Mark Downie
@poppastring.com
🧑🏾💻OSS (dasBlog)
🏢PM @ Microsoft (Visual Studio, Core AI)
🏀📖🎸
✝️
poppastring.com/blog
🏢PM @ Microsoft (Visual Studio, Core AI)
🏀📖🎸
✝️
poppastring.com/blog
Pinned
Mark Downie
@poppastring.com
· Oct 23
A starter pack If you're looking to follow folks from Microsoft's Core AI Developer Division.
go.bsky.app/JuyrK9N
go.bsky.app/JuyrK9N
A post from the archive 📫:
What about Jevons paradox?
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/what-about-jevons-paradox
#musings #artificialintelligence
What about Jevons paradox?
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/what-about-jevons-paradox
#musings #artificialintelligence
January 17, 2026 at 7:35 PM
A post from the archive 📫:
What about Jevons paradox?
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/what-about-jevons-paradox
#musings #artificialintelligence
What about Jevons paradox?
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/what-about-jevons-paradox
#musings #artificialintelligence
Reposted by Mark Downie
Thrilling finishes, game-winners, overtime battles...
Nearly midway through the season, 11.9% of games have been decided by 2 points or fewer.
That would be the highest % in a full season in almost 40 years (1987-88)! 🤯
Nearly midway through the season, 11.9% of games have been decided by 2 points or fewer.
That would be the highest % in a full season in almost 40 years (1987-88)! 🤯
January 16, 2026 at 10:21 PM
Thrilling finishes, game-winners, overtime battles...
Nearly midway through the season, 11.9% of games have been decided by 2 points or fewer.
That would be the highest % in a full season in almost 40 years (1987-88)! 🤯
Nearly midway through the season, 11.9% of games have been decided by 2 points or fewer.
That would be the highest % in a full season in almost 40 years (1987-88)! 🤯
Reposted by Mark Downie
Applications for Scale Ready Studio are open through 1/21. A 12-week, revenue-first accelerator for NYC-based women founders building tech-enabled companies. Proud to support this initiative, powered by Women.NYC & NYC Economic Development Corporation, designed by Get Sh!t Done. scalereadystudio.com
January 15, 2026 at 9:53 PM
Applications for Scale Ready Studio are open through 1/21. A 12-week, revenue-first accelerator for NYC-based women founders building tech-enabled companies. Proud to support this initiative, powered by Women.NYC & NYC Economic Development Corporation, designed by Get Sh!t Done. scalereadystudio.com
Reposted by Mark Downie
Another @aspire.dev + Azure Functions question came up and it was a good excuse to write up how Azure resource references work in Functions.
The major key: opinionated APIs are great but you have to be prepared to adapt when opinions clash.
🔗 : blog.safia.rocks/2026/01/14/a...
The major key: opinionated APIs are great but you have to be prepared to adapt when opinions clash.
🔗 : blog.safia.rocks/2026/01/14/a...
January 14, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Another @aspire.dev + Azure Functions question came up and it was a good excuse to write up how Azure resource references work in Functions.
The major key: opinionated APIs are great but you have to be prepared to adapt when opinions clash.
🔗 : blog.safia.rocks/2026/01/14/a...
The major key: opinionated APIs are great but you have to be prepared to adapt when opinions clash.
🔗 : blog.safia.rocks/2026/01/14/a...
