Al Sweigart
@alsweigart.bsky.social
2.9K followers 200 following 900 posts
Author of "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python" and other books. Mostly harmless. he/him
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alsweigart.bsky.social
I thought about asking if anyone knew of any apps made by non-programmers, but then realized I'd probably get more responses if I said it was impossible and waited for people to try to prove me wrong.
alsweigart.bsky.social
My first test of the Grok Code Fast 1 model for AI-assisted coding... did not go well.
alsweigart.bsky.social
It's not possible for a non-programmer to use AI to create software.
Reposted by Al Sweigart
alsweigart.bsky.social
In the novel A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby, a disgraced tv personality who is now broke is paid by a morning talk show to say an angel that looks like Matt Damon talked him out of killing himself. It was humiliating for him. But he got 5,000 pounds, and they got their clickbait tabloid headline.
Screenshot of CBS Saturday Morning show with an interview and caption: He proposed to an AI and she said yes.
Reposted by Al Sweigart
dynamicsymmetry.bsky.social
Gavin Newsom isn’t trolling Trump, he is not actually the one posting, the person you love is the anonymous underpaid staffer who runs his social media
alsweigart.bsky.social
Instead of "AI proponents" I started saying "AI evangelists".

Then instead of "AI evangelists" I started calling them "AI evangelicals".
alsweigart.bsky.social
Oh, even before that: Missing colon, wrong keyword, extra underscore...
Reposted by Al Sweigart
nytpitchbot.bsky.social
Pete Hegseth practices day drinking the right way.

by Ezra Klein
alsweigart.bsky.social
I've come up with a new game. I ask AI to create an image of some Python code, and you point out all the mistakes in it:
alsweigart.bsky.social
Not really. I've always stuck with writing quick little Python tools, and in my reading, these no-code/low-code tools always seem as much work as learning to program.
alsweigart.bsky.social
I find the timing suspect. Ranked choice in NYC has been around for years, but she didn't write this article until it became apparent it would let a progressive take office.

It's just that being against ranked choice is *such* a weird stance and her reasons are so flat.
alsweigart.bsky.social
This thread is worth reading:
wagatwe.com
we showed the brutality of the anti-Black (and anti-ally) violence by police in 2020 (and before) yet we still got Trump for a second term and police violence has only worsened.
asharangappa.bsky.social
We’re in a moment now where it would be worth people taking three hours to watch Gandhi, particularly the scene of the salt march. There is value to making the brutality of your opponent so plain as day that no one can argue with it. The clarity of that brought down an empire
alsweigart.bsky.social
Hey experienced software dev folks: do you use any low-code/no-code tools for your job, hobbies, or work? Either for polished products or rough in-house tools?
alsweigart.bsky.social
Annie Lowrey, wife of Ezra Klein, gets an Atlantic Cuomo-apologist hit piece (with a scary illustration) against Zohran Mamdani, and is against ranked choice voting.

"Liberals" like this are why Trump wins. They'll throw aay "vote blue no matter who" and even democracy to stop progressives.
alsweigart.bsky.social
Curl project maintainers have had enough of AI slop "contributions":

"We still have not seen a single valid security report done with AI help."

"We are effectively being DDoSed. If we could, we would charge them for this waste of our time."

www.linkedin.com/posts/daniel...
#hackerone #curl | Daniel Stenberg | 254 comments
That's it. I've had it. I'm putting my foot down on this craziness. 1. Every reporter submitting security reports on #Hackerone for #curl now needs to answer this question: "Did you use an AI to fin...
www.linkedin.com
Reposted by Al Sweigart
runarut.bsky.social
Some days I feel like it is 1850 and I’m an abolitionist living in a slave state.
alsweigart.bsky.social
Don't skip leg day and don't downplay cardio.
wutangforchildren.bsky.social
ICE Nazis in Chicago tried to kidnap a food delivery worker but my man was too fast for those slow bastards
alsweigart.bsky.social
"The #Flotilla didn't get through, but the distraction gave the Palestinians enough time to fish"

The policy of Israeli is intentional starvation and genocide. This includes killing any aboard fishing boats.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEQO...
The #Flotilla didn't get through, but the distraction gave the Palestinians enough time to fish
YouTube video by Perseus999
www.youtube.com
alsweigart.bsky.social
Thinking about the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in 2016. I didn't know anyone who perished in the fire, but I know some people who knew some people who did.

Infrastructure is how we take care of each other at scale. Regulation is how we keep our communities safe. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_S...
Ghost Ship warehouse fire - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Reposted by Al Sweigart
dryad.technology
I've been trying to say this as long as the App Store has been around: If Apple can decide what software you can & can't run on your computer, then the government of the USA can decide what software you can & can't run on your computer. And they're using that power now, more and more (TikTok, this)
Reposted by Al Sweigart
mtsw.bsky.social
If there was a poll about the shutdown that was like "60% of voters blame Democrats" we'd get wall to wall news "analysis" saying the Democrats must immediately capitulate or face electoral ruin, but when we have the opposite (like we do now) the media doubles down on efforts to blame Democrats
alsweigart.bsky.social
I really like how this guy explains basic finance and capitalist situations:

"So who benefits?"

"Short-term, the landlords. Long-term, nobody."

www.youtube.com/shorts/Q95jx...
It’s a matter of incentive. #housing #rent #economy
YouTube video by Chris Kohler
www.youtube.com
alsweigart.bsky.social
"Well it works on my machine" is my ultimate nemesis. That phrase encapsulates everything I oppose when it comes to software development and life in general.
alsweigart.bsky.social
Heh, it's on the list of features! PyAutoGUI has been neglected, but non-US keyboards, Wayland support, and DirectX support are all on the list.