Lewis Westbury 💛💙🌱
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instantiator.bsky.social
Lewis Westbury 💛💙🌱
@instantiator.bsky.social
710 followers 1.1K following 300 posts
Tech lead, senior developer at Nesta, fellow at Newspeak House, keen escape room and puzzle gamer. (he/him)

https://instantiator.dev

#CivicTech #Volunteerism #OSS #RetroComputing #Tzedakah #Vegan #BLM #CollectiveIntelligence #CI #ProDemocracyTech #PDT 🌱
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instantiator.bsky.social
Is this happening to anybody else? When using the "add suggestion to batch" option in the GitHub code review interface, I see this error. It suggests an issue with a backend service, but everything else about GitHub and the code review interface seems fine... #GitHub #Bug #CodeReview
A screen capture of an error messages generated by the GitHub web interface. It says "Changes cannot be loaded. The page is unavailable due to a system error. Try reloading the page, or if the problem persists, contact support."
November 14, 2025 at 2:59 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
In conversation today, I was once again reminded of The Codeless Code, case 163. thecodelesscode.com/case/163
A screenshot from The Codeless Code, case 163 - Vacation: On first cool day of autumn, a messenger had come to the Temple bearing urgent news. To her puzzlement she found every courtyard vacant, every hallway and common-room empty. Not a soul was to be found. Passing an open doorway, she heard the clattering of keys from within. Inside she found an old scribe staring hard at a monitor. “Where—” began the messenger. “Vacation,” said the scribe without turning around, waving absently in the direction of the rest of the temple. “Not you?” asked the messenger. “I, too,” said the scribe. “But on your screen—” said the messenger. “Yes,” said the scribe. “The ugliest, buggiest, most obstreperous PHP code you will find in the Seventeen Provinces.” “Then why do you labor on it?” asked the messenger. “Because,” smiled the scribe. “It is not the Temple’s code. It is mine.”
November 7, 2025 at 2:19 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
Sometimes a thing reminds you of a thing, and all you can do is put them side-by-side.
A photo from the Manchester Evening News shows a man in a blue suit lying on the road, drunk, but looking posed. To his right, 2 police officers restrain a person lying on her back on the road. It's general drunk chaos in the background, people standing around, a woman kibbitzing the restraint. How things are laid out look like a bit of a mirror image of the other photo on this post... Donald Trump stands by a table, looking unstable, disengaged, inept, and a little confused. In the background, several men are holding the body of a colleague who has passed out on the floor. Feels a little familiar when compared to the other photo on this post - a drunken night out from the Manchester Evening News.
November 7, 2025 at 12:50 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
We have finished watching Adventure Time and now it is time for an early afternoon nap. Follow me for more mental health and self-care tips.
Suki and Momo, a tortoise shell and black cat, both about a year old, are curled up together on a blanket on a sofa. Photo is taken from above. They are fricking adorable and you have fallen in love.
November 1, 2025 at 1:07 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
Empathy is alive and well. The @bemyeyes.bsky.social app is a tool for blind people to ask volunteers to describe what they see. Anyone can join. There's a ratio of just over 10:1 volunteers to blind members. #BeMyEyes #CollectiveIntelligence
A screenshot from the BeMyEyes app showing the current statistics. There are just over 920-thousand blind members, and 9.4 million volunteers.
October 30, 2025 at 9:31 AM
instantiator.bsky.social
It's spooky season and I'm starting a new book this morning. @dfdubz.bsky.social's "Six Conversations We're Scared to Have". 🎃
An audiobook screenshot for Six Conversations We're Scared to Have by Deborah Frances-White. Track 1 of 17. The book is just over 11h long in audio format.
October 29, 2025 at 7:16 AM
instantiator.bsky.social
She loves the Sisko.
Suki, a perfect little tortie cat, lays on a blanket watching a laptop screen. Benjamin Sisko, played by Avery Brooks, is on screen making it perfectly clear to Michael Eddington that he's going to help them find the cloaked missiles heading for Cardassia. She's in love.
October 27, 2025 at 8:04 AM
instantiator.bsky.social
Yesterday was a double celebration! 🎉
Ada Lovelace day 🤝 Demise of Windows 10

Ada was a mathematician and the first programmer. She was writing software before computers existed.

