Bess Sadler
@eosadler.bsky.social
Software Engineer, Agile Team Coach, building DevOps and Safety culture for research data management
Reposted by Bess Sadler
Chronic pain is disability. So to everybody out there in pain all the time, you're disabled. I know we keep our chronic pain to ourselves because no one wants to hear about it & do our best to manage. But if it affects your day to day functionality, you're a disabled person.
February 17, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Chronic pain is disability. So to everybody out there in pain all the time, you're disabled. I know we keep our chronic pain to ourselves because no one wants to hear about it & do our best to manage. But if it affects your day to day functionality, you're a disabled person.
Reposted by Bess Sadler
Reposted by Bess Sadler
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little."
—FDR, 1937
—FDR, 1937
February 16, 2026 at 7:01 PM
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little."
—FDR, 1937
—FDR, 1937
Reposted by Bess Sadler
The job of engineers is not to deploy some technology but to build robust, reliable and sustainable (in all meanings of that word) solutions for real world problems based on requirements directly derived from people's needs. Even for an engineer technology comes second at best.
February 16, 2026 at 12:10 PM
The job of engineers is not to deploy some technology but to build robust, reliable and sustainable (in all meanings of that word) solutions for real world problems based on requirements directly derived from people's needs. Even for an engineer technology comes second at best.
Reposted by Bess Sadler
Quality maps directly to trust. Nobody trusts buggy software. If those bugs somehow got you to market first, those same bugs will drive your customers into your competitor's open arms in a heartbeat. Once trust is lost, it's lost forever.
1/3
1/3
February 15, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Quality maps directly to trust. Nobody trusts buggy software. If those bugs somehow got you to market first, those same bugs will drive your customers into your competitor's open arms in a heartbeat. Once trust is lost, it's lost forever.
1/3
1/3
Reposted by Bess Sadler
Has our brain tried a GC collection algorithm that doesn’t have a stop the world mark and sweep phase? Could be interesting. Hmu, biology, I’d like less sleep pauses please
Recent research reveals we dip into a sleeplike state as our brains flush out waste buildup. on.wsj.com/40ekauw
Scientists have discovered what’s happening in your brain when you’re sleep deprived and experience a lapse in focus
Recent research reveals we dip into a sleeplike state as our brains flush out waste buildup.
on.wsj.com
February 14, 2026 at 12:10 PM
Has our brain tried a GC collection algorithm that doesn’t have a stop the world mark and sweep phase? Could be interesting. Hmu, biology, I’d like less sleep pauses please
Reposted by Bess Sadler
You know when the delivery driver leaves your package in the bin just before it's emptied or on your doorstep in heavy rain?
That's you, that is, deploying software and moving straight on to the next feature.
That's you, that is, deploying software and moving straight on to the next feature.
February 13, 2026 at 8:54 AM
You know when the delivery driver leaves your package in the bin just before it's emptied or on your doorstep in heavy rain?
That's you, that is, deploying software and moving straight on to the next feature.
That's you, that is, deploying software and moving straight on to the next feature.
Reposted by Bess Sadler
The files, found on a bygone piece of audio recording equipment, may give scientists new evidence about how humans have changed the ocean.
Oldest known whale song recordings discovered in Cape Cod archives
The files, found on a bygone piece of audio recording equipment, may give scientists new evidence about how humans have changed the ocean.
www.wbur.org
February 11, 2026 at 6:49 PM
The files, found on a bygone piece of audio recording equipment, may give scientists new evidence about how humans have changed the ocean.
Reposted by Bess Sadler
the people who spread the “female brains are bad at math and spatial reasoning” lies should be tried at the Hague
Another fun wrinkle from that period (that might still exist): I was good at math and loved it and then my geometry teacher told me that I'd probably struggle because female brains were bad at spatial thinking. I kept loving math & being good at it but assumed that would end so I ended it first.
Those who weren’t resigned to the Math Idiot Garbage Bin as kids may not grasp how much “if you’re bad at math, you’ll die in a ditch and all will be better off for it” sentiment was floating around in the 90s and 2000s, but it sure felt real to me.
(my parents are great! It didn’t come from them!)
(my parents are great! It didn’t come from them!)
February 11, 2026 at 2:41 PM
the people who spread the “female brains are bad at math and spatial reasoning” lies should be tried at the Hague
Painfully accurate. It’s classic for a reason. 😆
Today's Classic Meeting Comics features the first appearance of Gil.
Check it: meetingcomics.thecomicseries.com
Check it: meetingcomics.thecomicseries.com
February 11, 2026 at 6:35 PM
Painfully accurate. It’s classic for a reason. 😆
Reposted by Bess Sadler
I build software from the outside-in, driving the design from the outcomes the user needs.
