Inktober - Decay

#Inktober

“Decay” - I was kind of going for tooth-decay caused by tiny little gremlins.

For Inktober 52.

Last modified: January 13, 2022

Why 'Strong Opinions Weekly Held'

September 28, 2021.

#Meta

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation: An anecdote

March 22, 2025.

#Culture

#Career

#Inclusion and Equity

Intrinsic motivation is always better than extrinsic motivation. But not as good as it is when one is motivated both intrinsically and extrinsically.

The "cog ratio" is a metaphor for how much an individual's work on a product directly translates into a better user experience. While everyone on a team contributes, roles further from direct product development—like management, HR, or infrastructure—can feel disconnected from the end-user. What is our own "cog ratio" and how effectively will our efforts truly drive meaningful change for the people we serve?

The Increasingly Inaccurately Named User-Agent

January 27, 2026 (Revised February 9, 2026 ) .

#AI

Once a technical term and then a philosophy, the User Agent has gradually lost its allegiance to the user. The coming AI-powered super-user-agents are even more detached from their role as a loyal ambassador. Instead it's far more likely that those user-agents will manipulate users on behalf of their benefactors, and it will be difficult if not impossible to tell what they are doing.