jacobian

https://social.jacobian.org/@jacob

recovering from a 25 year career in tech. he/him.

pronouns: he/him
web: https://jacobian.org/
signal: jacobian.01

Public Key

npub1w0talg47kp9jyufdyu5uad4x4mdr8rc8mq36wy7geqx0cnwvx6vspxumh8

NIP-05 Address

jacob_at_social.jacobian.org@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs8847l52ltqjezwykjw2wwk6n2ak3n3urasga8z0yvsr8ufhxrdxgpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsnxwgsg

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nostr.mom

Author Public Key

npub1w0talg47kp9jyufdyu5uad4x4mdr8rc8mq36wy7geqx0cnwvx6vspxumh8

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Last Notes

2026-02-06 19:35:45 UTC

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The writing’s been on the wall for, gosh, maybe a decade now … and there are other deeper sadnesses in the world right now … but still, it stings.

2025-12-12 18:18:09 UTC

I'm driving an hour to take my EMT license exam IRL instead of installing Pearson’s sketchy exam spyware on my computer. That’s a totally normal-person decision to make, right?

2025-08-01 19:04:54 UTC

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You may already be aware that dimensional lumber is a lie — a 2x4 for example is 1½” x 3½”.
But you may not have known that there are different standards for true dimensions, which is why I have to shave ¼” off my 6x6 post (really 5¾”) so that it fits into my 6x6 bracket (really 5½”).
That’s because I bought 6x6 “rough sawn”, but my brackets are designed for 6x6 “construction lumber”. Both are named “6x6”, neither is actually 6” square, each has different true dimensions.
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/114/955/065/002/408/086/original/3a9d77ba4a7780ce.jpeg

2025-07-29 23:24:03 UTC

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I’m back to working on the run-in shelter this week.
Here’s all the lumber I’ll need for the project. I ordered it from our local building supply, and they delivered it for free within just a couple hours — super nice.
Next up: post bases. The piers are off by an inch or so here and there, which I planned compensate for because I’m using drilled anchors. But I’ll wait for my wife to get home to do that: she doesn’t make the silly math mistakes I do, and precise layout is way easier with two.
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/114/939/096/435/983/171/original/08eb98d55c789efc.jpeg
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/114/939/097/078/619/516/original/3e4fa144ceb0967b.jpeg

2025-07-22 18:50:21 UTC

It’s common to say that “people suck at thinking about risk” — certainly it’s something that I’ve said often. And there are tons of examples of how our intuitive sense of risk goes wrong.
But… what if we thought differently? What if, instead, we started from an assumption that people’s risk assessments are accurate _for them_? What are the implications of thinking this way?
https://jacobian.org/2025/jul/22/what-if-we-thought-about-risk-decisions-differently/

2025-07-15 03:36:20 UTC

I'm building a run-in shed for the horses, and for the first time in my building-things life, I fully modeled it in CAD. Originally I did this so I'd have an accurate cut list for ordering lumber and metal, but it's been WAY more useful than that. Viewing just specific parts multiple angles; custom drawings of specific layouts, even using analysis tools to figure out how much concrete I need. Super cool, I'm a convert.
(This is OnShape BTW.)
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/114/855/153/433/768/354/original/634cf56854a9eab9.png
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/114/855/153/833/905/087/original/77d82968ebdfc520.png
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/114/855/154/205/227/278/original/20d4517f919ea21f.png
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/114/855/154/526/707/974/original/6e22a765b50e76a7.png

2025-07-09 01:38:50 UTC

OK, I finally have to buy a welder and learn to weld. The task is repairing my flail mower; the part I need to weld is approx 1/4” steel plate. I’m not interested in pretty welds, I just need to make it strong. I think I want either stick or flux core wire — I don’t want to fuck with gas. I have 240v available but I’d need to wire up a new outlet, so I’d prefer 120v if possible.
I’d appreciate recommendations for a starter welder and basic safety kit! Would love to stay under, say, $500.

2025-05-29 16:39:22 UTC

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More generally speaking — I just love the concept of a venue to talk about some more controversial topics with depth and nuance. I think there are inportant things to say about open source, and AI, and trans rights, and the rise of global fascism, and ethical consumption under capitalism, and and and and — but these discussions are impossible to have online in ways that don’t immediately become fights. I’m just desperate for fora where we can actually talk and listen, not just shout.

2025-05-18 12:21:16 UTC

#PyConUS has been fantastic as usual, but the absence of so many international attendees is just palpable and sad.
I think organizations like the DSF and PSF who want to be global communities need to think long and hard if we want to continue having our primary events in the US. It’s not an easy for so many reasons, but it’s one we need to start having.

2025-03-21 03:50:20 UTC

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you will be very disappointed to hear this, but in my experience Copilot is the only tool that seems to be able to do any semblance of this.

