Alex Nedelcu

Software developer, #FP, #Scala, #Kotlin, #Java / #JVM, #Haskell, #Rust; contributor to https://alexn.org, https://monix.io, https://typelevel.org.

🌍 #Bucharest, #Romania

Public Key

npub1y3j2nxan5t86eck4qqpjwg0mmd8sx66vjf3y6gpe5ywv9448gjjq0xzwz9

NIP-05 Address

alexelcu_at_social.alexn.org@mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqszge9fnwe69navut2sqqe8y8aakncrddxfycjdyqu6z8xz66n5ffqpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0wd68ytnsw43qzxrhwden5te0wfjkccte9ehx7umhdpjhyefwvdhk68kgwm2

Publishing to

relay.mostr.pub

relay.noswhere.com

Author Public Key

npub1y3j2nxan5t86eck4qqpjwg0mmd8sx66vjf3y6gpe5ywv9448gjjq0xzwz9

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Last Notes

2024-08-13 12:59:21

“Cryptographically Strong Random on the JVM”
https://alexn.org/blog/2024/08/13/cryptographically-strong-random-jvm/
#Programming #Security #Snippet #Java #Scala #Kotlin

2024-05-17 07:54:09

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@npub1x09…jlxu In fairness, this is probably Firefox's fault. Given Twitter.com worked just fine in Firefox, they'll likely have to update their rules.

2024-04-04 05:58:19

Where I got this from: https://twitter.com/greenrobot_de/status/1774718367913463938
https://social-cdn.alexn.org/media_attachments/files/112/211/412/032/656/692/original/fdf3ccf6fa8fbc37.png

2024-04-01 06:58:22

This is my personal server, Ubuntu LTS — which is the reason for why I think servers should not be bleeding edge
https://social-cdn.alexn.org/media_attachments/files/112/194/663/381/277/642/original/29b5cf5cee9aaf6f.png

2024-03-31 13:13:27

At gym, I received my first unsolicited advice. A bro told me that I should start w/ a higher bar in rack, my eyesight is too low, and I should use leg machines until I lost weight 🙄
My squats are low-bar, looking at ceiling is a mistake, and squats don't work just legs 🤷‍♂️

2024-03-16 16:03:40

Reusing other people's work, i.e., libraries, and tools is healthy. But so is wheel reinvention, which is often necessary, as prepackaged solutions are often unable to adapt. You also need the experience and the ownership.
Don't be just a user. Re-invent that shit 💪

2024-03-15 18:51:33

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@npub1yy8…yfzq Huh, never heard of BlueEyes until now.
Play was a hit, indeed. I liked how type safe it felt compared to other alternatives I tried, like Scalatra.

2024-03-15 14:04:40

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@npub1yy8…yfzq My feelings are that the API makes the difference.
Even for Future, composing Futures with flatMap was, first of all, less error-prone. Otherwise Future wasn't a performance beast.

2024-03-15 14:03:40

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@npub1yy8…yfzq You may be right, but Future was also liked because the API was nice (e.g., flatMap, sequence), even if it was more error-prone. And the trouble with Java's thread-pools is that they are often limited, so blocking threads is error-prone. And Future did not have the performance of Cats-Effect IO.
Java could've had one thread-pool, like System.Threading.ThreadPool from dotNET. Probably bad idea for constrained devices (Android), but not for server-side.

2024-03-15 12:53:48

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@npub1ecd…gpfq Yes, FP, which really means "working with values" that's super powerful.
Also, the APIs are less error-prone and more productive, although they have a steeper learning curve.

2024-03-15 10:25:54

Contrarian viewpoint…
In #Scala, IO does not exist because of “fibers” (green threads). Ditto for Java's “reactive” libraries. That was just the marketing brochure. You could have lived w/ blocking I/O, given that Linux+JVM can handle 10s of thousands of threads (1:1).

2024-03-15 06:54:36

I'm trying to like #IntelliJIDEA with BSP for #Scala projects, but it's tough because you end up with 10 minutes project refreshes that often end in failure, every time you switch branches or modify `build.sbt`.

