s/Operation 2030/Founder's Vision
Abner Coimbre
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@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ weight = 4
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[[main]]
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parent = "Explore"
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name = "Operation 2030"
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url = "/operation2030"
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name = "Founder's Vision"
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url = "/founders-vision"
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weight = 3
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[[main]]
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@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ features:
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content_class: "text-white"
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button:
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enable: true
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label: "Operation 2030"
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link: "/operation2030"
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label: "Founder's Vision"
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link: "/founders-vision"
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icon: "fa fa-ticket pl-2"
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class: "btn text-white meetups-bg"
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@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
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+++
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title="Founder's Vision"
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image="/images/telescope.png"
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+++
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@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
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+++
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title="Appendix"
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date="2024-08-09T09:00:00-04:00"
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enddate="2024-08-10T18:00:00-04:00"
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+++
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@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
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+++
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title="C is Evil"
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mediatype="extra"
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conference="seattle-2022"
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date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
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description="So what?"
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thumbnail=""
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[[videos]]
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title="Memory Strategies"
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embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
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service="vimeo"
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download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
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[[speakers]]
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name="Abner Coimbre"
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bio=""
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image=""
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+++
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[Prev](/founders-vision/directives) (Objectives) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/appendix/proper-ai-usage)
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### So What?
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In early 2025, [File Pilot](https://filepilot.tech) launched to widespread acclaim, stunning the industry with unfathomable performance and breathtaking design (we don’t use those words lightly.) Mainstream articles and big YouTube reviewers praise it as being orders of magnitude cleaner than the default file explorer experience for Windows 11.
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This is the power of the Handmade ethos: a single indie dev shipped something vastly superior than what a trillion-dollar corporation could deliver. That’s a serious wake-up call by the way; it's not something to shrug off or accept as remotely normal.
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When you dig into File Pilot, you’ll find its author wrote the entire thing in pure C. The loudest Rust enthusiasts might call him evil, but Handmade Cities’ response is simple: *... and?*
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Abner pokes fun at Rustaceans too. For example while extending [microui](https://github.com/rxi/microui) to support growable command lists (to queue up more draw commands per frame) he went straight for the jugular:
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```c
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function void mu_grow_command_list(mu_Context *ctx, int capacity) __attribute__((nonnull)) {
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expect(capacity > ctx->command_list.capacity);
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char *old_base = ctx->command_list.items;
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ctx->command_list.items = REALLOC(ctx->command_list.items, capacity);
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ctx->command_list.capacity = capacity;
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/* patch up pointers (Rust enthusiasts: avert your eyes!) */
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ptrdiff_t offset = ctx->command_list.items - old_base;
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// jump commands
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mu_Command *cmd = (mu_Command*) ctx->command_list.items;
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while ((char*)cmd < ctx->command_list.items + ctx->command_list.idx) {
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if (cmd->type == MU_COMMAND_JUMP)
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cmd->jump.dst += offset;
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cmd = (mu_Command*)((char*)cmd + cmd->base.size);
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}
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// root containers
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for (int i = 0; i < ctx->root_list.idx; ++i) {
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mu_Container *cnt = ctx->root_list.items[i];
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cnt->head = (mu_Command *)((char*)cnt->head + offset);
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cnt->tail = (mu_Command *)((char*)cnt->tail + offset);
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}
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}
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```
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Similarly, NASA repudiates Rust in many areas too, as discussed in our interview with Billy Basso (creator of [Animal Well]()). Timestamped recording below:
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<div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;">
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<iframe
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src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KixgF8Ru1Mw?start=2652"
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style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;"
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allowfullscreen
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title="YouTube Video">
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</iframe>
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</div>
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That said, Handmade Cities welcomes Rust with open arms. We do love fast Rust software like ```ripgrep```. But if you pester us to stop using C, Zig, Odin, or Jai we’ll laugh you out of the room. Don’t let yourself become a caricature of the Evangelism Strikeforce.
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Rust is, for *most* Handmade devs, too restrictive—a straightjacket limiting the absolute freedom needed to experiment rapidly. Rust is important for many use cases (even preferable. We'll take a Rust web server any day.) But for the kind of Formula 1 race car driving defining our ethos, it’s usually not the right fit.
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This isn’t a reactionary stance at all; we’ve thought deeply about these issues. If you'd like a more sophisticated discussion on the merits of being memory unsafe, with representatives on both sides, check out our podcast from Handmade Seattle 2022. It’s as relevant in 2025 as it was then:
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{{< vimeo 774890907 >}}
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<br>
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@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
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+++
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title="Proper AI Usage"
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mediatype="extra"
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conference="seattle-2022"
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date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
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description="How Handmade devs should use AI"
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thumbnail=""
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[[videos]]
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title="Memory Strategies"
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embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
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service="vimeo"
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download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
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[[speakers]]
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name="Abner Coimbre"
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bio=""
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image=""
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+++
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[Prev](/founders-vision/appendix/c-is-evil-so-what) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/appendix/terminal-click)
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Our general stance on AI/LLMs aligns with the article ["Vibe Coding" vs Reality](https://cendyne.dev/posts/2025-03-19-vibe-coding-vs-reality.html). In particular, we tend to agree with the following observations:
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> Without expert intervention, the best these tools can do today is produce a somewhat functional mockup, where every future change beyond that risks destroying existing functionality.
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Or to put it more bluntly:
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> These models are trained on average sloppy code, wrong answers on Stack Overflow, and the junk that ends up on Quora.
