Hot hot hot
"Restoring balance will not be achieved through technical innovation alone." This quote is taken from a recent case study into "AI" data center water usage in Georgia.
Python By Night
Latest posts and talks from Python By Night
Latest posts
Accepting Probabilistic Software Is A Political Choice
In my opinion, if we are accepting model output into our "open source" projects, that is a political choice.
What, Not How
One of the directives I've been given when explaining what "modern" development looks like when using the latest wave of LLM-based technology is—put more focus on *what* the application is supposed to accomplish, and not on *how* it is working under the hood.
Talks I'd Be Interested In
I somehow ended up as the Talks Chair for PyBeach 2026. And by somehow, I mean I volunteered. But that's because I want PyBeach to be a success. And you can be part of that success too!
More Better
What would it look like to be a good software engineer? Would it mean that you are able to solve complex problems with proven solutions? Or would it mean that you can provide novel and creative ways to solve hard problems? The introduction of AI tooling into a developer's workflow promises gains in productivity. But what does that mean? More code? Better Code? Less toil? More time?
PyCon 2026
Officially, PyCon US started on May 13th and ended on May 19th (this year, it took place in Long Beach, CA). But to me, it was just one long day with a few naps in between.
North Bay Python 2026
This past weekend, I was in Petaluma, CA for North Bay Python, where I delivered a talk, met up with old and new friends, and sat and ate lunch next to Guido van Rossum.
An Economy of Empathy
The tech industry must emerge from the grasp of a eugenic past, not by ignoring it, but by reckoning with it.
Sources
These days, with a slightly more nuanced understanding of global economics, I've tried to be a little bit more mindful of where my things come from.
On Feelings
A couple of years ago, I remember having multiple conversations with my friend on the merits (or lack thereof) of the The Last Jedi film. Our opinions were so terse and adversarial that we invariably stepped on each other's toes. Multiple times!
Honduras, Immigration, and Technology
Last year, while traveling to Honduras, I briefly made a ferry stop on the island of Roatan before continuing to my final destination. What I didn't know at that time is that I was less than a mile away from a zone called Próspera ZEDE.
What Does It Take
Recently, I mused over what it would take, from my perspective, to significantly change my view that the tech industry's infatuation with non-intelligent "intelligence" is a net-negative for society.
The LLM Ate My Baby
The abyss that exists between factions of LLM users and abolitionists stems from a differing perspective on the harms produced by the industry.
It's Not Skepticism
In the ever expanding vernacular around the "Artificial Intelligence" motif, I think it's worth coming up with a more precise language.
Ghost in the Machine (2026)
One of the more remarkable features of Valerie Veatch’s Sundance film "Ghost in the Machine" is the fantastic diversity of voices detailing the eugenic and techno-fascist underpinnings of the AI industry.
The Way I Think Normal People Do
NPR's "All Things Considered" aired a segment on January 29 about individuals who have had their lives upended by chatbots.
Because They Can
On their path to enshittification, the question is not "why would companies do this"? Instead, the question is "why wouldn't they"?
Mario's Note to His Kids
I saw Axios CEO Jim VanderHei wrote a note to his wife and three kids. I thought I'd do the same. (To my family, not his, you weirdos.)
Like a Metaphor
Similes are like metaphors that lack commitment. Analogies are metaphors that over-extend their welcome.
Failure
When I first started learning Python, I was somewhat entranced with the idea of machine learning. Eventually, I failed.
Threading the Needle
Finding common ground, especially during these polarized times, can feel difficult—like threading a needle.
On The Money
The Python Software Foundation (PSF) recently announced that they have accepted a $1.5 million sponsorship from Anthropic. The funds will be used to "make progress on the security roadmap" as well as toward "the PSF's core work."
Challenging
I had some reactions to Simon's LLM predictions for 2026.
Finding the Rhythm
Lessons learned from the set of Pluribus and other things. Not even mentioning LLMs.
Second Day
There have been some really good first of the year blog posts already—from extoling the virtues of blogging, to an appeal to build smaller.
My Favorite Music of 2025
With the year winding down, I thought it would be a good time for self reflection. I started writing a section on my favorite music of the year and it somehow became its own post.
