Brandon Rohrer

Robots and data and robots learning from data.
https://brandonrohrer.org 
#Robots
#Robotics
 #ReinforcementLearning 
#MachineLearning
#DataScience

blog: https://brandonrohrer.org

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Last Notes

2026-07-21 13:07:34 UTC

Can I get some help spending money? I have a pot earmarked for technical books. Any recommendations on references for programming, databases, networking, algorithms, and all applications and adjacent topics? Bonus points if it’s something you wrote.
What has sparked joy for you?

2026-07-02 19:32:01 UTC

Well, great, apparently now I have to go invent something called Rohrer’s Razor
https://intheweights.com/p/vesselin-bontchev
https://cdn.masto.host/recsyssocial/media_attachments/files/116/852/045/762/143/885/original/636de88cce703580.jpeg

2026-07-02 10:56:59 UTC

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what hits me is how did jackass win the critics’ hearts?

2026-06-29 19:18:52 UTC

Why did we feel the need to turn “action” into a verb?

2026-06-25 10:38:20 UTC

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Credit where it’s due- my current employer is a delightful exception to this trend

2026-06-25 10:05:10 UTC

RE: https://front-end.social/@stephaniewalter/116809572711174658
“The goal right now isn’t to optimize yourself into the shape the market demands. It’s to stay whole enough that when better conditions exist — and they will — you still have something left to bring.”
This piece may make you feel sad and angry and seen.
#note12uw…hn67

2026-06-21 11:17:07 UTC

This next round of Artisanal Language Model improvements are mostly focused on efficiency rather than dramatic algorithmic improvements.
https://brandonrohrer.org/alms_somm_sparse.html
I moved the Markov models from a dense representation, using arrays, to a sparse representation, using dictionaries. That cut the storage requirements down to a few percent of their original levels.

2026-06-06 00:29:59 UTC

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sign me up for this cult! Take my earthly possessions!

2026-06-05 22:31:33 UTC

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but karl, karl surely there is one North Star metric we can use to evaluate every experience and use case that captures the nuance and complexity of oddball human behavior and expectations right? Right? Please say there is?

2026-05-31 14:30:53 UTC

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“Actual innovation in neural networks themselves has slowed” - a minor tragedy when set side by side the others, but a tragedy nonetheless. The innovation opportunity cost of LLM mania is incalculable.

2026-05-27 19:59:11 UTC

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copy-pasting this for my next performance review

2026-05-19 18:26:17 UTC

RE: https://cosocial.ca/@mhoye/116602377072630702
Going back to sticky notes on my monitor is starting to look pretty good right about now
#note1zel…80ny

2026-05-12 13:57:51 UTC

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I mean, depending on the volume of traffic it might be fine. But some folks have seriously attempted to stream video directly from Codeberg repos. That’s a no-no.

2026-05-12 13:46:56 UTC

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I absolutely would! A few caveats
- Codeberg is a much smaller scale than the other players. Being a good citizen means not hosting huge binaries or using it as a content server that gets hit every time someone loads your blog. I have no compunctions against using GitHub for this.
- i think Codeberg doesn’t have things like GH Actions and other fancy CI automation pipelines. I don’t rely on those so it doesn’t hurt me.

2026-05-12 11:37:10 UTC

I host my blog repo on Codeberg with mirrors on GitHub and GitLab. It started as a fun exercise in overkill, but I’m feeling better about it by the day. It’s three times the hassle. But maybe going multi-infra is worth the robustness benefit when trusted institutions start failing.

2026-04-20 11:25:13 UTC

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what if the real social media is all the people we met along the way?
or
social media would be great if it weren’t for all the other people

2026-04-17 19:43:37 UTC

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surely you’re almost there. Another hour at most.

2026-04-17 19:23:58 UTC

Do you have Opinions about Python packaging with uv? Let me know what I got wrong.
https://brandonrohrer.org/python_packaging.html
Includes
- How do I name projects? Packages? Modules? Repositories?
- What are wheels and sdists?
- What are build tools and why do they matter?
- Why have a src directory?
- How do I make a package visible across the project?
- How do I add other file types to the package? And how do I access them from the code?
- What goes into pyproject.toml?

