Thomas Hartmann @hartmann@mastodon.technology

Let's try a little #introduction to start things off:

#hello, I'm Thomas.

Software dev currently particularly enamored with #Rust and #Haskell, trying to dive ever deeper into the functional and theoretical ends of the pool.

I want to start writing and talking about programming, so I'll try and use this as a little outlet to set me on the right path.

Keyboard customizer, Oxford comma proponent, and all-round good guy.

Maybe I'll actually manage to rack up some posts this time around?

Cheers!

Feeling like I found my inner teenage girl listening to Taylor Swift and doing maths 😅

If you had to pick one conference talk that has impacted the way you think / develop software the most: which would it be and why?

For me, it’d have to be ‘Making Impossible States Impossible’ by Richard Feldman for how it talks about restricting your models and using the computer and type system to avoid invalid states. “Testing is good. Impossible is better. “

#programming

It seems I'm incapable of writing short posts. Even when I think it'll only be about 500 words or so, I end up with at least triple that.

I really need to work on presenting my ideas and thoughts in a more concise manner.

At least I'm aware, right? 😅

Completely unexpectedly ended up with a ticket to NDC today, and it is pretty sick. I’m all about the free food so far, but I’m sure I’ll find some good talks too 😅

Just picked up an Ergodox Planck and it is _tiny_! The kailh thick gold switches feel amazing, though! Here pictured next to my previously smallest keyboard, a 60% Pok3r.

Also, side note: I went from having never used a mechanical keyboard to owning 5 of them in a year ... whoops? 😅

While working on it, I accidentally pushed 100+ tags to the site's repo (oops) and had to find a way to fix that. I ended up using xargs and had to figure out it works. Naturally, I wrote a post on that ✌️

https://thomashartmann.dev/blog/xargs-and-the-unruly-tags/

So I got that blog of mine up and running in the end 👆 It's been about a month now, and so far I've managed to get something out every week. Sure, it's no big achievement just yet, but everyone's gotta start somewhere, right? 😅

It's particularly interesting because of how you can tell from the wording and punctuation. Sure, there's also the vague actualy memory of writing it, but that's secondary.

It's a strange kind of deja vu when you're reading through the git documentation and suddenly stumble upon a section that you yourself authored.

Oh, my god. I don't know why it matters, but after moving most application-level packages into a buildenv.nix file for my specific user and out of the global configuration, everything suddenly feels a lot snappier. Plus I can start rebuilding my system again 🎉 All that's left in system level config is system stuff and some CLI tools.

I can run slack/spotify/alacritty without wrapping them and the fans don't whine constantly 😅

Oh, the joys of learning #NixOS

Bought myself a domain today. Wasn't really expecting that.

So it's April first and time to revisit the little goal I set myself in March: proposing talks for two conferences by April.

It's a small win, but I'd definitely consider it a success. Proposals were sent to JavaZone in Oslo, Norway and Deconstruct Conf in Seattle, USA.

🍪

Okay, team: I'm looking to get into lisp programming, but I'm not sure where to start. Any recommendations on which dialect to go for and learning materials?

I've previously had a little dabble with common lisp, but didn't find any great learning resources, so it didn't quite have time to solidify.

After a cursory read through the Wiki articles, scheme seems like a good choice too. Maybe Little Schemer would be a good read?

Had a little play with the Workman keyboard layout this morning after a colleague told me he liked the look of it.

I'm intrigued, but not convinced. In particular, HJKL felt awkward for movement. Now, I use Dvorak usually, and by some amazing luck, the way those letters are laid out actually works.

Anyway, I'd be very interested from you if you've got some experience with it 😇

Oops. Just accidentally a package to the global npm namespace 😅

Guess I expected it to be under my namespace by default or at least get a heads up. Oh, well 🎶

The ADT result modeling is very much inspired by how art work, in C#, the database writing service throws an exception if a given key already exists.

Went to a tech night hosted by a big, Norwegian web marketplace company today. One of the talks was about speaking at conferences and it made me realize that yes, now is indeed the time.

New goal: submit at least two applications by the end of the month ✌️

Current best formed idea: using algebraic data types for handling operations that can produce various outcomes.

Other idea: Phantom types and making your life easier. Mostly because I could call it 'the Phantom Menace'.

I wonder if I could do the OCaml/ReasonML thing and make a syntax that makes Rust look like Haskell 🤔

I'd call it... Rascal 👌

And the final thing: I'm not sure how you're intended to reach some of the further thumb keys. The bottom row is fine, third is alright, but that middle one that's the furthest from your starting position ... Maybe I'll get used to it.