Dorota Parad
@dorotaparad.bsky.social
Co-founder of Authress (private, self-funded), thinker, occasional speaker, ND
🇨🇭 Switzerland
Sociology, philosophy, computer stuff
My blog: https://dorotaparad.ch/
🇨🇭 Switzerland
Sociology, philosophy, computer stuff
My blog: https://dorotaparad.ch/
Reposted by Dorota Parad
So, Generative AI is a stochastic parrot regurgitating the average of all the world’s most mediocre code… Yet, somehow, the “upper elite 1% of talent” is getting massive productivity gains from it? To the point where Elite Performing tech corporations mandate it?
That doesn’t add up
That doesn’t add up
September 18, 2025 at 9:19 PM
So, Generative AI is a stochastic parrot regurgitating the average of all the world’s most mediocre code… Yet, somehow, the “upper elite 1% of talent” is getting massive productivity gains from it? To the point where Elite Performing tech corporations mandate it?
That doesn’t add up
That doesn’t add up
I wrote a longer bit on this topic: dorotaparad.ch/aiaiaiaiai/
August 14, 2025 at 7:49 AM
I wrote a longer bit on this topic: dorotaparad.ch/aiaiaiaiai/
I keep hearing this claim again and again - microservice architecture comes with extra complexity. Is that really so?
dorotaparad.ch/microservice...
dorotaparad.ch/microservice...
The myth of complexity: why microservice architecture doesn’t work for you | Value Added Thoughts
When I started my company, it was very obvious that we were going with a microservice architecture from the get go. Even though we were just two people, it seemed like the right choice. Different piec...
dorotaparad.ch
July 23, 2025 at 7:11 AM
I keep hearing this claim again and again - microservice architecture comes with extra complexity. Is that really so?
dorotaparad.ch/microservice...
dorotaparad.ch/microservice...
When we only reward teams for delivering features or solving problems, we encourage two things:
1) releasing features that don’t matter 2) creation of problems to be solved.
If you want reliable software, reward teams when nothing happens.
dorotaparad.ch/recognition-...
1) releasing features that don’t matter 2) creation of problems to be solved.
If you want reliable software, reward teams when nothing happens.
dorotaparad.ch/recognition-...
In recognition of doing nothing | Value Added Thoughts
Rewarding problem solving creates a paradox.
Imagine two different teams.
One team, let’s call it Team A, is not very dynamic.
The team members are content, they do solid work every day, and work well...
dorotaparad.ch
July 15, 2025 at 1:57 PM
When we only reward teams for delivering features or solving problems, we encourage two things:
1) releasing features that don’t matter 2) creation of problems to be solved.
If you want reliable software, reward teams when nothing happens.
dorotaparad.ch/recognition-...
1) releasing features that don’t matter 2) creation of problems to be solved.
If you want reliable software, reward teams when nothing happens.
dorotaparad.ch/recognition-...
@british-airways.bsky.social what's up with your booking system? I'm trying to book a flight and both your website and the app throw errors for the second day now, can't complete the process.
Are you not selling tickets anymore? Don't you want my money? 🫠
Are you not selling tickets anymore? Don't you want my money? 🫠
July 14, 2025 at 7:17 AM
@british-airways.bsky.social what's up with your booking system? I'm trying to book a flight and both your website and the app throw errors for the second day now, can't complete the process.
Are you not selling tickets anymore? Don't you want my money? 🫠
Are you not selling tickets anymore? Don't you want my money? 🫠
I’ve finally created a home for some of my scribbles: dorotaparad.ch
I will fill it out with my past and new articles in the coming weeks and beyond. (1/6)
I will fill it out with my past and new articles in the coming weeks and beyond. (1/6)
Value Added Thoughts
dorotaparad.ch
July 7, 2025 at 7:25 AM
I’ve finally created a home for some of my scribbles: dorotaparad.ch
I will fill it out with my past and new articles in the coming weeks and beyond. (1/6)
I will fill it out with my past and new articles in the coming weeks and beyond. (1/6)
Reposted by Dorota Parad
I have a very simple heuristic: If you and the CEO aren't on first-name speaking terms by the end of your first month, either the company's too big for you to matter, or the CEO thinks it is. Neither's a good omen.
June 25, 2025 at 1:53 PM
I have a very simple heuristic: If you and the CEO aren't on first-name speaking terms by the end of your first month, either the company's too big for you to matter, or the CEO thinks it is. Neither's a good omen.
It is so much easier to destroy than to build.
June 13, 2025 at 1:00 PM
It is so much easier to destroy than to build.
I've said this before: AI is good for raising the floor, not raising the ceiling.
The more skilled you are at a given task, the less useful you’re likely to find LLMs for said task. It’s not that every LLM detractor has never used a LLM before, it’s more likely you’re just bad enough that the LLM seems good in comparison.
May 3, 2025 at 7:10 AM
I've said this before: AI is good for raising the floor, not raising the ceiling.
Replacing friends with LLM chatbots would be like replacing missing nutrients with eating your own feces. Even if you're not put off by the idea, you won't get anything that wasn't already chewed and digested.
May 2, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Replacing friends with LLM chatbots would be like replacing missing nutrients with eating your own feces. Even if you're not put off by the idea, you won't get anything that wasn't already chewed and digested.
Look at this beauty I've met on the side of the road
April 28, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Look at this beauty I've met on the side of the road
Reposted by Dorota Parad
Most folks don't actually want unbiased news. They want news biased in ways that match their existing beliefs while appearing objective to outsiders.
April 27, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Most folks don't actually want unbiased news. They want news biased in ways that match their existing beliefs while appearing objective to outsiders.