2024-03-13 23:41:45

#OOP and #FP paradigms aren't very orthogonal, as both are about managing state & effects from different perspectives, but aren't at odds and can be complementary.
I wouldn't love #Scala if I wouldn't love both. If you like #Scala, you like #FP and #OOP, too 😉

2024-03-13 22:32:12

Software systems are some of the most complex things humanity has built. If #AI can help, we can tackle more complexity. If AI comes for our jobs, that will be great actually, as it would mean AI can reason, leading to great prosperity for all.
Keep calm and enjoy your craft.

2024-03-13 22:25:54

“Coding” refers to writing instructions for a computer to execute. People diminish the profession by using it to describe software development, which also involves engineering, architecting and craftsmanship, with the systems built growing in complexity decade by decade.

2024-03-13 11:22:18

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@npub10pp…ngrj I stay away from that because those are probably deriving the same instances on each call site.

2024-03-13 10:39:34

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@npub10pp…ngrj What do you mean by auto-derivation? Do you include semi-auto, too? 🙂

2024-03-12 11:07:19

#FunctionalProgramming will make you build better software, regardless of language. Some understated effects:
‣ Prefer params to global state
‣ Prefer data pipelines to fragile state mutation
‣ Prefer clear responsibilities for components
‣ Make dangerous side effects visible.

2023-10-22 16:52:59

“Modern Android Development” has evolved a lot, since the last time I tried building an app. Google went all in on Kotlin, a good choice. I'm almost tempted to build something 🤩
https://developer.android.com/modern-android-development
#Android #Kotlin #op

2023-10-22 14:35:18

#VSCode is wonderful.
I needed a C++ IDE for some tutoring, and I just installed the C++ extension, which just worked, with no configuration. This is the experience I had with all programming languages I tried. All other IDEs are in trouble.
#op

2023-10-18 12:44:12

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@npub1yy8…yfzq I don't necessarily agree.
Blocking I/O, in the kernel, is still blocking platform threads. However, I'd argue that these instances are both a temporary implementation detail and uninteresting.
Blocking I/O is now an implementation detail in the sense that future JVM versions may be able to lift such restrictions with zero changes to existing code. It's also uninteresting as we're basically talking about local file I/O, which is super fast these days.

2023-10-06 05:32:27

Out of the Alt-JS languages I've played with, #Scala.js seems to be the best.
Given it's probably not widely adopted, its maturity is surprising. E.g., ScalablyTyped can convert TypeScript definitions, and actually works. Interop is good. And the compiler is, dare I say it, pretty fast compared to 2–3 years ago. Scala 3 also helps. E.g., it has untagged unions, just like TypeScript.
I'm surprised that it's in better shape than #KotlinJS, for all its multi-platform marketing.

2023-10-05 08:56:30

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I'm just messing with @npub1z9m…9zmq TBH

2023-10-05 08:50:07

#Scala's macros are so cool 😍 and fragile 🥹
#pic
https://social-cdn.alexn.org/media_attachments/files/111/181/543/567/243/768/original/e10ffe68fab8abcf.png

2023-10-03 17:38:24

https://social-cdn.alexn.org/media_attachments/files/111/172/298/059/673/174/original/954790c9eee653cb.png

2023-10-01 08:21:38

“I am darkness”
#photography #cats #dogs
https://social-cdn.alexn.org/media_attachments/files/111/158/674/372/158/652/original/a0280e766fbe7c37.jpg

2023-09-27 15:18:21

On the right, that's Thomas, my cat, standing on the fence. He's having an argument with the next door neighbour, just before I swoop in to save the day.
#photography #cats #catsOfMastodon
https://social-cdn.alexn.org/media_attachments/files/111/137/770/655/331/331/original/3b3e6ed766e6934e.jpg

2023-09-27 10:24:36

#photography #cats #catsOfMastodon
https://social-cdn.alexn.org/media_attachments/files/111/136/620/925/759/436/original/c9b6d6ebae188d65.jpg

2023-09-27 09:17:30

You know my #Mastodon instance move, from my own instance to #Hachyderm from yesterday?
I changed my mind 🤷‍♂️
It's pretty awesome to be able to just move between instances like this ❤️ although be careful when you do it, as some followers seem to get stuck and may need later intervention to unstuck them.

