From 390ff9845f7b8395f5f32edb18c19fd6d875c9fb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Abner Coimbre Date: Sun, 22 Jun 2025 14:40:47 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] Continued polish to 'Our Summer Update' --- content/english/news/summer-update-2025.md | 73 +++++++++++----------- content/english/tickets/index.md | 2 +- 2 files changed, 38 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-) diff --git a/content/english/news/summer-update-2025.md b/content/english/news/summer-update-2025.md index c72c6d4..c9f80dd 100644 --- a/content/english/news/summer-update-2025.md +++ b/content/english/news/summer-update-2025.md @@ -10,103 +10,104 @@ tags: ["meta", "hmc"] draft: false --- -Learn where things stand halfway through the year. Ticket discounts end this weekend! +Catch up on our progress this year. Ticket discounts end soon! **Things to Discuss** - Conference Theme: Handmade at Home -- Discord Off-Ramp -- Abner's AI Philosophy +- Shutting Discord Down +- My Thoughts on AI - Bonus Video: Is Handmade like Suckless? Dear community member, -Before we get into the newsletter, note that summer's already here! **I've [extended](/tickets) the Spring Sale for the weekend**, after which the discount disappears on Monday and we're back to standard tickets. +Summer is here! **I’ve [extended](/tickets) the Spring Sale a few more days,** but the discounts vanish after Wednesday: {{< button label="Register" link="/tickets" style="solid" >}} -We've also created a [downloadable](/calendar) calendar to track event dates. +Check out our new [downloadable](/calendar) calendar to keep track of event dates. --- ### "Handmade at Home" -This year's theme for the conferences is *Handmade at Home* and it has a double meaning. +This year’s conference theme is *Handmade at Home*, and it has two meanings. #### Meaning #1: Cleaning House -The reader's attention is shot this year. There's SO MUCH going on that it's a huge ask to settle down and reflect, let alone evangelize our values: +With our industry in upheaval, it’s rather difficult to settle down and reflect, let alone evangelize our values. Here’s what we’re facing: -1. Handmade Cities is full of gamedevs and they're [getting massacred](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/topics/layoffs) -2. International attendance has dropped to [near zero](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44084767). I'm not the only organizer [suffering](https://archive.is/QWmxO) consequences +1. Handmade Cities is full of gamedevs and they're [in major trouble](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/topics/layoffs) +2. International travel dropped to [near zero](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44084767). I'm not the only organizer [suffering](https://archive.is/QWmxO) the consequences 3. Morale is at an all-time low due to AI (more on this later) -Therefore I'm keen for talk/demo submissions offering hope, strategies, or inspiration against these realities. I ask everyone to email suggestions of speakers I should reach out to: ideally candidates near Boston or Seattle. +Therefore I'm keen for talks or demos that offer hope, strategies, and inspiration against these realities. Whoever knows speakers near Boston or Seattle, please send suggestions my way! This theme is open-ended. -**Reminder:** Our new content follows an 80-20 split: 80% technical and 20% programmer well-being. +**Reminder:** Our new content will be 80% technical and 20% about programmer well-being. #### Meaning #2: Elevate Our Own Talent -Historically, I've chosen high-profile speakers (outside our community) to come talk to us. This is valuable and I remain open to it... however, I haven't spent enough time platforming community voices. +Historically, I've chosen high-profile speakers outside our community to come talk to us. This is valuable. However, I haven't spent nearly enough time platforming community voices. -We have many [meetups](/meetups) with astounding system programmers and I REALLY want to hear what the best among us have to say. +We have astounding system programmers at our [meetups](/meetups) and I wish to hear from them. {{< image src="images/meetups/cowork_seattle_2025.jpg" caption="Seattle Coworking Session (2025)" alt="cline bot landing page" height="806" width="605" position="center" command="fill" option="q100" class="img-fluid" title="image title" webp="false" >}} -Anyone reading this may be a worthy candidate and not even know it. Submit an informal proposal to submissions@handmadecities.com and we'll start talking. +Someone reading this may be a worthy candidate and not even know it. Send an informal proposal to submissions@handmadecities.com {{< button label="Submit a Talk" link="mailto:submissions@handmadecities.com" style="solid" >}} --- -### Discord Off-Ramp -I don't think it's controversial to say I want to shut down Discord: everyone can sympathize for one reason or another! Today, I've left all servers except for my own [HMC](https://handmadecities.com/discord) and [TC](https://terminal.click/discord) for now. +### Shutting Discord Down +It's not controversial to say I want to shut down Discord: everyone can sympathize for one reason or another! I’ve already left all servers except for my own [HMC](/discord) and [TC](https://terminal.click/discord). -What might raise eyebrows is that I'm switching to [Revolt](https://revolt.chat) with an invite-only system. In other words, the folks in this brand new HMC server must be well-known individuals: -- I know someone personally, so I invite them -- Someone attends a local meetup, so the host invites them -- Someone snatched a conference ticket, so they're auto-invited (2025 onwards) +I’m moving us to [Revolt](https://revolt.chat) with an invite-only system. Here’s how it’ll work: -I will allow meetup hosts to send manual invites through my command-line tool, which they already use to send newsletters to their city. (I'm in the middle of completing this feature.) +- I invite people I know personally +- Meetup hosts can invite their attendees +- Conference ticket holders are auto-invited (2025 onwards) -{{< image src="images/hmc/revolt.png" caption="Revolt is the open-source Discord copycat (and that's a good thing)" alt="cline bot landing page" height="" width="" position="center" command="fill" option="q100" class="img-fluid" title="image title" webp="false" >}} +Indeed, meetup