Link Roundup: July 7, 2024

Note: This post is a day early, as I’ll be on my honeymoon this week.

This week I’ve included articles on mindfulness in technical writing (Tom Johnson), friction in software development (Wayne), and the extraordinarily concerning environmental implications of Hurricane Beryl (Berger).

As always, I generate summaries using AI and edit those summaries for accuracy and usefulness. Then, I offer some thoughts of my own.

I’d also love for you to check out my write-up of “Trust in Artificial Intelligence: Meta-Analytic Findings,” a recent article published by Alexandra D. Kaplan, Theresa T. Kessler, J. Christopher Brill, and P. A. Hancock. It seemed a bit goofy to include one of my own posts in the link roundup last week, so I figure I’ll include my own work in these brief introductions going forward.

Tom Johnson, “Seeing invisible details and avoiding predictable, conditioned thought”

Link to Article

Generated Summary (ChatGPT)

The article discusses the importance of perceiving subtle details and avoiding predictable, conditioned thinking. Johnson emphasizes that being able to see the "invisible" details can lead to deeper insights and more creative solutions and discusses how this relates to AI tools and writing. He suggests cultivating a mindset that challenges assumptions and habitual patterns of thought, which can help recognize overlooked opportunities and solve problems more effectively.

My Thoughts

This post almost seems to be addressed directly to me, as it touches on nearly every topic I find captivating: Zen Buddhism, technical writing, literary theory and philosophy, and the importance of paying attention. His emphasis on defamiliarization, noticing, and asking questions are qualities I try to cultivate daily, and the way he applies those general life-enhancing techniques to writing and AI tools is something that, itself, is defamiliarizing and valuable. As with pretty much everything I read on Johnson’s blog, I highly recommend this one.

Hillel Wayne, “Software Friction”

Link to Article

Generated Summary (ChatGPT)

Wayne explores the concept of friction in software development, drawing an analogy to military friction as defined by Carl von Clausewitz. Wayne identifies various sources of software friction, such as changing APIs, bugs, unclear requirements, and tool failures. He suggests strategies to mitigate friction, including smaller scopes, more autonomy, redundancy, better planning, automation, and gaining experience through gaming and checklists. Wayne emphasizes that while friction is inevitable, effective management can reduce its impact.

My Thoughts

I saw this posted on Hacker News and found it thought-provoking. I think the definition of friction Wayne develops from Clausewitz—the delta between our theoretical experience and our actual experience—is interesting and applies to a host of topics. We see friction in our relationships, our lifepaths, our uptake of new tools, and—as Wayne points out primarily—in software development. Wayne also poses a lot of interesting questions about friction toward the end of his article, a move that connects nicely to Tom Johnson’s post above.

Eric Berger, “Yes, you should be a little freaked out about Hurricane Beryl”

Link to Article

Generated Summary (ChatGPT)

The Atlantic hurricane season, starting June 1, usually sees significant activity in August or September. This year, however, unusually warm sea temperatures have led to the rapid intensification of Hurricane Beryl, which became a Category 5 storm with 165 mph winds on July 1. This is the earliest such storm on record. Beryl's unprecedented development early in the season is alarming and may signal a hyperactive hurricane season, influenced by climate change and La Niña. Although Beryl is expected to weaken, it remains a major concern for Jamaica and Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. This early and intense activity highlights the increasing severity of hurricanes due to warmer seas.

My Thoughts

Here, I’m just going to include a quote from Berger:

The emerging consensus from scientists has been that there will be a 1 to 10 percent increase in tropical cyclone intensities and that the proportion of major hurricanes will increase. But even in such a world, Beryl would be an outlier. That we're already seeing superstorms develop in late June and early July should concern everyone everywhere.

It’s real out here, and it’s definitely concerning.