rob pike
@robpike.io
Long career as a dilettante at Bell Labs Research and Google, mostly building weird stuff no one uses, but occasionally getting it right, such as with UTF-8 and Go.
aurora popping off in hobart tasmania
November 12, 2025 at 11:08 AM
aurora popping off in hobart tasmania
This could come in handy
November 11, 2025 at 12:22 AM
This could come in handy
Smiski glows in the dark.
The only light in the photo is his own phosporescence. He's about 3cm tall.
The only light in the photo is his own phosporescence. He's about 3cm tall.
November 4, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Smiski glows in the dark.
The only light in the photo is his own phosporescence. He's about 3cm tall.
The only light in the photo is his own phosporescence. He's about 3cm tall.
September 13, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Here's the Blit movie (well, the ball excerpt) on a Tiny TV 2. This is the second smallest display it has ever been shown on.
September 11, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Here's the Blit movie (well, the ball excerpt) on a Tiny TV 2. This is the second smallest display it has ever been shown on.
Uri Geller in Sydney (not).
September 4, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Uri Geller in Sydney (not).
Oh I dunno. The version I use looks just like it did when I rewrote it for Plan 9 from dmr's rewrite for V7. My rewrite was 1998 or 1999 and it's at least close to bit-identical today, which is in effect why I rewrote it: to distill it to the essence it should have been all along, and should be.
![The source to Plan 9 (port) cat.c on my machine.
% cat cat.c
#include <u.h>
#include <libc.h>
void
cat(int f, char *s)
{
char buf[8192];
long n;
while((n=read(f, buf, (long)sizeof buf))>0)
if(write(1, buf, n)!=n)
sysfatal("write error copying %s: %r", s);
if(n < 0)
sysfatal("error reading %s: %r", s);
}
void
main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
int f, i;
argv0 = "cat";
if(argc == 1)
cat(0, "<stdin>");
else for(i=1; i<argc; i++){
f = open(argv[i], OREAD);
if(f < 0)
sysfatal("can't open %s: %r", argv[i]);
else{
cat(f, argv[i]);
close(f);
}
}
exits(0);
}](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vsgr3rwyckhiavgqzdcuzm6i/bafkreigqsq22ntnrujbgzttg47xh7ss2hutjiqyogx4eqdxy2wnu6nypsq@jpeg)
September 2, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Oh I dunno. The version I use looks just like it did when I rewrote it for Plan 9 from dmr's rewrite for V7. My rewrite was 1998 or 1999 and it's at least close to bit-identical today, which is in effect why I rewrote it: to distill it to the essence it should have been all along, and should be.
In honor of the Jaws anniversary (it was released on June 20, 1975), here is a picture of Bruce, the temperamental mechanical shark, hanging from the ceiling of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in peaceful Los Angeles.
June 19, 2025 at 9:25 AM
In honor of the Jaws anniversary (it was released on June 20, 1975), here is a picture of Bruce, the temperamental mechanical shark, hanging from the ceiling of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in peaceful Los Angeles.
What camera are you using? I have a (long-discontinued) Lunt-branded one that got me this image some years ago. I should perhaps upgrade but it does work.
May 3, 2025 at 11:18 PM
What camera are you using? I have a (long-discontinued) Lunt-branded one that got me this image some years ago. I should perhaps upgrade but it does work.
Really good big fairy ring in the park tonight.
May 1, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Really good big fairy ring in the park tonight.
Sometimes a news photo strikes a chord. From the Sydney Morning Herald.
April 24, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Sometimes a news photo strikes a chord. From the Sydney Morning Herald.
I see no reason to believe these settings have any effect, but they're worth trying.
I'm reminded of this little image I made some years ago.
I'm reminded of this little image I made some years ago.
February 24, 2025 at 8:05 PM
I see no reason to believe these settings have any effect, but they're worth trying.
I'm reminded of this little image I made some years ago.
I'm reminded of this little image I made some years ago.
Few things on computers enrage me more than this. Tell me what's wrong and what I might do about it, don't act all cute and put your pinky to your lips. Be a professional for once.
February 3, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Few things on computers enrage me more than this. Tell me what's wrong and what I might do about it, don't act all cute and put your pinky to your lips. Be a professional for once.
In 1922 Alfred Stieglitz made a series of photographs of cloudy skies, calling them Equivalents because they matched an emotion or mood he was feeling.
This is my Equivalent for today.
This is my Equivalent for today.
January 19, 2025 at 11:44 AM
In 1922 Alfred Stieglitz made a series of photographs of cloudy skies, calling them Equivalents because they matched an emotion or mood he was feeling.
This is my Equivalent for today.
This is my Equivalent for today.
Paul Caponigro has died. Such a singular artist. We are fortunate to own a few of his prints, which are sublime. No one else could print like him.
November 27, 2024 at 9:55 AM
Paul Caponigro has died. Such a singular artist. We are fortunate to own a few of his prints, which are sublime. No one else could print like him.
Here's a photo I made at the 1976 Canadian GP at Mosport.
November 10, 2024 at 2:56 AM
Here's a photo I made at the 1976 Canadian GP at Mosport.
This should come in handy.
November 5, 2024 at 2:36 AM
This should come in handy.
Reminds me of a sign painted on the road, warning us of danger ahead, a looming NIARD.
October 18, 2024 at 11:42 PM
Reminds me of a sign painted on the road, warning us of danger ahead, a looming NIARD.