hosts will be able to send chat invites through my command-line tool, which they already use to send newsletters. (I'm in the middle of completing this feature.) -Revolt won't be foolproof. The host could go rogue and invite randos, or the ticket holder might take on a fake identity. I'm fine with some cracks on the floor. I am, in essence, [heeding the advice](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44331351) of this HN comment: +{{< image src="images/hmc/revolt.png" caption="Revolt is an open-source Discord copycat (and that's a good thing)" alt="cline bot landing page" height="" width="" position="center" command="fill" option="q100" class="img-fluid" title="image title" webp="false" >}} + +I am, in essence, [heeding the advice](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44331351) of this HN comment: > I honestly couldn't tell you right now what the long game looks like. Only to find your humans, build your digital fortresses, and help each other as best you can. -When is this off-ramp? Over the summer! The reader will hear announcements if they're [subscribed](/news). +Revolt won't be foolproof of course. The host could go rogue and invite randos, or the ticket holder might take on a fake identity. I'm fine with some cracks on the floor though. This transition is happening over the summer and I’ll keep folks posted if they're [subscribed](/news). --- -### Abner's AI Philosophy -All right, it's a stretch to call my take on artificial intelligence a "real" philosophy, but it is informed from practical studies. +### My Thoughts on AI +All right, it's a stretch to call my take on artificial intelligence a "real" philosophy, but it is informed from personal study. -I'm no longer a stranger to AI; I can leverage [cline](https://cline.bot) bot to great effect. I know how to deploy MCP servers. I review, quantize, and self-host open models every other month. Indeed, I stay on top of the "latest and greatest" and even have AI-loving enemies on speed dial (keep dissenting opinions closer than friends!) +I'm no longer a stranger to AI; I can effectively use the [cline](https://cline.bot) bot and deploy MCP servers. I review, quantize, and self-host open models. I stay on top of the "latest and greatest" and have vibe coders on speed dial (I keep dissenting opinions closer than friends.) So what's the conclusion? I offer two. {{< image src="images/hmc/cline.png" caption="Cline Bot - Landing Page" alt="cline bot landing page" height="" width="" position="center" command="fill" option="q100" class="img-fluid" title="image title" webp="false" >}} -#### Conclusion #1: Serious study of the Handmade ethos makes one competitive. +#### Conclusion #1: Handmade Ethos is Competitive -Handmade software like my own [Terminal Click](https://terminal.click) does not benefit from AI tech. It does help at the margins: I've delegated website work to AI since last year and I enjoy seamless CI/CD for the builds. That is significant time saved. +Serious Handmade projects, like my own [Terminal Click](https://terminal.click), doesn’t gain from AI. It does help at the margins: I've delegated website work since last year, and I enjoy seamless CI/CD for my builds. This is meaningful. -However, when solving novel problems or pushing boundaries, AI gets stuck fast. It's impractical for my systems programming work. (Skeptics should watch the bonus video at the end.) +However, it fails at novel problems and isn’t practical for my systems programming work. (Skeptics should check out the bonus video at the end.) -#### Conclusion #2: A market is opening for the artisinal. +#### Conclusion #2: A Market for the Artisanal -Let's assume LLM agents become essential for true innovation: the top 5% of coders are officially threatened! I don't believe this will happen at all but we must entertain the notion. From what I observe at our in-person events, there's still an eternal craving for what's purely human. +Let's imagine LLM agents become essential for true innovation: the top 5% of 'manual' coders are officially threatened! From what I observe at our in-person events, there remains the eternal craving for what's purely human. -The most ardent believers of vibe coding I've met agree users will crave Handmade projects the same way people crave artisinal crafts, furniture or goods. They called this market fringe, but I call it sustainable. +Even the True Believers conceded to me users will crave Handmade projects the same way people crave artisanal crafts, furniture or goods. They called this futuristic market fringe - I call it sustainable. **TL;DR:** I don't lose sleep over my craft disappearing. I lose sleep over the automation of mediocrity. --- ### Is Handmade like Suckless? (Video) -Someone who's made it this far deserves a fun video! To recall it easily I've set up a permalink at [terminal.click/suckless](https://terminal.click/suckless) +Anyone who made it this far deserves a cool video! I've set up a permalink at [terminal.click/suckless](https://terminal.click/suckless)
-Over the years, new community members sometimes consider [suckless](https://suckless.org) to be similar (if not the same) as Handmade. Out of respect for both communities I can no longer stay silent. +Over the years some new community members think [suckless](https://suckless.org) and Handmade are similar if not the same. Out of respect for both, I felt it was time to clarify. -*P.S. If the viewer expects a rigorous philosophical breakdown they'll be disappointed. Instead, I've taken their signature suckless terminal and casually compared it against my own signature project: two real-world products from two competing ideologies.* +*P.S. Don’t expect a deep philosophical breakdown. Instead, I casually compare their signature terminal software against my own: two real-world products from different ideologies.* Your indie organizer,
Abner Coimbre diff --git a/content/english/tickets/index.md b/content/english/tickets/index.md index a2b908a..1c48367 100644 --- a/content/english/tickets/index.md +++ b/content/english/tickets/index.md @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ draft: false layout: "tickets" features: - - title: "Discounts Until Sunday, June 22nd 2025" + - title: "Discounts Until Wednesday, June 25th 2025" title_class: "text-center text-white mt-2 md:mt-8 lg:mt-8 xl:mt-8 2xl:mt-8" side: "center" content_class: "mt-16 pt-0 pb-0 text-white"