DEV LOG: Ice Blocks - Cryogenic Code for a Better Tomorrow...Today!
Ice Blocks
The more I code, the less I code.
Thanks to tools like Stack Overflow, GitHub Copilot, Stenography, keyboard shortcuts, etc. the process of “writing code” is less about “what is the syntax for a HTTP call” and more frequently “thinking about what I want and pressing tab”.
On the meta level of programming, lives chaos. The game of complexity and systems is open to interpretation, not yet ready to declare that Python is king, or that MongoDB is the only database solution.
On this chaotic scale, it is important to challenge prevailing thoughts in one’s mind and stay humble, else every problem will begin to share an uncanny resemblance with a nail.
The day to day code editor experience is a different story.
Ice Blocks
Locally, getting more done as a programmer means having better access to tools.
Programming is a popularity contest of relatively bug-free, correctly abstracted solutions competing to get in front of problems.
Ice Blocks is relatively simple. Save exceptionally functional code blocks in Firebase, and read them later.
I did get a bit cheeky with it, adding fields that automatically tag code blocks with language metadata, as well as a way to link relevant permalink URLs.
I also implemented a counter in the background that increments every time a code block is inserted, a simple, powerful heuristic to sort code blocks by usefulness.
Better Temperature Control Means More Time
Freezing code blocks is akin to refrigeration. By chilling your food, you slow the ever present march of entropy, giving you more time to do other things, like build rocket ships, or perhaps reading a favorite book under a tree.
My experience building Stenography and as an OpenAI ambassador has taught me that programming is about syntax arguments. Programming (with a capital “p”) is yoking a machine to your will. Programming (again, capital “p”) is much more rewarding.
You can find the repo here, and reply to this email if you have any questions.
ars long, vita brevis
Bram