> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://labnotes.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Weekend Reading — Put � in random text fields
- URL: https://labnotes.org/weekend-reading-put-in-random-text-fields/
- Published: 2024-02-03T17:27:21.000Z
- Updated: 2024-02-03T17:27:21.000Z
- Description: This week we have some disappointing metrics from Copilot, revisit React, learn how to write a Git commit message, did you know about Font Variant Numeric?, speculate the fastest growing software sectors, watch sleeping cats, and play with bouncing balls.
- Author: Assaf Arkin

**[Mark A. Rayner](https://mas.to/users/markarayner/statuses/111834425079150871?ref=labnotes.org)** “Here's to making that right turn!”

---

## Tech Stuff

**[halcy​](https://icosahedron.website/users/halcy/statuses/111183331712710815?ref=labnotes.org) 🤦**

> I'm going to the .DS\_Store you need anything?

**[New GitHub Copilot Research Finds 'Downward Pressure on Code Quality](https://visualstudiomagazine.com/articles/2024/01/25/copilot-research.aspx?utm%5Fsource=labnotes.org)** For your consideration:

> *We further find that the percentage of 'added code' and 'copy/pasted code' is increasing in proportion to 'updated,' 'deleted,' and 'moved 'code. In this regard, AI-generated code resembles an itinerant contributor, prone to violate the DRY-ness \[don't repeat yourself\] of the repos visited."*

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-16.png)

**[Brian Marick](https://mstdn.social/users/marick/statuses/111830504187423623?ref=labnotes.org)** 💪

> Something that I’ve said before but haven’t repeated recently: when evaluating whether TDD is right for you, you should program when you’re drunk or have the flu.
> 
> People evaluate techniques like TDD at their leisure, when they’re not under mental strain or performance pressure (or sick, or drunk), then extrapolate to their normal work environment. I argue that experiencing and then extrapolating from the worst cases is risk-sensible.¹

**[New client-side hooks coming to React 19](https://marmelab.com//blog/2024/01/23/react-19-new-hooks.html?ref=labnotes.org)** `use(Promise)`, `use(Context)`, `useFormState`, `useFormStatus`, `useOptimistic`, and async transitions.

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-5.png)

**[Jerry Bell](https://infosec.exchange/users/jerry/statuses/111863123184063841?ref=labnotes.org)**

> Make sure the ops team feels needed - don’t forget to push your code to production on your way out the door for the weekend.

**[It feels like React is getting a bit of a kicking recently](https://piccalil.li/blog/react-is-getting-a-bit-of-a-kicking-recently/?ref=labnotes.org)** The backlash when a framework becomes popular and commonly used:

> It feels like React is getting a bit of a kicking recently, which I’m not 100% against, but I can’t stress enough how ingrained React is. It’s what happens when a framework or library is the hot topic for over a decade!

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-6.png)

**[xssfox](https://cloudisland.nz/users/xssfox/statuses/111843055909727369?ref=labnotes.org)**

> Put � in random text fields so that developers are always wondering if they screwed up parsing somewhere.

**[Bouncy Ball](https://sparkbox.github.io/bouncy-ball?ref=labnotes.org)** 22 ways to animate a bouncing ball in the browser. Most of these are JavaScript and the post shows the code.

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-8.png)

**[aeva](https://mastodon.gamedev.place/users/aeva/statuses/110551619008399781?ref=labnotes.org)**

> say what you want about C but "void star" is a great name for a type that is as powerful as it is dangerous

**[My favourite Git commit](https://dhwthompson.com/2019/my-favourite-git-commit?ref=labnotes.org)** Because good comments matter, and this comment explains the reason for the change, is searchable, makes everyone a little smarter, and tells a good story!

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-2.png)

**[Andrew](https://mathstodon.xyz/users/andrewt/statuses/111850193169329487?ref=labnotes.org)**

> IEEE floating point numbers are named after the noise mathematicians make when you explain how they work

**[Scott Hanselman](https://hachyderm.io/users/shanselman/statuses/111859311069368153?ref=labnotes.org)** “My next random side project. Building a PDP-11 from a kit. Because you can’t understand the cloud unless you’ve built a working mini computer for your shelf 😂”

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-9.png)

---

## Eye for Design

**[ASCII Theater](https://ascii.theater/?ref=labnotes.org)** Fantastic! Stream free text-based movies in your terminal.

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-13.png)

**[Stef Walter](https://front-end.social/users/stephaniewalter/statuses/111843787754411437?ref=labnotes.org)** Today I learned:

> Using Font Variant Numeric: there are so many options with the font-variant-numeric CSS property that allows us to control alternate glyphs for numbers, fractions, and ordinal markers.  
> I really like the diagonal-fractions, it brings me joy. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know, friends don’t judge each other's typography joy.  
> Tutorial: [https://textlab.dev/posts/font-variant-numeric](https://textlab.dev/posts/font-variant-numeric?ref=labnotes.org)

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-14.png)

**[Amie](https://amie.so/?ref=labnotes.org)** Todos + email + calendar, all in one convenient app. I’ve not used this app, so I can’t give a recommendation, but the design of this website is just 🧑‍🍳 😘 … and if that’s any indication of the app itself …

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-19.png)

**[Tech Tangents](https://dialup.space/users/TechTangents/statuses/111768387888951338?ref=labnotes.org)** More machines need a button labeled "DON'T CARE”

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-15.png)

---

## Peoples

**[lenazun](https://mastodon.social/users/lzg/statuses/111840399630974516?ref=labnotes.org)**

> a note about jobs: you should apply to EVERYTHING you want and let the hiring manager decide if you’re not the right fit for it. give them a chance to make that decision, don't make it yourself in advance. I promise many people apply with far fewer qualifications.

