Tim Ottinger
@agile-otter.bsky.social
Software, guitars, books and articles,
Industrial Logic's own Agile Otter
Industrial Logic's own Agile Otter
Ultimately, all that is shared is all that remains.
November 7, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Ultimately, all that is shared is all that remains.
i have a flask app that does some data visualization.
I have an LLM "helping me" to get a new visualization up and running. It thinks it has done so, but when we actually get the app up on the screen, it does not produce a graph. This is denied by the LLM, who says it works.
I have an LLM "helping me" to get a new visualization up and running. It thinks it has done so, but when we actually get the app up on the screen, it does not produce a graph. This is denied by the LLM, who says it works.
October 23, 2025 at 12:42 PM
i have a flask app that does some data visualization.
I have an LLM "helping me" to get a new visualization up and running. It thinks it has done so, but when we actually get the app up on the screen, it does not produce a graph. This is denied by the LLM, who says it works.
I have an LLM "helping me" to get a new visualization up and running. It thinks it has done so, but when we actually get the app up on the screen, it does not produce a graph. This is denied by the LLM, who says it works.
I don't like my core operating system being managed partly by a proper framework (brew/apt/etc) and partly by installing things via curl | bash and partly by pip and partly by npm and partly by...
Look, it's SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT, not random tools throwing stuff into the pool.
Look, it's SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT, not random tools throwing stuff into the pool.
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
I don't like my core operating system being managed partly by a proper framework (brew/apt/etc) and partly by installing things via curl | bash and partly by pip and partly by npm and partly by...
Look, it's SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT, not random tools throwing stuff into the pool.
Look, it's SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT, not random tools throwing stuff into the pool.
Since I'm intentionally overusing LLMs to learn techniques and pitfalls, I ran out of my Warp2 credits with a week left in the month. That felt a little frustrating, but I have plenty left in my JetBrains assistants, and learning to use the in-IDE tools is just as important as CLI.
October 22, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Since I'm intentionally overusing LLMs to learn techniques and pitfalls, I ran out of my Warp2 credits with a week left in the month. That felt a little frustrating, but I have plenty left in my JetBrains assistants, and learning to use the in-IDE tools is just as important as CLI.
I was watching a tutorial today (I do this a lot) and I have some advice for you:
Watch your screen. If there are red squiggles underneath some of your lines of code, don't ignore those. Fix it. Even if they're wrong, you want your editor to be able to spot real problems.
Same with grey underlines
Watch your screen. If there are red squiggles underneath some of your lines of code, don't ignore those. Fix it. Even if they're wrong, you want your editor to be able to spot real problems.
Same with grey underlines
October 14, 2025 at 5:51 PM
I was watching a tutorial today (I do this a lot) and I have some advice for you:
Watch your screen. If there are red squiggles underneath some of your lines of code, don't ignore those. Fix it. Even if they're wrong, you want your editor to be able to spot real problems.
Same with grey underlines
Watch your screen. If there are red squiggles underneath some of your lines of code, don't ignore those. Fix it. Even if they're wrong, you want your editor to be able to spot real problems.
Same with grey underlines
Reposted by Tim Ottinger
A riddle for @theguardian.com books page.
p.s. My new book 'Physics for Cats' is out this week in bookshops and online. Details at www.tomgauld.com
p.s. My new book 'Physics for Cats' is out this week in bookshops and online. Details at www.tomgauld.com
October 6, 2025 at 10:57 AM
A riddle for @theguardian.com books page.
p.s. My new book 'Physics for Cats' is out this week in bookshops and online. Details at www.tomgauld.com
p.s. My new book 'Physics for Cats' is out this week in bookshops and online. Details at www.tomgauld.com
okay, I admit it, with proper safety facilities in place, and careful use, I am faster at some things because of LLM assistance.
No, I'm am not vibe coding. I have, but that's not for real work. I did vibe some of my standard bash scripts, though.
No, I'm am not vibe coding. I have, but that's not for real work. I did vibe some of my standard bash scripts, though.
September 26, 2025 at 3:00 PM
okay, I admit it, with proper safety facilities in place, and careful use, I am faster at some things because of LLM assistance.