2023-09-25 14:44:49

I'm migrating my account to a new #Mastodon instance:
https://hachyderm.io/@alexelcu

2023-09-22 06:46:42

"Rust Atomics and Locks"
A book on low-level concurrency in Rust. Explains atomics, mutexes, memory ordering, integration with OS APIs.
#Link #Book #Concurrency #Programming #Rust
https://marabos.nl/atomics/

2023-09-19 13:13:24

#Java 21 “launch event”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8NV68ihJyY

2023-09-18 15:55:10

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@npub1fdc…82j5 JRuby is a mature project that has significantly better performance for server-side apps than CRuby. Due to the Ruby-FFI efforts, it's also fairly compatible. It should be more popular, but it does have industrial use.

2023-09-18 07:16:21

My cat was bitten by a dog. She needed stitches, but she escaped and is OK now, in recovery. Here, she's annoyed at cheekiness of the sparrows in the nearby trees. A few days ago, our yard was basically closed airspace.
#cats #catsOfMastodon
https://social-cdn.alexn.org/media_attachments/files/111/084/691/951/987/846/original/b2e3944e47fdba52.jpg

2023-09-16 17:41:18

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@npub1gzl…kk4u On Hetzner I have an instance with 4 GB of RAM. It's enough to self-host Matomo, Mastodon, the Isso commenting widget, a couple of static websites, and a personal project.
Costs 5.35 EUR / month (without VAT), and it would be 22.5 EUR on DigitalOcean.
I think personal projects / servers need to be cheap for sustainability.

2023-09-16 17:27:31

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@npub1gzl…kk4u Hetzner is cheaper, and you may need the extra RAM.

2023-09-09 05:14:20

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@npub1836…8jp6 Kotlin also has this operator:
x ..< y

2023-09-07 07:30:27

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@npub1em8…g250 I'm not a front-end developer, I only dabble in client-side Javascript to get things done.
It's always interesting to me how the JS ecosystem is willing to throw away everything foundational every couple of years. And evolution might be warranted, but the result is instability and a really poor ROI for developers learning the latest shiny tech, doomed to be irrelevant soon, or for businesses that have to continually be on the upgrade treadmill, or risk unmanageable technical debt.

2023-08-30 17:11:18

TIL of Organic Maps:
https://organicmaps.app/
This is a fork of Maps.me, it's FOSS and based on Open Street Maps.

2023-08-23 08:43:15

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@npub1fdc…82j5 Chrome is factually more secure than Firefox.
Here's an article from 2020 describing lower-level details. Some of it may be out-of-date, e.g., I think that Fx's JIT was reimplemented, but should give you a pretty good idea:
https://madaidans-insecurities.github.io/firefox-chromium.html

2023-08-23 07:30:15

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#Chrome has always been ahead in terms of security. E.g., t took a really long time for Firefox to implement a permissions model for extensions, and then to give the ability to disallow some extensions in Private Mode. And right now, it doesn't have “click to enable” on extensions.
I'm a minimalist, but even I use problematic extensions, like LanguageTool (alternative to Grammarly). And if you're security conscious, you can't allow such extensions to access your security-sensitive services.

2023-08-23 07:23:54

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Firefox has profiles too, but #Chrome's profiles are not a PITA to use, feel lighter weight, and play well with window management.
#Firefox's multi-account extensions are only useful for logging into the same website using multiple accounts. That's it. And despite general feelings about the feature, it has next to no security or privacy benefits (not since “Total Cookie Protection”). Using it for privacy purposes is basically privacy theater that just adds overhead.