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Handmade's deep appreciation for low-level knowledge affords us the privilege to resist reliance on AI. Indeed, developers who fully embrace our values can do well for themselves in the age of LLMs without having to use them.
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For Handmade devs, the proper use of AI is twofold:
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- To stay informed about its progress so we can refine our arguments against its misuse
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- To use it sparingly and thoughtfully in areas OUTSIDE our core programming work
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Finally, when we do use AI, it has to be through privacy-conscious services like Kagi’s Assistant or by running models locally. Anything else violates who we are.
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@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
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+++
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title="Terminal Click"
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mediatype="extra"
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conference="seattle-2022"
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date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
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description="Our leaders must ship Handmade software"
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thumbnail=""
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[[videos]]
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title="Memory Strategies"
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embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
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service="vimeo"
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||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
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[[speakers]]
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name="Abner Coimbre"
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bio=""
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image=""
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+++
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[Prev](/founders-vision/appendix/proper-ai-usage) | [Contents](/founders-vision)
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[Terminal Click](https://terminal.click) (TC) is a terminal emulator created by Abner Coimbre, founder of Handmade Cities. From its very first git commit it works natively on Windows, Mac, and Linux. At the time of writing one hundred beta testers use it across all three platforms. It’s currently a 1MB download:
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Which, [according to Abner](https://terminal.click/posts/2025/04/the-wizard-and-his-shell/), is still too bloated.
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### Why does this matter for the Founder's Vision?
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Why does Abner's side gig matter for the Founder's Vision? Because he isn’t just talking about what Handmade devs should accomplish—he’s doing it himself. Leadership means taking risks, enduring criticism, and paving the way for others. For example, power users have been [quite vocal](https://lobste.rs/s/ndlwoh/wizard_his_shell) in their dislike of TC, and Abner semi-regularly receives hate mail about it (we're not kidding.) Yet he continues undeterred, with the understanding progress must meet some resistance.
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### Killing versus Preserving Shells
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Abner's fiercest competitor is [ghostty](https://ghostty.org/) by Mitchell Hashimoto. Watch their Twitch discussion from 2023 below. They explored their shared values until philosophical disagreements came to a head:
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{{< vimeo 854038896 >}}
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### Accessing the Closed Beta
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To join the closed beta send an email to abner@terminal.click or, optionally, drop by the TC [Discord](https://terminal.click/discord). Let us know why you’d be a good fit to test an experimental terminal!
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@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
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+++
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title="Our Revenue"
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date="2024-08-09T09:00:00-04:00"
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enddate="2024-08-10T18:00:00-04:00"
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+++
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@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
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+++
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title="Donations"
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mediatype="rev"
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conference="seattle-2022"
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date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
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description="Independent donors AKA conference members"
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thumbnail=""
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[[videos]]
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title="Memory Strategies"
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embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
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||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
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[[speakers]]
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||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
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bio=""
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image=""
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+++
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[Prev](/founders-vision/business/tickets) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/business/miscellaneous)
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### How Donations Work
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Ticket sales and trade show booths cover the operating expenses for Handmade Cities: renting large venues, paying staff and security, securing A/V equipment, catering, event insurance and more. They run into tens of thousands of dollars per event.
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Independent donors, known as [conference members](/member), keep the founder himself afloat. It's a kind of Patreon that allows Abner to remain a full-time social butterfly. Donations cover his Seattle rent, groceries, healthcare, and the occasional night out. Conference members give with no strings attached because they believe in the founder's vision with the advisory board's [guidance](/board).
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Your donations to Abner are designed to outlast him. The bus factor is mitigated by his advisory board, meetup hosts, and paid staff, some of whom are learning the ropes of running this business. To ensure continuity, Abner has also implemented a dead man’s switch and written his will.
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Of course Abner intends to live a long and fruitful life. He dreams of becoming the Geoff Keighley of systems programmers—or perhaps growing old as a lovable Alex Trebek for computer nerds. (The parallels aren’t perfect, but you get the idea!)
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@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
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+++
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title="Miscellaneous"
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mediatype="rev"
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conference="seattle-2022"
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date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
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description="Experiments in additional income"
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thumbnail=""
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[[videos]]
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||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
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[[speakers]]
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||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
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bio=""
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image=""
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+++
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[Prev](/founders-vision/business/donations) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/business/trade-show)
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We must diversify revenue to weather the tough years. For example, depressed conference attendance due to mass layoffs could be devastating to our business. Indeed this nearly happened in 2024, where we came close to shutting down like many other tech conferences. We survived through fundraisers, but we’d prefer to build a buffer by creating bonus revenue streams—although ticket sales will always be our primary source.
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Ideas we’re currently exploring:
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- **Software Sales**
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Selling our own software is the most promising avenue. Handmade conferences have inspired other indie conferences, so it makes sense to offer them the apps we wrote ourselves to self-host a tech conference.
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- **Magazine Sales**
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As part of [Return to Meatspace](/founders-vision/directives/meatspace) we’re publishing physical magazines every quarter (starting January 2026.) We don’t expect meaningful profits here, but they will generate significant word-of-mouth buzz for conference tickets.
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- **Merch Shop**
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We’ve been promising merch for AGES but have not delivered yet. The Founder's Vision must address this, especially now that Jes Chuhta gave us a [fresh coat](/news/anniversary-rebrand-2024/) of paint. Even if profits are peanuts a merch shop will indirectly boost ticket sales.