No, I'm am not vibe coding. I have, but that's not for real work. I did vibe some of my standard bash scripts, though.
No, I'm am not vibe coding. I have, but that's not for real work. I did vibe some of my standard bash scripts, though.
The thing I don't like about python's venerable range() function is that it reads this way:
range(1,4)
Meaning "the numbers from 1 through four, but not four."
Or "the range inclusive of the start but not the end"
Or "I was just kidding about the 4, back it off"
It's too old to change it now.
range(1,4)
Meaning "the numbers from 1 through four, but not four."
Or "the range inclusive of the start but not the end"
Or "I was just kidding about the 4, back it off"
It's too old to change it now.
September 21, 2025 at 7:53 AM
The thing I don't like about python's venerable range() function is that it reads this way:
range(1,4)
Meaning "the numbers from 1 through four, but not four."
Or "the range inclusive of the start but not the end"
Or "I was just kidding about the 4, back it off"
It's too old to change it now.
range(1,4)
Meaning "the numbers from 1 through four, but not four."
Or "the range inclusive of the start but not the end"
Or "I was just kidding about the 4, back it off"
It's too old to change it now.
So, wait, like, .... people think it would be good for every developer in their company to produce 20K lines of code per day?
What are they smoking, and how did they smuggle it into the country?
What are they smoking, and how did they smuggle it into the country?
September 15, 2025 at 4:20 PM
So, wait, like, .... people think it would be good for every developer in their company to produce 20K lines of code per day?
What are they smoking, and how did they smuggle it into the country?
What are they smoking, and how did they smuggle it into the country?
An IDE needs to have a few features I really want:
* Refactoring
* Continuous Testing
* Integration with standard project tooling
* Strong static checking
* Syntax Highlighting
* Smart completion
Most of the IDEs are really weak (or non-players) in 4 of 6.
* Refactoring
* Continuous Testing
* Integration with standard project tooling
* Strong static checking
* Syntax Highlighting
* Smart completion
Most of the IDEs are really weak (or non-players) in 4 of 6.
September 9, 2025 at 11:36 AM
An IDE needs to have a few features I really want:
* Refactoring
* Continuous Testing
* Integration with standard project tooling
* Strong static checking
* Syntax Highlighting
* Smart completion
Most of the IDEs are really weak (or non-players) in 4 of 6.
* Refactoring
* Continuous Testing
* Integration with standard project tooling
* Strong static checking
* Syntax Highlighting
* Smart completion
Most of the IDEs are really weak (or non-players) in 4 of 6.
“I worked on 2045. I’ll continue that. I have no blockers.”
“I worked on 3122. I’ll maybe finish that tomorrow. No blockers”
“I finished 2066, then started 2173. No blockers”
“I worked on 2754. Still on it. No blockers”
“I did 2355. Still on it. No blockers”
“I just started 2039. No blockers”
“I worked on 3122. I’ll maybe finish that tomorrow. No blockers”
“I finished 2066, then started 2173. No blockers”
“I worked on 2754. Still on it. No blockers”
“I did 2355. Still on it. No blockers”
“I just started 2039. No blockers”
August 27, 2025 at 12:06 PM
“I worked on 2045. I’ll continue that. I have no blockers.”
“I worked on 3122. I’ll maybe finish that tomorrow. No blockers”
“I finished 2066, then started 2173. No blockers”
“I worked on 2754. Still on it. No blockers”
“I did 2355. Still on it. No blockers”
“I just started 2039. No blockers”
“I worked on 3122. I’ll maybe finish that tomorrow. No blockers”
“I finished 2066, then started 2173. No blockers”
“I worked on 2754. Still on it. No blockers”
“I did 2355. Still on it. No blockers”
“I just started 2039. No blockers”
I wrote this a while ago, and it's still true in many organizations:
"Nobody will validate that the process is actually helpful, because measuring the ongoing investment seems an act of sedition. The process IS. It is unquestioned. It IS because it MUST Be."
medium.com/pragmatic-pr...
