Jonathan Otto

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

Beast Mode Activated

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

Optimize code, SQL, or writing with LLMs:

for {
for llm = range [o3, opus4] {
code = optimize(code, state, llm)
score = evaluate(code)
state = append(state, {code, score})
}

sort(state)

if (state[0].score < N) { break }
}

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

"Real coding" means constant refactoring of abstractions to reduce complexity and increase capability

The lesson of AI agents is what happens when you atrophy your mental model of a codebase

This same lesson applies to note taking

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

@korevec Yes, and as the AI Agent power grows it all becomes insignificant. But if "cost" still matters... maybe at scale, think quadrillions of apps/services - maybe it's more efficient to build layers on stable interfaces (versioned APIs, SQL, etc.).

MCP works like this

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

SaaS, microservice, SQL, or API is the ideal abstraction

FaaS requires your code to work with latest version of underlying language (Node.js v20, etc.)

PaaS get deprecated (Heroku)

Cloud is complicated (AWS, GCP)

Self hosting requires expertise/maintenance

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

Coding music
https://t.co/lwU0RxCYtG

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

Programmer velocity is

mentalCapacity / sizeOfCodebase(s)

and 2 levers:

- better arch/abstractions (that the team has mentally cached)
- less meetings/distractions so the devs can "cache" more code

higher level languages and LLMs are same as arch/abstractions

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

3 types of thinkers when coding:

1. no mental "cache" of codebase/arch
2. partial cache
3. full codebase + arch cached mentally

AI will continue to shift programmers from level 3 towards level 1. Level 3 thinkers who refuse to migrate will merge w/AI.

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

Momentum for a coder is life or death. Too many days off, the code leaves your brain and you return to type-2 thinking to re-familiarize. As long as the code is "cached" in your mind, you can achieve type-1 flow state with virtually any task.

Momentum = 3x output

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

The most powerful hack for computer programming is delegating cognitive load to the subconscious mind.

Quickly work through a draft of your task from beg to end. Then walk away.

Let your "diffuse" thinking do the hard work in between tasks, on walks, or sleeping.

easy 3x

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

Many people are inefficient with their computer interaction

No keyboard shortcuts, alt+tabbing, slow apps, no workflow, no macro

This is an easy unlock for LLMs and NixOS. Perfect one-off OS's can be configured per persona per workflow

+1% GDP easy

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

@korevec amen brotha

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

$12/day coder's diet:

2 large mcdonalds coffee = $4
carryout, large dominos pizza = $8

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

s-tier: mcdonalds, buc-ees, chick-fil-a
a: culvers, in-n-out, mixt greens
b: jimmy john's, shake shack, fiveguys, chipotle
c: waffle house, steak 'n shake
d: starbucks, wendy's, burger king, subway

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

Buy a computer with 64GB of ram or more. It's not expensive (unless Apple) and makes a huge difference. If you're using a consumer-grade desktop you can go up to 192GB. Asymmetric returns.

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

my inner monologue when rebooting a NixOS system using impermanence and ZFS

boot.initrd.postDeviceCommands = lib.mkAfter ''
zfs rollback -r rpool/local/root@empty
'';

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

vscode is the chrome browser of the IDE world. it's "good enough" but LLMs obviate big IDEs

true flow only comes from deep muscle memory with vim/emacs workflows and terminal multiplexers and/or tiling wms AND feedback

the s-tier dev ux will be led by neovim, zed, or cursor

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

dreams, movies, deep thinking, etc. is akin to fine-tuning the human brain with synthetic data - i.e. traversing/permuting through a graph multiple levels deep

next step is delegating this to LLMs - instant auto-complete for your brain

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

sf bay area is the most beautiful and high potential city in the USA - "there is no second best"
https://t.co/skzb9NJxYI

[Jonathan Otto @jotto]

modern human toil abstracts to:

triage
data input
business workflow
analytics

all of which can be eliminated by LLMs