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- **Twitch Subscribers**
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Twitch streams generate hundreds of dollars every few months (nothing to sneeze at when you're indie.) With a stronger presence we can grow this into the thousands.
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If we succeed diversifying, we’ll also be able to do more than just cover conference costs or Abner’s living expenses:
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- Help meetup hosts rent fancier venues for their own local events
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- Professionally design and mass print flyers, pamphlets, etc. to spread the word everywhere
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- Offer paid contract work to accelerate our Key Objectives—especially [Self-Hosting for All](/founders-vision/directives/self-hosting-for-all) which requires a lot of manpower.
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@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
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+++
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title="Conference Tickets"
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mediatype="rev"
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conference="seattle-2022"
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date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
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description="Ticket sales"
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thumbnail=""
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[[videos]]
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||||
title="Memory Strategies"
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||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
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[[speakers]]
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name="Abner Coimbre"
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bio=""
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image=""
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+++
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[Prev](/founders-vision/structure) (Structure) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/business/donations)
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Ticket sales are the primary source of revenue for Handmade Cities, far surpassing other revenue streams. This is intentional. We want to remain accountable to ticket holders.
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#### **Physical Track: In-Person Tickets**
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Both Handmade Boston and Handmade Seattle feature a physical track. The standard ticket is 249.00 USD, comparable to much larger conferences like Twitch Con. Starting in 2025 it will be our "forever price"—we intend to keep this standard price unchanged for as long as we’re in business.
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Exceptions include:
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- **Early bird:** 199.00 USD
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- **Last-minute (door) prices:** 299.00 USD
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#### **Online Track: Online Tickets**
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Only Handmade Seattle has an online track because it's a fully-hybrid event. Here’s how it works:
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- The entire event is live-streamed for free on Twitch (and YouTube as backup)
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- Live Q&A and access to speakers occur in a private chat server, which requires a ticket
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- Even the physical track must use the server to ask questions. Online attendees are treated as first-class citizens
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The online ticket is pegged to 30% of the in-person cost:
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- **Early bird:** 59.00 USD
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- **Standard:** 74.00 USD
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- **Last-minute:** 89.00 USD
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These prices are also "forever prices."
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In order to grow, we have to increase attendance rather than raise ticket prices. We may also [diversify](/business/miscellaneous) into extra revenue streams. This approach to pricing is designed to give ticket holders a predictable sense of stability.
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#### **Discounts for the Financially Disadvantaged**
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We offer discounts to struggling students or those facing financial hardship and also frequently give out free tickets when possible—thanks to generous donations from senior engineers. If you live in a country where your purchasing power is significantly lower, we wish to help you too.
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To request assistance, email us at tickets@handmadecities.com with a brief explanation of your circumstances. *Correspondence to this address is strictly confidential.*
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We ask those who are financially secure to respect this system of trust. Do not abuse it to obtain discounts or free tickets.
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@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
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+++
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title="Trade Show"
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mediatype="rev"
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conference="seattle-2022"
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date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
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description="Job booths and demo booths"
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thumbnail=""
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[[videos]]
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||||
title="Memory Strategies"
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||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
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[[speakers]]
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||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
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||||
bio=""
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image=""
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+++
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[Prev](/founders-vision/business/miscellaneous) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/directives) (Key Objectives)
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### Job Booths
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Employers can rent job booths at Handmade Boston or Handmade Seattle for a fixed rate. The price is the same for all companies, regardless of size.
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This setup creates a win-win-win scenario:
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- Handmade Cities earns meaningful revenue from booth rentals.
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- Employers gain access to a large in-person audience, which naturally acts as a strong resume filter.
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- Ticket holders have the opportunity to meet employers and potentially get hired.
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Importantly, employers are not allowed to sponsor or influence the event itself. Job booth revenue is also intentionally kept much smaller than ticket sales to prevent any risk of a hostile takeover.
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### Demo Booths
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At the time of writing demo booths are free of charge once your submission is approved. If this changes in the future we will install a program for the financially disadvantaged [as we do](/founders-vision/business/tickets) for conference tickets.
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|
||||
**Secretary's Note:** The reason this may change is because venues started raising their fees significantly for renting trade show floors. We must adapt with the times.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Key Objectives"
|
||||
date="2024-08-09T09:00:00-04:00"
|
||||
enddate="2024-08-10T18:00:00-04:00"
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Return to Meatspace"
|
||||
mediatype="key"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="Abandon FOMO"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/directives/small-software-shops) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/directives/self-hosting-for-all)
|
||||
|
||||
By 2030, Handmade Cities will make it significantly more appealing for programmers to spend time offline, drinking in the real world, rather than being glued to the Internet. When we are online, it should be intentional, free from FOMO or addiction. To make this happen we’ll focus on growing local meetups while also taking the following steps:
|
||||
|
||||
- **Printed Magazines**: Physical bookstores are making a comeback, especially as Gen-Z seeks relief from doom scrolling. Even tech magazines are regaining traction. Starting January 2026, Handmade Cities is publishing quarterly magazines featuring news and articles written by highly-regarded community members. If you’re a technical writer, please reach out to magazine@handmadecities.com.
|
||||
|
||||
- **No Social Media**: Specifically, Handmade Cities doesn’t use platforms like Twitter/X, Bluesky, or Mastodon at all. We’ve proven we're profitable through our website and newsletter. Our goal is to encourage devs to build their own newsletters to market their work. Most social media sharing Twitter's DNA are finicky platforms to make a living from. Reducing or eliminating our dependence on them is the wisest choice.