2026-04-17 10:08:14 UTC

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sending a big knuckle bump your way

2026-04-16 15:21:15 UTC

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i’ll be interested to see what solution you find for hosting images. I am abusing GitHub for that now, even though Codeberg is where I keep the primary copies of my code and webpages. I don’t mind taking advantage of GitHub‘s bandwidth, but would eventually like to find something more reliable.

2026-04-16 12:22:27 UTC

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good to hear. I’m focusing on the uv happy path as I dig deeper

2026-04-16 12:21:21 UTC

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This is the way

2026-04-16 11:27:03 UTC

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I’m in this place

2026-04-16 11:24:33 UTC

The more I read about Python packaging the less I understand

2026-04-15 18:54:00 UTC

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so much! I also feel like the most interesting work is methods that respect those constraints and try to do their job within them.

2026-04-15 11:35:45 UTC

I can’t tell whether the Boston Globe wants me to feel happy or sad about this
https://cdn.masto.host/recsyssocial/media_attachments/files/116/408/512/790/831/346/original/c0395d4c3c7edbb9.jpeg

2026-04-15 00:45:54 UTC

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I used straight python to hold my evaluation data structures, instead of putting them in JSON. I apologize for nothing.

2026-04-14 22:56:54 UTC

The latest stage in my quest to build some a small/local/purposeful artisanal language model: Giving it a job and writing evals
https://brandonrohrer.at/alms_task.html
https://cdn.masto.host/recsyssocial/media_attachments/files/116/405/520/674/811/887/original/40f1f52549d8ffc3.png

2026-04-14 20:28:51 UTC

This from @npub1fzn…nnyk came across my RSS feed. Chef’s kiss worthy, as always.
https://vickiboykis.com/2026/04/13/mechanical-sympathy/

2026-04-14 13:12:01 UTC

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cat-level shenanigans

2026-04-14 11:30:48 UTC

RE: https://thepit.social/@peter/116402677301385826
“AI can do the job of all managers, middle managers, VPs. But not mine. As the Big Manager I bring something unique, a special human-only contribution which is…ummm…uh…hold on just a sec I have something for this. “
#note1r3c…t3zy

2026-04-14 10:00:21 UTC

RE: https://neuromatch.social/@jonny/116402217632593593
@npub1ljm…w8tm watching you descend into madness as you plumb the depths of coding depravity is a special kind of catharsis. I award you a Purple Heart. 💜
#note15m5…nvet

2026-04-13 14:02:58 UTC

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2026-04-13 14:01:55 UTC

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Menopause Manifesto by Dr Jen Gunter is excellent

2026-04-13 02:33:08 UTC

Harder. Worser. Faster. Wronger.
https://annaecook.com/writing/2026/ai-prototyping-harder-worser-faster-wronger

2026-04-12 21:19:25 UTC

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I’m in this picture and I like it

2026-04-12 20:11:14 UTC

RE: https://indieweb.social/@chadkoh/116392567578809987
50 over 50 is the new 30 under 30
#note1h7m…37cj

2026-04-12 19:51:10 UTC

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I feel like [@Jorvon_Moss](https://mstdn.social/@Jorvon_Moss ) has thought about this problem more deeply than anyone

2026-04-12 11:14:54 UTC

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Also an unfriendly wall of links, but smaller

2026-04-12 10:25:39 UTC

My blog had evolved into an unfriendly wall of links. To fix this I added an on-ramp section at the beginning.
https://brandonrohrer.org
https://cdn.masto.host/recsyssocial/media_attachments/files/116/391/239/267/376/443/original/13aa7d445da059d8.png

2026-04-12 01:58:48 UTC

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❤️ ❤️ ❤️
I added it to my blog and mirrors. Maybe a thousand unique bots per day (I try to block the ones I can detect. If you see any obnoxious behavior coming from
199.58.82.74
141.227.135.121
138.197.69.146
just let me know and I'll unlink.

2026-04-12 00:56:07 UTC

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you are my emotional support poaster

2026-04-11 11:45:25 UTC

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turns out that knowing what words mean is useful. Who knew?