A post from the archive 📫:
Collecting dumps anywhere with dotnet-monitor
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/collecting-dumps-anywhere-with-dotnetmonitor
#debugging #diagnostics
Collecting dumps anywhere with dotnet-monitor
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/collecting-dumps-anywhere-with-dotnetmonitor
#debugging #diagnostics
January 14, 2026 at 7:35 PM
A post from the archive 📫:
Collecting dumps anywhere with dotnet-monitor
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/collecting-dumps-anywhere-with-dotnetmonitor
#debugging #diagnostics
Collecting dumps anywhere with dotnet-monitor
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/collecting-dumps-anywhere-with-dotnetmonitor
#debugging #diagnostics
Joe Mazzulla references 'illegal screen' in every answer to media - ESPN Video
www.espn.com
January 13, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by Mark Downie
Ministers to announce new rail link between Birmingham and Manchester ft.trib.al/JBtIyaL
Ministers to announce new rail link between Birmingham and Manchester
Government will reveal much-delayed plans for major new and upgraded rail links in north of England
ft.trib.al
January 13, 2026 at 12:08 PM
Ministers to announce new rail link between Birmingham and Manchester ft.trib.al/JBtIyaL
Reposted by Mark Downie
We are finally on our way to Kates Boats to get Close Shave repainted. We've been iced in for a few days, delaying our journey quite significantly! ❄️🥶 Thank you to our amazing volunteers for their patience & perseverance ⭐️
#Winter #Ukcanals #Volunteers #Widebeam #Charity #Boathire #TravelTuesday
#Winter #Ukcanals #Volunteers #Widebeam #Charity #Boathire #TravelTuesday
January 13, 2026 at 12:22 PM
We are finally on our way to Kates Boats to get Close Shave repainted. We've been iced in for a few days, delaying our journey quite significantly! ❄️🥶 Thank you to our amazing volunteers for their patience & perseverance ⭐️
#Winter #Ukcanals #Volunteers #Widebeam #Charity #Boathire #TravelTuesday
#Winter #Ukcanals #Volunteers #Widebeam #Charity #Boathire #TravelTuesday
Reposted by Mark Downie
Completely forgot the installer for Visual Studio 2008 used to include this character
January 11, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Completely forgot the installer for Visual Studio 2008 used to include this character
Reposted by Mark Downie
This woman is harder than goddamn steel dealing with these goddamn thugs. I want her to be my neighbor.
January 12, 2026 at 6:47 PM
This woman is harder than goddamn steel dealing with these goddamn thugs. I want her to be my neighbor.
The rhino is clearly loving the company. But how did they know this would turn out ok?
🦌 🦏 Tiny 13kg deer takes on 1.7-tonne rhino at Wroclaw Zoo
A case of David vs Goliath at Wroclaw Zoo, as a tiny 13kg deer takes on a nearly two-tonne rhinoceros and appears to come out of the clash on top.
A case of David vs Goliath at Wroclaw Zoo, as a tiny 13kg deer takes on a nearly two-tonne rhinoceros and appears to come out of the clash on top.
January 11, 2026 at 1:50 AM
The rhino is clearly loving the company. But how did they know this would turn out ok?
Ugh that is horrible! :(
January 11, 2026 at 12:50 AM
Ugh that is horrible! :(
Is that a VS extension?
marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemNa...
I cannot replicate it myself. Submitting feedback to VS and/or the author would really help.
marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemNa...
I cannot replicate it myself. Submitting feedback to VS and/or the author would really help.
Open Folder Extension 2022 - Visual Studio Marketplace
Extension for Visual Studio - Open folder feature for all items within the solution explorer.
marketplace.visualstudio.com
January 11, 2026 at 12:48 AM
Is that a VS extension?
marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemNa...
I cannot replicate it myself. Submitting feedback to VS and/or the author would really help.
marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemNa...
I cannot replicate it myself. Submitting feedback to VS and/or the author would really help.
Reposted by Mark Downie
A great point by @drfranksauer.bsky.social
January 10, 2026 at 10:41 PM
A great point by @drfranksauer.bsky.social
"Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai are cowards" …and the pattern is everywhere.
www.theverge.com/policy/85990...
www.theverge.com/policy/85990...
Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai are cowards
Once you’ve traded your principles for proximity to power, do you even run your own company?
www.theverge.com
January 10, 2026 at 9:14 PM
"Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai are cowards" …and the pattern is everywhere.
www.theverge.com/policy/85990...
www.theverge.com/policy/85990...
A post from the archive 📫:
An AI-orchestrated espionage campaign
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/an-aiorchestrated-espionage-campaign
#musings #artificialintelligence
An AI-orchestrated espionage campaign
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/an-aiorchestrated-espionage-campaign
#musings #artificialintelligence
January 10, 2026 at 7:35 PM
A post from the archive 📫:
An AI-orchestrated espionage campaign
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/an-aiorchestrated-espionage-campaign
#musings #artificialintelligence
An AI-orchestrated espionage campaign
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/an-aiorchestrated-espionage-campaign
#musings #artificialintelligence
Reposted by Mark Downie
FYI...
Visual Studio now has access to Gemini 3 Flash (Preview)
Visual Studio now has access to Gemini 3 Flash (Preview)
January 9, 2026 at 4:47 PM
FYI...
