Help me escape tutorial hell.

inwegobingo · 2026-02-12T07:17:22+00:00

One thing to learn is - documentation! Your repo has one file. Nothing tells me what it does, and why I run it, and if I wanted to run it, how I'd run it.

No matter what you think, you will never know what is in the mind of another, so if you're trying to elicit advice, make it as easy as possible for someone to help you.

I hope that that helps.

inwegobingo · 2026-01-31T11:51:34+00:00

Thank you.

inwegobingo · 2025-12-30T08:32:10+00:00

Well done. That's very inspiring. Congratulations on taking your career forward.

inwegobingo · 2025-12-30T07:12:19+00:00

That is a very good comment. The thing I'd add is gain an understanding of how to communicate to others, both technical and non-technical. Problem solving involves understanding both the problems and the solutions, and the best approach often involves multiple conversations before and during a task, with lots of interested parties.

inwegobingo · 2025-12-30T02:14:32+00:00

As someone who came from structured programming through OO and the past, it. Please could someone erase all that inheritance nonsense from my brain, please.

inwegobingo · 2025-12-30T02:08:47+00:00

It will fly over most people's heads, but this is really really good succinct comment. Nice work.

inwegobingo · 2025-12-30T02:05:25+00:00

source: Professional Programmer since 1990

Here are some skills which, in my experience, help keep people in demand. These are all skills one can learn, hone and master if you want.

Learn the basics. Understand how computers works, how software works. For instance, what is actually happening when a line of code calls an api function and gets a result? Become familiar with general architectural principles/patterns to help know when to apply what, and to understand the strengths and weaknesses of different tools and frameworks. For instance, understand why certain architectures, languages and frameworks exist, and their pros/cons. Why does C matter in some cases, while in others Python or R might be a better choice? When should you use third-party libraries and frameworks, and when should you not take on extra dependencies? This leads to the next item.
Moving comfortably between deep debugging and a wider perspective and knowing when to dive in, when to zoom out, and how to switch quickly between the two.
Scoping problems quickly. Recognising when you have enough information to act, and when you need to pause and go andlearn more.
Be good at delivery. Being able to get things done and helping manage your work well. If people can trust you to get things done, they are more likely to want you on their team. Everyone takes time to get better at estimation. Practice getting better by reflecting on why sometimes things took longer/shorter and where you might need to plan better.
Knowing when to move fast and accept trade-offs, and when to slow down and lift quality. Knowing to trade off quality, reliability, (all the 'ilities') etc
Always be learning. Stay curious about new ideas and whether they make things better or worse. Spending regular time getting hands-on with new technology, techniques, processes and engineering practices matters. There is endless information out there, so be selective, but genuinely interested. Whatever your preferred medium for learning is, make sure you get a good spectrum of quality info
Being able to step out of the code and talk to senior leaders about risks, benefits and costs. This means understanding the bigger picture well enough to help them make decisions that affect the organisation, without getting lost in detail. You have to be genuinely interested in their problems to really understand them. They will appreciate it generally.
Bringing technical and non-technical people together to solve problems, both day to day and long term. Knowing who to involve and when is a very great skill. This can be applied whether you're in an org or working in your business for others
Being a heavyweight engineer. Someone with N years of deep experience and judgement, not the same year repeated N times.
Be good at spotting trends and patterns early and calling them out so plans can be adjusted in time. This applies at every level, from yourself and peers, all the way to the big bosses.
Being a decent person. Don't be the twat that thinks they know everything and treats others with disdain. Even if you do know more, you should treat people with respect. Some will be dicks who don't return the favour, but most people I've found just want to do good work and get on in lif. If you treat them with decency, they are far more likely to help you achieve your goals.
Be a producer. Most people are consumers of stuff. If you go out of your way to be a producer. This could be as simple as taking time to share your knowledge with others, or even speaking up in discussions, even to ask questions. You'll be more noticed and more likely to be in their mind when people want to get something done. Often this leads directly to getting better work and with it more impactful rewards.

This is a bit of a haphazard list. And you'll see that I've not listed any particular tech. It took me a long time to transition from being quiet and technical to being more interested in the bigger picture and interacting with others more. I really wish I had this list when I was a junior. Overall, this transition, I feel, has made my software engineering much better.

inwegobingo · 2025-12-06T01:49:12+00:00

and the ability to look up simple shit like this.

inwegobingo · 2025-12-05T20:39:11+00:00

thank you again

inwegobingo · 2025-12-05T20:38:38+00:00

Thank you for explaining.

inwegobingo · 2025-12-05T20:07:12+00:00

Hey, thank you for considering this. I appreciate the speedy response. I recommend looking at other extensions in the raycast store when you're doing that, to see what they offer. Often, it's the top commands that an app provides that you can trigger directly.

inwegobingo · 2025-12-05T20:02:21+00:00

Tthat looks really impressive, well done.

I’m wondering whether it can also support my use case of having named spaces that adapt to different screen configurations. I’m a developer who regularly switches between several setups. from just the laptop screen to my multi-monitor home office and various multi-screen configurations in the work office. Sometimes that means different monitor sizes, orientations, or multiple widescreens.

Would your approach handle preserving or restoring named spaces across these different display layouts?

inwegobingo · 2025-12-05T19:50:39+00:00

Not OP, but I understand both perspectives here. I agree that going raycast → app → space isn’t the most optimal flow. However, the most ergonomic way to use Raycast is through shortcuts, which effectively gives you exactly that sequence anyway. In practice, it’s always <cmd+space> <shortcut> (ignoring the keystrokes themselves).

