Soren Bjornstad

Soren Bjornstad

Software developer, tech thinker, information systems designer. See more.

3 minute read

This is the second Edit Week in Control-Alt-Backspace history (see here for an explanation of Edit Week).

Here’s what changed this week, with the biggest and most interesting changes up top:

When to Delete Files
  • Noted that deleting data you don’t need can be good for your privacy and security.
  • Updated my description of my personal approach to deleting emails, since it has changed (I still don’t delete emails proactively, but I recently went through and deleted a bunch of obvious junk, and I now recommend doing that every few years).
Talking to Ducks
  • Added a paragraph on deciding what level of detail you should use (in a word, moderate).
Managing Temporary Files
  • Added a link to the filesystem post on when to delete files, poking fun at IU’s unwillingness to delete their out-of-date documentation.
  • Noted that environment variables can be used to navigate in the address bar of Windows Explorer.
Just Get Started
  • Corrected a subject-verb agreement error.
  • Went into a bit more detail on the things that do need to be right the first time, which the article does not apply to so much.
Dreamdir and the Unix Philosophy, or Likable Software
  • Called out Apple as doing a pretty good job at creating mass-market likable software (but by no means passing the full-height bar).
  • Pointed out a few of the worst design decisions in PowerShell are worse than I had suggested they were.
Does Speeding Make Sense?
  • Noted that driving is hard.
  • Corrected a logical inversion error (“you save very little time by slowing down in the city”).
Introduction to Debugging
  • Linked to the K&R book on C programming.
  • Linked to my article on focusing on requirements when describing requirements errors.
  • Clarified wording in several places.
It’s Probably Me
  • Linked to my health article when discussing that complaining too much may be unhealthy.
  • Fixed a typo (where I said 4 + 4 was 8 but intended to write the incorrect result of 7).
The Art of Naming Files: Mechanical Considerations
  • Added a link to the debugging series on logic errors.
  • Fixed a typo in which two sentences were run together.
Dealing with Duplicate Files
  • Clarified wording in the explanation of rdfind and corrected a typo in a command snippet.
The Art of Naming Files: Conventions
Scripting as Effective Communication
  • Added a link to the debugging series on syntax errors.
Why You Still Need to Know Things
  • Added a link to information about PowerShell.
Do It Right The First Time
  • Noted that moving away from spending your time fixing past problems improves productivity and creates a virtuous circle.
  • Clarified wording in several places.
The Paradox of Documentation
  • Linked to the memory series when discussing remembering things.
Gather Information
  • Added a link to “It’s Probably Me”.
Minimal Working Example
  • Added a link to “Do It Right the First Time” when suggesting you should create an MWE because you can waste a lot of time by skipping it.

Found an error or have a suggestion for improvement of your own? Scroll down to the very bottom of the page and hit the “let me know” link in the footer. Nothing is too small to point out; in my opinion, typos as small as bad spacing are an issue worthy of the tiny amount of time it takes to correct them.

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