Reconcilable Differences 280: How Dangerous I Can Be
Feb 12, 2026
They geek out over RFCs, machine-naming rituals, and the early web tools that shaped their curiosity. They argue about agents that write code, prompt engineering, and how half-baked skills can be dangerous. Practical tinkering appears in a long dive into sink holes, soap dispensers, and clever repurposing ideas. Side threads touch on passkeys, tiny sites, and the Australian Open 1 Point Slam.
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Small Visible Habits Shape Behavior
- Merlin's two simple resolutions were to 'take 20% off' and change how he writes sevens and zeros to look cooler.
- He admits appearance-driven tweaks matter and he will adopt small visible changes if they feel helpful, not ideological.
Attic Full Of Protected Old iMacs
- John stores childhood devices and colored iMacs in a sun-protected attic covered by sweatshirts rather than boxes.
- Merlin probes attic organization and the tactile habit of preserving old tech rather than boxing it properly.
Name Servers For Interchangeability Not Romance
- Naming fleets of machines follows RFC-style thought: human-readable names vs numeric structured labels like SRV-11375.
- John highlights the 'pets vs cattle' mentality: avoid special-case names once scale demands interchangeability.