Don't become an engineering manager
Should you become an engineering manager?
Should you become an engineering manager?
I fought against Google’s Pentagon AI deal from the inside. Powerful people and institutions failed to keep their AI ethics promises under pressure.
We needed the insight and confidentiality to protect our users, but now that anyone can get the same results from LLM?
On automation, identity, and why warmth and presence — not technical skill — are the parts of a person that can never be replaced by a model.
A how-to manual for engineer-led discovery in software platforms
This website which you're on right now is free (as in beer), free (as in freedom), open source software called Nonograph. It cost about $600 USD to release, mos...
I called a large company the other day. Did I know the information I wanted could be found on their website? And was I aware that I could manage my account online? And would I like to receive a link to chat with their AI assistant via WhatsApp? Naturally, call volumes were higher than expected. I can only assume that…
GambleAI I’ve been coding a lot with AI since November, when we all noticed it got really good. And it is quite good for instantly generating something th...
Hey you, Yes, you, who are thinking about not hiring a technical writer this year or, worse, erased one or more technical …
Best practices for writing a design doc based on my experience working as a developer at Google and Microsoft.
Tim Cook had an extraordinary run — and impeccable timing, both in terms of when he became CEO, and when he is stepping down.
Everything your mentor wants to say but HR won't let them
[I shared this note with my team earlier this week, and am posting it here as well. I hope it is interesting or helpful for others working on building product in the age of AI.]
Friendly articles and tutorials for front-end web developers. ❤️
I am forced to leave Google with 2026-08-31 because of the deal with the US Department of War, which is incompatible with my ethical principles.
and why communication is so important
Working with AI is less predictable than traditional software. That makes leadership skills such as context, clarity, and feedback more valuable.
AI coding tools are optimising the wrong thing and nobody wants to hear it. Writing code was already fast. The bottleneck is everything else: unclear requirements, review queues, terrified deploy…
Why does a five-minute hallway conversation sometimes solve what a week of solo thinking couldn't?
Exploring five critical questions shaping software engineering through 2026, with contrasting scenarios for each. These lenses help prepare for the evolving ...
Or how I decided to scream into the void about how awful the job market is. I'm still in a very sour mood after the latest rounds of interviews but ultimatel...
There they sit, the preschooler class encircling their mentor, the substitute teacher.
if you always wanted to but think it isn't worth telling a speaker you liked their talk, this is your encouragement post to do so.
The manifestation of my imposter syndrome, for me and today, is what does it mean to be a software engineer. There’s a lot more noise than signal on the Internet about agentic engineering, wh…
Coding agents as normal technology
Sharing a reluctant, "node & postgres" approach to engineering management for early-stage startups
I’m building In the Long Run where runners do virtual runs on famous routes around the world. The app tallies up your Strava mileage and plots your total distance as progress against country- or continent-spanning routes. The intention is to provide long-term inspiration and motivation; life is a marathon, not a…