2023-08-23 07:17:27

In discussions on #Chrome vs #Firefox, the issue of profiles vs multi-account containers come up. Unfortunately, it's apples and oranges.
Chrome's profiles are useful for security. You can have different extensions, browser settings, bookmarks, history, per profile. If you don't trust your browser extensions (and you shouldn't) you can have a different profile for security-sensitive stuff (e.g., bank account, SMS messages).
You can also initiate SSBs ("install as app") on specific profiles...

2023-08-21 15:30:03

"#Kotlin and #Java interoperability: Useful annotations"
https://kt.academy/article/ak-java-interop-3

2023-08-21 07:27:31

My sweetheart #photograpy #cats #catsOfMastodon
https://social-cdn.alexn.org/media_attachments/files/110/926/418/379/038/341/original/9587b17429764232.jpg

2023-08-21 07:25:58

My 2019 Macbook Pro is probably overheating.
CPU seems to go to 70℃ when doing intensive work and then it gets throttled by a "kernel_task".
It might need a cleanup.

2023-08-21 07:23:25

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@npub1t5m…9guy Nothing that takes resources & labor to produce is ever free.
Public libraries get funded by taxpayers. It's a good use of public funds, but it's not free. FOSS is also subsidized by corporations building complementary products or externalizing development. Or by enthusiasts working in their personal time & being abused by entitled users demanding free work.
Someone always pays for it, and it isn't sustainable if we forget the spending of other people's time or money.

2023-08-18 15:17:38

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@npub1dhl…xu3n Finding adequate housing is nerve-racking, as the good offers don't stay long on the market. Hang in there.

2023-08-17 07:49:41

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@npub1zzg…3uar It's better if you disable this option in settings:
"Crop images in non-expanded posts to 16x9"

2023-08-17 07:18:23

#cats #photography
https://social-cdn.alexn.org/media_attachments/files/110/903/733/180/994/771/original/544b028a606c2335.jpg

2023-08-16 05:57:38

" THE HUMAN FUTURE: A Case for Optimism"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o48X3_XQ9to

2023-08-16 05:13:05

Last week, I went through a cholecystectomy. Yikes!

2023-08-15 06:20:35

“alkaline water … with lemon”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBQhdO2UxaQ

2023-08-05 18:17:09

It is my impression that today's kids are less tech savvy than their parents. Maybe it's just my bubble 🤷‍♂️

2023-08-05 16:59:45

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@npub13qs…7fpy I already know and like no. 3, 4 and 5 and looking forward to watching the others.

2023-08-05 14:01:32

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Pentru Voxa este cu atât mai rău cu cât aproape toate cărțile alea se găsesc și pe Kindle / Audible.
De exemplu "Ferma Animalelor", genial narată de Victor Rebenciuc, este disponibilă și pe Audible, și cred că prefer Audible pentru că există căi de înlăturare a protecției DRM:
https://www.audible.com/pd/Ferma-animalelor-Audiobook/B01C7HRG0K

2023-08-05 13:56:46

Îmi place aplicația Voxa, pentru cărți in limba română, și mă bucur că există, însă îmi vine greu să plătesc un abonament pentru încă un serviciu de streaming cu conținut protejat prin DRM.
Poate nu am mentalitatea potrivită. Momentan caut anumite cărți și-mi place să colecționez. Așa cum, atunci când caut anumite filme, prefer ThePirateBay și nu Netflix 🤷‍♂️
Piața cărților digitale în limba română e foarte mică și parerea mea este că se împușcă în picior prin DRM.

2023-08-05 13:43:01

“7 Essential Talks Every Developer Should Watch” by my colleague @npub13qs…7fpy
https://blog.mihaisafta.com/posts/talks-every-developer-should-watch/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=Mastodon

2023-08-02 09:13:30

I like economic newspapers more than regular ones. That's because both good and bad news attracts eyeballs among those interested in economic investments; hence economic newspapers are colder, and less incentivized to prop up the drama.
E.g., if the unemployment rate goes up, regular newspapers will present it like an apocalypse is coming, but they are mostly silent when it goes down, even if it's one of the 2 leading indicators predicting the economic crisis is over.