Steve Farrugia
@fasterandworse.com
Experienced user
Australian In Amsterdam
I talk about product design and I'm quite critical
open to work, open to talks
Words: https://fasterandworse.com
Videos: https://youtube.com/@fasterandworse
Audios: https://pnc.st/s/faster-and-worse
Australian In Amsterdam
I talk about product design and I'm quite critical
open to work, open to talks
Words: https://fasterandworse.com
Videos: https://youtube.com/@fasterandworse
Audios: https://pnc.st/s/faster-and-worse
Pinned
Steve Farrugia
@fasterandworse.com
· Sep 24
Dispatch #31: Anti-Design
YouTube video by Faster and Worse
www.youtube.com
Dispatch #31: Anti-Design
Design to compensate for a lack of design
Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3eL...
Audio: pnc.st/s/faster-and...
1/x
Design to compensate for a lack of design
Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3eL...
Audio: pnc.st/s/faster-and...
1/x
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
what are the *best* studies of AI coding that *measure* it, not just ask the devs how they *feel* about it?
not if the dev thinks they're faster. but if they *measure* faster by some reasonable methodology.
best study i know of is the METR study. that's limited (and lists its caveats). >>
not if the dev thinks they're faster. but if they *measure* faster by some reasonable methodology.
best study i know of is the METR study. that's limited (and lists its caveats). >>
January 13, 2026 at 2:12 AM
what are the *best* studies of AI coding that *measure* it, not just ask the devs how they *feel* about it?
not if the dev thinks they're faster. but if they *measure* faster by some reasonable methodology.
best study i know of is the METR study. that's limited (and lists its caveats). >>
not if the dev thinks they're faster. but if they *measure* faster by some reasonable methodology.
best study i know of is the METR study. that's limited (and lists its caveats). >>
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
Apple managed to successfully force-meme the Apple Watch because it is Apple (I'm honestly not sure what the use case is supposed to be, is it still health?). But the market never got close to smartphone universality, and non-Apple smartwatches are basically nonexistent.
January 12, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Apple managed to successfully force-meme the Apple Watch because it is Apple (I'm honestly not sure what the use case is supposed to be, is it still health?). But the market never got close to smartphone universality, and non-Apple smartwatches are basically nonexistent.
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
The "AI wearable" market is going through the exact motions as the smartwatch market did 10 years ago. Someone came up with the form factor and decided that because it exists, customers must want it
And company after company tries to force-meme demand, thinking they'll succeed where everyone failed
And company after company tries to force-meme demand, thinking they'll succeed where everyone failed
January 12, 2026 at 10:52 PM
The "AI wearable" market is going through the exact motions as the smartwatch market did 10 years ago. Someone came up with the form factor and decided that because it exists, customers must want it
And company after company tries to force-meme demand, thinking they'll succeed where everyone failed
And company after company tries to force-meme demand, thinking they'll succeed where everyone failed
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
Pokemon - Season 1 Episode 65 - Showdown at the Po-ke Corral
Frame 31/2300
Caption: Pokéball, go!
Timestamp: 00:01:24.737
Frame 31/2300
Caption: Pokéball, go!
Timestamp: 00:01:24.737
January 12, 2026 at 9:07 PM
Pokemon - Season 1 Episode 65 - Showdown at the Po-ke Corral
Frame 31/2300
Caption: Pokéball, go!
Timestamp: 00:01:24.737
Frame 31/2300
Caption: Pokéball, go!
Timestamp: 00:01:24.737
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
No, Dell is still pushing AI in PCs
Don’t believe the PCGamer hype
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtFZ... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20260112-no-... - podcast
time: 6 min 07 sec
Don’t believe the PCGamer hype
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtFZ... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20260112-no-... - podcast
time: 6 min 07 sec
January 12, 2026 at 8:39 PM
No, Dell is still pushing AI in PCs
Don’t believe the PCGamer hype
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtFZ... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20260112-no-... - podcast
time: 6 min 07 sec
Don’t believe the PCGamer hype
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtFZ... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20260112-no-... - podcast
time: 6 min 07 sec
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
The OSI model with “Layer 8” written in crayon.
