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Great software delivery needs a name that's defined and defended so people can't attempt to sell their tractor as a public transport solution.

The problem comes when people try to tell you their car is a train. Or their bicycle is a train. On some other misunderstood definition that misses the key properties of being a train.

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There's a benefit to bundling a bunch of concepts into a single term, as it captures the wisdom in a way we can communicate efficiently. It's easier to say "train" than "a collection of carriages linked together in sequence, running on rails, for the purpose of..."

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Modern Software Engineering @modernswe.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"Horses will be able to do calculus within the next year."

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Reposted by Steve Fenton

At the heart of Continuous Delivery is the Deployment Pipeline. Build better software faster. Grab @davefarley77's practical handbook "Continuous Delivery Pipelines" 📖 Get your copy of the ebook: lnkd.in/d9sJcRXt 📖 Get your paperback copy: amzn.eu/d/06vjXWe1

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Reposted by Steve Fenton

Marko Bevc @marko.social · 27/09/2026

I came by this good write-up by @stevefenton.co.uk and it feels like a great starting point for #AI etiquette: "If you create something with AI, you should be the first to read and review it. What you send to others reflects on you and your work." stevefenton.co.uk/blog/2026/09...

stevefenton.co.uk

AI etiquette

Why we need some etiquette around AI and what that looks like.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 27/09/2026

"If you cover normal graffiti you are “repairing” it, but when you cover gentrified graffiti you are “vandalising” it?!" It seems hacking is using the same playbook. The decision on whether it's a crime has a strong "who did it?" bias.

phonotonal.com

The Gentrification of Graffiti Rant | Opinion | Culture | Phonotonal

Graffiti. It’s everywhere, right. A sign of rebellious youth, appreciated by some and hated by others. If you drew a…

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Reposted by Steve Fenton

Julie S. Lalonde @julieslalonde.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The literacy crisis is not just referring to people's ability to literally read and write. It's also people's inability to read for context. I've been a public educator for over 20 years and I have never, ever seen it this bad.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 26/09/2026

I'm feeling a little better this afternoon so I'm switching from WEBP to AVIF.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 26/09/2026

We urgently need some AI etiquette! "Perhaps the most abstract view on this topic is to question which authentic part of yourself you have brought to the work."

stevefenton.co.uk

AI etiquette

Why we need some etiquette around AI and what that looks like.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 25/09/2026

Those darn candidates who don't have to wait for me to offer them a drink, stealing that fraction of power I hold over them. Yeah. Straight off the list.

static.klipy.com

Uh-huh Valerie Cherish

Alt: Uh-huh Valerie Cherish

Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 25/09/2026

There's a turning point during illness where you start to feel hungry again. For me, the optimism this brings is laced with warning thanks to William Pitt the Younger, whose last words may have been: I think I could eat one of Bellamy’s meat pies.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 24/09/2026

We keep retreating too swiftly from our meaningful names for collections of lessons learned. When we relinquish our words and their meaning, we lose much of the wisdom that goes with it. We've done it with #Agile. We did it again with #DevOps. The loss is costing us all.

Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 24/09/2026

"And here is Kevin Bacon in a relatively minor role" means it will turn out Kevin Bacon is the criminal mastermind behind the whole thing.

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Reposted by Steve Fenton

AP Stylebook @apstylebook.com · 23/09/2026

Artificial intelligence systems do not think, feel, want or understand. Avoid language that gives them human characteristics.

apnews.com

https://apnews.com/article/openai-safety-ai-framework-089e75b95bc935af092da7b79d92706d

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 24/09/2026

Luckily you're not fresh from this conference!

Karl Allen reading the YES pamphlet in the film, Yes Man.

Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 23/09/2026

What are happiness minutes, and why are we still chasing them over a century later? Find out more from Heidi Waterhouse... heidiwaterhouse.com/...

But anyone who has walked on ice will tell you, frictionless is not the same as easy. It’s a different set of muscles, and reflexes, and dangers. - Heidi Waterhouse

Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 22/09/2026

Meanwhile in DevOps No.88 Speak slow. #MWID #Webinars

Ellis is on screen presenting his latest webinar.

"Hello," he begins, pausing for a beat or two. "... welcome... to... today's... session... on... secure... software..."

Later that day, Blake bumps into Ellis in the corridor. He's confused about why Ellis was speaking so slowly on the webinar, but isn't sure whether to mention it. After a deep breath, Blake decides to ask.

"Why did you speak so slow on the webinar today?"

Ellis responds instantly.

"Everyone watches them back at double speed!"

Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 21/09/2026

Stumbled across this old and grainy screenshot. Was this how I got into #DevOps and #ContinuousDelivery This was Cruiser, a big information radiator view over your Cruise Control builds and tests. It would run on giant displays, but you could also check it on your Motorola, as shown here.

