iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 15h

Cartoon from the latest Private Eye, with a different perspective on the whole thing…

child: “What’s AI daddy”
parent: “it’s god’s way of making more plumbers”

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026

I’ve been in roles where pretty much all I did most days was review other people’s code. It wasn’t always what I wanted to be doing, but we were trying to establish a review culture and a coherent architecture - and not just a bunch of loose cannons working away in their own corners - so I took […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026

Websites that don’t strip whitespace from around their email fields. Sheesh. What can you do?

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 05/10/2026

I like writing blog posts, but as an indie (hence my own boss), the tension between Getting Shit Done™, and Writing About The Shit I’m Supposed To Be Getting Done / Did Get Done™ is immense. I have a near-infinite ability to get distracted, and consequently a crushing guilt complex about being […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

100

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 05/10/2026

I should probably write a blog post about this, but… You have UI code in a package. It embeds semantic string keys, and expects a catalog even for the default language to supply the real string. Where do you prefer to put the catalog? In the package, you can use a swift-generated symbol […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

110

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 05/10/2026

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, or so they say. I really like that swift-format is built in to SwiftPM, so that I don’t have to depend on another tool, but… … swift-format seems really… flawed? Especially the linting? Are there any plans to make it better?

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 03/10/2026

I was reminded of the existence of the Apple Pippin today. 🤯

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 01/10/2026

Much to my non-surprise, 27.0.1 did not fix my Razer Kiyo Pro camera 🙁. Razer tech support were less than helpful - the product is discontinued now and in any case, the number of fucks they give about macOS support for anything is vanishingly small. Sigh.

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 01/10/2026

Is it me, or is Onelink viral in a scam-adjacent sort of way? The service is presumably legit (?), but I feel like I’m being auto-signed up to it without my consent, and having to actively fight to stay off it.

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 29/09/2026

The year, 2030: The 135th generation of AGIs - now far surpassing the intelligence of not only humans, but also the lizard people who secretly rule the earth, the dolphins who permit it, the mice who designed the whole show, and the pan-dimensional beings masquerading as cats who would […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 29/09/2026

Did I ever mention how much I hate the ITV/STV player?

001

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 26/09/2026

Wouldn't it be nice if Xcode could use swiftly to manage its Swift toolchains. With the unification of build systems, it feels like we're slowly creeping towards this sort of future. Maybe?

021

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 25/09/2026

The suggestion is that ai companies be held accountable for the actions of their agents. It would certainly be a start. Like any vendor of a dangerous tool, the ai companies will then make the user sign some sort of disclaimer saying “what I do with this tool is my responsibility, not yours” […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

100

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 24/09/2026

I’ve mostly used Codex on the $20 plan. Recently I often hit my 5h limit an hour or two ahead of schedule. My free(ish?) Copilot stuff just blows through rapidly now that they’ve changed the billing, so that sucks. I figured signing up for the $20 Claude too would get me more for less than […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 23/09/2026

It's not the end of the world, and as developers we can understand how it happened, but the whole Xcode 27.1 > Xcode 27.2 thing is not the greatest look. Sort of says “we’ll do any daft thing if marketing/legal ask us to”. Which of course is the truth, but it's annoying having to be reminded of […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 22/09/2026

Pet peeves no 3428: Streaming service apps that ask me who is watching… ON MY OWN DEVICE, THAT I NEVER SHARE WITH ANYONE! EVER! 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 18/09/2026

Is there a setting that tells the login screen to use 24-hour time. Everywhere else on the mac is set to do it, but I’ve just noticed that on golden gate at least, it’s refusing!

Photo of login screen showing 4.42 in the afternoon instead of 16.42

200

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 16/09/2026

I may have adjusted my agents.md file to make it sound a bit more... like me…? 🤔

Text from the agent:

"Quite right—I inverted your meaning. If that guard succeeds, the button exists and the manager has configured it. My “created too early” diagnosis was bollocks.”

010

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 16/09/2026

Hmm…. Golden Gate on the mac seems to have completely broken the Razer Kiyo Pro camera support 😭 It was always a bit flaky, but now FaceTime knows that the device exists, but is showing no video from it.

100

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 14/09/2026

Finally made it back to Stornoway after #iOSDevUK - yay! Luggage still in Glasgow - boo! 1-0 to the Glasgow baggage handlers, it would seem.

000

Reposted by Sam Deane

laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/09/2026

This is Just to Say (by Cato, a tabby cat): I have stolen the plums that were on the counter and which you probably would have preferred I did not I'm not sorry they were so rolly so fun I put them under the couch #Caturday #CaturdayEveryday #Cags #CatsOfMastodon

A container of small purple plums on the counter. Some of them have tooth marks.

Cato, a tabby cat, looking innocent. (He is not)

22115

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 11/09/2026

Well #iOSDevUK was a blast - reconnected with many old friends and made some new ones. Thanks to all who made it happen!

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 06/09/2026

Arrived in Aberystwyth for #iOSDevUK. I think I was last here some time around 98-99? The hill up to the uni is still a bastard. My legs are older now too…

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 02/09/2026

I’m not saying that Stornoway to Aberystwyth is a long way, but I’ve already set off for iOSDevUK 🤣.

