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James Lyndsay

@workroomprds.com
181 followers 242 following 157 posts

Getting better at software testing. Singing in Bulgarian. Staying in. Going out. Listening. Talking. #workroomprds

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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 17/09/2026
Why I don't subscribe to LLMs www.workroom-productions.com/why-i-dont-s...
workroom-productions.com
Why I don't subscribe to LLMs
In Fences, not Sandboxes, Steve Yegge tells us he burns $120,000 in tokens every month but spends just $4000 on subscriptions... Bargain!! It's not a bargain: It looks like a confidence trick. It loo...
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 07/09/2026
I don't use Grokipedia. I suggest you don't. And make sure your LLMs don't either. A comedy reason: an entry on the Atlantic Balloon Crossing starts off telling you about a balloon crossing the Atlantic. Halfway through it switches to telling you about the 1979 development and release of a game...
Text reads:
Beyond its technical breakthroughs, the Double Eagle II crossing captured global public imagination and marked a pivotal moment in aviation history, revitalizing ballooning as a symbol of human exploration. Landing in a French barley field after 137 hours aloft, the pilots were mobbed by cheering spectators who had tracked their progress by car, evoking the excitement of Charles Lindbergh's 1927 flight to the same airfield. The event garnered widespread media coverage, a personal telegram from President Jimmy Carter, and gold medals from the U.S. Congress in 1979, underscoring its status as a triumph of perseverance over 119 years of failures that had claimed at least seven lives. By positioning ballooning alongside powered flight in the annals of transoceanic adventure, it inspired subsequent feats like the 1981 Pacific crossing and elevated the sport's prestige, shifting perceptions from quaint novelty to elite test of endurance and ingenuity.[1][3][6]
Development