Coiners: eliminate the need for a trusted third-party
AI bros:
AI bros:
January 12, 2026 at 8:18 PM
The OSI model with “Layer 8” written in crayon.
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
Coiners: eliminate the need for a trusted third-party
AI bros:
AI bros:
January 11, 2026 at 12:20 AM
Coiners: eliminate the need for a trusted third-party
AI bros:
AI bros:
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
I’m reading a 2012 book about YCombinator and keep reading passages that are just a quilt of red flags.
January 12, 2026 at 7:50 PM
I’m reading a 2012 book about YCombinator and keep reading passages that are just a quilt of red flags.
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
Every future imagined by a tech company is worse than the previous iteration.
Do You Want Your Food Made by a Robot?
E-commerce mogul Marc Lore's Wonder is leaning into automation in a $2 billion effort to do to restaurants what Amazon did to shopping.
www.bloomberg.com
January 12, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Every future imagined by a tech company is worse than the previous iteration.
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
The cost of wind and solar are Falling fast
January 12, 2026 at 7:33 PM
The cost of wind and solar are Falling fast
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
I wrote about why we should understand the metaverse hype cycle as a dress rehearsal for the generative AI hype cycle www.fastcompany.com/91467599/met...
What was the metaverse?
Mark Zuckerberg effectively declared its death last December. But the delusional fervor it inspired lives on.
www.fastcompany.com
January 12, 2026 at 6:35 PM
I wrote about why we should understand the metaverse hype cycle as a dress rehearsal for the generative AI hype cycle www.fastcompany.com/91467599/met...
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
Readers ask, "aren't you afraid of speaking out against AI?"
Ask yourself if that is normal. That one should be concerned about permanent career damage for pointing out problems.
It's just software. I'll eat humble pie if I end up being wrong. But this language of "fear" is political, ideological.
Ask yourself if that is normal. That one should be concerned about permanent career damage for pointing out problems.
It's just software. I'll eat humble pie if I end up being wrong. But this language of "fear" is political, ideological.
When you hear "better than nothing," ask whose responsibility the "nothing" is, and whether the "better than nothing" solution simply lets them abdicate that responsibility & check the box.
AI is the ultimate "better than nothing" technology. Don't negate this argument — reject the whole framing.
AI is the ultimate "better than nothing" technology. Don't negate this argument — reject the whole framing.
The incredible value of "nothing"
"Better than nothing" rhetoric hides the opportunity costs behind the bare minimum. Reject this framing.
productpicnic.beehiiv.com
January 11, 2026 at 8:04 PM
Readers ask, "aren't you afraid of speaking out against AI?"
Ask yourself if that is normal. That one should be concerned about permanent career damage for pointing out problems.
It's just software. I'll eat humble pie if I end up being wrong. But this language of "fear" is political, ideological.
Ask yourself if that is normal. That one should be concerned about permanent career damage for pointing out problems.
It's just software. I'll eat humble pie if I end up being wrong. But this language of "fear" is political, ideological.
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
When you hear "better than nothing," ask whose responsibility the "nothing" is, and whether the "better than nothing" solution simply lets them abdicate that responsibility & check the box.
AI is the ultimate "better than nothing" technology. Don't negate this argument — reject the whole framing.
AI is the ultimate "better than nothing" technology. Don't negate this argument — reject the whole framing.
The incredible value of "nothing"
"Better than nothing" rhetoric hides the opportunity costs behind the bare minimum. Reject this framing.
productpicnic.beehiiv.com
January 11, 2026 at 7:04 PM
When you hear "better than nothing," ask whose responsibility the "nothing" is, and whether the "better than nothing" solution simply lets them abdicate that responsibility & check the box.