Cruiser: A dashboard over Cruise Control to show build and test status on information radiators.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 20/09/2026

Obviously they need you to not know this, as they will depend on you voting for them so they can harm you.

Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 20/09/2026

I know you already know this, but what the fascists are calling "The Left" is actually "normal working people". If you're not a millionaire, or billionaire, or in a position of power, you are, as far as they are concerned, "The Left", regardless of your political views.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 19/09/2026

Enjoy your stay. Your room has snacks, hit the button when the light comes on. If you don't get it at first; we'll electrocute you to help you learn. Welcome to Radical Behaviorism, where the developers most addicted to #AI get rewarded for hurting everyone. thenewstack.io/study...

A "Skinner Box" where a rat is trained to push a button when a green light illuminates to get rewarded with a snack. The floor can be electrified to reinforce the desired behavior.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 18/09/2026

You probably already know I get quite excited by metrics and charts. Did you know there's a secret sauce to healthy measurement in the workplace? All the charts below are just for me to understand my own work and improve it. Keeping them local is the heart of a healthy system.

Distribution of card age. Cards tend to be 0-13 days old, with a trickle at each interval from 14-27, 28-41, and so on... and lots of really old cards that probably won't happen and should be abandoned.

Cycle times captured over the course of many weeks, showing the median cycle time that highlights some volatility in the system.

A cumulative flow diagram showing the progress of completed vs open items over time.

Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 17/09/2026

On the most significant contributions to workplace culture EVER was Ron Westrum's concept of "Generative Culture". It's like a law of nature where the same elements that make a workplace great for employees also makes it better for employers. A true win/win. #Culture #DevOps

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Reposted by Steve Fenton

Dave Farley @davefarley77.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Pushing your dev team harder for speed actually slows you down. In tonight’s new video, I explore why software isn't a factory production line, it’s a discovery process. Stop rushing delivery & start optimising for learning.123 Tune in tonight at 7 PM! On @modernswe.bsky.social

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 16/09/2026

We all have to stop treating technical practices as a side quest when they are, in fact, the mission. "If the only problem were translating the cost of AI tools into end-to-end value, it would be serious enough. But something far worse is happening..." thenewstack.io/ai-co...

A chart showing two potential cost curves. The traditional one is low at first, because time is saved by not doing technical practices, then it climbs with increasing rapidity. The second path invests up front in technical practices and prevents the rapid ascent, keeping the software sustainable over the long term. This was the premise of Extreme Programming.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 15/09/2026

Meanwhile in DevOps No.87 Innovationmaxxing. #MWID #Innovation #Culture

Doug has gathered the team for an important update. His clipboard has been polished and Doug has a graph clipped to it. As he speaks, the team look increasingly uncomfortable.

"We need you all to be more innovative," Doug begins. "We've only received one F-572 innovation form this month... and only the first 16 pages were completed."

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Reposted by Steve Fenton

Ky @ky.fyi · 29/06/2026

Hey y'all, putting out the bat signal: I'm looking for full-time, part-time, or contract work in product design or frontend development. ("Design engineering" if you're trendy.) Over a decade of experience building design systems for startups, healthcare, civic tech + more. ky.fyi

ky.fyi

Ky Decker

Ky is a designer and web developer based in NYC.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 12/09/2026

I didn't post mine because after something about a car park it got stuck in a loop of "bit of a" and this lacked the poetry of yours.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 12/09/2026

...he said glibly from the software industry, which doesn't follow scientific advice on sustainable technical practices. 2/2

Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 12/09/2026

Tinned mackeral doesn't contain mackeral any more. It turns out that fishing above the advice if scientists results in population crash and ruins the sustainability of your mackeral market. 1/2

Chart from the Financial Times showing advised catch, and consistently higher actual catch from the North Atlantic.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 11/09/2026

You may have noticed the message was delivered in an `alert`. That's old school. You have to respect that.

Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 11/09/2026

Limiting passwords to 15 characters... in 2026... really?!

An error message that says "Password does not include enough variation" and the reason given is "password cannot be more than 15 characters".

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 10/09/2026

Why #DevOps isn't dead, even if you want to stop using the name. If you still think you should remove friction between silos, it's not dead. If you still think software needs solid technical practices, it's not dead. If it still needs dependable deployment pipelines, it's not dead.

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 09/09/2026

I had a few discussions where people were suggesting Continuous Integration didn't mean changes are frequently integrated to the same main shared branch. The idea of "We do CI, but with long-lived feature branches" doesn't make any sense to me.

octopus.com

Let's not water down the terms Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery

Find out why CI/CD aren't vague buzzwords. Here's what Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery actually mean, and the common misconceptions worth correcting

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Steve Fenton @stevefenton.co.uk · 08/09/2026

That shark was jumped some time ago.