The Cost of Doing AI Business
I generally prefer to write with a bit of whisy and humor, or reflect on how life passes by like a breeze. Yeah, sorry about that.
Massively Against AI
A question was asked on Mastodon, "Is this platform still massively against AI or has it moved towards acceptance?" But what does that mean?
Princess Mononoke
When I was in college, I went to a film festival at the Smithsonian to see Princess Mononke. I was floored. It's been a while since I've watched it again, but I've been thinking about it a lot lately.
Creating A Python Package
I like putting pictures on my blog. But sometimes, it's kind of a hassle, so I skip it altogether.
RSS is the Best
Some people like being told what to do. Those people are not the ones that use RSS.
A Place For My Things
So I have a couple of side projects, and I want to put them somewhere.
A(i) Modest Proposal
We're now living in a current tech landscape that favors wealthy venture capitalists and ultra wealthy CEOs. Their worldview is intoxicated with visions of unbridled and unregulated technological growth, no matter what it costs.
Now For Something A Little Different
I would have written this post sooner if I wasn't, you know, busy redesigning my website. Better late than never, I suppose.
Honduras
I'm sitting at an airport for a very long layover before heading back home to Redlands, California. Seems like as good a time as any to do some self-reflection.
A(i) Modest Proposal
For preventing the developers of open source in the US, from being a burden on their parents or government, and for making them beneficial to the public.
Twiddling
During Cory Doctorow's keynote at PyCon US 2025, he pointed our attention to something he calls "twiddling," a way to fine-tune a nearly infinite number of knobs/settings that tech companies use to exploit users.
Person Feel Good
I wanted to highlight some of my experiences from PyCon US 2025 in a few paragraphs, but every time I started this sentence, I thought of the impossibility of the task, and proceeded to erase it.
Turn It Up
Going down a recent rabbit hole--you may have read about last time--I found myself knee-deep in VM-land with DNS configurations, proxies, servers, volumes, Docker... you know... the works.
Untangled
Over the past few months, I've been dealing with a notification in my Gmail account that I've run out of space. At some point, they were threatening to stop delivering my email in a matter of days if I didn't either make space or pony up for whatever cloud storage fee they're trying to upsell. Umm. Don't threaten me with a good time?
Creating A League Manager With Python
For well over a decade, I had been participating in a small recreational soccer league, up until I tore my ACL. I had previously volunteered to help build a website for the league, as it is severely lacking in that department. Well, I'm still working on it...
More (Or Less) Alembic CLI
Last week, I wrote about Alembic database migrations and how they could be incorporated (and maybe simplified) by usurping the commands into your own CLI. Well, here's a follow up on that.
Alembic Migrations for Existing Typer CLI
I've used Alembic for database migrations in the past, but almost every time I start a new project, I have to look through the (actually pretty good) Alembic documentation to remember exactly what it is that I need to do again. While I eventually get things working, I wanted to see if I could decrease my cognitive load when working on a CLI application that uses a SQLite database.
It's Terminal
In spite of the ominous title, there's a lot packed in this post. For a while, I've wanted to be more comfortable with the terminal, as well as reduce the friction between ideas and the time it takes to set up a Python project. So I decided to tackle it with a few different tools.
DjangoCon US 2024
This is the part where I try to summarize some of my experiences from DjangoCon 2024 into words. It's a bit of a fool's errand, because how could I possibly convey the breadth of experiences in a blog post in this corner of the internet? Well, I am a bit of a fool, so I'll try anyway!
How To Be A Developer - And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves
What is the role of community in an individual's sense of identity, and what are some of the ways that we try to come to terms with our place within the developer landscape? Let's find out.
Django Unicorn Tutorial
The goal of this tutorial is to develop a Meal Plan application. With Django Unicorn, you will be able to create "Meals" and add them without refreshing the page. This will include basic form validation, as well as a way to clear your list automatically.
Python By Night
It feels completely ineffective to try to put into words what's been going on the last week or two. Within a whirlwind of changes happening all about, I also find myself at the start of a new chapter.
Space
Back at the end of May, I received a notice that I had been selected for the [Djangonaut Program](https://djangonaut.space). I had applied in early May and was quite unsure what was in store.
Bridges, or Benefits of Connecting Our Communities
A bridge can both literally and metaphorically connect people of different communities together.