David Majda
@majda.cz
Software engineer and engineering manager with a passion for programming languages, web technologies, software craftsmanship, and sustainability.
https://majda.cz
https://majda.cz
I’ve decided to stop using Bluesky and continue only with Mastodon after using both for a year and a half.
It’s quite simple:
It’s quite simple:
March 9, 2026 at 1:04 PM
I’ve decided to stop using Bluesky and continue only with Mastodon after using both for a year and a half.
It’s quite simple:
It’s quite simple:
“Once something is treated as provisional, people stop taking full responsibility for it. […] When engineers believe the system is temporary, they invest less in it. They stop fixing small things. They stop deepening their understanding.”
blog.planetargon.com/blog/entries...
blog.planetargon.com/blog/entries...
The Cost of Leaving a Software Rewrite “On the Table”
Rewrite talk lingers. Momentum fades. This post explores why unresolved futures stall teams long before code breaks.
blog.planetargon.com
March 3, 2026 at 3:04 PM
“Once something is treated as provisional, people stop taking full responsibility for it. […] When engineers believe the system is temporary, they invest less in it. They stop fixing small things. They stop deepening their understanding.”
blog.planetargon.com/blog/entries...
blog.planetargon.com/blog/entries...
“GPT‑5.3‑Codex is our first model that was instrumental in creating itself.”
I think this is the most important sentence of the GPT‑5.3-Codex announcement.
I think this is the most important sentence of the GPT‑5.3-Codex announcement.
February 6, 2026 at 1:21 PM
“GPT‑5.3‑Codex is our first model that was instrumental in creating itself.”
I think this is the most important sentence of the GPT‑5.3-Codex announcement.
I think this is the most important sentence of the GPT‑5.3-Codex announcement.
Reposted by David Majda
"I'm a manager now so I don't code anymore."
Is that because you genuinely can't, or because you've convinced yourself you shouldn't?
terriblesoftware.org/2026/01/22/w...
Is that because you genuinely can't, or because you've convinced yourself you shouldn't?
terriblesoftware.org/2026/01/22/w...
Why I Still Write Code as an Engineering Manager
I still code as an engineering manager. Not to stay busy, but to show my team what good looks like.
terriblesoftware.org
January 22, 2026 at 2:17 PM
"I'm a manager now so I don't code anymore."
Is that because you genuinely can't, or because you've convinced yourself you shouldn't?
terriblesoftware.org/2026/01/22/w...
Is that because you genuinely can't, or because you've convinced yourself you shouldn't?
terriblesoftware.org/2026/01/22/w...
I’ve decided to participate in Advent of Code this year, writing my solutions in Rust. It’s a good way to practice the basics of the language and keep my Rust knowledge fresh. Plus, the puzzles are fun!
December 4, 2025 at 11:54 AM
I’ve decided to participate in Advent of Code this year, writing my solutions in Rust. It’s a good way to practice the basics of the language and keep my Rust knowledge fresh. Plus, the puzzles are fun!
I’ve used a lot of programming languages in my life, so I went through my archives and created a little timeline — mostly for fun and for my own reference.
December 1, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I’ve used a lot of programming languages in my life, so I went through my archives and created a little timeline — mostly for fun and for my own reference.
Reposted by David Majda
New blog post: "Fifty Shades of OOP." Put in a surprising amount of research for this one!
lesleylai.info/en/fifty_sha...
lesleylai.info/en/fifty_sha...
Fifty Shades of OOP | Lesley Lai
This post talks about the many different aspects under the umbrella term OOP
lesleylai.info
November 24, 2025 at 9:37 AM
New blog post: "Fifty Shades of OOP." Put in a surprising amount of research for this one!
lesleylai.info/en/fifty_sha...
lesleylai.info/en/fifty_sha...
Last week, a speaker at the Prague Rust meetup created his slides using presenterm. It looks like a nice tool! I especially like how the terminal format constrains visual decisions, yet the result still looks great.
I think I’ll use it for my next technical talk.
mfontanini.github.io/presenterm/
I think I’ll use it for my next technical talk.
mfontanini.github.io/presenterm/
Introduction - presenterm documentation
mfontanini.github.io
November 5, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Last week, a speaker at the Prague Rust meetup created his slides using presenterm. It looks like a nice tool! I especially like how the terminal format constrains visual decisions, yet the result still looks great.
I think I’ll use it for my next technical talk.
mfontanini.github.io/presenterm/
I think I’ll use it for my next technical talk.
mfontanini.github.io/presenterm/
Reposted by David Majda
Politics isn't manipulation and backstabbing. It's understanding how decisions actually get made and learning to navigate that reality.
Refusing to engage doesn't make politics go away. It just means you lose by default.
terriblesoftware.org/2025/10/01/s...
Refusing to engage doesn't make politics go away. It just means you lose by default.
terriblesoftware.org/2025/10/01/s...
