Richard Bown
@bownie.bsky.social
Author. Engineer. Brit in NL. "Human Software" is about burnout, AI, and the humans in tech. A dark "Unicorn Project”
“Freaked me out more than any Stephen King”
“Part thriller, part whodunnit and a fine dystopian parable”
https://linktr.ee/bown_richard
“Freaked me out more than any Stephen King”
“Part thriller, part whodunnit and a fine dystopian parable”
https://linktr.ee/bown_richard
Pinned
Richard Bown
@bownie.bsky.social
· Oct 22
Human Software is now available via Waterstones, Barnes and Noble, Amazon and many others including Kobo, Leanpub.
For all the ways to buy in paperback and e-book:
humansoftwarebook.com/how-to-purch...
#booksky #writingcommunity #selfpublished
For all the ways to buy in paperback and e-book:
humansoftwarebook.com/how-to-purch...
#booksky #writingcommunity #selfpublished
HUMAN SOFTWARE is set in modern-day Kent, but a Kent where the Isle of Thanet is still an island, and Sandwich has morphed into Sandport, a mini-Rotterdam. Lots of Dutch/Kentish crossover in the book (Amsterdam gets a chapter) to reflect my journey #booksky #writingcommunity
November 27, 2025 at 7:22 AM
HUMAN SOFTWARE is set in modern-day Kent, but a Kent where the Isle of Thanet is still an island, and Sandwich has morphed into Sandport, a mini-Rotterdam. Lots of Dutch/Kentish crossover in the book (Amsterdam gets a chapter) to reflect my journey #booksky #writingcommunity
Did this last night. This morning I'm heading into Amsterdam to hit a couple more bookshops #writingcommunity #booksky #indieauthor
Popped into the local bookshop with not much expectation and left with no books except the new Murakami (over which we bonded) #booksky #selfpublished #amstelveen
November 27, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Did this last night. This morning I'm heading into Amsterdam to hit a couple more bookshops #writingcommunity #booksky #indieauthor
Popped into the local bookshop with not much expectation and left with no books except the new Murakami (over which we bonded) #booksky #selfpublished #amstelveen
November 26, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Popped into the local bookshop with not much expectation and left with no books except the new Murakami (over which we bonded) #booksky #selfpublished #amstelveen
A couple of years ago I stopped recording a very occasional podcast of some nice conversations with technical people about technosocial challenges. This Friday, exactly two years to the day since I last published an episode, it's back for an update. Catch up with old eps here: legacycoding.org
Lovin' Legacy
Legacy software systems: what are they and why are we fascinated by them? Discussions with the people that create and support them.
legacycoding.org
November 26, 2025 at 3:27 PM
A couple of years ago I stopped recording a very occasional podcast of some nice conversations with technical people about technosocial challenges. This Friday, exactly two years to the day since I last published an episode, it's back for an update. Catch up with old eps here: legacycoding.org
Did another podcast this morning. Can’t wait for you to hear it. it just underlines to me how potentially important HUMAN SOFTWARE is. #booksky #futureofwork
November 26, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Did another podcast this morning. Can’t wait for you to hear it. it just underlines to me how potentially important HUMAN SOFTWARE is. #booksky #futureofwork
Overdid it at the gym again. My arms are like rubber! All good for me though, right?
a man with a beard is sitting at a table with his hand on his chin and the words `` sure '' written on his face .
ALT: a man with a beard is sitting at a table with his hand on his chin and the words `` sure '' written on his face .
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Overdid it at the gym again. My arms are like rubber! All good for me though, right?
HUMAN SOFTWARE is on sale for Black Friday week. Under a tenner ($/GBP) on Amazon at the moment for a gorgeous (trade) paperback and it even has a stunning map. E-book is a giveaway everywhere around 2.99. Links in profile #booksky #writersofsky
November 25, 2025 at 1:01 PM
HUMAN SOFTWARE is on sale for Black Friday week. Under a tenner ($/GBP) on Amazon at the moment for a gorgeous (trade) paperback and it even has a stunning map. E-book is a giveaway everywhere around 2.99. Links in profile #booksky #writersofsky
Honestly all of these titles sound like they’ve been created by AI. Humanity, do better.
November 25, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Honestly all of these titles sound like they’ve been created by AI. Humanity, do better.
'Students at the University of Staffordshire have said they feel “robbed of knowledge and enjoyment” after a course they hoped would launch their digital careers turned out to be taught in large part by AI.'