We also celebrated the end of life for Windows 10! Visit endof10.org to give your computer a new lease of life.
A painting of Ada Lovelace. She looks composed, and she looking into the painter's eyes (cripes, I almost said camera!) She's got a pale complexion, curly brown hair, brown eyes, and she's wearing some kind of yellow headband / fascinator with a yellow flower on it. The "End of 10" logo is four squares, arranged in 2 by 2 grid, but slightly displaced as if they're disrupted. Text over the top reads "End of 10" in capital letters. The image is also labelled with a website link: endof10.org
October 15, 2025 at 8:45 AM
instantiator.bsky.social
Left: Momo
Cute, shy, goes out around the house, likes to pat mice on the head, never more than the sound of a crinkling packet of treats away, has a little crush on Betty from next door

Right: Suki
Crossed a 60-mph road today because she thought she might have a try at catching a horse
Two beautiful little cats sit on a sofa. Left, Momo is a little black cat. Right, Suki is a tortoise shell. Both are looking at the camera.
October 13, 2025 at 5:41 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
He earns his keep as a status symbol.
Momo, our sweet little black cat sits on the front of our "surprisingly affordable" refurbished car looking for all the world like the Jaguar hood ornament.
October 12, 2025 at 10:07 AM
instantiator.bsky.social
Find me a better boy. I'LL WAIT.
Momo, a very handsome little black cat with two little white wisps on his chest stands on a bench under an apple tree looking for all the world as if he is Very Proud of the 2 apples next to him. He didn't used to like pets or people and now he loves pets and people, so you can take that to the bank.
October 9, 2025 at 9:05 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
This inner tube from my bike is made for a 27.5 tyre (not the 700c / 622!) and supports a range of widths from 1.75" to 2.4". It's compatible with the width of my tyre, but it's too small for the diameter of the rim. Feels like I was missold!
A photo of an inner tube, with markings that indicate it's for a 47-60x584. That means it supports a range of widths from 47mm to 60mm, and a diameter of 584mm. It's also printed in imperial as 27.5 x 1.75-2.4 - meaning it supports a 27.5" diameter wheel, and the width range is 1.75" to 2.4".
October 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
Inner tubes should have the same diameter as the tyre. (Of course, there's no guarantee that anything is printed in the same units!) Inner tubes also have a range of widths they're compatible with. That's often represented as numbers separated by a slash or a hyphen, in mm or inches!
A photo of a couple of boxes, each containing a tyre inner tube with a presta valve. The size stated in large letters at the top of the box is "29 inches, 27.5 / 27 inches". Beneath that are listed 9 different sizes that the inner-tube should fit, each described in a different unit - but mostly without specifying the units. Sometimes inches are indicated with inverted commas. Otherwise, you're left to guess from the range of the numbers which unit they represent!
October 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
Don't forget that your tyre also has a width! This is usually printed in inches or mm. If it's inches, I guess you'll know because it has a decimal point.

This tyre is a 700c. You can tell because it is labelled as 50-622 (diameter 622mm, width 50mm). It's also labelled as 28 x 2.00 (28", 2.00").
October 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
Friends, it's time to learn about the absolute lunacy of wheel size 700c. Here's the rub.

700c refers to a standard rim size which is also called 622, which means it has a diameter of 622mm. 622mm is ~24.5 inches. This can also be called 28" or 29" (or a 29er) and they all mean the same thing.
A photo of a tyre. It is labelled as: 50-622, 28 x 2.00, 50/110-622 M/C 35B 2.5-4.5bar, 35-65psi
October 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
He's so helpful!
A little black cat sits in a wheelbarrow held by yours truly (a strikingly handsome 40-something man in his mucky old gardening jeans and hoodie). They look at each other lovingly. Background of greenery, bushes and long grasses.
September 28, 2025 at 10:06 AM
instantiator.bsky.social
Some nicely targeted phishing, with a well written email. I imagine this really did catch a few alumni...