2026-04-10 16:29:38 UTC

Hey #datascience people, new blog in which I aim to describe the complexities of being a Staff+ data science (and adjacent) roles. Let me know what I missed.
https://brandonrohrer.org/ds_roles
https://cdn.masto.host/recsyssocial/media_attachments/files/116/381/341/552/909/472/original/9eb7da1b5e3deb2c.png

2026-04-10 15:47:52 UTC

It's not just you--job search today really is a beast. As Melissa and Johnathan put it "the front door is fucked".
The secret? Focus on connecting with actual human people.
https://www.rawsignal.ca/newsletter-archive/500-applications-0-callbacks/

2026-04-10 11:41:52 UTC

Increasingly impressed at Reuters editors’ ability to clearly imply WTF in their headlines without coming right out and printing it

2026-04-10 11:34:47 UTC

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Banksy-level art here. Thank you for this

2026-04-10 11:30:02 UTC

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🎵 it’s the Circle, the Circle of Life 🎶

2026-04-10 02:12:19 UTC

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My go-to timer is now an honest to goodness hourglass full of sand. I don’t get sidetracked every time I go to turn it on.

2026-04-09 16:56:50 UTC

Nothing says “we live in an Age of Enlightenment” like the compulsion to refresh Reuters every 15 minutes to catch the latest jump-the-shark plot twist

2026-04-09 11:05:05 UTC

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it is a noble thing you do

2026-04-09 10:00:30 UTC

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OK, I’m definitely going to have to listen to these. Thanks for the recommendation.

2026-04-09 01:22:44 UTC

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hooooly crap what a ride. I always thought espionage movies were exaggerating. I never suspected they were underselling reality.

2026-04-08 18:15:49 UTC

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I bet with a bit of rework you could make it into a 15 chapter airport business management book

2026-04-08 16:46:21 UTC

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ill take two

2026-04-08 15:58:39 UTC

when you want to “do lines” but you’re a Shih Tzu
https://cdn.masto.host/recsyssocial/media_attachments/files/116/369/910/253/975/699/original/0373dd1253c765b7.jpeg

2026-04-08 10:22:25 UTC

RE: https://berlin.social/@jack/116363174017856241
You might want to read this sitting down with a box of tissues nearby for a good rage-laugh-cry
#note1e5u…j2mq

2026-04-07 09:52:25 UTC

This is what it sounds like when grown-ups talk about AI. Jonathan and Melissa deserve to be legends.
https://youtu.be/ncmuXQGGqBM?si=rH3zzbz5WwucA9Sf

2026-04-07 09:28:20 UTC

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yes. YES!

2026-04-06 22:03:39 UTC

The Big Bang Theory had a whole storyline about Howard Wolowitz keeping a space toilet operational. Seemed over the top at the time.

2026-04-05 02:11:50 UTC

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thank you! But no, not yet for me. Just an observation from amalgamated experiences.

2026-04-04 19:16:58 UTC

In my experience, you start a job hunt with like seven things that are Very Important to you. In the end, you get four, five of you are very lucky. In lean times you may do with 2 1/2.
The trick is you never know which of those seven things are Most Important until you get an offer and have to start seriously considering a future without them.

2026-04-04 16:30:09 UTC

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by Grapthar’s hammer!!!

2026-04-04 11:49:58 UTC

RE: https://vis.social/@kristinHenry/116345455439288636
Garbage in garbage out, but in a good way
#note167h…k6av

2026-04-02 18:40:02 UTC

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smells of word-by-word Google translate

2026-04-02 14:57:44 UTC

Trillion dollar idea: instead of building houses brick by brick, with plumbing and code compliant electrical let’s just build a giant machine that barfs out Instagram-ready McMansion facades

2026-04-02 12:59:37 UTC

Hey Reuters is this bad? This seems bad
https://cdn.masto.host/recsyssocial/media_attachments/files/116/335/232/434/997/681/original/4b3e14b28c68dfbc.jpeg

2026-04-02 09:29:02 UTC

The xkcd Apr 1 hijinx was the one that brought me joy
https://xkcd.com/3227

2026-04-02 00:56:50 UTC

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I was a little kid again 😊

2026-04-01 22:32:48 UTC

You want to see a rocket go to the fucking moon? Happening in two minutes!!!
https://www.youtube.com/live/Tf_UjBMIzNo?si=RImwNgSRjgIPm63l

2026-04-01 16:00:58 UTC

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sharing just in case it’s relevant: the first seven posts on my blog, walk through in excruciating detail what I did to spin up a self-managed blog server
https://brandonrohrer.org/

2026-04-01 14:57:01 UTC

RE: https://neuromatch.social/@jonny/116324676116121930
I’m fucking dying. Long journey, but worth every step.
#note19wu…qvf2

2026-04-01 10:23:28 UTC

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happy nudl day of visibility!