Programming and Design

Dean Powell served as the sole designer and programmer of Atlantic Balloon Crossing, creating the game single-handedly for the TRS-80 computer.[8] He developed it as a personal project beginning in early 1979, drawing direct inspiration from the Double Eagle II's historic transatlantic balloon crossing in August 1978.[9]
The game was implemented in BASIC, the TRS-80's primary programming language, with careful attention to the system's hardware constraints, including the standard 4 KB of RAM in the base Model I configuration.[10][11] Powell's design choices emphasized realistic simulation of ballooning physics to capture the essence of the event, incorporating elements such as variable wind currents that affect trajectory, altitude control through ballast and burner management, and resource tracking for fuel and supplies to heighten the challenge of a successful crossing.[8] These mechanics were optimized for the TRS-80's limited processing capabilities, ensuring smoo…
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Reposted by James Lyndsay
David Quantick @quantick.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
New slogan for AI: THIS MACHINE THRILLS FASCISTS.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 04/09/2026
Pro tips for my mob
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 04/09/2026
If I was Stripe, and the web page for my dashboard did this if left open overnight, I'd be embarrassed.
Two open tabs, both from stripe, taking between them 5GB of memory.
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Ink & Switch @inkandswitch.com · 31/08/2026
Today we're officially sharing the "Introducing Patchwork-26" video from Lab Day at this year's @localfirstconf.com We bring you the first look at Patchwork-26, the latest in our ongoing effort to realize Malleable Software, Universal Version Control, and Local-First Software.
youtube.com
Introducing Patchwork-26
YouTube video by Ink & Switch
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 08/08/2026
Fuck off, you nosy, wasteful, thirsty, awful goblin. And especially fuck off if you reckon this shite is a good use of LLMs.
A large language model offers to find 'what you want'
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 05/08/2026
Hey, #testing and #exploring people: How about sometime we get a gang together to explore Big Walk? It's a co-op environment with proximity chat – I reckon we can use it to talk testing as we wander about making sense of things. bigwalk.game
bigwalk.game
Big Walk by House House
Hang out with your friends and explore a wide-open world full of challenges, puzzles, and discoveries. A cooperative online walker-talker from the creators of Untitled Goose Game. Big Walk is availabl...
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 30/07/2026
New BlackBox Puzzle 039. www.workroom-productions.com/puzzle-039/
workroom-productions.com
Puzzle 39
Puzzle 39 – swift to explore. Probably.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 26/07/2026
I can't access Excel. Here's the error: a confused axolotl. Context: I've got a forever license, not a subscription for Office. I can activate Word, not Excel. Word won't activate if behind a double-NAT network, and has needed two goes already this week. MS don't want me to work with their kit.
Excel activation error: "An unknown error has occurred. The error code is 0x0"
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 04/07/2026
Go home, algorithm, you’re drunk.
Text: Movies we think you’ll like. 
Posters: creepy mask for movie Black Phone, glittery prancing girls for Barbie 12 Dancing Princesses
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 23/06/2026
We are building stuff (toys, environments, ideas) for you to play with. LocalLLMs are helpful to testers (and private, and differently thirsty) Needs polishing, mind.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 10/06/2026
Keep an eye out, London — it’s stag beetle time.
Stag beetle on a wall
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 01/06/2026
I want to go. I can't. You might. Do it now.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 25/05/2026
One for @simonwillison.net
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 11/05/2026
Sid James. Sean Connery. Ryan Reynolds.
A black and white film still with Sid James, Sean Connery, and probably not Ryan Reynolds. From Hell Drivers (1957).
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 11/05/2026
Time was we'd take our biggest jobs to our biggest machines, pare back to just the necessary processes, and run hot overnight. We'd watch memory and CPU and timestamps on files. Time was, I was on call for that. Running a local llm: I'm back there again.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 02/05/2026
Every year, in early May #dawnChorusDay, in a 24-hour circumnavigation of the planet, people turns to broadcast the live, local, sound of dawn. It's on now: soundtent.org/reveil.html and extra.resonance.fm/episodes/rev...
soundtent.org
reveil
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Not That Rick Scott 🇨🇦 @shadowspar.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
great gift idea here on Amazon. who wouldn't love a "Since the images are completely black, I cannot fulfill the request. I am unable to generate a title based on a blank image. If you can provide a valid image, I am happy to create a title" www.amazon.ca/completely-f...
amazon.ca
Since the images are completely black, I cannot fulfill the request. I am unable to generate a title based on a blank image. If you can provide a valid image, I am happy to create a title. (Black
Add a touch of timeless charm to your space with this beautifully designed vintage poster. Featuring classic retro color palettes, nostalgic typography, and delicate distressed textures, it creates an inviting atmosphere that complements both modern and traditional interiors. Each piece is produced using high-quality fade-resistant inks on durable premium cardstock to ensure vibrant colors and lasting visual appeal. Ideal for decorating living rooms, bedrooms, offices, studios, cafés, or creative workspaces, this artwork adds character and warmth to any wall. Its nostalgic aesthetic makes it a thoughtful gift for art lovers, history enthusiasts, or anyone who appreciates distinctive home décor. Transform blank walls into a stylish focal point with this unique vintage-inspired poster that evokes the charm of bygone eras
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 21/04/2026
It is just about ten years since the UK Government published its Service Manual for Exploratory Testing. www.gov.uk/service-manu...
gov.uk
Exploratory testing
Explore a system as a user would - without a script or set of tasks - to find possible defects that other forms of testing may miss.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 20/04/2026
FYI
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 15/04/2026
Lights out, headphones on, hold tight.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 24/03/2026
So "Claude can directly control your browser, mouse, keyboard, and screen to complete tasks. It will scroll, click to open..." Please don't do this to yourselves today, people. claude.com/blog/dispatc...
claude.com
Put Claude to work on your computer | Claude
Claude now opens your apps, navigates your browser, and runs your dev tools to complete tasks. Assign from your phone with Dispatch. Research preview on macOS.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 05/03/2026
Short chat with MiniMax-M2.5 Me: who are you? > I'm Claude Code [...] Me: Are you sure you're not MiniMax-M2.5? > [...] The system prompt identifies me as "MiniMax-M2.5" [..], but I've been introducing myself as "Claude Code". www.anthropic.com/news/detecti...
anthropic.com
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 01/03/2026
I’ve lived in London for years. I just saw directions to Nelson Square, North Southwark, and briefly felt myself slip into some alternate timeline…
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 26/02/2026