Visual Studio now has access to Gemini 3 Flash (Preview)
Visual Studio now has access to Gemini 3 Flash (Preview)
Reposted by Mark Downie
New #VisualStudio Toolbox episode!
See how VS #GitTools cut through the daily grind—faster branching, clearer commit history, smarter reviews with Copilot, and smooth sailing from commit to PR. If Git is part of your day, this one’s a time-saver.
Watch the episode: msft.it/63320txBo4
See how VS #GitTools cut through the daily grind—faster branching, clearer commit history, smarter reviews with Copilot, and smooth sailing from commit to PR. If Git is part of your day, this one’s a time-saver.
Watch the episode: msft.it/63320txBo4
January 9, 2026 at 4:00 PM
New #VisualStudio Toolbox episode!
See how VS #GitTools cut through the daily grind—faster branching, clearer commit history, smarter reviews with Copilot, and smooth sailing from commit to PR. If Git is part of your day, this one’s a time-saver.
Watch the episode: msft.it/63320txBo4
See how VS #GitTools cut through the daily grind—faster branching, clearer commit history, smarter reviews with Copilot, and smooth sailing from commit to PR. If Git is part of your day, this one’s a time-saver.
Watch the episode: msft.it/63320txBo4
Reposted by Mark Downie
It's been a cold few days on the Grand Union Canal. We hope everyone is taking care and keeping warm. Thank you to our lovely volunteer Alan for this beautiful photo of a winter sunset this week ☀️❄️🥶💦
#WaterwaysWednesday #Sunset #Winter #Cold #Volunteer #Charity #Ukcanals #GrandUnionCanal
#WaterwaysWednesday #Sunset #Winter #Cold #Volunteer #Charity #Ukcanals #GrandUnionCanal
January 7, 2026 at 4:57 PM
It's been a cold few days on the Grand Union Canal. We hope everyone is taking care and keeping warm. Thank you to our lovely volunteer Alan for this beautiful photo of a winter sunset this week ☀️❄️🥶💦
#WaterwaysWednesday #Sunset #Winter #Cold #Volunteer #Charity #Ukcanals #GrandUnionCanal
#WaterwaysWednesday #Sunset #Winter #Cold #Volunteer #Charity #Ukcanals #GrandUnionCanal
A post from the archive 📫:
Kubernetes mutating admission webhook for dotnet-monitor?
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/kubernetes-mutating-admission-webhook-for-dotnetmonitor
#dotnet #debugging #diagnostics
Kubernetes mutating admission webhook for dotnet-monitor?
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/kubernetes-mutating-admission-webhook-for-dotnetmonitor
#dotnet #debugging #diagnostics
January 7, 2026 at 7:35 PM
A post from the archive 📫:
Kubernetes mutating admission webhook for dotnet-monitor?
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/kubernetes-mutating-admission-webhook-for-dotnetmonitor
#dotnet #debugging #diagnostics
Kubernetes mutating admission webhook for dotnet-monitor?
https://www.poppastring.com/blog/kubernetes-mutating-admission-webhook-for-dotnetmonitor
#dotnet #debugging #diagnostics
Reposted by Mark Downie
🌶️ take for 2026: If we don’t continue to invest in teaching junior software engineers, we will end up with the tech equivalent of TSA agents trying to review AI-generated code.
They will have no idea what they’re looking at.
They will have no idea what they’re looking at.
January 6, 2026 at 11:44 PM
🌶️ take for 2026: If we don’t continue to invest in teaching junior software engineers, we will end up with the tech equivalent of TSA agents trying to review AI-generated code.
They will have no idea what they’re looking at.
They will have no idea what they’re looking at.
Reposted by Mark Downie
NPR built a visual archive of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, showing exactly what happened through the lenses of the people who were there. In Chapter 3, we lay out a timeline of key moments throughout the day as the assault on the Capitol unfolded.
Jan. 6, 2021: A visual archive of the Capitol attack
NPR’s Jan. 6 archive brings together reporting, video, documents and testimony to show what really happened during the Capitol riot. Explore the timeline, cases and evidence behind the attack.
n.pr
January 6, 2026 at 9:06 PM
NPR built a visual archive of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, showing exactly what happened through the lenses of the people who were there. In Chapter 3, we lay out a timeline of key moments throughout the day as the assault on the Capitol unfolded.