Since this screenshot, Gmail has begun marking the email as spam.
An email purporting to be from the Cambridge University alumni email service... It reads: Dear Cantab User, We emailed you last month to let you know about changes we are making to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. These changes are key steps towards creating what's next for our consumers, like you, while empowering them with transparency and controls over how and when their data is used. In order to continue to access your (Cantab.net) Mail account after September 30, 2025. You will need to confirm and accept the Terms of Service. Click here to start If you do not want the new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to apply to you, you will no longer be able to access your account from September 30, 2025. Sincerely, The Email Service A screenshot of the landing page, from the link in the email. It says "you're almost set! Click here to continue" beneath the University of Cambridge logo. The form they'd like you to fill in. The University of Cambridge logo at the top and, below that, a heading that says @cantab.net The form asks for username or email address, and password. Password is spelled with a "0" or similar symbol in place of the "o". The "log in" button also uses lookalike characters.
September 21, 2025 at 8:24 AM
instantiator.bsky.social
Home automation is a wild ride! 🕸️

I love Home Assistant. At some point I'll start publishing tips and automations for beginners. Maybe first I'll clean the camera.
A screenshot of a notification from Home Assistant. It says "Motion detected on camera Camera 01" and "There's motion on the path". The photo is of a silhouette of a man, in black and white night vision, neatly framed by a spider web (out of focus) very close to the camera. It looks pretty spooky!
September 20, 2025 at 10:06 AM
instantiator.bsky.social
Feeling cute. Might eat your aphids later.
A ladybird sits on the end of a very tiny twig. It's in focus against a background of nicely blurred gravel. I don't know much about photography, so I guess all I can tell you is that I took it on a Fairphone 5.
September 19, 2025 at 4:53 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
Never spend money on brand new paving stones for your cats! We got these on Freecycle and they love them just as much as new ones.
September 17, 2025 at 8:02 AM
instantiator.bsky.social
No caption, just Momo being the best boy.
A little black cat sits on a hand crafted wooden bench under an apple tree amongst greenery, looking out.
September 6, 2025 at 1:23 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
Build message of the day! #garden-party #svgo #coa #q #js #promise #library
A screenshot of a warning generated during a build, printed to the terminal: "You or someone you depend on is using Q, the JavaScript Promise library that gave JavaScript developers strong feelings about promises. They can almost certainly migrate to the native JavaScript promise now. Thank you literally everyone for joining me in this bet against the odds. Be excellent to each other."
September 6, 2025 at 12:22 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
Devs in tiny teams! 👋
How do you manage peer review? What's important, and what cool solutions have your team come up with to get around the drawbacks when there are so few of you? How about when there's a tight deadline?
👉 pol.is/4bjbbvxvuh
#Developers #Coding #Delivery #WaysOfWorking
Am angular, stylised cartoon image of two developers stand next to each other smiling. One is holding a laptop (also smiling!) and the other holds a checklist.
September 4, 2025 at 10:17 AM
instantiator.bsky.social
Friends. I was taught about curried functions in 2001, and have not encountered them since. Until today. Today, for the very first time, it was the most practical solution to a real problem in the real world. 🤯

Here's the absolutely horrible wikipedia definition: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currying
A photo of a big bowl of vegan curry, from above. Wow it looks delicious. I'm hungry now.
September 3, 2025 at 12:49 PM
instantiator.bsky.social
A big hello from Momo, our little adopted void who cannot climb as high as his sister but is determined to try.
A cute little black cat (possibly the cutest) has climbed half way up a small bush and sits there looking out at the horizon like he's reached a mountain peak.
September 2, 2025 at 7:27 AM