Intelligent Machines (Audio) IM 867: The Ketchup Effect - The Lines Are Too Damn Long
29 snips
Apr 23, 2026 
Ian Bogost, game designer and writer who studies objects and technology, argues that small sensory pleasures and constraints matter more than frictionless convenience. He talks about why waits and minor frustrations can be meaningful. He explores AI nudging people back into embodied tasks and how play, limits, and tactile delights shape our relationship with technology.
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Adjusting Wait Estimates To Protect Businesses
- John's pizzeria worried DamnLines' wait estimates might turn customers away, so Lucas adjusted John's displayed wait times to avoid hurting business.
- This shows the ethical/local ops trade-offs in public-facing wait estimators.
Privacy By Design For Street-Facing Cameras
- Lucas blurred tenants' windows, disabled audio, paid them modestly, and persisted video files for only 10 minutes to address privacy.
- He chose apartments by view, sent 100 snail-mail letters, then selected the best inbound leads for cameras.
Scan Your Code With AI Security Skills Before Release
- Use AI-powered security tooling routinely to audit code and detect leaked secrets before publishing.
- Leo runs multiple third-party security skills and scans his public repos to avoid exposing API keys or passwords.
