Avatar for Leon Mika
Leon Mika
Software engineer in Melbourne, Australia.
About Now Archive Follow More Search Stats
  • About 9 years ago, while visiting the USA on a work trip, I went to the Elephant & Castle in Washington, DC. Someone recommended it to me, but I was frankly underwhelmed: not what you’d typically get at a pub around here. Today I learnt that it’s actually a chain of pubs, which probably explains it.

    July 18, 2025 8:58am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • Just one of those weeks where nothing is working at all. Computers, transport, the gym. Probably should just write this one off and regroup next week.

    July 17, 2025 11:30am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • Eyeing this course on screencasting. Might be a good skill to develop. I’ve recorded a few screencasts for work in the past and not only did I find it a good reference to share to others, it was fun to do.

    Via: Chris Coyier

    July 17, 2025 8:29am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • Should turn in my software development credentials right now. Thought I fixed a bug which failed QA because it didn’t work when multiple items were submitted. I didn’t test submitting multiple items, I only tested singles. Effin’ amateur hour! 🀦

    July 16, 2025 10:41am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • πŸ”— MacSparky: A Remarkable, Unremarkable Thing

    We often talk about how people can’t put their phones down while in line at the market, but what about during moments of joy? When taking in a theme park with your family, at the beach, or on vacation? Those moments are found solely in your immersion in the now.

    A thought-provoking post.

    July 16, 2025 9:00am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika

    Links

  • It’s striking how few Substack writers have setup their own domain name. Every link I see in the post I’m reading bar one is something.substack.com. Is it just too difficult to do? I thought that service attracted those that want to go out on their own. This feels like going halfway.

    July 15, 2025 9:10pm
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • Oof! Interviewing always takes it out of me. And I’m not even the one being interviewed. 😩

    July 15, 2025 5:28pm
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • It’s DNS. It’s always DNS. It always will be DNS.

    A retro-style computer error message features a pixelated character and humorous text about a DNS server failure, with options to restore, restart, or quit. Message is: Your trusty DNS server has decided not to show up to work today.  Next time, remember your IP addresses yourself.
    July 15, 2025 11:20am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika

    Memes

  • Train line outage is still ongoing. Apparently there’s been a derailment due to pantographs getting entangled in the overhead wires. So the new rolling stock experience continues. Today’s is a brief ride in a Siemens, complete with driver pointing out landmarks of interest.

    A train labeled "Frankston" is arriving at a station platform where several people are waiting.
    July 15, 2025 8:32am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika

    Photos

  • Got lucked into getting a Comeng train. Haven’t ridden one of these in years. They’re being retired so may be one of the last times I get to ride them.

    Auto-generated description: A train labeled City Loop is arriving at a station platform during dusk or early evening. Auto-generated description: A mostly empty train interior features yellow poles and a few passengers seated on blue-patterned seats.
    July 14, 2025 8:30am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika

    Photos

  • Making lemonade out of the lemons that is a total outage of my train line by seeing areas of the network that are completely new to me.

    Auto-generated description: A modern building with circular windows and red accent lighting features the word COBURG illuminated at the top. Auto-generated description: A metro station platform at night shows a parked train on the left and illuminated signs and seating on the right.
    July 14, 2025 7:52am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika

    Photos

  • I feel for anyone that needs to write any code that deals with audio. Hope you like big arrays of numbers and small quanta of time.

    July 13, 2025 3:10pm
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • Ooh, has it been 5 years already?

    Auto-generated description: An automated ICANN domain notice from hover alerts about a domain name expiring on July 16, 2025.
    July 13, 2025 9:47am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • Overheard the barista talk about watching a YouTube video of someone who owns an expresso bar taking a minute to make a coffee. “Why does it take him a minute to make a coffee? I can make 5 coffees in that time. I understand pride in your work, but if I were waiting for that…”

    They go on to debate the expectation of customers of a cafe verses those going to such fancy establishments. But if it were me, I wouldn’t have the patients to wait a full minute for a coffee. Or if I do, it better be the best damn coffee I ever had.

    July 13, 2025 9:43am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • πŸ› οΈ The Death Generator

    An online tool for generating images of message screens from retro 90’s games. Quite a selection of classic game message screens. Now, my egotistical side will think it beneath me to use this for posting lame memes here. To that part of me I say…

    Auto-generated description: The message box from Castlevania 2, consisting of a black background and blue frame with bold white text reads, WHAT A HORRIBLE NIGHT TO POST A MEME.

    Via: Robb Knight

    July 12, 2025 8:04pm
    Leon Mika Leon Mika

    Memes

    Tools

  • πŸ“˜ Devlog

    Godot Project β€” Some Feelings

    July 12, 2025 4:43pm
    Reading Time: 2 minutes
    Leon Mika Leon Mika

    Long Form Posts

    Devlog

    Progress on the Godot game has been fulfilling yet tinged with doubt about its value and purpose. Continue reading β†’

  • Amazing Dithering this week. Loved the discussion on why Apple is so driven to remove all software chrome. Never considered that it was because of how the various teams are organised (spoilers in the included clip).

    July 12, 2025 2:13pm
    Leon Mika Leon Mika

    Videos

  • Everything’s been so quiet around here. The school holidays explain it in part, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this quiet. Is everyone away? Or maybe they’re just staying indoors trying to keep warm. In any case, makes going to the cafe and being the only customer a little awkward.

    July 12, 2025 9:32am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • Moan-routine: LO's Predicate Signatures

    July 11, 2025 6:05pm
    Reading Time: 4 minutes
    Leon Mika Leon Mika

    Long Form Posts

    Golang

    A critique of function signatures the ’lo’ package offers for functions like Map and Filter. Continue reading β†’

  • Look, I’m no fan of Amazon and I’d like to get off using Kindles eventually. But the alternatives can sometimes be downright unusable. Behold: using the Kobo reader on an iPad in landscape orientation.

    Auto-generated description: Vertical text lines on a white background feature words and letters forming the phrase A ring at B's, these are the things ya think of Y.
    July 11, 2025 1:26pm
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • It would be nice if MacOS Calendar had an option to send a email receipt when setting up a meeting. For a while I couldn’t get email invitations sent out to attendees. I think it’s fixed now, but I still have doubt that it’s working properly again.

    July 11, 2025 1:10pm
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • I did not expect the mushroom murder trial to make its way into the Economist this week. But given the intricate nature of the case, I can absolutely understand why. I no doubt expect this will be turned into some sort of mini-series in a few years.

    July 11, 2025 8:26am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • It’s funny the way you sort of “run into” people and their work online. I’ve only been following Simon Willison for about a year, yet it was only today that I noticed a testimonial of his on a Golang project I’ve been using for quite a bit longer. “Serendipitous”, I guess you could call this.

    July 10, 2025 9:36am
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
  • On the UI of Coding Assistants And Agents

    July 9, 2025 9:53pm
    Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Leon Mika Leon Mika

    Long Form Posts

    An AI assistant verses an AI agent may have less to do with the UI, and more with how it’s used. Continue reading β†’

  • I’ve been misspelling “cancelled” a lot recently, in that I’ve been spelling it correctly yet the linter’s been saying, “no. Use the US spelling of ‘canceled’!” 😏

    July 9, 2025 12:19pm
    Leon Mika Leon Mika
← Newer Posts Older Posts β†’