The morning after...

😡 That debate last night? What an embarrassment. It’s really hard to look away from the dumpster fire, but let’s try for a bit.

📐 Microservices are architectural nihilism says Vasco Figueira. It’s strong statement, but it has a point. Even if started with the best of intentions, microservices can become an approach without rigor. It can bring “a sanctioned answer to most architectural dilemmas: another microservice. Another entry in the service catalog for any and all interested parties to call… So soft and convenient was the lure of not having to draw hard architectural lines that we got lazy where we weren’t and accepted our lazyness where we already were.”

⚡ Do you want to be powered-by renewables? The easy answer is: of course! My colleague Asim, however, illustrates why it’s a bit more complex than that. “If you are being powered-by renewables then you are off-grid which doesn’t help the world transition to a renewable-powered future. If you are matched-by renewables then the electricity powering your computer comes from fossil fuel sources, however, it also means the actions you take as a software engineer can help reduce the consumption of that fossil fuel energy and help transition everyone to a renewable future.”

🚗 It’s not unlike the conversation of choosing between plug-in hybrids, full electric, or staying with a pure gasoline powered vehicle. The plug-in hybrid doesn’t meet the full ideal of where we want to be, but it helps get us there and encourages the system as a whole to move while providing a workable transition option for people who would otherwise just get another traditional vehicle.

🔌 And the system is moving. The charging infrastructure to support more full EVs is rolling out. Curbside public charging points are showing up all over the place in Berlin where I live, including one just a few meters from my front door. This totally changes the equation for city dwellers without a garage. Being able to plug in and charge up a bit while having a coffee at a café after dropping kiddo at school is pretty cool too.

📅 34 days.