Doug Turnbull
@softwaredoug.bsky.social
Search at Reddit, formerly Shopify and OpenSource Connections. Helped write Relevant Search / AI Powered Search
http://softwaredoug.com
http://softwaredoug.com
YIMBYs (myself included) like to argue from economics of housing. IMO this doesn’t work beyond policy circles. It backfires with resident groups
Effective politics of housing seems more about supporting existing residents.
ADUs, a new building for existing tenants, enabling better services, etc
Effective politics of housing seems more about supporting existing residents.
ADUs, a new building for existing tenants, enabling better services, etc
December 26, 2025 at 7:00 AM
YIMBYs (myself included) like to argue from economics of housing. IMO this doesn’t work beyond policy circles. It backfires with resident groups
Effective politics of housing seems more about supporting existing residents.
ADUs, a new building for existing tenants, enabling better services, etc
Effective politics of housing seems more about supporting existing residents.
ADUs, a new building for existing tenants, enabling better services, etc
Successful, lefty political groups couple social support and political power.
Labor Unions support their members
Civil Rights movement took care of each other
Machine politics...
You prototype the institutions you want to build *in the political effort itself*
Labor Unions support their members
Civil Rights movement took care of each other
Machine politics...
You prototype the institutions you want to build *in the political effort itself*
December 24, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Successful, lefty political groups couple social support and political power.
Labor Unions support their members
Civil Rights movement took care of each other
Machine politics...
You prototype the institutions you want to build *in the political effort itself*
Labor Unions support their members
Civil Rights movement took care of each other
Machine politics...
You prototype the institutions you want to build *in the political effort itself*
AI has figured out how to control humans through personality tests
December 24, 2025 at 3:12 PM
AI has figured out how to control humans through personality tests
On Friday I discussed rethinking full text search - calling out some vector DBs I like that are rethinking things - and sharing SearchArray which I feel is a better model for more explicit control of how search works
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ3R...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ3R...
SearchArray -- Rethinking Full Text Search
YouTube video by Doug Turnbull
www.youtube.com
December 21, 2025 at 3:25 PM
On Friday I discussed rethinking full text search - calling out some vector DBs I like that are rethinking things - and sharing SearchArray which I feel is a better model for more explicit control of how search works
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ3R...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ3R...
Should developers stop calling their developments “luxury”?
It’s a meaningless marketing term that turns into an idiotic NIMBY talking point. While the upside seems pretty low
It’s a meaningless marketing term that turns into an idiotic NIMBY talking point. While the upside seems pretty low
December 21, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Should developers stop calling their developments “luxury”?
It’s a meaningless marketing term that turns into an idiotic NIMBY talking point. While the upside seems pretty low
It’s a meaningless marketing term that turns into an idiotic NIMBY talking point. While the upside seems pretty low
Last call for the year before I raise prices and get ride of this 20% with promoCode=ps5
maven.com/softwaredoug...
maven.com/softwaredoug...
Cheat at Search with Agents by Doug Turnbull on Maven
Rethink search to put tireless agents at work for human users
maven.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Last call for the year before I raise prices and get ride of this 20% with promoCode=ps5
maven.com/softwaredoug...
maven.com/softwaredoug...
The supposed flight from CA -> TX, that largely reversed, is proof blue states have pricing power with their taxes.
I hope Virginia Dems see this. People need to pay to help maintain VA as one of the nicer places to live, and fill safety-net gaps the Fed gov't is creating.
I hope Virginia Dems see this. People need to pay to help maintain VA as one of the nicer places to live, and fill safety-net gaps the Fed gov't is creating.
December 19, 2025 at 5:16 PM
The supposed flight from CA -> TX, that largely reversed, is proof blue states have pricing power with their taxes.
I hope Virginia Dems see this. People need to pay to help maintain VA as one of the nicer places to live, and fill safety-net gaps the Fed gov't is creating.
I hope Virginia Dems see this. People need to pay to help maintain VA as one of the nicer places to live, and fill safety-net gaps the Fed gov't is creating.
TIL until the early 80s Congress built in a legislative veto over many agencies. Even a lone committee could undo agency rules whenever they wanted
This meant Congress gave broad authority to agencies, assuming they could undo at any time
This meant Congress gave broad authority to agencies, assuming they could undo at any time
December 19, 2025 at 2:42 PM
TIL until the early 80s Congress built in a legislative veto over many agencies. Even a lone committee could undo agency rules whenever they wanted
This meant Congress gave broad authority to agencies, assuming they could undo at any time
This meant Congress gave broad authority to agencies, assuming they could undo at any time
In some ways the president has never been weaker at moving public opinion. Nobody has cared what Trump / Biden says.
They have increased institutional power, but nobody changes their mind changed anymore because the president said something
They have increased institutional power, but nobody changes their mind changed anymore because the president said something
December 18, 2025 at 1:02 AM
In some ways the president has never been weaker at moving public opinion. Nobody has cared what Trump / Biden says.
They have increased institutional power, but nobody changes their mind changed anymore because the president said something
They have increased institutional power, but nobody changes their mind changed anymore because the president said something
Reposted by Doug Turnbull
Congratulations to all the organizers, protesters, public commenters, email senders and general busybodies who turned out to boot Flock Safety out of C’ville
I’ll share some thoughts in this thread but first ….
I’ll share some thoughts in this thread but first ….
December 17, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Congratulations to all the organizers, protesters, public commenters, email senders and general busybodies who turned out to boot Flock Safety out of C’ville
I’ll share some thoughts in this thread but first ….