Stop Avoiding Politics
Most engineers think workplace politics is dirty. They’re wrong. Refusing to play politics doesn’t make you noble; it makes you ineffective.
terriblesoftware.org
October 1, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Politics isn't manipulation and backstabbing. It's understanding how decisions actually get made and learning to navigate that reality.
Refusing to engage doesn't make politics go away. It just means you lose by default.
terriblesoftware.org/2025/10/01/s...
Refusing to engage doesn't make politics go away. It just means you lose by default.
terriblesoftware.org/2025/10/01/s...
“What happens when something we enjoy doing that took effort becomes effortless? And what happens if that original effort was a foundation on which we saw value in ourselves?”
I have exactly the same feelings regarding AI writing code as the author of this post.
weakty.com/posts/efforts/
I have exactly the same feelings regarding AI writing code as the author of this post.
weakty.com/posts/efforts/
Our efforts, in part, define us
weakty.com
October 1, 2025 at 10:18 AM
“What happens when something we enjoy doing that took effort becomes effortless? And what happens if that original effort was a foundation on which we saw value in ourselves?”
I have exactly the same feelings regarding AI writing code as the author of this post.
weakty.com/posts/efforts/
I have exactly the same feelings regarding AI writing code as the author of this post.
weakty.com/posts/efforts/
This is currently #2 on Hacker News and is worth reading in my opinion:
mathstodon.xyz/@tao/1152599...
mathstodon.xyz/@tao/1152599...
Terence Tao (@[email protected])
Some loosely organized thoughts on the current Zeitgeist. They were inspired by the response to my recent meta-project mentioned in my previous post https://mathstodon.xyz/@tao/115254145226514817, wh...
mathstodon.xyz
September 24, 2025 at 6:24 PM
This is currently #2 on Hacker News and is worth reading in my opinion:
mathstodon.xyz/@tao/1152599...
mathstodon.xyz/@tao/1152599...
My recent talk sparked some discussion (both online and offline) on when to use Rust, especially on the backend. My take in mini-🧵 below.
September 19, 2025 at 9:44 AM
My recent talk sparked some discussion (both online and offline) on when to use Rust, especially on the backend. My take in mini-🧵 below.
Včerejší přednáška o Rustu se mi myslím docela povedla, kompletní slajdy zde:
speakerdeck.com/dmajda/rust-...
speakerdeck.com/dmajda/rust-...
Rust for Python People
You’ve probably heard about Rust — a modern take on a systems programming language. Today, we’ll explore it from the perspective of a Python developer. …
speakerdeck.com
September 18, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Včerejší přednáška o Rustu se mi myslím docela povedla, kompletní slajdy zde:
speakerdeck.com/dmajda/rust-...
speakerdeck.com/dmajda/rust-...
Připomínám svou zítřejší přednášku o Rustu na Pražském Pyvu. A přidávám malou ochutnávku ze slajdů. #python #rust
pyvo.cz/praha-pyvo/2...
pyvo.cz/praha-pyvo/2...
September 16, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Připomínám svou zítřejší přednášku o Rustu na Pražském Pyvu. A přidávám malou ochutnávku ze slajdů. #python #rust
pyvo.cz/praha-pyvo/2...
pyvo.cz/praha-pyvo/2...
Ve středu 17. září budu na Pražském Pyvu povídat o Rustu z pohledu Python vývojáře. Pokud vás zajímá, co vám Rust může nabídnout, jak se v něm ve srovnání s Pythonem programuje a jak ho můžete začlenit do svého projektu, přijďte se podívat. #python #praha #pyvo
pyvo.cz/praha-pyvo/2...
pyvo.cz/praha-pyvo/2...
Pražské Pyvo #172 Rust for Python People
Pyva jsou setkání příznivců programovacího jazyka Python a spřízněných technologií.
pyvo.cz
September 12, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Ve středu 17. září budu na Pražském Pyvu povídat o Rustu z pohledu Python vývojáře. Pokud vás zajímá, co vám Rust může nabídnout, jak se v něm ve srovnání s Pythonem programuje a jak ho můžete začlenit do svého projektu, přijďte se podívat. #python #praha #pyvo
pyvo.cz/praha-pyvo/2...
pyvo.cz/praha-pyvo/2...
In case you think string length is a simple topic, here is a really thorough write-up that should convince you otherwise:
hsivonen.fi/string-length/
hsivonen.fi/string-length/
It’s not wrong that "🤦🏼♂️".length == 7
hsivonen.fi
August 25, 2025 at 11:42 AM
In case you think string length is a simple topic, here is a really thorough write-up that should convince you otherwise:
hsivonen.fi/string-length/
hsivonen.fi/string-length/
Reposted by David Majda
How much of your feedback is actually about performance vs. personal preference?
If you can't point to specific impact, maybe the behavior that needs changing is yours.
terriblesoftware.org/2025/07/18/w...
If you can't point to specific impact, maybe the behavior that needs changing is yours.
terriblesoftware.org/2025/07/18/w...
