The Overflow #173: From Smalltalk to smart contracts

Welcome to ISSUE #173 of The Overflow! This newsletter is by developers, for developers, written and curated by the Stack Overflow team and Cassidy Williams. This week: the downside of data-driven decisions, around the world without leaving your car, and a big collection of accessibility resources.

From the blog

The people most affected by the tech layoffs stackoverflow.blog
Overall, these layoffs are a body blow to diversity in tech, not just slowing but actually reversing hard-won gains.

“Data-driven” decisions aren’t innovative decisions stackoverflow.blog
If you want to innovate new solutions, you can’t rely on data about existing solutions.

From cryptography to consensus: Q&A with CTO David Schwartz on building blockchain apps stackoverflow.blog
Imagine a world where you own your digital purchases instead of license them.

From Smalltalk to smart contracts, reflecting on four decades of programming (Ep. 551) stackoverflow.blog
We chat with Dean Tribble about his journey from Xerox PARC to blockchain CEO.

Put your best work on display! promotion
Showcase your skills and build an online resume with .ME, the most personal domain name. Check if your FirstNameLastName + .ME combination is available and check out lots of developer-specific tips and resources for building your online presence.

Interesting questions

SQL as a means of avoiding “releases” softwareengineering.stackexchange.com
On monkey patches and cowboy coding…

Can you travel around the world by ferries with a car? travel.stackexchange.com
Who’s up for a road trip?

Is RAM wiped before use in another LXC container? security.stackexchange.com
What did the containers say to RAM when overprovisioning? Just so we’re not on the same page…

Do I really need plural grammatical number when my conlang deals with existence and uniqueness? conlang.stackexchange.com
There are many language without formal plural.

Links from around the web

Accessibility for designer: where do I start?  stephaniewalter.design
This is an amazing collection of accessibility resources for the projects you might be building!

Buying a bicycle using Playwright maciekpalmowski.dev
We’ve all wanted to buy one of those limited-edition items that sell out immediately…here’s how one dev took matters into his own hands.

CSS creator Håkon Wium Lie interview by Evrone evrone.com
This is a fascinating interview with the creator of CSS on his journey into the web.

A guide for building open-source communities blog.vaunt.dev
Open-source communities have been around for years. Here’s a breakdown of how to attract contributors, build infrastructure, and iterate on your own.

If you’re curious about our other products: How to get started with Stack Overflow for Teams.