2026-03-31 20:11:47 UTC

Big schAIdenfreude day

2026-03-31 16:11:40 UTC

Anaconda (2026) - the answer to the question of what if Charlie Kaufman made a B movie horror flick with a bunch of A-list actors?
Bring some popcorn

2026-03-31 13:27:27 UTC

RE: https://mastodon.social/@PavelASamsonov/116323977019559114
this. absolutely one hundred percent this.
#note1qdd…2j9p

2026-03-31 00:15:26 UTC

Randall pulls no punches today
https://xkcd.com/3226/

2026-03-31 00:04:48 UTC

New sticker day
https://cdn.masto.host/recsyssocial/media_attachments/files/116/320/860/966/308/991/original/6c1bad43308cc3d4.jpeg

2026-03-30 11:20:42 UTC

RE: https://mastodon.scot/@kristiedegaris/116316864004887837
I wanted this bad enough that I ordered from a small UK bookseller. Now you can get it from small US booksellers.
Strongly recommend if you appreciate writing that pulls you under and drowns you in pain and beauty.
#note17l4…xh43

2026-03-29 21:58:03 UTC

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hashtag goals

2026-03-29 21:38:50 UTC

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i’ve wondered about this too. My guess is that “char” it’s just a convenient shorthand “thing I get when I strike a key”-useful until you’ve built up the more sophisticated data models of bytes, encoding, etc., that are less ambiguous

2026-03-29 21:35:03 UTC

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I appreciate the artistry in the “psychoactive substance as an interpretive monologue” genre. I hope there’s a Molly video out there somewhere

2026-03-29 15:24:09 UTC

Good job hunting signal: when the thought of working there doesn’t fill you with a creeping dread

2026-03-29 12:17:59 UTC

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That’s a Pulitzer winning photo there

2026-03-29 00:39:03 UTC

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https://cdn.masto.host/recsyssocial/media_attachments/files/116/309/670/616/444/050/original/f391a0532852ac2c.mp4

2026-03-28 17:46:42 UTC

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evergreen subtoot

2026-03-28 17:43:13 UTC

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would pay exorbitant speaker fees to have you keynote my event

2026-03-28 11:09:46 UTC

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a campaign slogan I can get behind

2026-03-27 13:22:52 UTC

Writing poetry is really hard. Does anything even rhyme with Nantucket?

2026-03-27 08:59:11 UTC

To whom can I report my brain for creating a hostile work environment?

2026-03-26 18:48:22 UTC

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context from @npub1e44…0625
https://daedal.io/@thomzane/116296794533534108
#note1ra6…g77s

2026-03-26 18:46:20 UTC

if you are so inclined
https://cdn.masto.host/recsyssocial/media_attachments/files/116/296/958/897/494/125/original/0b5387ab0b63e34d.png

2026-03-26 10:18:34 UTC

What do you mean I’m antisocial? I log into Mastodon like ten times a day!

2026-03-25 23:53:25 UTC

RE: https://hachyderm.io/@amcasari/116291162820593289
So it has been decided in consultation with [@amcasari](https://hachyderm.io/@amcasari ) — the internet’s birthday is July 1

2026-03-25 17:02:31 UTC

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now I’m chuckling, trying to imagine someone who signs on to watch a movie about trapped ballerinas, trying to figure out how biblical fiction fits into the plot

2026-03-25 15:56:08 UTC

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coming together at a roundtable?

2026-03-25 13:43:31 UTC

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that’s a hell of a hook. Would watch.

2026-03-25 10:43:26 UTC

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I hear bangs are in

2026-03-25 00:31:55 UTC

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endorsed

2026-03-24 23:41:22 UTC

I definitely do not have an alt on which I ranted about The Bullshit today