
Why Evolution Chose Assholes (It's Not What You Think)
Discover why the anus was a key evolutionary innovation, enabling efficient digestion and shaping life as we know it. No, really. The Surprising Role of the Anus in Evolution Evolution’s most underrated upgrade? The anus. The anus allowed a one-way digestive system, separating intake and waste. As a tech guy, I would describe it as going from batch processing to streaming. This shift enabled: Continuous feeding without blockages Specialized gut regions for nutrient extraction Larger body sizes and more efficient energy use The One-Opening System: Limitations of Early Life The one-opening system where early life ate and excreted through the same hole had key limitations that constrained growth and efficiency. ...

Reflections on AI in Production
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend a meetup at GetYourGuide’s offices in Berlin, focusing on the practical application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the business environment. The theme was particularly centered around the recent developments in Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), which piqued my interest due to my professional background and personal curiosities in similar technologies. About the talks The meetup featured three distinct talks, each shedding light on different facets of AI in production: ...

Valuing Every Moment
In the grand, unpredictable theater of life, an undeniable truth shadows our every step: the possibility of our existence’s abrupt end. This realization, far from being a morbid fixation, serves as a profound reminder to cherish and make the most of the time we are granted. In this exploration, we delve into the implications of life’s inherent uncertainty and propose a mindset geared towards appreciating every fleeting moment. The Unpredictable Nature of Life Life, in all its beauty and complexity, operates on the whims of unpredictability. Events, both monumental and minute, unfold in a chaotic symphony, often eluding our attempts at control and foresight. The stark reality is that the continuity of our existence hangs by a delicate thread, susceptible to unforeseen snips. This precariousness, rather than inducing fear, can catalyze a deep appreciation for the present. ...

The Legacy of Tandem Computers and NonStop Systems
Redefining Computing Through Reliability In an era when downtime could spell disaster for businesses, Tandem Computers Inc. introduced a groundbreaking solution: the NonStop system. Designed for unparalleled reliability, these systems ensured continuous operation, setting a new standard in computing. Tandem’s NonStop Systems Founded in 1974, Tandem Computers shipped its first system, the Tandem/16, to Citibank in 1976, marking the beginning of fault-tolerant computing. The NonStop systems were built on a unique architecture that allowed them to operate continuously, even in the event of component failures. This was achieved through a sophisticated setup of up to 16 CPUs in a fault-tolerant cluster, each with its own memory, I/O processor, and I/O bus, ensuring data availability through mirrored disks and redundant paths. ...

LLMs without the hype
In January 2024, I had the opportunity to demystify the buzz around Large Language Models (LLMs) for my fellow software developers through a presentation titled “LLMs without the hype: How to leverage LLMs as a software developer.” My journey in the software development industry spans over 15 years, and in the recent months, I’ve been deeply involved in building applications powered by LLMs. My goal was to share my experiences and learnings, moving past the initial excitement to offer a grounded perspective on how these powerful tools can be practically applied in our daily work. ...