# Joel Spolsky A weblog by Joel Spolsky, a programmer working in New York City, about software and software companies. This is one page of public article previews, not the complete archive. Follow Next page to continue. Summaries are not the original full articles. ## Progress on the Block Protocol DevFeed: [Progress on the Block Protocol]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Joel Spolsky Published: 2022-12-19T13:01:40Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Joel Spolsky]() Topics: [Protocol (disambiguation)](), [Semantic Web](), [HTML](), [json-ld](), [RDF (Resource Description Framework)]() Tags: [blog-post](), [html](), [json-ld](), [news](), [protocol]() ### AI overview The article discusses the slow progress of the Block Protocol and the broader challenge of adding machine-readable structure to human-readable web documents. It explains how HTML and CSS provide limited structure, introduces the Semantic Web goal, and mentions RDF and JSON-LD as formats for adding structured markup. ### Source excerpt Since the 1990s, the web has been a publishing place for human-readable documents. Documents published on the web are in HTML. HTML has a little bit of... Read more "Progress on the Block Protocol" ## The Block Protocol for reusable web editor blocks DevFeed: [The Block Protocol for reusable web editor blocks]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Joel Spolsky Published: 2022-01-27T17:14:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Joel Spolsky]() Topics: [Protocol (disambiguation)](), [Web](), [Open Source](), [Content Management System]() Tags: [content-management-system](), [kanban](), [news](), [open-source](), [web](), [wordpress]() ### AI overview The article proposes the Block Protocol, an open and free standard intended to make blocks reusable across blogs, note-taking apps, and content management systems. It describes an early draft, initial blocks, and a simple editor under development. ### Source excerpt You've probably seen web editors based on the idea of blocks. I'm typing this in WordPress, which has a little + button that brings up a long... Read more "Making the web better. With blocks!" ## How Stack Overflow Changed Programming Overnight DevFeed: [How Stack Overflow Changed Programming Overnight]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Joel Spolsky Published: 2021-06-02T16:36:19Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Joel Spolsky]() Topics: [Programming](), [Stack Overflow](), [Code](), [web applications](), [React]() Tags: [code](), [developer](), [news](), [programming](), [react](), [stack-overflow](), [web-app]() ### AI overview This commentary reflects on how programming has changed slowly through memory management improvements and modern tools, while arguing that Stack Overflow rapidly changed how developers find programming knowledge. It also criticizes the growing complexity of development tools and the continued difficulty of common web application tasks. ### Source excerpt The other day I was talking to a young developer working on a code base with tons of COM code, and I told him that even before... Read more "Kinda a big announcement" ## HASH: a free, online platform for modeling the world DevFeed: [HASH: a free, online platform for modeling the world]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Joel Spolsky Published: 2020-06-18T14:12:25Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Joel Spolsky]() Topics: [Simulation](), [Complex Systems](), [JavaScript](), [Code]() Tags: [complex](), [free](), [hash](), [javascript](), [news](), [platform](), [simulation](), [systems]() ### AI overview The article introduces HASH, a free online platform for modeling complex systems through JavaScript-based simulations. It explains how users can model individual behaviors, adjust parameters and rules, and use simulations to better understand complex problems. ### Source excerpt Sometimes simulating complex systems is the best way to understand them. Read more "HASH: a free, online platform for modeling the world" ## Joel Spolsky describes his sabbatical and companies including Glitch and HASH DevFeed: [Joel Spolsky describes his sabbatical and companies including Glitch and HASH]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Joel Spolsky Published: 2019-12-05T22:51:39Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Joel Spolsky]() Topics: [Simulation](), [Stack Overflow](), [Open Source](), [Programming](), [Software]() Tags: [ceo](), [news](), [open-source](), [programming](), [retirement](), [stack-overflow]() ### AI overview Joel Spolsky describes his sabbatical after Stack Overflow appointed Prashanth Chandrasekar as CEO. He discusses Glitch's simplified programming environment and HASH's open source platform for