000

Reposted by Sam Deane

Low Quality Facts @lowqualityfacts.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · 24/08/2026

I know that Elon Musk gets a lot of hate on here, but hear me out. I think we could hate him more. We have the capacity, we all just need to put in a little more effort.

6870

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 25/08/2026

In today's episode of WTF?, the normally reliable @zeninternet seem to have sent a loan router to me somewhere in Dartford (South East England). As I live on an island in the North West of Scotland, this is somewhat non-optimal 😬 Slightly frustrating... especially since it's only being sent so […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 22/08/2026

Anyone have any colour printer recommendations for my mum, who is an artist and does a lot of photographic printing? She has a reasonably modern MacBook Air, but not a lot of space. I keep pushing her towards a laser as she’s had a succession of bad ink jets, but they tend to be too bulky.

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 18/08/2026

Kickstart Exchange is a nice idea. Unfortunately I'm allergic to all advertising, and promised myself that I'd never work on an app that showed adverts of any kind - even for my pals. I know we have to have some way of finding about cool new stuff - I just think it should be an active act, not […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 14/08/2026

Why just until Xcode restarts? Infuriating…

Dialog saying:

Allow “Codex” to access Xcode?

The agent wants to use Xcode’s tools to perform actions like building, testing, or modifying code.

Path: /Applications/ChatGPT.app/Contents/Resources/codex
PID: 80168
Signed by: OpenAI

[x] Don’t ask again for this agent binary until Xcode restarts

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 24/07/2026

An unintended consequence of the coming automation revolution may be to remove a major reason for offshoring. You don’t save wages when you’re not paying people in the first place! Moving lots of things closer to home makes sense again, given the geopolitical climate, supply chain issues […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 24/07/2026

I was recommended Chad Fowler's “The Pheonix Architecture”. I've not got far, but it's already resonating: “This transition isn't just technical. It's deeply psychological, and that psychology shapes architecture. Many developers identify as builders and craftspeople. We take pride in elegance […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 24/07/2026

Experimenting with the Codex voice chat mode. I can feel my typing fingers atrophying already. On the plus side, I guess I can code whilst doing Tai Chi now, right?

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 23/07/2026

Imagine a parallel universe where we discovered that coding agents were actually mechanical turks. By which I don't mean "massive frauds” (before you ask). Or at least, I sort of do, but not in *that* way. I mean, what if it turned out that every answer and every line you ever got from Claude […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 23/07/2026

TFW you live somewhere obscure and the local news sites are a bit shit, badly formatted, full of adverts and syndicated content, and you finally crack and write a tool to scrape and summarise them to produce a nice intelligible list of the top ten local news headlines with short summaries and […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 23/07/2026

It’s easy to get hung up on the notion of coding agents writing code, and overlook the drudge work they can take away from you. Even if it never wrote I line of Swift, I'd find it useful having a helper that comprehends git and can manipulate Github pull […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

Transcript of codex helping me make a Github PR and release.

010

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 22/07/2026

My watch thought I’d had a fall. Actually I just dived in goal playing 5-a-side. Fair enough so far, I can see why it was confused - except then it just refused to take “no, it’s ok, I’m alive!” for an answer. Had to turn the bloody thing off in the end to stop it from calling the paramedics!

100

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 29/06/2026

This is so dumb… Tapping "Show More” reveals the *one* extra source… 🤦‍♂️ #itjustborks

Audio output dialog on an iPhone showing “iPhone”, “Living Room” and “Show More” - with a lot of space underneath it for other options.

Audio output dialog on an iPhone after tapping the “Show More” button - now showing “iPhone”, “Living Room” and “Kitchen Speakers”.

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 24/06/2026

Sadly my dad took ill just before WWDC, and died a few days later*, so I'm a bit out of the loop. I'm finally back home, and would welcome thinking about work for a bit. I don't get the impression that I missed much at dub dub. Is there anything particularly worth catching up on? (* dad had […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

011

Reposted by Sam Deane

Miguel de Icaza ᯅ🍉 @migueldeicaza.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/06/2026

SwiftUI is lovely and the most fun you can have when writing code. Don’t let the boilerplatetocracy tell you otherwise.

001

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 05/06/2026

Oof... new Copilot fees seem pretty brutal. 5 days into the month and I seem to have used up my credit! It's useful as a cross-check for Codex, but not my main tool; I only have it as part of paying for either Github or 365 (not sure which). If Microsoft thinks this is going to make me pay […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

010

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 20/05/2026

I came across rr the other day: rr-project.org. Looks cool - love the idea of being able to step backwards from a crash. It's gdb-based, but sounds like you can get it to work with lldb. Anyone tried it in a macOS/iOS environment?

rr-project.org

rr: lightweight recording & deterministic debugging

000

Sam Deane @samdeane.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 19/05/2026

This UI always confuses me. It feels like there ought to be a single button somewhere, saying “submit and review all of these together”. There isn't, though. So what exactly is the point?

App Store Connect UI showing draft submissions for iOS, macOS and tvOS.

Seems like there should be a “Submit All” button, but there isn’t.

000