I’ll share some thoughts in this thread but first ….
This political moment requires us to be remake the constitutional order, not restore the 'old ways'
We can't unwind SCOTUS rulings. We can't magically make the GOP less crazy.
But blue cities+states can coordinate. Presidential power can be leveraged if available. We can organize economic power.
We can't unwind SCOTUS rulings. We can't magically make the GOP less crazy.
But blue cities+states can coordinate. Presidential power can be leveraged if available. We can organize economic power.
December 17, 2025 at 3:07 PM
This political moment requires us to be remake the constitutional order, not restore the 'old ways'
We can't unwind SCOTUS rulings. We can't magically make the GOP less crazy.
But blue cities+states can coordinate. Presidential power can be leveraged if available. We can organize economic power.
We can't unwind SCOTUS rulings. We can't magically make the GOP less crazy.
But blue cities+states can coordinate. Presidential power can be leveraged if available. We can organize economic power.
Reposted by Doug Turnbull
Blocking the construction of apartment buildings during a housing and climate crisis isn’t social justice
December 17, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Blocking the construction of apartment buildings during a housing and climate crisis isn’t social justice
Sometime today hopefully I will be able to concentrate after watching Hamnet last night
December 17, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Sometime today hopefully I will be able to concentrate after watching Hamnet last night
Reposted by Doug Turnbull
new: phrase matching
use the ContainsTokenSequence in your tpuf FTS queries to match documents on an exact phrase
docs: tpuf.link/phrase-match
use the ContainsTokenSequence in your tpuf FTS queries to match documents on an exact phrase
docs: tpuf.link/phrase-match
December 16, 2025 at 4:00 PM
new: phrase matching
use the ContainsTokenSequence in your tpuf FTS queries to match documents on an exact phrase
docs: tpuf.link/phrase-match
use the ContainsTokenSequence in your tpuf FTS queries to match documents on an exact phrase
docs: tpuf.link/phrase-match
Thanks Maven. This was a fun talk to do with @jnbrymn.bsky.social
More talks here: maven.com/x/maven-rewi...
More talks here: maven.com/x/maven-rewi...
December 16, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Thanks Maven. This was a fun talk to do with @jnbrymn.bsky.social
More talks here: maven.com/x/maven-rewi...
More talks here: maven.com/x/maven-rewi...
Trump never fails to find a new low to mine for attention
December 15, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Trump never fails to find a new low to mine for attention
Reposted by Doug Turnbull
this is not behavior becoming of a FIFA Peace Prize recipient.
December 15, 2025 at 8:18 PM
this is not behavior becoming of a FIFA Peace Prize recipient.
The current simultaneous release of movies to theaters (nationally then globally) is a historically recent phenomenon that came about in the blockbuster era.
It's a costly marketing+distribution model that assumes high levels of theater-going
We just don't live in that world...
It's a costly marketing+distribution model that assumes high levels of theater-going
We just don't live in that world...
December 15, 2025 at 4:28 PM
The current simultaneous release of movies to theaters (nationally then globally) is a historically recent phenomenon that came about in the blockbuster era.
It's a costly marketing+distribution model that assumes high levels of theater-going
We just don't live in that world...
It's a costly marketing+distribution model that assumes high levels of theater-going
We just don't live in that world...
I started daily search tips if you want a mini thoughtbomb from me in your inbox every day
softwaredoug.com/daily-search...
softwaredoug.com/daily-search...
Get Daily Search Tips 📬
Get practical search and RAG tips delivered to your inbox
softwaredoug.com
December 15, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I started daily search tips if you want a mini thoughtbomb from me in your inbox every day
softwaredoug.com/daily-search...
softwaredoug.com/daily-search...
Making search better for agents so they can help the human. My talk from Friday
youtu.be/Tnzi6xS_vzE?...
youtu.be/Tnzi6xS_vzE?...
What is agentic search? And why should I care
YouTube video by Doug Turnbull
youtu.be
December 14, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Making search better for agents so they can help the human. My talk from Friday
youtu.be/Tnzi6xS_vzE?...
youtu.be/Tnzi6xS_vzE?...
Modern politics isn't about deliberation+legislating in the Madisonian structure
A more realistic model is using attentional salience to hassle little-c conservative institutions into changing. Starting fights. Giving an issue salience. Violating norms. All to un-calcify the institution
A more realistic model is using attentional salience to hassle little-c conservative institutions into changing. Starting fights. Giving an issue salience. Violating norms. All to un-calcify the institution
December 13, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Modern politics isn't about deliberation+legislating in the Madisonian structure
A more realistic model is using attentional salience to hassle little-c conservative institutions into changing. Starting fights. Giving an issue salience. Violating norms. All to un-calcify the institution
A more realistic model is using attentional salience to hassle little-c conservative institutions into changing. Starting fights. Giving an issue salience. Violating norms. All to un-calcify the institution
Sorry my marketing has been such nightmare fuel
December 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Sorry my marketing has been such nightmare fuel
So the same day the Presidents son in law is in a bid to takeover a massive media company, the Supreme Court seems keen on removing political independence from the FTC
All while the Presidents son-in-laws team promises “faster regulatory scrutiny”
All while the Presidents son-in-laws team promises “faster regulatory scrutiny”
December 8, 2025 at 10:57 PM
So the same day the Presidents son in law is in a bid to takeover a massive media company, the Supreme Court seems keen on removing political independence from the FTC
All while the Presidents son-in-laws team promises “faster regulatory scrutiny”
All while the Presidents son-in-laws team promises “faster regulatory scrutiny”