"Nobody will validate that the process is actually helpful, because measuring the ongoing investment seems an act of sedition. The process IS. It is unquestioned. It IS because it MUST Be."
medium.com/pragmatic-pr...
Principles for Large Organizations: An Invitation to Brainstorm
By Tim Ottinger
medium.com
August 21, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I wrote this a while ago, and it's still true in many organizations:
"Nobody will validate that the process is actually helpful, because measuring the ongoing investment seems an act of sedition. The process IS. It is unquestioned. It IS because it MUST Be."
medium.com/pragmatic-pr...
"Nobody will validate that the process is actually helpful, because measuring the ongoing investment seems an act of sedition. The process IS. It is unquestioned. It IS because it MUST Be."
medium.com/pragmatic-pr...
Yes, feelings are data.
But data is also data.
But data is also data.
August 21, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Yes, feelings are data.
But data is also data.
But data is also data.
Please explain to your colleagues and managers that "asynchronous" and "parallel" are not the same thing.
Even if they're going to do the jobs separately there is no guarantee they'll be done simultaneously. The way your teams work, it may be impossible to do those tasks simultaneously.
Even if they're going to do the jobs separately there is no guarantee they'll be done simultaneously. The way your teams work, it may be impossible to do those tasks simultaneously.
August 13, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Please explain to your colleagues and managers that "asynchronous" and "parallel" are not the same thing.
Even if they're going to do the jobs separately there is no guarantee they'll be done simultaneously. The way your teams work, it may be impossible to do those tasks simultaneously.
Even if they're going to do the jobs separately there is no guarantee they'll be done simultaneously. The way your teams work, it may be impossible to do those tasks simultaneously.
So, the reason that there aren't enough jobs and enough money and people can't afford their lives in the US is because we aren't paying enough in executive salaries?
And the new $29B for Musk will fix the financial and customer confidence issues at Tesla.
And the new $29B for Musk will fix the financial and customer confidence issues at Tesla.
August 4, 2025 at 3:01 PM
So, the reason that there aren't enough jobs and enough money and people can't afford their lives in the US is because we aren't paying enough in executive salaries?
And the new $29B for Musk will fix the financial and customer confidence issues at Tesla.
And the new $29B for Musk will fix the financial and customer confidence issues at Tesla.
An old article I'd forgotten I'd written: butunclebob.com/ArticleS.Tim...
ArticleS.TimOttinger.TestingHypothetically
butunclebob.com
July 25, 2025 at 11:51 AM
An old article I'd forgotten I'd written: butunclebob.com/ArticleS.Tim...
No, I do not imagine the code I'm going to write, and then write the tests that tie to that fully-imagined implementation.
I don't know anyone clairvoyant enough to pull off that kind of trick.
It seems impossible because it is. That's also not what anyone is asking you to do.
I don't know anyone clairvoyant enough to pull off that kind of trick.
It seems impossible because it is. That's also not what anyone is asking you to do.
July 21, 2025 at 10:16 AM
No, I do not imagine the code I'm going to write, and then write the tests that tie to that fully-imagined implementation.
I don't know anyone clairvoyant enough to pull off that kind of trick.
It seems impossible because it is. That's also not what anyone is asking you to do.
I don't know anyone clairvoyant enough to pull off that kind of trick.
It seems impossible because it is. That's also not what anyone is asking you to do.
Today it's "choose your otter"!
When I'm slow to a meeting it is
1. A dominance play
2. Proof I'm not really interested
3. ADHD hyperfocus
4. constantly being interrupted en route
5. Neurodivergent poor sense of time
I've been told all of the above by different people.
When I'm slow to a meeting it is
1. A dominance play
2. Proof I'm not really interested
3. ADHD hyperfocus
4. constantly being interrupted en route
5. Neurodivergent poor sense of time
I've been told all of the above by different people.
July 16, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Today it's "choose your otter"!
When I'm slow to a meeting it is
1. A dominance play
2. Proof I'm not really interested
3. ADHD hyperfocus
4. constantly being interrupted en route
5. Neurodivergent poor sense of time
I've been told all of the above by different people.