simulating agent behavior. ### Source excerpt For the last couple of months, Prashanth Chandrasekar has been getting settled in as the new CEO of Stack Overflow. I'm still going on some customer calls... Read more "So, how's that retirement thing going, anyway?" ## Stack Overflow Announces Prashanth Chandrasekar as Its Next CEO DevFeed: [Stack Overflow Announces Prashanth Chandrasekar as Its Next CEO]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Joel Spolsky Published: 2019-09-24T14:00:17Z Content type: release Language: en Sources: [Joel Spolsky]() Topics: [Stack Overflow](), [Users]() Tags: [ceo](), [leadership](), [management](), [news](), [stack-overflow]() ### AI overview Stack Overflow announces that Prashanth Chandrasekar has been selected as its next CEO, with his first day scheduled for October 1. The article also outlines his experience building Rackspace's Global Managed Public Clouds Business and Stack Overflow's goals for the year ahead. ### Source excerpt Last March, I shared that we were starting to look for a new CEO for Stack Overflow. We were looking for that rare combination of someone who... Read more "Welcome, Prashanth!" ## The next CEO of Stack Overflow DevFeed: [The next CEO of Stack Overflow]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Joel Spolsky Published: 2019-03-28T14:00:53Z Content type: news Language: en Sources: [Joel Spolsky]() Topics: [Stack Overflow](), [Microsoft](), [Software as a service](), [ASP.NET](), [mvc](), [.NET]() Tags: [advertising](), [asp-net](), [browser](), [ceo](), [co-founder](), [employees](), [microsoft](), [mvc](), [net](), [news](), [revenue](), [saas](), [software](), [stack-overflow]() ### AI overview Joel Spolsky announces that Stack Overflow is looking for a new CEO. He is stepping away from day-to-day operations to become chairman of the board, while describing the company's growth, profitability, products, employees, and audience. ### Source excerpt We're looking for a new CEO for Stack Overflow. I'm stepping out of the day-to-day and up to the role of Chairman of the Board. Read more "The next CEO of Stack Overflow" ## Announcing Stack Overflow for Teams DevFeed: [Announcing Stack Overflow for Teams]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Joel Spolsky Published: 2018-05-03T12:58:25Z Content type: release Language: en Sources: [Joel Spolsky]() Topics: [Stack Overflow](), [Development](), [Wiki](), [IRC]() Tags: [company](), [development](), [documentation](), [irc](), [news](), [product](), [stack-overflow](), [teams](), [wiki]() ### AI overview The article announces Stack Overflow for Teams, a paid private Q&A service for teams, companies, and organizations. It is presented as a way to capture searchable institutional knowledge through questions and answers. ### Source excerpt New product: Stack Overflow for Teams lets you direct questions to members of your own team, company, or organization. Read more "Announcing Stack Overflow for Teams" ## Debugging Techniques and Expectations for Programming Questions DevFeed: [Debugging Techniques and Expectations for Programming Questions]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Joel Spolsky Published: 2018-04-23T14:42:45Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Joel Spolsky]() Topics: [debugging](), [Stack Overflow](), [C]() Tags: [debugging](), [news](), [stack-overflow]() ### AI overview The article discusses rubber-duck debugging and divide-and-conquer debugging, then relates them to writing concise, self-contained programming questions. It also introduces a debate about whether Stack Overflow should accommodate programming novices. ### Source excerpt There's this popular idea among developers that when you face a problem with code, you should get out a rubber duck and explain, to the duck, exactly how your code was supposed to work. Read more "Strange and maddening rules" ## How Stack Overflow Uses Reputation as a Light Touch of Gamification DevFeed: [How Stack Overflow Uses Reputation as a Light Touch of Gamification]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Joel Spolsky Published: 2018-04-13T13:40:21Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Joel Spolsky]() Topics: [Stack Overflow](), [Reddit]() Tags: [community](), [developers](), [gamification](), [news](), [stack-overflow](), [standards]() ### AI overview The article explains how Stack Overflow uses reputation, voting, and small rewards to motivate contributors and surface useful answers. It presents this as a limited form of gamification that reinforces community norms and standards. ### Source excerpt I had to think for a minute to realize that Stack Overflow has "gamification" too. Not a ton. Maybe a dusting of gamification, most of it around reputation. Read more "A Dusting of Gamification"