Writing
Thoughts on building software that lasts, AI that actually helps, and lessons from 30 years of production code.
2025
How We Proved Our Platform's Value With an Independent Audit
How we prepared, survived, and leveraged an independent technical audit that valued Conductor like a commercial-grade platform.
Why 'It Just Works' Meant I Was Underpaid for 15 Years
The invisible work paradox - when doing your job well means nobody sees the disasters you prevented.
Measuring AI Output Quality: The Evaluation Harness
How to score AI outputs with rubrics, regression checks, and decision-focused metrics instead of vibes.
The Five Levels Nobody Told You About: From Junior Dev to CTO
The real hierarchy of technical talent - from junior dev to CTO - and why understanding these levels prevents expensive hiring mistakes.
20-Year Systems, Part 3: Incident Patterns and Fixes
The recurring incident patterns that almost took us down—and the fixes that stuck.