> AI is only as good as the person using it, that's why we have such vast range of what people "claim" AI can do and why everyone has way different opinions of it.
I had to postpone a call with developers (in 2 different countries) because I didn't had access to the issues board, which is a single source of truth for us.
I understand the rapid growth (because of AI agents), but if such critical software service becomes unstable then it's time to migrate? Thinking about self-hosting GitLab.
In the ideal world a specification file should be committed to the repository and then linked to the PR/commit. But it slows you down and is no longer a vibe coding?
Soon only implementation details will matter. Code can be generated based on those specifications again and again.
That's a good point, but it can also be that the employer is satisfied with the "good enough" results.
While it is true that the current high demand on a job market allows many to have "good enough" skills for employment, I would argue that passion, curiosity, and obsession are the driving forces that lead to better outcomes both for individuals and the industry as a whole. These qualities inspire deeper engagement and lead to more quality work. For routine tasks, basic competence might suffice. However, for solving complex problems, it won't...
Passion/curiosity/obsession often leads to voluntary, extensive practice and learning. This typically results in faster skill acquisition and a deeper understanding of the subject matter. While becoming competent without any of these is possible, the path is often slower and limited.
Also, both the tech industry and the job market are evolving rapidly. Passionate/curious/obsessed developers are more likely to keep up with new technologies and methodologies, potentially leading to better long-term career prospects and adaptability. The pace of change in our industry demands a continuous hunger for knowledge and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
In the end, if you don't want to be a mediocre developer with a mediocre career, such stuff matters.
> All joking aside, we fledgling mathematicians understood that the single most important thing was not raw intelligence or knowledge (Americans tend to lag behind in the latter compared to all international students). What mattered was passion. The way to become successful in mathematics, like almost every endeavor, is to care about it, to love it, to obsess over it.
This is the most important point from the article. My theory is that if you are not obsessed with something, you won’t be good enough with it, wether it’s a math, coding, business or something else… Thats how most of us got started in tech from the early ages.
Awesome! I love seeing kids play around with code. Curiosity is very important at any age.
That’s how I started too. Back in the days of Internet Explorer, I used to click View -> Source and mess around with the HTML in Notepad. I’d change the content, blocks, colors...
About 25 years later, I’m still coding, but right now I’m deploying the data transformation pipeline (T in the ELT) on production server to calculate business KPIs.
Very true. There’s a huge difference developing in a well known vs. new domain. My mantra is that you have to first be experienced in a domain to be able to craft a good solution.
Right now I am pouring most of my time in a fairly new domain, just to get an experience. I sit next to the domain experts (my decision) to quickly accumulate the needed knowledge.
This leads us to another problem: you cannot easily sell niche products on a large market (Georgian wine and amber wine is one), mainstream customers want mainstream wines.
So, you are left with several options:
1) Do a mainstream wines - beyond my values;
2) Build a brand, which is very, very hard…
3) Do an exceptional wine, “so good they can’t ignore you”… that’s my long term goal. That’s why I am experimenting a lot, which I believe will lead me to a great results. Right now my wine could be ranked as top 5-10%, but my goal is to make it in top 1-2%. Check back in a few years :))
The 2021 vintage was very good, but the recent ones are even better. Sadly, we only produce experimental wines (new varieties, blends, different techniques) right now. Last year, we made 12 various experiments. Out of them, we will blend some more, and we will receive 20+ different wines.
My current goal is not to rush into the markets and start selling. I prefer to do experiments for several years, hear knowledgeable people's feedback, and then select the winners.
> natural wine degrades quite fast when shipped with traditional couriers
It's sporadic to achieve and maintain the needed natural sulfur level in the wine. In most cases, you must add some sulfur to maintain wine stability for shipment. Many natural wine brands refuse to use any SO2 at all.
Imagine you're a small winery, poured your heart and did your best to make a great wine. Now it's time to ship overseas... by NOT adding any sulfur, you risk your product getting damaged. A small amount of sulfur is a small compromise you make to make your wine more stable and ready to be shipped overseas.
The problem with wine products being available on the US market is very complex. The main issue is US laws, taxes, and procedures.
As a small producer, to make my wines available on the US market, I need to find a licensed alcohol importer (~35% added margin). Alcohol importer is eligible to only sell wines to the licensed alcohol distributors (another ~35% added margin). Alcohol distributors are qualified to only sell to licensed retailers (another ~35% added margin). Add production and transportation costs to the US, and the price gets very high. Even if the market can bear such high prices, the procedures are so complex and out of producers' control that it's very unattractive market. Add the complexity of state laws and taxes. Each state has different requirements.
Several years ago, I imported a test batch of my wines to the US. Some bottles might still be available in the shops (3 shops in Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey). Imagine you need an excellent importer/distributor willing to go the extra mile for your product. In that case, it takes a lot of work to find success. You may have a fascinating wine but may get stuck in these bureaucracies.
I was thinking of going D2C via an online store. However, most of the states don't allow shipping out of state. Besides, you still have to go through all those procedures mentioned above.
https://otar.me