iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 22/08/2026

In Berlin Monday. Not sure how much time I’ll have free — possibly none — but if you’ll be around, let me know.

Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 12/05/2026

Yes, it’s smart to invest in ratcheting down software maintenance costs over time. But as a sucker for congruence, I’m far more interested in hearing this kind of message from folks whose leadership skill level and style don’t incur such heavy costs of their own.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 14/04/2026

After a much-needed break from work, I’m pleased to be back at it. In my new role I’ll get to: 1. Make full use of my particular set of skills AND (this is a big and) 2. Have their results be appreciated. Here’s what I’ll see when I occasionally go to the office.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 03/04/2026

Once I'd shown myself serious about piano, my parents bargain-hunted this 1923 Baldwin baby for a few grand.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 02/04/2026

Always loved the 11” MacBook Air. For tray table usage, still undefeated.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 19/02/2026

Even though I know to expect this, there’s always a Marc-André Hamelin moment that catches me out. Years ago, for instance, a pedaled downward gliss with every note enunciated, waves stacking so precisely as to sound electronic. Tonight’s moment was in the Etude-Tableau.

Haydn, Zappa, Wolpe, Oswald, Medtner, Rachmaninoff

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 02/02/2026

We were not formally introduced, but my style of scratching passed muster. Being assigned the task of carrying the weight of a donkey’s head for a few minutes is a privilege.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 03/01/2026

Live-upgraded MacPro1,1 NAS to OMV 8. Reboot failed. Of course I forgot something about 32-bit UEFI grub2. Booted 8’s ISO without any special grub flags. (On this box, whoa.) Easy repair. These were my final big questions. I now trust this system with my data. Blog post soon.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 01/01/2026

Today’s #pkgsrc hacking: 1. Get fastfetch and all of its dependencies building on Mac OS 10.9 #MavericksForever 2. Include pkgsrc in the package report

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 11/12/2025

It’s hard to fix something because it’s easy to break something else? That’s your clue: refactor first. (Special case of the general KFB wisdom “First make the change easy, then make the easy change.”) #Refactoring #ExtremeProgramming #XPLives

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 21/11/2025

Periodic reminder: if you’re intrigued by a job posting touting #ExtremeProgramming, maybe it’s what it claims to be. I hope so. But maybe not. Hit up your network before applying. If you’re reading this, I’m in your network.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 21/11/2025

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 18/11/2025

If #EngineeringLeadership doesn’t believe neurospicy folks can strengthen a team, they’re simply wrong. Maybe they’ll learn. But if a supposed #ExtremeProgramming expert doesn’t grok this, such remarkably deep failure of understanding indicates ignorance AND profound obstinacy.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 13/11/2025

If you don’t know how to care for people and don’t care to learn, by definition — no matter how convincingly you write, speak, and code — you are not an #ExtremeProgramming expert. And when you take a power position and try to enact XP among humans, we can see you’re a charlatan.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 13/11/2025

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 13/11/2025

2018 Mac mini was already being weird. Then macOS Tahoe dropped support. Usually I'd want NetBSD. But the only option was Linux, and it's pretty darn okay. Here's my setup: schmonz.com/2025/11/12/s... (Writing... muscles... loosening.) #macos #linux #netbsd

schmonz.com

Small Macs

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 30/09/2024

Got some slack time? Pick a risk to reduce. Got no slack time? Defer something, then pick a cost to reduce. #ContinuousImprovement

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 27/09/2025

Running #notqmail via qmail-run from #pkgsrc? Cool. Add #DKIM signing like so, then publish a TXT record with your `default` policy. Done!

$# mkdir -p control/domainkeys/dom.ain # chown -R qmailr control/domainkeys # cd control/domainkeys/dom.ain # openssl genrsa -out default 1024 # chmod 640 default # openssl rsa -in default \ -pubout -out default.pub$

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 19/09/2025

Most practical experts don’t write a book. Distinct tasks, incentives, skills. For the same reasons, some published authors are better at describing than at enacting. Maybe an author really knows, in context, under stress, how to *do* the thing. Maybe not. #ExtremeProgramming

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 15/09/2025

Unfortunately, even if the person following these steps loves #ExtremeProgramming (and is widely held to be expert in it), they’re no less destructive.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 15/09/2025

Unfortunately, even if the person following these steps loves #ExtremeProgramming (and is widely held to be expert in it), they’re no less destructive.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 15/09/2025

Hate #ExtremeProgramming and want others to hate it? 1. Become Director of Engineering 2. Tell org and stakeholders that XP will fix longstanding problems 3. Regularly interfere with devs’ learning 4. Design projects to delay ROI 5. Find scapegoats Maybe they’ll blame #XP.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 13/09/2025

If you love #ExtremeProgramming and you see a rare opportunity to be hired specifically for that, you might jump at the chance. I do. I did. Maybe in your case it’ll be what it sounds like. I hope so. But beware.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 13/09/2025

If the only code you’re ever satisfied with is your own, you’re not qualified for #TechnicalLeadership. Especially if you’re sure you are. If the only bits of #ExtremeProgramming you’ve mastered are the technical ones, you’re not an XP expert. Especially if you’re sure you are.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 12/09/2025

