AI Makes Deep Expertise More Valuable
LLMs can produce plausible answers quickly. The harder part is knowing which problem matters and whether the answer fits the system you actually have.
Ben Shi
Ben Shi is an engineering leader and pragmatic thinker writing about product, engineering, and learning at hbish.com
Latest posts
On being almost there
The seduction of near misses with AI coding agents. Why 'almost there' is more exciting than finished, and the addictive nature of imperfect AI assistance.
Workman
My 5-year journey learning the Workman keyboard layout. After 20+ hours of deliberate practice, here's my honest review and why I'm now learning Colemak-DH.
Reflecting on 2025
Navigating burnout, AI fatigue, and organisational cycles during the Year of the Snake. Reflections on six years at a scale-up, principles for using AI without losing critical thinking skills, and experiments with productivity tools.
Modding the Keychron K2 Mechanical Keyboard
Transform your Keychron K2's hollow sound into crisp mechanical satisfaction. A complete modding guide covering O-rings, lubing, and foam padding.
Deleting Old Tweets
Why I decided to delete 13 years of tweets and how I automated the process. A reflection on digital permanence and online identity.
A Brief Look at WebMention
Exploring WebMention as a decentralized commenting solution for static sites. How IndieWeb protocols enable social interactions without centralized platforms.
COVID Life Update
Reflections on life during COVID-19 lockdown. How 2020 became one of the strangest years I've experienced and what I learned from it.
Version 7 - GatsbyJS
Why I completely rewrote my personal website using GatsbyJS and abandoned CMSs for a static site generator. Version 7 brings speed and simplicity.
Choosing between Frameworks & Tools
Essential questions to ask when evaluating new frameworks and libraries for your project. A practical guide for technology selection decisions.
Book Review: Musashi – Eiji Yoshikawa (5/5)
Book Review: Musashi – Eiji Yoshikawa (5/5)
Building high performance Java application (Lessons Learnt)
Lessons learned building an automated rates trading system in Java from scratch. Performance optimization insights from a real-world project.
The "Let's just code" mentality
Why jumping straight into coding is often our biggest mistake as developers. The importance of planning and understanding before implementation.
A Midway Checkpoint for 2013
A mid-year reflection on 2013. Taking stock of progress, challenges, and lessons learned in the first half of the year.
Decisions
When the world gets quiet and only your heart remains. Reflections on making life-changing decisions and listening to your inner voice.