|
||||
|
||||
- **Healthy Outreach**: Platforms like Twitch and YouTube, where real people are visible, are more stable options for occasionally promoting your work online. Hacker News and Lobsters are generally fine as well. However, these shouldn’t become a *crutch* for making income.
|
||||
|
||||
- **The Return of Mailing Lists**: Mailing lists, like the legendary Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKM), are timeless. They’re accessible on any device, indexable, and distraction-free. If there’s one mantra to take away here, it’s this: *mailing lists and meetups*.
|
||||
|
||||
- **Touch Grass Technology**: It sounds hilarious, but TGT\* refers to tech which motivates in-person meetups. By 2030 Handmade Cities will have built, curated or contributed to a comprehensive list of TGT tools for the community.
|
||||
|
||||
**Secretary's Note:** We don't want to go back too far in time! Modern UX matters! We're open to alternatives to mailing lists, or newer clients to make the reading experience cleaner.
|
||||
|
||||
**References**
|
||||
|
||||
- [Don’t build your castle in other people’s kingdoms](https://howtomarketagame.com/2021/11/01/dont-build-your-castle-in-other-peoples-kingdoms/)
|
||||
- Tras Otro Progreso: Filosofia de la Tecnologia desde la Periferia (Spanish)
|
||||
|
||||
**Secretary's Note:** If anyone knows of an English translation for the book above, email us at support@handmadecities.com
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
\* Touch Grass Tech is based on a theory from Puerto Rican philosopher Dr. Hector Huyke, who researches philosophy of technology. Abner studied under Huyke and helped proofread his little-known Spanish book *Tras Otro Progreso* (roughly translated as *In Search of Another Kind of Progress*). Written twelve years ago, this obscure book was rather omniscient, predicting today’s issues with how software gets deployed: loss of community, mass layoffs, social media addiction, and even a glimpse into AI-generated slop.
|
||||
|
||||
Huyke’s proposed solution is a concept called *Tecnología Arraigante*, which is rather tricky to translate. Literally, it means "technology for keeping you rooted to the ground." The imagery is striking—like your feet growing tree roots and anchoring you into place. After consulting a professional translator, we found the closest English equivalent is indeed "Technology for Touching Grass." The gist is to use tech for increasing human presence without abandoning the benefits of software.
|
||||
|
||||
Examples include the [Light Phone](https://www.thelightphone.com/), which eliminates addictive distractions, or couch co-op games, which bring people together. (Even Pokémon GO met this description for a time.)
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Self-Hosting for All"
|
||||
mediatype="key"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="Make self-hosting actually desirable"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/directives/meatspace) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/appendix) (Appendix)
|
||||
|
||||
You can’t realistically own every app or service you use, but you should aim to get closer to that ideal over time. The more of your computing you can run on your own servers—even if they’re initially hosted on something like a DigitalOcean Droplet, AWS instance, or Azure—the more self-sufficient you’ll become. And self-sufficiency is the core trait of a Handmade dev.
|
||||
|
||||
By 2030, our goal is to make self-hosting a desirable and mainstream idea in the software industry. Even if we don’t convince everyone, we must inspire enough developers to make the broader industry blink and take notice.
|
||||
|
||||
#### What Handmade Cities is Doing:
|
||||
|
||||
- Built a replacement to Ticketmaster/Eventbrite for selling conference tickets
|
||||
- [Self-hosting](https://chat.handmadecities.com) Revolt for live conference chat
|
||||
- [Actively](/founders-vision/structure/meetups) replacing meetup.com
|
||||
- Created our own [newsletter](/news) infrastructure
|
||||
|
||||
- **Migration Off Discord**: While Discord is [still in use](https://handmadecities.com/discord) by us, it’s fallen prey to enshitification and we can be shut down too easily. We’ve begun migrating to Revolt for year round discussions, not just live conference chat.
|
||||
|
||||
**Secretary's Note:** The full migration will be completed by the end of 2025.
|
||||
|
||||
#### What You Might Try:
|
||||
|
||||
- Join the [Indie Web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IndieWeb)
|
||||
- Host your personal website off a Raspberry Pi
|
||||
- If you use [AI models](/founders-vision/appendix/proper-ai-usage), learn to run local ones and fine-tune them
|
||||
- Browse [curated](https://selfh.st/apps/) self-hosted apps, adopt one, and contribute back to the project (e.g., by submitting thoughtful GitHub issues or PRs)
|
||||
- When self-hosting isn’t practical go for privacy-respecting companies: [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com) instead of Gmail, [Kagi](https://kagi.com) instead of Google, [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) instead of Notion, [Ghost](https://ghost.org) instead of Mailchimp, and so on
|
||||
- **Advanced:** Build and ship your own alternative to a service that’s been enshitified
|
||||
|
||||
#### Notes on UX:
|
||||
|
||||
For self-hosting to become desirable, the UI/UX of (most) self-hosted software needs a massive overhaul—it’s utter garbage. This is the Key Objective keeping the founder up at night. Making self-hosting accessible will require more than just programmers too. Artists and designers are essential to this mission.
|
||||
|
||||
**References**
|
||||
|
||||
- A great starting point is the *Self Host Weekly* [newsletter](https://selfh.st/newsletter/), a curated resource for getting into self-hosted software.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Protect Small Software Shops"
|
||||
mediatype="key"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="Protect independent craftsmanship"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/business) (Revenue) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/directives/meatspace)
|
||||
|
||||
We must protect competent programmers and help them create and sell closed-source software for profit. Whether it’s a solo indie dev or a small team forming a private company, we need to them to succeed.