I build software development capability from the inside-out, driving better outcomes starting with the highest-leverage changes first.
I build software development capability from the inside-out, driving better outcomes starting with the highest-leverage changes first.
February 11, 2026 at 2:23 PM
I build software from the outside-in, driving the design from the outcomes the user needs.
I build software development capability from the inside-out, driving better outcomes starting with the highest-leverage changes first.
I build software development capability from the inside-out, driving better outcomes starting with the highest-leverage changes first.
Reposted by Bess Sadler
Repair Manifesto: If we can't fix it, we don't own it.
- Repair is better than recycling.
- Repair saves us money.
- Repair teaches basic engineering.
- Repair saves the planet.
- Repair connects people and things.
- Repair is sustainable.
#Minimalism
- Repair is better than recycling.
- Repair saves us money.
- Repair teaches basic engineering.
- Repair saves the planet.
- Repair connects people and things.
- Repair is sustainable.
#Minimalism
February 10, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Repair Manifesto: If we can't fix it, we don't own it.
- Repair is better than recycling.
- Repair saves us money.
- Repair teaches basic engineering.
- Repair saves the planet.
- Repair connects people and things.
- Repair is sustainable.
#Minimalism
- Repair is better than recycling.
- Repair saves us money.
- Repair teaches basic engineering.
- Repair saves the planet.
- Repair connects people and things.
- Repair is sustainable.
#Minimalism
Reposted by Bess Sadler
R1: No we're not hiring on the tenure track because our peers aren't hiring on the tenure track
R1: Our peers aren't hiring on the tenure track because we aren't hiring on the tenure track
R1: wtf our grad students aren't getting hired on the tenure track
R1: No one could know how this happened
R1: Our peers aren't hiring on the tenure track because we aren't hiring on the tenure track
R1: wtf our grad students aren't getting hired on the tenure track
R1: No one could know how this happened
"Warren stated that job outcomes were a 'key factor' in the decision-making process—within the previous decade, only a 'tiny percentage' of PhD students who graduated from the LCS program went on to receive tenure track at an R1 institution." An absurd metric & sign of the conservatism of higher ed.
February 10, 2026 at 2:32 PM
R1: No we're not hiring on the tenure track because our peers aren't hiring on the tenure track
R1: Our peers aren't hiring on the tenure track because we aren't hiring on the tenure track
R1: wtf our grad students aren't getting hired on the tenure track
R1: No one could know how this happened
R1: Our peers aren't hiring on the tenure track because we aren't hiring on the tenure track
R1: wtf our grad students aren't getting hired on the tenure track
R1: No one could know how this happened
Reposted by Bess Sadler
These graphs often accompany "software engineering is over" proclamations.
They do not mean what these people claim they do.
* Hiring's actually a bit higher than in 2019
* Look at when the downturn started - months before ChatGPT was even announced
Over-hiring + interest rate hikes caused this
They do not mean what these people claim they do.
* Hiring's actually a bit higher than in 2019
* Look at when the downturn started - months before ChatGPT was even announced
Over-hiring + interest rate hikes caused this
February 10, 2026 at 2:12 PM
These graphs often accompany "software engineering is over" proclamations.
They do not mean what these people claim they do.
* Hiring's actually a bit higher than in 2019
* Look at when the downturn started - months before ChatGPT was even announced
Over-hiring + interest rate hikes caused this
They do not mean what these people claim they do.
* Hiring's actually a bit higher than in 2019
* Look at when the downturn started - months before ChatGPT was even announced
Over-hiring + interest rate hikes caused this
Reposted by Bess Sadler
Martin Luther blowing off the legacy codebase and refactoring the whole thing from scratch, only to end up with a thousand equally incomprehensible forks
TLDR Catholic theology is so full of technicalities and caveats that no one really understands all of it (including me) and anyone who says they do is selling something.
February 9, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Martin Luther blowing off the legacy codebase and refactoring the whole thing from scratch, only to end up with a thousand equally incomprehensible forks
Reposted by Bess Sadler
A story describes our users' work, not ours.
The idea is that the best software solves real problems that real people have, and that, by identifying those problems, we can build something that's actually useful.
4/5
The idea is that the best software solves real problems that real people have, and that, by identifying those problems, we can build something that's actually useful.
4/5
February 9, 2026 at 9:04 PM
A story describes our users' work, not ours.
The idea is that the best software solves real problems that real people have, and that, by identifying those problems, we can build something that's actually useful.
4/5
The idea is that the best software solves real problems that real people have, and that, by identifying those problems, we can build something that's actually useful.
4/5
Reposted by Bess Sadler
The fact that the term has been corrupted by the Jira-slinging ticket-money pseudo-Agile Scrummy culture is a real shame, because it's a valuable concept:
A "user story" is literally the user's story. It is a description of a problem, not a solution. It is not a specification.