2025-03-10 19:41:02 UTC

Omg they’re here!
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/114/139/833/571/940/368/original/08cb96b9fc1538da.jpeg
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/114/139/834/456/694/911/original/1413c879b876692e.jpeg

2024-11-19 14:47:53 UTC

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I really really struggle with this one personally - to the point Jay that your post was actually kinda painful to read (because it’s saying true things, not because it’s hurtful!)
I can clearly see ways in which I’m holding the Django community back, and maybe I need to dip. But I also really do believe that I’m doing this that nobody else can or will do. Is that belief just ego? How would I know when the balance tips? I find this super hard to think about.

2024-11-18 16:49:33 UTC

Yes, DSF Office Hours are back again this Wednesday at 6PM UTC. Wdjango #dsfwly-elected Board, Steering Council elections coming up, and some ongoing conversations about Trac, Django's Security Team, fundraising, and more — so I imagine we'll talk about some of this. But whatever you want to talk about or work on, as long as it's DSF-related, c'mon by.
Message me (or any other board member) for joining info.
Hope to see you there!
#django #dsf

2024-11-14 18:43:32 UTC

If you’ve been wondering what’s been going on with Django’s steering council, and/or with technical governance more generally, we’ve tried to explain, put it in context, and lay out what’s happening next. If you care about Django’s future please take a minute to read this:
https://www.djangoproject.com/weblog/2024/nov/14/technical-governance-challenges-and-opportunities/

2024-10-30 17:58:12 UTC

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jfc I think it did it correctly on the first try
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/113/397/667/385/684/460/original/31482b2c08a2faf9.png

2024-10-30 15:39:56 UTC

Reminder that we've got DSF Office Hours coming up in about three hours (and every Wednesday at this time). For those who already have it, same link as last week; for those who don't, contact me (or anyone on the board) for joining info. https://www.djangoproject.com/weblog/2024/oct/16/announcing-weekly-dsf-office-hours/

2024-10-10 22:20:59 UTC

Are there notable examples of businesses offering differential pricing to organizations with aligned ethics? I’m thinking about eg a consultancy offering lower rates to green tech, SaaS services offering discounts to nonprofits in areas they care about, etc. Obviously businesses can and often do charge wildly different prices but I’m not aware of organizations being transparent or up front about “good for the world” discounts.

2024-09-30 19:00:43 UTC

Got a new computer (Mac Studio), and taking it as an oportunity to try new tools & change up my workflow. So far:
- Arc: couldn't grok how it does tabs; abandoned
- Vivaldi: happy so far!
- Wezterm: lovely
- Amethyst: hm… giving it another couple of weeks.
- uv: amaze
- mise: don't _quite_ see the value over asdf but fine why not
- Dracula theme: not my fav but enjoy having unified colors
- Orbstack: enjoying it but expecting a rug pull
Keeping: oh-my-zsh, starship
Other suggestions welcome!

2024-09-19 00:58:20 UTC

I was really impressed how well Claude handled this identification task (later confirmed by consulting with an expert familiar with the area). This feels genuinely different than trying to accomplish a similar task through pre-LLM search.
https://cdn.masto.host/socialjacobianorg/media_attachments/files/113/161/502/408/074/998/original/77f856d66b2f0ae0.png

2024-09-07 18:12:22 UTC

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TIL copier. Is there a compelling reason to use it vs cookiecutter?

2024-09-07 00:13:15 UTC

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it’s that but it’s not JUST that. Plenty of people get paid to write some pretty terrible software. It’s also taste, and good design, and good execution, and listening to the community, and the benefit of having like a dozen pieces of prior art to learn from, and, and, and …

2024-09-06 15:54:54 UTC

2000s: "extend Python with C"
2010s: "extend Python with Python"
2020s: "extend Python with Rust"
I have many conflicting feelings about this progression…

2024-09-01 15:00:43 UTC

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I’ve always had LGs and they’ve always been super solid.
If you’re looking to save energy heat pump dryers are a thing now. They also have a big advantage of not having to be vented which is cool. But they’re super slow (2 hour dry cycles) and more expansive, and my power is cheap and green, so I after consideration I didn’t get one.

2024-05-24 02:07:11 UTC

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well, you’re the first person I’ve heard from with a legitimate reason not to mask — every single other person, and there have been many, who’s pushed back on the mask mandate has done so out of bullshit “free country” crap or deeply unscientific “vaccines are the real threat” kind of thinking.
So to you: I’m sorry.
Also, I suspect if you reached out to the confernce, they’d find a way to accommodate you and I encourage you to do so.

2024-05-23 13:48:31 UTC

If for no other reason*, I support a mask requirement at #PyConUS because the kind of person who doesn’t attend because they’re required to mask is the kind of person who I don’t want to hang out with anyway.
(* and there are lots of other good reasons too)