|
||||
|
||||
We shall grow the ranks of successful initiatives as those listed under [Exemplary Software](/founders-vision/intro/exemplary-software). Note that while our focus is shipping real-world software, we understand the importance of industrial research or teaching material such as *Handmade Hero*, *Mr. 4th Labs*, or *Ink & Switch*. These projects (though not directly commercial products) have been crucial in shaping the community's values.
|
||||
|
||||
By 2030, it will no longer be daunting for a Handmade dev to find a golden path into the industry. If a teenager dreams of becoming a low-level programmer, the answer should be obvious: "Join Handmade Cities—that’s the best place to start."
|
||||
|
||||
To achieve this, we’ll expand our conferences to form partnerships with organizations providing funding or grants to Handmade devs. Handmade Cities itself is a small business funded by ticket sales, not an angel investor, so we’re keen to connect ticket holders with life-changing opportunities instead. The alliances that we create shall conform to our [core principles](/founders-vision/philosophy/core-principles).
|
||||
|
||||
Imagine a future where attending a conference means more than just learning from speakers: it’s a chance to meet people foaming at the mouth to fund your next project or publish your game. A place where job booths are filled to the brim with lean companies (not corporations or VC-funded startups) offering meaningful work, great pay, and real autonomy.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Introduction"
|
||||
date="2024-11-20T09:00:00-04:00"
|
||||
enddate="2024-11-22T18:00:00-04:00"
|
||||
+++
|
||||
Handmade Cities (HMC) is on a mission to reshape the software industry for systems programmers by 2030. Our **mandate** is to clear a path for anyone—from juniors to seniors—to go on and become well-connected, well-paid practitioners embodying the Handmade ethos.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Exemplary Software"
|
||||
mediatype="intro"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="We need more of these by 2030"
|
||||
thumbnail="/images/thumbnails/trophy.jpg"
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/intro/mandate)
|
||||
|
||||
The gist of The Founder's Vision is simple: to flood the market with competent programmers shipping eye-popping quality software. That’s the ultimate outcome we are seeking: putting the status quo to shame.
|
||||
|
||||
In alphabetical order here's some hand-picked examples of developers embodying our ethos. These authors succeeded in creating critically-acclaimed Handmade software, companies, or promising demos:
|
||||
|
||||
- [**Animal Well**](https://animalwell.net)
|
||||
- [**EmberGen**](https://jangafx.com/software/embergen)
|
||||
- [**File Pilot**](https://filepilot.tech)
|
||||
- [**fred**](https://fred-dev.tech)
|
||||
- [**Ladybird**](https://ladybird.org)
|
||||
- [**Mr. 4th Labs**](https://mr4th.com)
|
||||
- [**Orca**](https://orca-app.dev)
|
||||
- [**Raylib**](https://raylib.com)
|
||||
- [**Serenum**](https://samhsmith.com/serenum/)
|
||||
|
||||
These projects—or the people behind them—have presented at our tech conferences, often more than once.
|
||||
|
||||
**Note:** The authors may not necessarily endorse The Founder's Vision; they’re just great examples of what we’re aiming for.
|
||||
|
||||
#### Products sharing our values (but aren’t associated with us):
|
||||
|
||||
- **Sublime [Text](https://www.sublimetext.com) | [Merge](https://www.sublimemerge.com)**
|
||||
- **[Affinity Designer 2](https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/designer/)**
|
||||
- **[Scrivener](https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview)**
|
||||
|
||||
There’s more out there, but not nearly enough.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Introduction"
|
||||
mediatype="intro"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="The how and why of The Founder's Vision"
|
||||
thumbnail="/images/thumbnails/ignition.png"
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/intro/mandate) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/philosophy) (Philosophy)
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
#### Why the Urgency?
|
||||
We believe The Founder's Vision **MUST** be completed by January 2030 or the software industry risks falling into permanent disrepair: we're building mediocre, fragile ecosystems for a technofeudal universe in which users own nothing. Programmers face mounting job insecurity, reduced autonomy, and stunted career growth. (Mass layoffs continue unabashed.) Meanwhile, Big Tech has grown so massive it operates *beyond the confines* of regular business, rendering smaller companies and indie developers unable to compete.
|
||||
|
||||
Five more years of this without organized resistance and the damage is likely irreversible.
|
||||
|
||||
This document serves as our marching orders. It will grow increasingly specific, with a finalized PDF and printed copies ready by the end of 2025. When 2030 arrives, we’ll release a postmortem in the first quarter—good or bad, we’ll confront the results head-on.
|
||||
|
||||
We can win.
|
||||
|
||||
#### What is the Handmade ethos?
|
||||
|
||||
In the Handmade Cities (HMC) [mandate](/founders-vision/intro/mandate) we said:
|
||||
|
||||
> Our **mandate** is to clear a path for anyone—from juniors to seniors—to go on and become well-connected, well-paid practitioners embodying the Handmade ethos.
|
||||
|
||||
But what IS this so-called ethos?
|
||||
|
||||
It is best captured by the 600+ episodes of [Handmade Hero](https://guide.handmadehero.org) (still relevant today—that’s the beauty of low-level programming). It’s also outlined in the Handmade Network [manifesto](https://handmade.network/manifesto) and practiced through software projects like [Terminal Click](https://terminal.click), created by our founder.