If you think #ExtremeProgramming coaches have to “know the most” or “be the most technical”, you might not understand coaching, influence, or your own technique-acquisition process. If you’re still sure of your understanding, regardless of cost to you and others… clownshoes.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 10/09/2025

If you repeatedly fail to perceive or appreciate what reputable #ExtremeProgramming coaches are accomplishing in your org, maybe you’re a great leader who doesn’t know yet what specifically to look for. If you do this while claiming to be an #XP expert, that’s clownshoes.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 08/09/2025

Fascinating 1:1 feedback: “I hired you largely on the strength of recommendations from our shared network. But maybe that was just a mutual admiration society.” What does this feedback reveal about the giver? Would you expect them to be a skilled leader or manager?

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 08/09/2025

“We learned a ton, we got lots done, our team dynamics were awesome, and I’ve never felt this kind of team feeling before.” Leaders are not obligated to value such feedback. But if they don’t, they oughtn’t claim to value #ExtremeProgramming. They value something incompatible.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 07/09/2025

If you believe the remit of an expert is to (1) know what’s best and (2) push everyone through doing it, you might not understand expertise. #KnowledgeWork #EngineeringLeadership

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 06/09/2025

Beware anyone elucidating the workings of great teams who’s almost certainly never been anyone’s great teammate.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 05/09/2025

If stakeholders have to wait many months to benefit at all from your project, you have much more to learn about #ExtremeProgramming. If influential developers of the highest caliber keep not meeting your expectations, you have much more to learn about #EngineeringLeadership.

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Emile `iMIl' Heitor @imil.net · 31/08/2025

Great documentation on how to create a pkgsrc package github.com/TritonDataCe...

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 31/08/2025

Beach vacation has concluded.

High-contrast sunset clouds between palm trees

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 30/08/2025

PSA for #ExtremeProgramming devotees: Not all “XP” jobs, authors, experts, or leaders are what they claim. Before applying, ask around your network.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 30/08/2025

PSA for #ExtremeProgramming devotees: Not all “XP” jobs, authors, experts, or leaders are what they claim. Before applying, ask around your network.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 28/08/2025

Three squares a day here. (Not pictured: a wealth of hexagons.)

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notqmail @notqmail.org · 13/08/2025

We’ve got fresh mirrors of… - qmail.org - netqmail.org - lifewithqmail.org (history reconstituted from RCS via CVS) All in #Git, mirrored to GitHub, managed by #ikiwiki. notqmail.org/mirrors

notqmail.org

Mirrors

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Reposted by Amitai Schleier

notqmail @notqmail.org · 12/08/2025

@dylanbeatt.ie created a vectorized version of our existing logo, plus some variations. Take a look — what do you like best? github.com/notqmail/not...

github.com

GitHub - notqmail/notqmail-logo: A logo for the notqmail project (https://notqmail.org/)

A logo for the notqmail project (https://notqmail.org/) - notqmail/notqmail-logo

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 12/08/2025

Note that the K is not silent. Keep the apostrophe. Otherwise it’s only partly spelt.

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Dylan Beattie @dylanbeatt.ie · 02/08/2025

I'm doing this live on Twitch right now if anybody wants to stop by and see how the sausage gets made :) twitch.tv/dylanbeattie Expect lots of Adobe Illustrator and fun with grids 🤠

twitch.tv

dylanbeattie - Twitch

Let's make some logos for notqmail.org

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 28/07/2025

Ancient #RPi serving home stereo AirPlay. I'd prefer #NetBSD: schmonz.com/2024/06/07/s... Staged latest shairport-sync for #pkgsrc. Builds on NetBSD, #macOS. Normally I'd commit, wait for evbearmv6hf-el binary package, forget. Trying something new today: cdn.netbsd.org/pub/pkgsrc/c...

schmonz.com

Small ARMs

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 23/07/2025

Code by a computer will often, compared to a human’s, appear - Less principled, coherent, systemic - More expedient, forgetful, surprising In short: even riskier. If there were such a thing as expertise in managing software risks, you’d want that, right?! #ExtremeProgramming

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 21/07/2024

Conjecture: Given developers of sufficient seasoning, #refactoring “when it feels good” is effectively equivalent to refactoring “to invest company money wisely”. (Developers at every level can be thinking about how well the two are correlated. A good way to acquire seasoning.)

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 02/07/2025

Before my dad sat 8-year-old me at our new stereo and said “listen to this,” I’d known western art music to be genteel, pleasant, nothing I personally needed. After — no, during! — I knew it was forever. Today I paid my respects to the musician who made me a musician.

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 02/07/2025

Economic constraints on humans-only software development: 1. More coherent code is cheaper to change, sometimes by an order of magnitude 2. The average change reduces overall coherence Economic constraints on augmented coding: 1. Same 2. Saaaaame

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Amitai Schleier @schmonz.com · 28/06/2025

Teammate on most recent team gave me this parting feedback: “I learned a ton, we got lots done, our team dynamics were awesome, and I’ve never felt this kind of team feeling before.” If your business makes software, I might be good for your business.

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