When I'm slow to a meeting it is
1. A dominance play
2. Proof I'm not really interested
3. ADHD hyperfocus
4. constantly being interrupted en route
5. Neurodivergent poor sense of time
I've been told all of the above by different people.
"I don't know why it takes so long and why nobody knows when it will be done."
Do you want to understand?
Do you want to understand?
July 15, 2025 at 1:52 PM
"I don't know why it takes so long and why nobody knows when it will be done."
Do you want to understand?
Do you want to understand?
This wasn't an april fools' post.
"Cluely, a startup that claims to help users “cheat” on job interviews, exams, and sales calls, has raised a $15 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz, the company announced on Friday with a video posted on X."
"Cluely, a startup that claims to help users “cheat” on job interviews, exams, and sales calls, has raised a $15 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz, the company announced on Friday with a video posted on X."
July 10, 2025 at 11:20 AM
This wasn't an april fools' post.
"Cluely, a startup that claims to help users “cheat” on job interviews, exams, and sales calls, has raised a $15 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz, the company announced on Friday with a video posted on X."
"Cluely, a startup that claims to help users “cheat” on job interviews, exams, and sales calls, has raised a $15 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz, the company announced on Friday with a video posted on X."
I scribbled this up the other day... it might need some editing, but here you go:
Do you create and require rework, unpredictability, and delay in your software process?
Maybe you do. Have you thought about it?
agileotter.blogspot.com/2025/07/how-...
Do you create and require rework, unpredictability, and delay in your software process?
Maybe you do. Have you thought about it?
agileotter.blogspot.com/2025/07/how-...
How much rework do you WANT?
How much failure demand and rework do you feel is appropriate in your system? Rework in software is the correction of unacceptable code. Tha...
agileotter.blogspot.com
July 9, 2025 at 11:08 AM
I scribbled this up the other day... it might need some editing, but here you go:
Do you create and require rework, unpredictability, and delay in your software process?
Maybe you do. Have you thought about it?
agileotter.blogspot.com/2025/07/how-...
Do you create and require rework, unpredictability, and delay in your software process?
Maybe you do. Have you thought about it?
agileotter.blogspot.com/2025/07/how-...
Will we ever get past the "curb appeal" problem of software engineering - that revulsion they feel at the sight of automated tests, collaborative coding, continuous integration, and incremental development?
I'm not sure what makes them as emotionally jarring as they seem to be.
I'm not sure what makes them as emotionally jarring as they seem to be.
June 17, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Will we ever get past the "curb appeal" problem of software engineering - that revulsion they feel at the sight of automated tests, collaborative coding, continuous integration, and incremental development?
I'm not sure what makes them as emotionally jarring as they seem to be.
I'm not sure what makes them as emotionally jarring as they seem to be.
I was just reminded of the "features dying on the vine" symptom. This is evidence of a system breaking down.
You probably don't want it.
You may already have it.
now what?
You probably don't want it.
You may already have it.
now what?
June 11, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I was just reminded of the "features dying on the vine" symptom. This is evidence of a system breaking down.
You probably don't want it.
You may already have it.
now what?
You probably don't want it.
You may already have it.
now what?
Thought:
People don't believe that tools and techniques can make their jobs easier & faster.
Hence so little uptake on TDD, pair/mob programming, learning to use the editor well, learning the language grammar and standard library, etc.
They believe there is no point to it, & nothing gets better.
People don't believe that tools and techniques can make their jobs easier & faster.
Hence so little uptake on TDD, pair/mob programming, learning to use the editor well, learning the language grammar and standard library, etc.
They believe there is no point to it, & nothing gets better.
June 5, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Thought:
People don't believe that tools and techniques can make their jobs easier & faster.
Hence so little uptake on TDD, pair/mob programming, learning to use the editor well, learning the language grammar and standard library, etc.
They believe there is no point to it, & nothing gets better.
People don't believe that tools and techniques can make their jobs easier & faster.
Hence so little uptake on TDD, pair/mob programming, learning to use the editor well, learning the language grammar and standard library, etc.
They believe there is no point to it, & nothing gets better.