|
||||
|
||||
**Secretary's Note:** While Handmade Hero 100% inspired us, and Casey Muratori collaborated with us in the past, his company Molly Rocket Inc. is NOT affiliated with Handmade Cities. There are three legal organizations carrying the Handmade brand and Handmade Cities is just one of them. The Founder's Vision reflects *our* views, not those of Molly Rocket nor Handmade Network.
|
||||
|
||||
#### What do we mean by official portal?
|
||||
|
||||
In the [mandate](/founders-vision/intro/mandate) we also said:
|
||||
|
||||
> Whether they choose careers as indie developers, small business owners or by joining lean software shops [...] our website is the official portal to achieve that dream.
|
||||
|
||||
"Portal" might sound vague so let’s clarify. Our expertise is organizing tech conferences and local meetups around the world. We don’t offer funding\* or grants directly.
|
||||
|
||||
What we DO have is a vast in-person network. Social capital can be as valuable as money, and Handmade Cities has already transformed many lives. Over the past decade, our founder has built an international coalition of highly-driven and caring systems programmers—without third-party funding, relying solely on the strength of the community.
|
||||
|
||||
It’s time to mobilize our network to accomplish The Founder's Vision’s [Key Objectives](/founders-vision/directives).
|
||||
|
||||
#### Are high-level programmers welcome? Non-programmers?
|
||||
|
||||
Absolutely. We love systems programming but completing the operation requires broad alliance: web developers, UI/UX designers, legal experts, technical writers—everyone has a role to play in The Founder's Vision.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
\* We’re working to partner with organizations that can provide financial support to indie developers and small software shops. See the Key Objective: [Protect Small Software Shops](/founders-vision/directives/small-software-shops) for more info.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Handmade's Mandate"
|
||||
mediatype="intro"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="Read the full mandate and join the cause"
|
||||
thumbnail="/images/thumbnails/Op2030Binoculars.jpg"
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/intro/exemplary-software) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/intro/introduction)
|
||||
|
||||
Handmade Cities (HMC) is on a mission to reshape the software industry for systems programmers. Our **mandate** is to clear a path for anyone—from juniors to seniors—to go on and become well-connected, well-paid practitioners embodying the Handmade ethos.
|
||||
|
||||
We're the gateway for newcomers to emerge ready to succeed, skipping the corporate grind or venture capital. Whether they choose careers as indie developers, small business owners, or by joining lean software shops (with good pay and high levels of autonomy), our website is the official portal to achieve that dream.
|
||||
|
||||
Call us crazy if you must—we're making this vision reality by 2030.
|
||||
|
||||
**Follow The Founder's Vision's Progress**
|
||||
- Subscribe to the [newsletter](https://handmadecities.com/news)
|
||||
- Visit a local [meetup](https://handmadecities.com/meetups) near you
|
||||
- Attend a conference: [Boston](https://handmadecities.com/boston) and/or [Seattle](https://handmadecities.com/seattle)
|
||||
- Optional: Join our [Discord](https://handmadecities.com/discord)
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
**About the Author**
|
||||
|
||||
The founder of Handmade Cities ([Abner Coimbre](https://abner.page)) is the original author and maintainer of this document, who's channeling the sentiments of his audience. This does not mean every community member agrees with The Founder's Vision. Indeed, even Abner's own team may not fully endorse the entirety of the document. (We are not a monolith.)
|
||||
|
||||
What matters is that we're aligned on *most things*. And that's good enough to be getting on with.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Philosophy"
|
||||
date="2024-08-09T09:00:00-04:00"
|
||||
enddate="2024-08-10T18:00:00-04:00"
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Anti-Corporatism"
|
||||
mediatype="philo"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="Big Tech forgot our humanity"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/intro/) (Intro) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/philosophy/anti-vc)
|
||||
|
||||
We’re not against corporations as a concept. In fact, we recognize that healthy forms of corporations exist and are gaining traction: Public Benefit Corporations (PBCs) being a prime example. Abner’s father, for instance, retired on a company pension (not a 401k) back when American corporations valued loyalty to their employees.
|
||||
|
||||
But that was then. Today's corporations—especially in big tech—are beyond callous. They’ve become unprecedented economic giants, defying the usual checks and balances of business. Their singular ambition is increasing shareholder value. Software quality, and by extension the user experience, was abandoned long ago. The only incentives that seem to matter are seizing control of our computing devices and extracting ever-increasing rent.
|
||||
|
||||
Handmade Cities subscribes to the view that we’re living under technofeudalism. While this may oversimplify a complex capitalist reality, it’s an accurate enough description—and a dangerous one.
|
||||
|
||||
When healthy competition rises Big Tech crushes it. Smaller competitors are either acquired or outspent. Just about everything is corporatized, leaving indie devs and small software shops extremely vulnerable. Their power is so entrenched they can overindulge in self-interest, delay regulations, or rewrite laws to suit their needs. Anything but real innovation or fair play.
|
||||
|
||||
**Conclusion:** Handmade Cities is keen to see the little guy thrive in an actual competitive market. We reject corporate power and are working to erode it. Big Tech’s choke hold must be broken, so we’ll do everything within our purview to make that happen.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Anti-VC"
|
||||
mediatype="philo"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="Do you love enshitification? 'Cause we don't"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/philosophy/anti-corporate) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/philosophy/core-principles)
|
||||
|
||||
We strongly prefer private companies that are profitable through a direct relationship with their customers. Venture capital, by its nature, often runs counter to this philosophy, so we generally frown upon it.
