Vale.Rocks
Vale.Rocks
Declan Chidlow
Long-form writings spanning an assortment of topics, though oft technical in nature.
Latest Posts
Impassioned discussion of winter and rainy days. The joys of 'bad' weather and bliss of stormy periods. Waxing lyrical on being snugged up with nature takes course around oneself.
An analysis of the biblical concept of the mark of the beast, how it relates to biohacking implants, and a debunking of the notion that I have been marked by the beast as discussed in the Book of Revelation.
Publicly available documentation of what I'd like to occur in the event of my death. Includes information about my wishes for voluntary assisted dying.
A full breakdown of my Neovim configuration, including documentation of all my base settings, plugins, and keybinds, as well as why I've configured them as such.
A loose analysis of the unproductive criticism surrounding artificial intelligence from both pro and anti camps, with advocations for more nuanced, constructive engagement and how that can be achieved to allow more informed and...
A story where human creativity and art disappear as a result of artificial intelligence usage and prevalence. Written from the perspective of someone in the future.
An overview of my personal usage of Large Language Models (LLMs) and other generative AI. Tracking my experiences with AI tools, specific models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc), applying them practically, and realistic perspective on...
A look at the stylistic fingerprints marking up my writing. Covering and vaguely justifying my spellings, use of punctuation, sentence structure, and other prosal crimes.
Why I prefer not to publish video, including practical, technical, and personal reasons I find text a more maintainable, accessible, and effective medium for my online content.
Unpacking my compulsion and will to write, including its benefits in forming thought, letting me express myself, hone in a craft, and publish accessible content.
A look at website traffic to Vale.Rocks and a general analysis of the analytics. Particularly looking at popular referrers and the variance from general web analytics.
A reflective piece exploring the sensory experiences and unique perspective gained while navigating the liminal spaces between destinations presented by airports and planes.
A rant about behaviour in the open-source software community focussing on user entitlement at the expense of developer wellbeing.
An in-depth analysis of Aaron Carter's 2000 release That's How I Beat Shaq. Including a breakdown of the legendary basketball showdown and cultural impact of this teen pop masterpiece featuring Shaquille O'Neal.
Why developers should create custom tools for repetitive tasks and one-off needs, with discussion of how LLMs can accelerate tool development, the learning benefits of building utilities, and how personal tools become valuable assets in...