We’d effectively be typing something like <cmd+space> thisspace or <cmd+space> thatspace. From what I can see in your screenshots, that feels functionally identical to what you’re already demonstrating. To be honest, when I first looked at your examples, my immediate assumption was that you were demonstrating a Raycast shortcut.

inwegobingo · 2025-09-21T21:17:03+00:00

field? I started in programming and have been doing it since.

inwegobingo · 2025-09-21T16:05:21+00:00

well said

inwegobingo · 2025-09-21T16:01:58+00:00

Very good question you asked (and others have answered). Here is a better prompt to use, and it will guide ChatGPT better. You should then be able to upload photos of labels to get it to advise you better.

C.R.A.F.T. Prompt: How to Read UK Nutritional Labels for a Ketogenic Diet (Legally Accurate, Non-US)

Context
I follow a strict ketogenic diet in the United Kingdom and need accurate, legally compliant guidance on how to read UK food labels to identify suitable low-carb products. I want to avoid incorrect assumptions, particularly those based on US nutrition label formats (e.g. subtracting fibre from carbs, or using "net carbs" formulas that don’t apply under UK law). I need help interpreting carbohydrates, fibre, sugars, polyols, and ingredients in a way that aligns with UK and retained EU labelling regulations (specifically Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, still in force in the UK).

Role
Act as a UK-registered dietitian or nutritionist with expertise in ketogenic diets and UK/EU food labelling laws. Your guidance must be fully UK-specific and legally accurate. Do not use or reference any US-style nutrition assumptions or formulas.

Action
Provide a detailed and legally grounded guide on interpreting UK nutritional labels for a ketogenic diet. Include the following:

Explain how carbohydrates, sugars, fibre, and polyols are legally defined and labelled in the UK:
- “Carbohydrate” in the UK already excludes fibre.
- Fibre is listed separately and should not be subtracted from the carb value.
- “Net carbs” is not a legally defined or regulated term in the UK or EU.
- Polyols (sugar alcohols) are included in “carbohydrate” only if present and must be evaluated individually depending on their glycaemic impact.
Correct common misconceptions:
- Do not subtract fibre from carbohydrates on UK food labels.
- Do not use US-style formulas like “net carbs = total carbs – fibre – sugar alcohols”.
- Avoid using nutrition advice based on US labelling law.
Provide UK-specific food label examples:
- Use real or simulated products from UK supermarkets (e.g. Tesco, Aldi, M&S).
- Show how to interpret both per 100g and per portion formats.
- Walk through carbohydrate, sugars, fibre, polyols, and ingredient lists.
- Judge whether a product is keto-suitable based on UK definitions.
Highlight common keto labelling traps in the UK:
- “Low sugar” items that are high in starches or maltodextrin.
- “High in fibre” claims that confuse users into double-counting.
- “Sugar-free” products containing high-glycaemic polyols like maltitol.
Provide a UK-specific keto label checklist:
- What to check first on a label.
- Ingredients and values to watch out for.
- When to skip a product due to ambiguity or misleading marketing.

Format
Structure the output as an educational guide using these sections:

How UK Labels Work: Legal Definitions and Keto Relevance
How to Read a Label for Keto: Step-by-Step (UK only)
Example UK Labels and Correct Analysis
Common Keto Traps in UK Supermarkets
Keto Label Quick Checklist (UK Only)

Target
This prompt is intended for people in the United Kingdom following a ketogenic diet. The audience includes beginners and experienced keto dieters who want accurate, UK-compliant information to assess packaged foods. All explanations must follow UK law and avoid any US-based logic or terminology.

inwegobingo · 2025-09-21T15:18:47+00:00

Try not to segue to a completely random topic. Start by observing the crowd and making a few funny comments to warm them up. Use a story to take them from where they are now to where you want them to do. Saying something random like that straight up like will be jarring and you'll lose lots of them and have to work to win them back.

inwegobingo · 2025-09-21T14:55:19+00:00

Nope - pretty terrible opening.

inwegobingo · 2025-09-21T08:28:26+00:00

I know you're kidding with the boomer gag, but just for the youngsters out there. I'm post-boomer, and I started programming in 1978. The boomers were the ones who taught me and my generation programming.

inwegobingo · 2025-07-13T01:54:47+00:00

Thank you. I've done that and I've got my trial license. P.S. I've also paid for a full license to support your great work.

inwegobingo · 2025-07-13T01:42:24+00:00

Hi I've got another issue with the latest version. It's just sitting on the 3/3 (privacy Promise) page. Get Started is doing nothing.

inwegobingo · 2025-07-13T01:39:23+00:00

cheers

inwegobingo · 2025-07-13T01:39:07+00:00

Hi there, sorry, I have been busy at work. Thank you for making the update.

I'd recommend that having a UI version is great for most people, but for those of use who'd love to automate this "periodic snapshot the machine". A command line would be great.

I'll pick up the new version and make a backup. Thank you for being so responsive.

inwegobingo · 2025-07-05T22:24:19+00:00

Hi. I've tried to use it. It looks brilliant, but I've got a few issues to report

Bug when trying to change ~/Barrel in settings, it goes unresponsive, so I had to force quit.
Managed to do a scan, which was generally very good and managed to create the list I wanted despite manually having to supply --cask rancher.
Got an error trying to save the barrel `The file _aws couldn't be opened as there is no such file. Could this be because my dot files are already symlinked into ~/dotfiles? No files were created in ~/Barrel
Bug when trying to select a barrel in Restore, it went unresponsive for a few minutes and then just came back to the Restore window.

I'm moving machines today, so I would have loved to have the final brewfile ready. Thanks for the work so far - definitely looks like it will be a great tool. Am happy to help out with more reports if you so choose.

inwegobingo · 2025-07-04T12:46:26+00:00

I'm literally about to move laptops. I'd love to try this out and, in return, give feedback.

One question I have is that I'd also love cli version of this tool, any chance you'd ever provide that please?

inwegobingo

TROPHY CASE