Mattie Behrens on Atomic Spin

On Your Way Out of a Project? Capture What You Know in a Screencast

A screencast is a great way to capture knowledge that can be consulted at any time. Here are a few tips for making a good one, efficiently.

DevOps & System Admin.

Using Your SSH Keys in WSL in 2022

WSL is great but has one weakness — it doesn't know about your Windows SSH keys. Learn how to solve that problem with a few tools inside.

Swift

How to Call macOS APIs with Swift in Automator Workflows

macOS APIs enable a whole host of functionality you won't find in basic Automator workflow actions. With Swift, you can unlock them all.

Personal Optimization

Flip from Work to Personal and Back Quickly with a Shell Script

I maintain separate personal and work accounts for as much as I can. Heavyweight solutions have infuriating flaws, so why not try a simple shell script?

Personal Optimization

The Surprising Way AirPods Helped Me Adjust to Hearing Loss

I have high-frequency hearing loss that makes the world sound muffled. But, I've found that AirPods have been a helpful tool.

Project & Team Management

My “Now, Soon, Future” Framework for Recommendations

My "now, soon, future" framework for software projects makes recommendations easier to understand and more useful for making informed decisions.

Developer Tools

Using Protobuf, Part 3: Building Robust Code

Given a system that produces and consumes serialized protobuf messages, how can we be assured that our code is equipped to handle older or newer messages?

Developer Tools

Using Protobuf, Part 2: Fields and Compatibility

Let's talk about protobuf's strategy for backward and forward compatibility as well as pitfalls specific to this strategy that you should watch out for.

Developer Tools

Using Protobuf, Part 1: Introducing Protobuf

I recently worked on a system that communicates with protobuf, and I learned a lot about what protobuf is, what it isn’t, and what we can make it do.

Development

Chesterton’s Fence and Writing Code Comments

Old code often has a story to tell. Instead of tearing it down, follow the example in the story of Chesterton's fence and leave code comments as markers.

Development Practices

Code Quality Metrics Are Guides, Not Goals

Measuring your code quality with metrics can be a mistake. Instead, you can use the metrics as a guide — showing you potential opportunities to improve.

Personal Optimization

Automating Switching AirPods Between Devices

AirPods are ubiquitous accessories for workers at home. With a little automation, you can make using them with several devices a snap.

Mattie Behrens

Keep up with our latest posts.