|
||||
|
||||
The worst excesses of VC-backed startups can be nearly as harmful as Big Tech. Founders are burdened with millions of dollars they’re expected to return many times over. This creates incentives that select for rapid growth and investor returns over product quality or customer satisfaction.
|
||||
|
||||
We interviewed Nuno Leiria: Ex-Optimization Lead for Unreal Engine 5. His new company, [Nuno Technologies](https://www.nilo.xyz/), accepted external funding. Abner laid out his concerns in full. Catch their exchange below (timestamped):
|
||||
|
||||
<div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;">
|
||||
<iframe
|
||||
src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1071219937#t=3257s"
|
||||
style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;"
|
||||
allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture"
|
||||
allowfullscreen
|
||||
title="Vimeo Video">
|
||||
</iframe>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
|
||||
The answer was surprisingly thoughtful, but it’s hard not to feel like our friend is swimming in a sea of sharks.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Core Principles"
|
||||
mediatype="philo"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="Without these four pillars there's no Handmade Cities"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/philosophy/anti-vc) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/philosophy/zero-favorites)
|
||||
|
||||
1. **Sponsor-Free**
|
||||
Handmade Cities (HMC) rejects all sponsorship deals. You’ll never see a “sponsored by” disclaimer at our events. Talks and software demos come from presenters sharing what excites them most free from corporate influence. Speakers, demoers, and guests are welcome to criticize any tech company or software as they deem fit.
|
||||
|
||||
2. **Software Quality**
|
||||
The industry abandoned its users, wresting control from their devices to deliver miserable experiences while violating privacy. HMC is keen to reverse the trend. Users deserve respect as customers and should feel delighted when using our software.
|
||||
|
||||
3. **Self-Hosted Software**
|
||||
We strongly encourage community members to self-host wherever possible or [practical](/founders-vision/directives/self-hosting-for-all). Self-sufficiency is a bulwark against monopolies. HMC practices what it preaches: whatever's essential to our conferences or meetups is processed in-house.
|
||||
|
||||
4. **Directly Funded**
|
||||
|
||||
[Direct funding](/founders-vision/business) means promoting ourselves through word of mouth without chasing ad revenue or social media trends (we don't have any Twitter-style account.) Our growth comes strictly from:
|
||||
- Ticket sales
|
||||
- Independent donations, no strings attached
|
||||
- Renting booths at trade shows: at a fixed rate for all employers, who have no influence over the event's content.
|
||||
|
||||
In short, we grow our business through mom-and-pop transactions between us (a small business) and our attendees (hopefully, you!)
|
||||
|
||||
#### Anti-Corporate, Anti-VC
|
||||
While not a core principle, it’s worth noting we're generally [anti-corporate](/founders-vision/philosophy/anti-corporate) and against [venture capital](/founders-vision/philosophy/anti-vc). That said, we always welcome audience members from corporations or startups; perhaps we’ll change your mind!
|
||||
|
||||
HMC supports first and foremost:
|
||||
- Small software shops
|
||||
- Indie developers
|
||||
- Public Benefit Corporations
|
||||
- Non-profits
|
||||
|
||||
We believe these entities should charge users upfront for quality software that they can own forever. Recurring subscriptions should usually be viewed with skepticism, but closed-source software that’s “free of charge” is the worst offender—think of Google, Instagram, X, Windows and the like.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Zero Favoritism"
|
||||
mediatype="philo"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="Dissenting views matter"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/philosophy/core-principles) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/structure/) (Structure)
|
||||
|
||||
**Dissenting views matter.** As long as someone genuinely cares about software quality and the craft of making good software (beyond just earning a paycheck), they will virtually\* always have a platform at Handmade Cities: even if their views directly contradict or criticize other contributors, or even the founder himself.
|
||||
|
||||
We intentionally include opposing perspectives. For example:
|
||||
- Andrew Kelley publicly criticized Kagi’s business model while Kagi was actively hiring at the same Handmade conference.
|
||||
- We rented a job booth to K&C, a defense contractor, which outraged a conference speaker who nearly stormed out—until Abner spent half an hour justifying their inclusion.
|
||||
- Orca supporters were pissed off when Serenum was given a platform, because Serenum fans openly trash Orca’s work. [Both companies](/founders-vision/intro/exemplary-software) demoed at the same event.
|
||||
|
||||
Our stance is clear: the founder and his advisory board curate a buffet of content, and the audience decides what resonates best.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
\* We prohibit the usual suspects like hate speech, doxxing, or incitements to violence.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="80-20 Content Split"
|
||||
mediatype="struct"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="80% programming, 20% humanity"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/philosophy) (Philosophy) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/structure/meetups)
|
||||
|
||||
As a general guideline, the content at our conferences and meetups follows an 80/20 split:
|
||||
|
||||
1. **80% Craft of Programming**
|
||||
The majority of content focuses on becoming a better programmer. This includes engineering talks, lectures and cool demos. While most of it caters to seniors, we’ll always carve out a reasonable space to welcome juniors to the Handmade ethos.
|
||||
|
||||
2. **20% Economic Well-Being**
|
||||
The remaining content is on improving the programmer’s financial prospects. Topics include marketing yourself as an indie dev, practicing social skills, advocating for your rights as a tech worker, and even safeguarding your own health—because unexpected medical emergencies can devastate anyone’s finances, especially in America.
|
||||
|
||||
Future conferences will clearly label which presentations fall into which category of the 80/20 split, so audience members can skip what doesn’t interest them. We also encourage civil yet vigorous disagreements during Q&A sessions.
