Notes

The Dutch swap

I lived most of my life in AZERTY countries, but I got used to QWERTY once I started tinkering with Linux, since most Unix software is QWERTY-centric. If you are looking for an adventure, try using vim with a French keyboard. I can’t remember the details, but I somehow got my hands on an old laptop with a US layout. I spent a few years constantly switching between the two, AZERTY on my desktop and QWERTY on my laptop. It’s impressive how the brain can adapt sometimes. ...

Trade and Choice

I work as a software engineer and also enjoy being a hobbyist developer. The two roles use similar tools and methods, but they differ widely in practice. As an engineer, I focus on what the business needs and make trade-offs. As a hobbyist, I mostly do things for myself and care more about the final result. And sometimes, I feel like the real job is the hobby project. At work, time is the limited resource and usually sets the pace. Since requirements often change quickly, the focus is usually on short-term goals. ...