Why Most Feedback Shouldn’t Exist
Before giving feedback, ask yourself: is there measurable impact? Most manager feedback is just personal preference disguised as professional development. Stop policing personality.
terriblesoftware.org
July 18, 2025 at 4:15 PM
How much of your feedback is actually about performance vs. personal preference?
If you can't point to specific impact, maybe the behavior that needs changing is yours.
terriblesoftware.org/2025/07/18/w...
If you can't point to specific impact, maybe the behavior that needs changing is yours.
terriblesoftware.org/2025/07/18/w...
When I’m programming in Go, I tend to be pragmatic and down-to-earth. When programming in Rust, however, I suddenly become a perfectionist and have to restrain myself from abstracting too much.
I wonder whether this is just a cultural influence or a manifestation of the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis.
I wonder whether this is just a cultural influence or a manifestation of the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis.
July 8, 2025 at 8:04 AM
When I’m programming in Go, I tend to be pragmatic and down-to-earth. When programming in Rust, however, I suddenly become a perfectionist and have to restrain myself from abstracting too much.
I wonder whether this is just a cultural influence or a manifestation of the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis.
I wonder whether this is just a cultural influence or a manifestation of the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis.
So I wrote a small compiler. For fun! And not once, but twice.
See “Story behind the project” in project’s README for the whole story:
github.com/dmajda/wabbi...
See “Story behind the project” in project’s README for the whole story:
github.com/dmajda/wabbi...
GitHub - dmajda/wabbiter: Compiler of the Wabbit language into LLVM IR written in Go
Compiler of the Wabbit language into LLVM IR written in Go - dmajda/wabbiter
github.com
June 18, 2025 at 11:31 AM
So I wrote a small compiler. For fun! And not once, but twice.
See “Story behind the project” in project’s README for the whole story:
github.com/dmajda/wabbi...
See “Story behind the project” in project’s README for the whole story:
github.com/dmajda/wabbi...
Playing with Zed, trying to use it as my primary code editor.
The experience so far has been great. Zed is a bit rough, but much faster and less bloated than VS Code. I think I’ll stick with it.
zed.dev
The experience so far has been great. Zed is a bit rough, but much faster and less bloated than VS Code. I think I’ll stick with it.
zed.dev
Zed — The editor for what's next
Zed is a high-performance, multiplayer code editor from the creators of Atom and Tree-sitter.
zed.dev
April 30, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Playing with Zed, trying to use it as my primary code editor.
The experience so far has been great. Zed is a bit rough, but much faster and less bloated than VS Code. I think I’ll stick with it.
zed.dev
The experience so far has been great. Zed is a bit rough, but much faster and less bloated than VS Code. I think I’ll stick with it.
zed.dev
Reposted by David Majda
I just published "The Hidden Cost of AI Coding"
As AI coding tools make us more productive, are we sacrificing the joy that made us fall in love with programming?
terriblesoftware.org/2025/04/23/t...
As AI coding tools make us more productive, are we sacrificing the joy that made us fall in love with programming?
terriblesoftware.org/2025/04/23/t...
The Hidden Cost of AI Coding
AI coding tools boost productivity but may sacrifice the flow state and deep satisfaction developers experience when writing code by hand. What are we losing?
terriblesoftware.org
April 23, 2025 at 5:31 PM
I just published "The Hidden Cost of AI Coding"
As AI coding tools make us more productive, are we sacrificing the joy that made us fall in love with programming?
terriblesoftware.org/2025/04/23/t...
As AI coding tools make us more productive, are we sacrificing the joy that made us fall in love with programming?
terriblesoftware.org/2025/04/23/t...
Baví mě, že (zřejmě) tréninkové lety policejních vrtulníků často vypadají jako výlet po českých hradech a zámcích. Schválně, kolik jich tady z hlavy dokážete identifikovat?
(Zachyceno náhodně pár týdnů zpátky.)
(Zachyceno náhodně pár týdnů zpátky.)
April 13, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Baví mě, že (zřejmě) tréninkové lety policejních vrtulníků často vypadají jako výlet po českých hradech a zámcích. Schválně, kolik jich tady z hlavy dokážete identifikovat?
(Zachyceno náhodně pár týdnů zpátky.)
(Zachyceno náhodně pár týdnů zpátky.)
“I’ve noticed something interesting about almost every engineer I’ve managed: their biggest strengths and their most frustrating weaknesses are often the exact same trait showing up in different contexts.”
terriblesoftware.org/2025/03/31/y...
So true. Discovered this too a few years ago.
terriblesoftware.org/2025/03/31/y...
So true. Discovered this too a few years ago.
Your Strengths Are Your Weaknesses
The qualities you value most in engineers are also creating your biggest problems. Here’s how to handle this paradox.
terriblesoftware.org
April 13, 2025 at 9:19 AM
“I’ve noticed something interesting about almost every engineer I’ve managed: their biggest strengths and their most frustrating weaknesses are often the exact same trait showing up in different contexts.”
terriblesoftware.org/2025/03/31/y...
So true. Discovered this too a few years ago.
terriblesoftware.org/2025/03/31/y...
So true. Discovered this too a few years ago.