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Our Structure"
|
||||
date="2024-08-09T09:00:00-04:00"
|
||||
enddate="2024-08-10T18:00:00-04:00"
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Tech Conferences"
|
||||
mediatype="struct"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="Two annual conferences: from Boston to Seattle"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/structure/meetups) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/structure/team)
|
||||
|
||||
Handmade Cities hosts two major tech conferences each year: [Handmade Boston](/boston) (HMB) in the summer and [Handmade Seattle](/seattle) (HMS) in the fall.
|
||||
|
||||
Early-bird ticket sales typically start sometime in the spring. Subscribe to the [newsletter](/news) to stay updated.
|
||||
|
||||
#### Summer - Handmade Boston
|
||||
|
||||
- **The Sister Conference to Seattle**
|
||||
HMB is a smaller, more intimate event focused on what Abner calls “long-ass technical lectures.” It's the fully-offline counterpart to Seattle: there is no online track. Only in-person tickets are sold.
|
||||
- **Return to Form**
|
||||
Starting in 2025 we’re going back to the exact format of the first HMB conference which was the most well-received (sans homework). We are recreating the old-school lecturing environment.
|
||||
|
||||
HMB lectures are typically 90–120 minutes long. They're informal sessions with room for tangents and audience interaction. Think of Martin Mozeiko’s [legendary](/media/boston-2023/errors-and-compilers) HMB recording on compiler errors/warnings—raw, unpolished, but deeply impactful. It’s still referenced by the community today and strongly influenced Abner’s programming habits; he’s now obsessed with arena poisoning!
|
||||
|
||||
**Next Handmade Boston:** August 1–2, 2025 (Fri–Sat)
|
||||
|
||||
#### Fall - Handmade Seattle
|
||||
|
||||
- **Our Flagship Conference**
|
||||
HMS is the largest event featuring a trade show, job fair, and a fully-hybrid experience with both physical and online tracks.
|
||||
- **Professionally Live-Streamed**
|
||||
Thanks to our [technical producer](/about) HMS is 100% professionally live-streamed.
|
||||
|
||||
HMS is packed with shorter, polished talks and demos. While it’s less of a deep dive than HMB it does reach a broader audience. (Presenters can still tackle technical subjects, but they’ll have less time to do so.) A community favorite is Andreas’ Context is Everything:
|
||||
|
||||
{{< vimeo 644068002 >}}
|
||||
|
||||
HMS often explores bigger questions that plague the Handmade community. For example, we asked the head of [Ink & Switch](https://inkandswitch.com) why the industry struggles to create simple software. His response led to a masterclass in software complexity:
|
||||
|
||||
{{< youtube czzAVuVz7u4 >}}
|
||||
|
||||
**Next Handmade Seattle:** December 5–7, 2025 (Fri–Sun)
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="Local Meetups"
|
||||
mediatype="struct"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="Handmade meetups around the world"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/structure/80-20) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/structure/conferences)
|
||||
|
||||
**meetup.com but handmade**
|
||||
|
||||
We’re building a self-hosted [alternative](https://handmadecities.com/meetups) to meetup.com, though it’s still in its early stages.
|
||||
|
||||
Right now, our meetup hosts use a command-line app developed by Abner and the wider community: *Meetup Invite 2000*. It’s user-friendly, packed with features, and generally works like this: you feed it a Markdown file, and it sends out a polished email to all meetup subscribers.
|
||||
|
||||
When someone subscribes to notifications on the [Meetup](/meetups) page, the host for that city automatically sees it in their command-line tool. Hosts can also export their mailing list whenever; if they decide to part ways with Handmade Cities they can take their current audience with them.
|
||||
|
||||
In the future, we plan to build a web dashboard to complement Meetup Invite 2000 (we already have a basic prototype.) For now, we’ve lucked out because our meetup hosts know their way around terminals. Which leads us to one final observation.
|
||||
|
||||
In early 2025 Abner launched the closed beta for Terminal Click (see [Appendix](/founders-vision/appendix/terminal-click) for why it's relevant). Around that same time we started meetups in Tokyo, Japan—a milestone that’s been a long time coming. It was very rewarding to see our host, Migue-san, use a terminal emulator written by us to invoke Meetup Invite 2000, also written by us:
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Dogfooding what we preach is essential to achieve [Self-Hosting for All](/founders-vision/directives/self-hosting-for-all).
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
|
|||
+++
|
||||
title="The Team"
|
||||
mediatype="struct"
|
||||
conference="seattle-2022"
|
||||
date="2022-11-16T12:00:00-08:00"
|
||||
description="The Handmade Cities Team"
|
||||
thumbnail=""
|
||||
|
||||
[[videos]]
|
||||
title="Memory Strategies"
|
||||
embed="https://player.vimeo.com/video/774890907"
|
||||
service="vimeo"
|
||||
download_link="https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/774890907/rendition/720p/file.mp4?loc=external&oauth2_token_id=1777364455&signature=3c443137144bf46966f5607ab00f818dfa5f98e1ac7643e62160f55e0bb27792"
|
||||
|
||||
[[speakers]]
|
||||
name="Abner Coimbre"
|
||||
bio=""
|
||||
image=""
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
||||
[Prev](/founders-vision/structure/conferences) | [Contents](/founders-vision) | [Next](/founders-vision/business) (Revenue)
|
||||
|
||||
Meet our team on the Handmade Cities [About](/about) page. You can contact any of us by emailing support@handmadecities.com first.
|
||||
Loading…
Reference in New Issue