Software Lead Weekly
Issue #654, 6th June 2025
This Week's Favorite
Tech Execs Are Mandating LLM Adoption. That’s Bad Strategy. But I Get Where They’re Coming From.
8 minutes read.
"People complain about LLM-generated code being “probabilistic”. No it isn’t. It’s code. It’s not Yacc output. It’s knowable. The LLM might be stochastic. But the LLM doesn’t matter. What matters is whether you can make sense of the result, and whether your guardrails hold. Reading other people’s code is part of the job. If you can’t metabolize the boring, repetitive code an LLM generates: skills issue! How are you handling the chaos human developers turn out on a deadline? [...] Professional software developers are in the business of solving practical problems for people with code. We are not, in our day jobs, artisans. Steve Jobs was wrong: we do not need to carve the unseen feet in the sculpture. Nobody cares if the logic board traces are pleasingly routed. If anything we build endures, it won’t be because the codebase was beautiful." -- Being able to make sense of the result (by another human or LLM-generated code) and building solid guardrails (first, define it to your team) are key for adopting new technologies. In a few years (or perhaps a few months), it will be difficult to determine whether the code was generated by a great engineer, human or machine. It's time to adopt this mindset and leverage it to enhance our relationships with software that produces value.
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8 minutes read.
"People complain about LLM-generated code being “probabilistic”. No it isn’t. It’s code. It’s not Yacc output. It’s knowable. The LLM might be stochastic. But the LLM doesn’t matter. What matters is whether you can make sense of the result, and whether your guardrails hold. Reading other people’s code is part of the job. If you can’t metabolize the boring, repetitive code an LLM generates: skills issue! How are you handling the chaos human developers turn out on a deadline? [...] Professional software developers are in the business of solving practical problems for people with code. We are not, in our day jobs, artisans. Steve Jobs was wrong: we do not need to carve the unseen feet in the sculpture. Nobody cares if the logic board traces are pleasingly routed. If anything we build endures, it won’t be because the codebase was beautiful." -- Being able to make sense of the result (by another human or LLM-generated code) and building solid guardrails (first, define it to your team) are key for adopting new technologies. In a few years (or perhaps a few months), it will be difficult to determine whether the code was generated by a great engineer, human or machine. It's time to adopt this mindset and leverage it to enhance our relationships with software that produces value.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
Culture
Unemployed Developer’s GitHub
1 minutes read.
My humble effort to help you start the weekend with a smile on your face.
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1 minutes read.
My humble effort to help you start the weekend with a smile on your face.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
M&A in 2025
6 minutes read.
A better understanding of the market situation and playbooks for M&A can give you the context as a leader in the organization to spot opportunities. Even if you're not the founder, you can recommend moves and potentially be part of the leadership team that makes sure the transition is working out effectively.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
6 minutes read.
A better understanding of the market situation and playbooks for M&A can give you the context as a leader in the organization to spot opportunities. Even if you're not the founder, you can recommend moves and potentially be part of the leadership team that makes sure the transition is working out effectively.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
How Do We Measure AI Fluency at Zapier?
3 minutes read.
Wade Foster's suggested levels (Unacceptable, Capable, Adoptive, Transformative) and questions asked to tease out and see how candidates leverage the latest tools to work differently (not only more efficiently) can help you change your interviews starting now. Which ones would you add? Share it with your teammates and review your interview process and questions.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
3 minutes read.
Wade Foster's suggested levels (Unacceptable, Capable, Adoptive, Transformative) and questions asked to tease out and see how candidates leverage the latest tools to work differently (not only more efficiently) can help you change your interviews starting now. Which ones would you add? Share it with your teammates and review your interview process and questions.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
Starting a Company Working on Hard Problems
3 minutes read.
"If you plan to work on something hard, I've found it's best to initially consider it a fun, curious project instead of a business you work backward from." -- Wonderful advice by Suhail. Following Suhail's work for years and seeing the work and learning he shares publically is truly inspiring.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
3 minutes read.
"If you plan to work on something hard, I've found it's best to initially consider it a fun, curious project instead of a business you work backward from." -- Wonderful advice by Suhail. Following Suhail's work for years and seeing the work and learning he shares publically is truly inspiring.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
Peopleware
Building an Impact Brewery: A Toolkit for R&D Leaders to Drive Impact
9 minutes read.
The idea of formalizing an Impact Formula with your leadership team to score and prioritize ideas can help you foster learning and experimentation and eventually increase the overall impact per bet: "Lasting impact is built over time through smart investments in people, processes, and technology. By empowering your team and fostering a culture of impact, you’ll leave a legacy that transcends your time in the role."
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
9 minutes read.
The idea of formalizing an Impact Formula with your leadership team to score and prioritize ideas can help you foster learning and experimentation and eventually increase the overall impact per bet: "Lasting impact is built over time through smart investments in people, processes, and technology. By empowering your team and fostering a culture of impact, you’ll leave a legacy that transcends your time in the role."
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
“Go After Markets So Small That People Don’t Even Notice Them” - Peter Thiel (Video)
4 minutes read.
An important framing for how to penetrate markets and the importance of learning to grow them over time by reshaping the category.
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4 minutes read.
An important framing for how to penetrate markets and the importance of learning to grow them over time by reshaping the category.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
Why I Think AI Take-Off Is Relatively Slow
6 minutes read.
Tyler Cowen is a great thinker. I don't have any strong opinion here, as we can look for pockets of innovation that would drive significant local yield. Think about your company or your community. I read Tyler's perspective and the comments people shared and remained curious rather than trying to reach some conclusion or observation. It might trigger a similar journey for you if you care about this subject.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
6 minutes read.
Tyler Cowen is a great thinker. I don't have any strong opinion here, as we can look for pockets of innovation that would drive significant local yield. Think about your company or your community. I read Tyler's perspective and the comments people shared and remained curious rather than trying to reach some conclusion or observation. It might trigger a similar journey for you if you care about this subject.
Read it later via Pocket or Instapaper.
Share it via Twitter or email.
Inspiring Tweets
@jasonlk: Your job as CEO: Every year, materially expand your TAM. What have you done this year? If nothing ... you're behind. Get going.
@garrytan: My best career advice: At every job you should either learn or earn. Either is fine. Both is best. But if it's neither, quit.
- Oren
P.S. Can you share this email? I'd love for more people to experiment and improve their company's culture.
P.S. Can you share this email? I'd love for more people to experiment and improve their company's culture.