---

## Business Side

**[Behind the Curtain: A new, powerful political movement](https://www.axios.com/2024/01/30/techno-optimist-silicon-valley-us-elections?ref=labnotes.org)** The techno-optimists:

> They have a fairly common ideology: unfettered free speech, pro-artificial intelligence, anti-mainstream media, and deep skepticism of DEI, political correctness and elite consensus.
> 
> It's not clear how many votes they can move. But tens of millions of Americans — especially white men outside of big cities — listen to, read or follow them.

**[ The Fastest Growing Software Sectors in 2024](https://tomtunguz.com/fastest-growing-software-category-2024/?ref=labnotes.org)**

> Security companies as a group average 29% expected revenue growth in 2024, compared to 23% for Data (or DaaS which stands for data-as-a-service). Fintech & SaaS (horizontal) average ten percentage points fewer expected growth.  
> Anticipation of this growth propels multiples. Security & data top the charts at on average 10x enterprise-value-to-forward-revenue, compared to 5x for the others.

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-12.png)

---

## Machine Intelligence

**[The Cult of AI](https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ai-companies-advocates-cult-1234954528/?ref=labnotes.org)** “How one writer's trip to the annual tech conference CES left him with a sinking feeling about the future.”

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-20.png)

---

## Everything Else

**[Memes for my comrades](https://imgur.com/gallery/MX6VdbR?utm%5Fsource=labnotes.org)**

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-4.png)

**[Joan Westenberg](https://mastodon.social/users/Daojoan/statuses/111442463325429967?ref=labnotes.org)**

> The biggest lie of the 21st century: ‘I have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions.’

**[EeveeEuphoria](https://social.translunar.academy/notice/AeST6D91YBWMQde1AW?utm%5Fsource=labnotes.org)** “i think i've solved it this is the perfect power outlet”

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image.png)

**[AaronDavid](https://beige.party/users/AaronDavid/statuses/111846532213582282?ref=labnotes.org)** Every time:

> Nothing refreshes my memory of what I need at the grocery store, more than coming home from the grocery store.

**[Ged Maheux](https://mastodon.social/users/gedeonm/statuses/111861919461221895?ref=labnotes.org)** “In retrospect, this is where things all started to go to crap.’

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-1.png)

**[batkaren](https://mastodon.online/users/batkaren/statuses/111853358488894077?ref=labnotes.org)**

> Your “best by” date isn’t nearly as helpful as a “still ok by” date would be.

**[Smudge The Insult Cat](https://mas.to/users/SmudgeTheInsultCat/statuses/111858144473612268?ref=labnotes.org)**

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-7.png)

**[Link between anxious attachment and materialistic values revealed in new psychology study](https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/link-between-anxious-attachment-and-materialistic-values-revealed-in-new-psychology-study-221103?utm%5Fsource=labnotes.org)** Mansions, Harley motorcycles, expensive suits, huge trucks, they all serve a purpose:

> New research finds that individuals with anxious attachment styles are more prone to engage in status-signaling consumption, driven by materialistic values. This behavior contrasts with secure and avoidant attachment styles, offering insights into psychological influences on consumer habits.

**[Axios](https://mastodon.social/users/axios/statuses/111857824893905864?ref=labnotes.org)**

> The responses to Elmo's check-in post underscore a growing mental health crisis across the U.S. and a national spike in anxiety and depression, with young people driving a rise in mental health spending in recent years.

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-22.png)

**[Deniz Opal](https://syzito.xyz/users/selzero/statuses/111850930875417108?ref=labnotes.org)**

> Follow your dreams, don't let anyone tell you you can't. A stubborn disrespect for the limits of your ability is the key to success. Look at this guy for example. He has co-starred in Blockbuster after Blockbuster since the 1970s he only has one facial expression, and he is so potty mouthed every single line has to be beeped out in post.

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-11.png)

**[Dr. Lucky Tran](https://med-mastodon.com/users/luckytran/statuses/111835615931690943?ref=labnotes.org)** “Hmmm. It’s like GenZ has spent their formative years living through a historic pandemic that is causing mass death and disability.”

![](https://labnotes.org/content/images/2024/02/image-18.png)

**[How MLMs are poisoning the media](https://www.axios.com/2024/01/27/fake-news-social-media-mlm?ref=labnotes.org)** A new paper unpacks the ripple effect:

> Less than 1% of sellers actually make money from this work," Roberts tells Axios, "so when they make false claims they're exposing themselves to a lot of liability for no payoff.

**[Koen van Gilst](https://hachyderm.io/users/vnglst/statuses/111828811496422610?ref=labnotes.org)** Sometimes simple is beautiful.