From @tldraw.com: Their tests are worthwhile (and we might yet take a look in an 'interesting testing' session). While this is tongue-in-cheek, it's also getting closer to a thing. Tests, like moulds, are valuable. github.com/tldraw/tldra...
github.com
Move tests to closed source repo · Issue #8082 · tldraw/tldraw
Move the test suite out of the open source tldraw/tldraw repo and into the closed source repo. Context The tldraw monorepo currently contains ~327 test files across unit, integration, and e2e tests...
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 26/02/2026
Bullshit: sticky, nasty, grows roses. Batshit: all the above, but the zoonotic pathogens can really mess you up. LLM chats: more batshit than bullshit. journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
journals.plos.org
Metagenomic analysis of fecal and tissue samples from 18 endemic bat species in Switzerland revealed a diverse virus composition including potentially zoonotic viruses
Many recent disease outbreaks in humans had a zoonotic virus etiology. Bats in particular have been recognized as reservoirs to a large variety of viruses with the potential to cross-species transmiss...
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 09/02/2026
In Workroom PlayTime this week, we'll run Cutting to the Core – an activity to help testers with talks to find their core message. Online, hands-on, this Thursday. www.workroom-productions.com/workroom-pla...
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 28/01/2026
Yesterday, Claude successfully (and painfully) got authenticated with my repo. Today, I could not work out how to authenticate personally through the commandline (I have a passcode, it needs a password). So I'm reduced to spending $0.10 to ask the LLM to do `git push`. WAAAAAAAAAARGH.
Terminal output indicating LLM usage – cost $0.10, took 87s, burnt a tiny hole in my soul.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 19/01/2026
Workroom PlayTime 045 on 22 January... tests of reasoning that (generally) distinguish humans and machines
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 19/01/2026
So if yer orange balloon puts a 10% tariff on sales from the UK to the US, that means my US customers pay more, and his mob keep a chunk? So now my diddly workshops are for free for US people, and I'm ignoring US corporates. I've not yet worked out how to do that.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 19/01/2026
In entirely unrelated news, I'm grateful to 0x0.st for being excellently helpful and responsive.
0x0.st
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 19/01/2026
I am an idiot with an LLM, and yesterday my nicely sandboxed, ` --dangerously-skip-permissions` env uploaded an unexpected file to an unexpected place.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 11/01/2026
Here's an interesting one for testers: A library with examples but no code www.dbreunig.com/2026/01/08/a... What does "testing" mean when we have only examples – and all the executable tests are generated? Like the old days – or not so much... ? Post + Workroom PlayTime incoming...
dbreunig.com
A Software Library with No Code
Do we still need libraries of 3rd party code when AI agents are this good?
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 19/12/2025
For playing on the last working day of the last working week of 2025, explorers. music.apple.com/gb/album/exp...
music.apple.com
Exploration by The Karminsky Experience Inc. on Apple Music
Song · 2003 · Duration 5:35
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 16/12/2025
Thursday 18 Dec at 3pm London time: marking the last in a year of hands-on short experiences, here's a Workroom PlayTime on building short exercises. No lectures, no principles, no solutions to problems: We'll play, share, and learn together. www.workroom-productions.com/workroom-pla...
workroom-productions.com
Workroom Playtime 043: Building Short Exercises
Thursday 18 December, 3pm London time.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 10/12/2025
This week's Workroom PlayTime is at 4:30 London time on Thursday 11 Dec. Basically today, future people. Sorry to be late to announce. www.workroom-productions.com/workroom-pla...
workroom-productions.com
Workroom Playtime 042: Exploratory Interfaces 4 – Tests
Thursday 11 December, 4:30pm London time.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 04/12/2025
Irja is a star!
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 29/11/2025
Run workshops? Want ideas on how to get people sharing? Get this. apps.apple.com/gb/app/liber...
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 28/11/2025
As I head out from BER, I reflect that one way to make things go like clockwork is to prioritise the clock. I’m grateful to everyone at #AgileTD that they choose the harder path and put us first. Cheerio!
A view from a queue on the airport tarmac, of buildings, machines, aeroplanes and vehicles.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 12/11/2025
Thursday 13 at 5pm London time – picking parts for your custom tools. www.workroom-productions.com/workroom-pla...
workroom-productions.com
Workroom Playtime 038: Parts for Tools
Thursday 13 November, 5pm London time, Parts for Tools
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 05/11/2025
Thursday 6 November: join me to play with xargs for testers. 4pm London time, on Zoom. www.workroom-productions.com/workroom-pla...
workroom-productions.com
Workroom Playtime 037: xargs tool for testers
Thursday 6 November, 4pm London time
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Jason Hazeley @jasonhazeley.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Mark’s passion and precision is spot on. And so very vital. The WAC is a *stunning* resource. It must be allowed — empowered — to thrive. SHARE. cstonline.net/defending-th...
cstonline.net
DEFENDING THE WAC: MARK LEWISOHN LOOKS AT WHY RENEWED APPRECIATION IS URGENTLY REQUIRED
I was asked to write an op-ed piece saying why I think the BBC’s Written Archives Centre (WAC) is a unique and brilliant resource, which I can do because it’s both – and why, therefore…
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 23/10/2025
Bleak-box testing
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 14/10/2025
This @adalovelaceday.bsky.social , celebrate the generosity and wisdom of Elisabeth Hendrickson ( curiousduck.io ), the perspective and persistence of @lisacrispin.bsky.social and the sheer chutzpah and joy of @fionaccharles.bsky.social #ALD25 – findingada.com
findingada.com
Ada Lovelace Day – Celebrating the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 27/08/2025
Thursday 28 Aug at 4pm – draw a (testing) chart, tell a (testing) story in this week's Workroom PlayTIme. www.workroom-productions.com/workroom-pla...
workroom-productions.com
Workroom Playtime 028: My Story Chart
Thursday 28 August at 4pm London time. Telling a story with a picture.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 23/08/2025
If there are directions to the lost city, is it really lost?
Two roadsigns. One reads Лост Сити (transliterates to Lost City)
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 14/08/2025
This is a generated summary of a 90-minute conversation about ephemeral testing environments. Sharing because it made me laugh, I needed a laugh, and maybe you do too.
Text from an LLM summary, reading 
Quick recap
James encountered an issue with an unspecified object and wondered if he might have accidentally sat on it. The exact nature of the problem and the object in question remain unclear from the available information.
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 13/08/2025
@suw.bsky.social you didn’t film ‘Fieldwork’, did you? It’s just that I saw your recent tweet and found the pictures *in my head*. The rational part of me is sure I only read the script. The remembering part sees people looking up that tree, and they all have different expressions…
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James Lyndsay @workroomprds.com · 13/08/2025
Tomorrow’s Workroom PlayTime www.workroom-productions.com/workroom-pla...
workroom-productions.com
Workroom PlayTime 026: Shared Inspiration
Let's exchange ideas about something that has inspired us, as testers. 4pm 14 Aug 25
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