AI is the ultimate "better than nothing" technology. Don't negate this argument — reject the whole framing.
AI is the ultimate "better than nothing" technology. Don't negate this argument — reject the whole framing.
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
The Looki L1 AI wearable
“…continuously captures a wearer's point of view, promising to advise when to avoid another cup of coffee, to comment on places or objects around you, and to summarize each day in a comic strip.”
“…continuously captures a wearer's point of view, promising to advise when to avoid another cup of coffee, to comment on places or objects around you, and to summarize each day in a comic strip.”
AI pendants back in vogue at tech show after early setback
Pendants and brooches packed with artificial intelligence abounded at the Consumer Electronics show, using cameras and microphones to watch and listen through the day like a vigilant personal assistan...
uk.finance.yahoo.com
January 11, 2026 at 4:45 PM
The Looki L1 AI wearable
“…continuously captures a wearer's point of view, promising to advise when to avoid another cup of coffee, to comment on places or objects around you, and to summarize each day in a comic strip.”
“…continuously captures a wearer's point of view, promising to advise when to avoid another cup of coffee, to comment on places or objects around you, and to summarize each day in a comic strip.”
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
If users notice your software, you’re already a loser
Nobody wants a computer. They want what it does.
SPECIAL SATURDAY EXTRA (cos I missed yesterday)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=liFW... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20260110-if-... - podcast
time: 7 min 08 sec
Nobody wants a computer. They want what it does.
SPECIAL SATURDAY EXTRA (cos I missed yesterday)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=liFW... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20260110-if-... - podcast
time: 7 min 08 sec
January 10, 2026 at 9:33 PM
If users notice your software, you’re already a loser
Nobody wants a computer. They want what it does.
SPECIAL SATURDAY EXTRA (cos I missed yesterday)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=liFW... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20260110-if-... - podcast
time: 7 min 08 sec
Nobody wants a computer. They want what it does.
SPECIAL SATURDAY EXTRA (cos I missed yesterday)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=liFW... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20260110-if-... - podcast
time: 7 min 08 sec
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
Every time elon slams twitter's dick in the car door, the new influx of people is composed of people who acclimated longer to hanging out in a Nazi bar.
The longer they spent at the Nazi bar, the worse they are at interacting normally, like feral cats past the age domestication is possible
The longer they spent at the Nazi bar, the worse they are at interacting normally, like feral cats past the age domestication is possible
March 28, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Every time elon slams twitter's dick in the car door, the new influx of people is composed of people who acclimated longer to hanging out in a Nazi bar.
The longer they spent at the Nazi bar, the worse they are at interacting normally, like feral cats past the age domestication is possible
The longer they spent at the Nazi bar, the worse they are at interacting normally, like feral cats past the age domestication is possible
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
macOS decided to install updates and restart itself autonomously overnight, destroying everything I had open, despite being previously configured to not do so. it's not even clear from the "software updates" UI that you can even configure it these days
January 11, 2026 at 12:03 PM
macOS decided to install updates and restart itself autonomously overnight, destroying everything I had open, despite being previously configured to not do so. it's not even clear from the "software updates" UI that you can even configure it these days
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
This is exactly what I mean when I say that UX has no value when the business model is not "make a thing people want and sell it for more than it costs to make."
The top 10 most profitable tech business models these days are different kinds of scam. You don't need design for that.
The top 10 most profitable tech business models these days are different kinds of scam. You don't need design for that.
It's strange how far removed this Obama-era book feels from our time, with its maker-faire optimism during the heady days of the iPhone's first flourishing. But Don, I kept thinking, especially toward the book's flowery final chapters, don't you know everything is a scam now? Tech is scams now.
January 11, 2026 at 3:31 AM
This is exactly what I mean when I say that UX has no value when the business model is not "make a thing people want and sell it for more than it costs to make."