Contrary to the narrative peddled to us by tech bros, the AI is not going to cause a revolution or bring huge breakthroughs. The value of AI is not in raising the ceiling, it's in raising the floor.
Slow and boring. And doesn't make money.
Slow and boring. And doesn't make money.
April 27, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Contrary to the narrative peddled to us by tech bros, the AI is not going to cause a revolution or bring huge breakthroughs. The value of AI is not in raising the ceiling, it's in raising the floor.
Slow and boring. And doesn't make money.
Slow and boring. And doesn't make money.
Reposted by Dorota Parad
If your talent acquisition system doesn’t have a way to recognize that it under-leveled someone after hire (and correct it!), you’ll inevitably build a pipeline that incentivizes identifying “hidden” talent to exploit
April 22, 2025 at 6:46 AM
If your talent acquisition system doesn’t have a way to recognize that it under-leveled someone after hire (and correct it!), you’ll inevitably build a pipeline that incentivizes identifying “hidden” talent to exploit
If you're hiring in tech, read this thread. The whole thing. And then read it again.
Wanna know how I got my first job? I was groomed for the test by my future coworker
How? He gave me a problem and drilled it. He gave me a rubric too. Then I practiced at home for hours
When I tested the next morning I was horrified: I thought it’d be similar, but he had given me the *exact* test
How? He gave me a problem and drilled it. He gave me a rubric too. Then I practiced at home for hours
When I tested the next morning I was horrified: I thought it’d be similar, but he had given me the *exact* test
(I personally talked with this person and know them well)
This company hired full remote without issue for years: this is the first proper shocker they have.
They are changing their process, of course. In-person interviews, in-part likely to be unavoidable.
This company hired full remote without issue for years: this is the first proper shocker they have.
They are changing their process, of course. In-person interviews, in-part likely to be unavoidable.
April 13, 2025 at 7:32 AM
If you're hiring in tech, read this thread. The whole thing. And then read it again.
Reposted by Dorota Parad
Even as feminists, it takes conscious work not to give greater weight to the opinions of men. We've spent our lives absorbing untrue messaging that men are more serious and trustworthy.
April 11, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Even as feminists, it takes conscious work not to give greater weight to the opinions of men. We've spent our lives absorbing untrue messaging that men are more serious and trustworthy.
Our Coop Wülflingen is not a bodega, that's why our cat is on sale.
March 31, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Our Coop Wülflingen is not a bodega, that's why our cat is on sale.
Reposted by Dorota Parad
No documentation is superior to wrong documentation.
March 30, 2025 at 10:23 PM
No documentation is superior to wrong documentation.
Great, we're back to spheres of control and imperialism all over again. GG, humanity.
March 27, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Great, we're back to spheres of control and imperialism all over again. GG, humanity.
Reposted by Dorota Parad
You're looking at three golden tortoise beetles (Charidotella sexpunctata). They're native to the Americas, generally the east coast of North America all the way down to Argentina.
The gold coloration is structural, semi-reflective layers in the cuticle selectively reflect wavelengths of light.
The gold coloration is structural, semi-reflective layers in the cuticle selectively reflect wavelengths of light.
March 26, 2025 at 12:39 PM
You're looking at three golden tortoise beetles (Charidotella sexpunctata). They're native to the Americas, generally the east coast of North America all the way down to Argentina.
The gold coloration is structural, semi-reflective layers in the cuticle selectively reflect wavelengths of light.
The gold coloration is structural, semi-reflective layers in the cuticle selectively reflect wavelengths of light.
You can't replace thinking with tooling.
AI is just another tool so if you call yourself an engineer, don't expect it to do your work for you.
I love how Birgitta Böckeler describes the benefits and pitfalls for software work:
martinfowler.com/articles/exp...
AI is just another tool so if you call yourself an engineer, don't expect it to do your work for you.
I love how Birgitta Böckeler describes the benefits and pitfalls for software work:
martinfowler.com/articles/exp...
Exploring Generative AI
Notes from my Thoughtworks colleagues on AI-assisted software delivery
martinfowler.com
March 26, 2025 at 2:29 PM
You can't replace thinking with tooling.
AI is just another tool so if you call yourself an engineer, don't expect it to do your work for you.
I love how Birgitta Böckeler describes the benefits and pitfalls for software work:
martinfowler.com/articles/exp...
AI is just another tool so if you call yourself an engineer, don't expect it to do your work for you.
I love how Birgitta Böckeler describes the benefits and pitfalls for software work:
martinfowler.com/articles/exp...
Reposted by Dorota Parad
March 21, 2025 at 8:14 AM
What if Rust is my natural language?
they're telling us at work that the future of software is no longer clicking on things, but "asking what you want in natural language." what this fails to account for is that clicking on things is already faster than that and requires a lot less development time
March 20, 2025 at 10:29 AM
What if Rust is my natural language?
When people design their orgs they like to put roles into sharp boxes where everything fits, nice and tidy. But the real world is messy. Dysfunction emerges where clean boxes collide with organic reality.
Hence we reorg and reorg, ad infinitum. You can never solve this problem in a clean way.
Hence we reorg and reorg, ad infinitum. You can never solve this problem in a clean way.
March 19, 2025 at 1:52 PM
When people design their orgs they like to put roles into sharp boxes where everything fits, nice and tidy. But the real world is messy. Dysfunction emerges where clean boxes collide with organic reality.
Hence we reorg and reorg, ad infinitum. You can never solve this problem in a clean way.
Hence we reorg and reorg, ad infinitum. You can never solve this problem in a clean way.
Reposted by Dorota Parad
I really need people to figure out how to receive information in ways that don't exclusively confirm their priors.
March 18, 2025 at 10:44 PM
I really need people to figure out how to receive information in ways that don't exclusively confirm their priors.