2/5
A "user story" is literally the user's story. It is a description of a problem, not a solution. It is not a specification.
2/5
February 9, 2026 at 9:04 PM
The fact that the term has been corrupted by the Jira-slinging ticket-money pseudo-Agile Scrummy culture is a real shame, because it's a valuable concept:
A "user story" is literally the user's story. It is a description of a problem, not a solution. It is not a specification.
2/5
A "user story" is literally the user's story. It is a description of a problem, not a solution. It is not a specification.
2/5
I’m truly impressed with the creativity and communication about complexity in this project: gardener.cloud/docs/getting...
But I’m still not convinced that k8s solves any problems for me.
But I’m still not convinced that k8s solves any problems for me.
February 9, 2026 at 4:47 PM
I’m truly impressed with the creativity and communication about complexity in this project: gardener.cloud/docs/getting...
But I’m still not convinced that k8s solves any problems for me.
But I’m still not convinced that k8s solves any problems for me.
Reposted by Bess Sadler
The duration of the Level 2 bricklaying apprenticeship endorsed by the UK government is 24 months. It's equivalent to a GCSE.
A Level 3 (equivalent to A-Level) bricklaying apprenticeship required for senior roles is a further 18 months.
But sure, you can train a software developer in 12 weeks.
A Level 3 (equivalent to A-Level) bricklaying apprenticeship required for senior roles is a further 18 months.
But sure, you can train a software developer in 12 weeks.
February 8, 2026 at 9:13 AM
The duration of the Level 2 bricklaying apprenticeship endorsed by the UK government is 24 months. It's equivalent to a GCSE.
A Level 3 (equivalent to A-Level) bricklaying apprenticeship required for senior roles is a further 18 months.
But sure, you can train a software developer in 12 weeks.
A Level 3 (equivalent to A-Level) bricklaying apprenticeship required for senior roles is a further 18 months.
But sure, you can train a software developer in 12 weeks.
Reposted by Bess Sadler
Can't say it enough, if you are going to build ANYTHING, you are going to be criticized much more than you will be praised. Do not be deterred. Build what you want to exist. Find your people and seek their counsel. Keep it moving.
February 7, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Can't say it enough, if you are going to build ANYTHING, you are going to be criticized much more than you will be praised. Do not be deterred. Build what you want to exist. Find your people and seek their counsel. Keep it moving.
Reposted by Bess Sadler
me, librarian: I think information should be organized and structured logically so that searches are high in precision and recall
tech industry, 2000: nope, keyword searching and opaque relevance rankings are what you’ll get
…
tech industry, 2026: now you’ll just get fake hallucinatory text
tech industry, 2000: nope, keyword searching and opaque relevance rankings are what you’ll get
…
tech industry, 2026: now you’ll just get fake hallucinatory text
February 6, 2026 at 4:57 PM
me, librarian: I think information should be organized and structured logically so that searches are high in precision and recall
tech industry, 2000: nope, keyword searching and opaque relevance rankings are what you’ll get
…
tech industry, 2026: now you’ll just get fake hallucinatory text
tech industry, 2000: nope, keyword searching and opaque relevance rankings are what you’ll get
…
tech industry, 2026: now you’ll just get fake hallucinatory text
Reposted by Bess Sadler
SaaS stocks are down because people are gonna vibe code "free" replacements?
The real headline here is that investors are really, really gullible.
The real headline here is that investors are really, really gullible.
February 7, 2026 at 11:26 AM
SaaS stocks are down because people are gonna vibe code "free" replacements?
The real headline here is that investors are really, really gullible.
The real headline here is that investors are really, really gullible.
Reposted by Bess Sadler
Wouldn't it be funny if it turned out the businesses who are investing in, y'know, their actual business turn out to be the ones "getting ahead"?
February 7, 2026 at 12:06 PM
Wouldn't it be funny if it turned out the businesses who are investing in, y'know, their actual business turn out to be the ones "getting ahead"?
Reposted by Bess Sadler
Kinda shocked that the most successful campaign of 2025 crushed both the GOP and the Dem establishment with a simple "here are the problems and here are the things I'm going to do about it" message, and what the establishment took away from it was to lean into social media sniping and Newsom Thought
Third, the temperament of the electorate has changed. People are angry. People want answers and reassurances and to be spoken to plainly. This is a big part of why Mamdani is so popular. Running this account with the same "sick burn" energy as during the campaign just comes off as "cringe" now.
February 6, 2026 at 2:04 AM
Kinda shocked that the most successful campaign of 2025 crushed both the GOP and the Dem establishment with a simple "here are the problems and here are the things I'm going to do about it" message, and what the establishment took away from it was to lean into social media sniping and Newsom Thought