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
‘We could have asked ChatGPT’: students fight back over course taught by AI
Staffordshire students say signs material was AI-generated included suspicious file names and rogue voiceover accent
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:31 PM
'Students at the University of Staffordshire have said they feel “robbed of knowledge and enjoyment” after a course they hoped would launch their digital careers turned out to be taught in large part by AI.'
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by Richard Bown
Look, I am very small potatoes as an author. I make too little in royalties to live off them. But I can tell you the reason I got to write my 2nd book was bc the sales of the 1st were very good. That's what else you're eating into by pirating, our ability to keep writing what you claim to love.
November 24, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Look, I am very small potatoes as an author. I make too little in royalties to live off them. But I can tell you the reason I got to write my 2nd book was bc the sales of the 1st were very good. That's what else you're eating into by pirating, our ability to keep writing what you claim to love.
I dropped off a copy of “Human Software” at my local bookshop @librisvenstra.bsky.social this lunchtime, I really hope they like it!
November 24, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I dropped off a copy of “Human Software” at my local bookshop @librisvenstra.bsky.social this lunchtime, I really hope they like it!
It's humans all the way down, lads.
A commonly-misunderstood aspect of computer security is that you are battling computers.
No. That is not right at all. Computers are barely involved.
You are battling humans who eat apathy and coordination problems.
No. That is not right at all. Computers are barely involved.
You are battling humans who eat apathy and coordination problems.
November 24, 2025 at 9:18 AM
It's humans all the way down, lads.
Reposted by Richard Bown
People who adore the LLM-machine, that by design has no concern for truth, must have no concern for truth
November 23, 2025 at 4:15 PM
People who adore the LLM-machine, that by design has no concern for truth, must have no concern for truth
Reorganised all my files for a little clarity. I've been putting this off for SO LONG
November 23, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Reorganised all my files for a little clarity. I've been putting this off for SO LONG
Me back in the day just before going to university. Engineers of the future! I’m Mr R.Brown of course because no-one believes my surname is BOWN
November 23, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Me back in the day just before going to university. Engineers of the future! I’m Mr R.Brown of course because no-one believes my surname is BOWN
Walt paying for Hank’s medical expenses using drug money is just 👌#breakingbad S3E9 “Kafkaesque”
November 22, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Walt paying for Hank’s medical expenses using drug money is just 👌#breakingbad S3E9 “Kafkaesque”
My career highlight as an author to date!
November 22, 2025 at 7:53 AM
My career highlight as an author to date!
Friday night on my own (well, probably) and it'll be a couple of old eps of Breaking Bad (end of S3) and new Pluribus. Not a bad line up!
November 21, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Friday night on my own (well, probably) and it'll be a couple of old eps of Breaking Bad (end of S3) and new Pluribus. Not a bad line up!
Reader platforms. A short thread. I was talking about my marketing strategy at a meetup this week and said that LinkedIn was my primary platform - which is absolutely true. I have almost 2k followers there and my book is written for software geeks so that makes sense.
November 21, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Reader platforms. A short thread. I was talking about my marketing strategy at a meetup this week and said that LinkedIn was my primary platform - which is absolutely true. I have almost 2k followers there and my book is written for software geeks so that makes sense.
Today has seen me taking one very uncooperative cat to the vets and them failing to draw any blood, me installing a new security light that broke immediately, writing one Linked In post which I thought would fly and has to date 56 impressions. Beer is in the fridge. Pluribus on later. Relax.
November 21, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Today has seen me taking one very uncooperative cat to the vets and them failing to draw any blood, me installing a new security light that broke immediately, writing one Linked In post which I thought would fly and has to date 56 impressions. Beer is in the fridge. Pluribus on later. Relax.
The first paragraph of the foreword. I stand by it.
November 21, 2025 at 7:18 AM
The first paragraph of the foreword. I stand by it.
Remembering the last time we saw the Stones Roses and Ian Brown led us in a chant of "Fuck off Mani!" I'm sure it was good natured. RIP Mani #stoneroses
November 20, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Remembering the last time we saw the Stones Roses and Ian Brown led us in a chant of "Fuck off Mani!" I'm sure it was good natured. RIP Mani #stoneroses
Sold three books today. A price drop has helped I feel although the first person (teammate) said “wow that’s cheap!” While the second (also a teammate) was not sure!
November 20, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Sold three books today. A price drop has helped I feel although the first person (teammate) said “wow that’s cheap!” While the second (also a teammate) was not sure!
I gave a great talk tonight and I might have sold a book. #writinglife
November 19, 2025 at 9:21 PM
I gave a great talk tonight and I might have sold a book. #writinglife