prompts into poems using chatbots.
then they judged how well the poems jailbroke the chatbots using other chatbots to do the judging?!
>>
Reposted by Baldur Bjarnason
Every excuse everyone makes for why this is OK falls the fuck apart when everyone gets to make money on our work except for us.
November 24, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Every excuse everyone makes for why this is OK falls the fuck apart when everyone gets to make money on our work except for us.