The top 10 most profitable tech business models these days are different kinds of scam. You don't need design for that.
The top 10 most profitable tech business models these days are different kinds of scam. You don't need design for that.
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
“If users notice your software, you’re already a loser – Pivot to AI”
https://pivot-to-ai.com/2026/01/10/if-users-notice-your-software-youre-already-a-loser/
> If you’re adding sparkly icon “now with AI!” features to your software, you’re in quarterly driven failure mode
https://pivot-to-ai.com/2026/01/10/if-users-notice-your-software-youre-already-a-loser/
> If you’re adding sparkly icon “now with AI!” features to your software, you’re in quarterly driven failure mode
If users notice your software, you’re already a loser
Nobody wants a computer. They want what it does. Not the annoying machine. Including phones. I just got a new phone, a Fairphone 5. It’s a nice phone! And Fairphone will even sell you it with the G…
pivot-to-ai.com
January 11, 2026 at 10:51 AM
“If users notice your software, you’re already a loser – Pivot to AI”
https://pivot-to-ai.com/2026/01/10/if-users-notice-your-software-youre-already-a-loser/
> If you’re adding sparkly icon “now with AI!” features to your software, you’re in quarterly driven failure mode
https://pivot-to-ai.com/2026/01/10/if-users-notice-your-software-youre-already-a-loser/
> If you’re adding sparkly icon “now with AI!” features to your software, you’re in quarterly driven failure mode
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
Radical Centrism = Apathy
What matters is not who you hate or why, but that you feel hate at all, when the proper response to all events is of course to feel nothing and thereby pretend you can reason dispassionately...
What matters is not who you hate or why, but that you feel hate at all, when the proper response to all events is of course to feel nothing and thereby pretend you can reason dispassionately...
In case there’s any doubt about what TCW means here, his subsequent retweet of David French makes it clear
January 11, 2026 at 9:44 AM
Radical Centrism = Apathy
What matters is not who you hate or why, but that you feel hate at all, when the proper response to all events is of course to feel nothing and thereby pretend you can reason dispassionately...
What matters is not who you hate or why, but that you feel hate at all, when the proper response to all events is of course to feel nothing and thereby pretend you can reason dispassionately...
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
By chance, did anyone record, or see a recording of, the infamous AI-adverse DELL CES presentation that PC Gamer reported on?
www.pcgamer.com/hardware/del...
www.pcgamer.com/hardware/del...
Dell seems to be the first to realise we don't actually care about AI PCs
"What we've learned over the course of this year, from a consumer perspective, is they're not buying based on AI."
www.pcgamer.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:58 PM
By chance, did anyone record, or see a recording of, the infamous AI-adverse DELL CES presentation that PC Gamer reported on?
www.pcgamer.com/hardware/del...
www.pcgamer.com/hardware/del...
Coiners: eliminate the need for a trusted third-party
AI bros:
AI bros:
January 11, 2026 at 12:20 AM
Coiners: eliminate the need for a trusted third-party
AI bros:
AI bros:
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
normal person: chatbot output is shit
AI bro: look just try it yourself!!
normal person: (tries it) still sucks
AI bro: you're trying it *wrong*
AI bro: look just try it yourself!!
normal person: (tries it) still sucks
AI bro: you're trying it *wrong*
January 10, 2026 at 11:18 AM
normal person: chatbot output is shit
AI bro: look just try it yourself!!
normal person: (tries it) still sucks
AI bro: you're trying it *wrong*
AI bro: look just try it yourself!!
normal person: (tries it) still sucks
AI bro: you're trying it *wrong*
Reposted by Steve Farrugia
I am not sure why I would want to change my job to "explaining in excruciating detail things that you know how to do, to an idiot machine that doesn't and can't"
January 10, 2026 at 10:26 PM
I am not sure why I would want to change my job to "explaining in excruciating detail things that you know how to do, to an idiot machine that doesn't and can't"